To Steal a Groom (Royal Billionaire Romance) (9 page)

“That’s not exactly it. But Damon did propose first, so it would be kind of you to let us have our wedding first. I’m sure we could think of a solution that makes us both happy.”

Natalia brings up the fan so that it covers the lower part of her face, then snaps it shut. “Let me tell you something, Grace. I’ve known Damon and Marc practically their whole lives. It’s taken me years to get a proposal and you procure one in what, a week? Tell me, how is that fair?”

I stare at her, stunned. “I’m sorry you see it that way.” What else does she want me to say?

“Don’t fret. I’m working to even the scales.” Natalia drops into the chair by the computer, smiling sweetly. Her mood changes are giving me whiplash.

She swivels in the chair, daintily crossing her legs. “Tell me, are you enjoying Valda’s services?”

“How did you know about that? I haven’t even told Damon yet.”

“Oh, Marc overheard his brother fretting over your dress troubles. Since he has the queen’s ear, Marc suggested that she lend you Valda. Of course, all of this was my idea.”

I wish I could sink into a couch and lie down for a while, but something deep inside urges me to be wary.

“I hear that Valda’s the best,” Natalia says. “Is that right? Of course, my seamstresses back in Andova are working on my gown. My father was so pleased when he heard of my engagement, he insisted that no expense was to be spared. You should really tell your own parents soon, Grace.”

Did I not make it clear last night that that wouldn’t happen? I breathe in. I can’t let Natalia know she’s getting to me. Besides, she’s probably not doing it on purpose. People from happy families have trouble fathoming just how unhappy families can be.

“Thank you for your concern. I’m sure my parents will find out someday. And thanks for letting the queen know that I was having trouble finding a dress. That was very thoughtful of you.” I won’t tell her how horrible the meeting with Valda went, or that I’m contemplating relieving her of dressmaking duties. Natalia doesn’t need to know any of that.

She eyes me from across the room, her eyes gleaming like Reggie’s when he spies a piece of meat.

I glance at the door. Maybe it’s best that I go. I don’t enjoy feeling like prey. “Anyway, thanks for listening. If you could consider what we talked about, I’d really appreciate it. I’m sure we can come to some sort of compromise, especially since we’ll be sisters-in-law soon. Again, congratulations to you and Marc.”

Natalia tilts her head back. “Oh please. Drop the façade.”

“Excuse me?”

“Drop it. I know you’re pissed. I designed it that way.”

“What do you mean?” I feel faint. The room starts to spin.

“Come, now. Don’t play dumb.” Natalia rises, dragging her chair behind her. “I set that insufferable Valda on making your dress. I’m getting married before you.” She pushes the chair under me, and I fall into it.

“Why though?”

“Because I can.” Natalia wheels me over to the computer monitor. I see the two of us reflected in its dark screen, me looking confused, her watching me with a twisted smile.

“I thought we were friends. We were getting along last night, weren’t we?”

She scoffs. “You really are naïve. Why would I ever be friends with you? You’re nothing. Maybe even less.” Natalia pushes a button, and the screen flickers to life. Her fingers fly over the keys, but I still catch her password out of habit. QueenBee456. I wonder how long this duke’s daughter has thought of herself as a queen.

“I really can’t believe a nobody like you thought for one minute that you could survive in a royal court. Here there be monsters, and you lack both a compass and a map. Why,” she clicks on a file, “you could even be a monster yourself.”

“I may be a thief, but I’m no monster.” I clench the leather armrests, hoping she can’t hear my voice shaking. “I’d rather not play your sick games, but I can if I have to. I’m willing to bet that the palace servants like me more than you. Where would you be if I convinced them not to help you with planning or preparations?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t do that.”

“Why not?”

She just looks at the screen, where a video has started to play. The camera looks down on a room. With rising horror, I recognize the hotel room from last night. But maybe this is something else. Maybe this has nothing to do with me or Nic.

We enter, and my stomach drops. A chill runs through me as Nic sets me on the bed, then goes to inspect the jammed door. He sits next to me. The video is silent, all possible sound replaced by the ringing in my ears. In the cool of the computer room, my heart pounds so loudly that it must be reverberating through the city. I’m sure Natalia is basking in my fear.

Nic wipes away my tears. It’s unclear whether the gesture is caring or sensual. It would be easy to assume the worst. I cringe as I see myself arch toward the bodyguard and raise a hand to his face. I wish I could scream at myself to stop.

Natalia pauses the video. I’m left hanging, my hand frozen in time, reaching toward Nic.

“Keep going.” Despite the dryness in my mouth, I manage to croak out the words.

“Why’s that? You have a guilty conscience?”

“I need to know what happened!” I’m shouting now, but I don’t care. It’s all here, on this video. My salvation or my damnation. I need to know.

“You should have asked politely then. There’s no need to shout.”

I look up at her. “Please. I’m begging you.”

She frowns, as if deep in thought. “Let me think. How about … no.” Natalia laughs. “It’s for your own good. You don’t want to see the rest of this tape. And trust me, neither does Damon. There’s a lot more, but for now I’ll spare you the embarrassment. I suggest that you let us have our date, as well as anything else I want. Otherwise, I’ll give Damon a private showing. That would solve one of your problems though. You wouldn’t have to worry about having a wedding at all.”

Knocking the chair away, I stumble from the room. Natalia doesn’t try to stop me. Bursting through the front doors, I fumble with the car keys. Blinking through my tears, I step on the gas and fly away from that awful woman. No matter how fast I go, I can’t escape the image that’s burned into my mind. Me, frozen on a screen, reaching for Nic. What the hell happened after that? Scenarios flash through my mind, none of them pleasant.

Despite the long drive, the guard barely manages to open the gate in time. Pushing the car to its limits, I speed back to the palace. I am in such deep trouble. What am I going to do?

7

I roar into the garage, wheels screeching as I stop just short of a wall. Two spaces over, a car’s hood is popped, a man bent over its engine. With a back that broad, it can be no one else. Slamming the door behind me, I step from the car. We need to talk.

“Nic, what happened?” I grab his arm. “Tell me!”

The man spins around. “Miss Sparrow?” He wipes a hand dark with engine grease along his brow.

My eyes dart between his bushy eyebrows and the wrench in his hand. It’s not Nic. I’ve just harassed some poor mechanic. “I’m sorry,” I stutter. “I…” I can’t think of a plausible reason for grabbing him. All it would take is one little lie to smooth things over. Why isn’t one coming to me?

“Are you all right, Miss Sparrow?”

I can feel my face burning with embarrassment. Everything is crumbling around me, and I can’t even fib anymore? My tongue has gotten me out of the tightest spots before. Now all I can do is turn and flee. The mechanic calls after me. Great. Who knows how many people he’ll tell about the prince’s crazed fiancée?

Whirling, I race outside, pounding up the palace steps. All I want is a dark corner where I can close my eyes and breathe for a moment. But where can I go? The room with the blue door is no longer mine, and Damon’s room still feels like his. I have nowhere to call my own.

A hand clamps around my arm like a vise. “You can’t go running around the palace like this.”

I never thought I’d be so glad to be reprimanded by Nic. “I was looking for you.”

“You were?”

“You, or somewhere to hide.”

He pulls me behind a marble pillar and into an alcove. It’s empty except for a rusting suit of armor. “Will this do for now?”

I nod, feeling spent. Though I wish I could lean against something, Nic doesn’t seem like a great option at the moment. I choose the wall instead, pressing against the cool stone. “What do you remember?”

He shakes his head. “Nothing.”

“Nic!”

The bodyguard clenches his fists. “I don’t remember anything, I promise. I’d beat it out of myself if I could. I want to know as badly as you. My job is on the line, as well as Damon’s trust.”

Damon. Oh god. It would kill him to hear this conversation. I press my palms against my face, wishing I could escape this somehow. Even if Nic and I did terrible things, I just want to know. This purgatory is unbearable.

“You’re shaking.” Nic reaches out a hand, then pulls it back. “I could take you to the wine cellar. It’s dark and cool down there, with over 50,000 rare bottles. I’ll split any one you like with you. We could both use some calm.”

“We can’t do that,” I whisper. “What would that look like?”

Nic reddens. “You’re right, of course. I wish I could do something though. I feel like this is all my fault. I should have broken that hotel door down, but I was a bit far gone by that point.” He rubs his forehead. “Marc kept handing me drinks, it didn’t seem polite to refuse.”

So Marc’s involved as well. Of course he is.

“Besides, I wasn’t even on duty that night.” He bites off a curse. “Shouldn’t matter. The prince’s bodyguard is always on duty.”

“It isn’t your fault, Nic.”

He looks up at me, eyes haunted. “What if it is, though?”

I don’t know what to say. What if it’s mine as well, regardless of what Marc and Natalia did to set us up? I’d have no comforting words for myself.

There’s the sound of a main door opening, footsteps along the flagstones.

“We’ll talk later,” Nic says in a low tone. “We don’t want word to get out.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if some rumors started floating around. I might have scared a mechanic just now. Thought he was you.”

“What?” His eyes widen with alarm. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Nic! Don’t kill him!”

“Are you insane? Remind me not to cross you. A quiet explanation will suffice.” He straightens his collar.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” I protest.

“You just … try to keep quiet. At least until we have any idea of what happened.”

“About that…” I look around, but I can’t tell him about Natalia’s hidden camera here. “We need to talk ASAP.”

“Is that the tweeting of a little bird I hear?” Valda’s voice echoes off the pillars, making us both freeze. “Come out and sing with me, Miss Bird.”

“Go.” Nic shoves me from our alcove.

“But what about—”

“Later, Grace!”

Emerging into the light, I find myself face to face with Valda.

“There you are, Miss Bird. Who were you twittering to?”

I do my best to keep my features smooth. “I don’t believe that’s any of your concern.”

“Ah, but most things under the palace roof are the queen’s concern. Who’s there? Come out and have a word.”

There’s no response.

She smirks at me. “Let me see for myself then, shall I?”

I glare at her back as she pokes her head into the alcove.

“My my, I certainly hope it’s the elder prince in here,” she says. “Who’s trying to hide from me?”

My throat tightens. Nic can’t kill the queen’s dressmaker. But what will she make of our impromptu rendezvous? Obviously, the worst things imaginable.

“Aha! Gotcha!”

I lean in, bracing myself for Nic’s caged expression. There’s nothing in the alcove but the suit of armor.

Valda turns on me, snarling. “Where’d he run off to? I know I heard another voice. A
male
voice. Who have you been seeing behind the prince’s back?”

Where would she get an idea like that? I wonder if Marc has planted rumors in her ear. My stomach flips. I hope they’re untrue.

Taking in a deep breath, I prepare to do battle. I wouldn’t mind donning the armor, seeing as no one’s using it.

“What I do and who I talk to is none of your concern. If the queen has an issue with me, she can address me directly. I don’t have time to waste today on fielding random accusations, though if you’d like to report me conversing with a suit of armor, that’s fine with me. Unless the queen sent you with an order for me, I’ll be taking my leave.”

“She does have an order.” Valda sneers at me. “Follow me.”

Looking back to make sure I’m not being disobedient, Valda leads me across the hall. She stomps forward. Though she’s lost the battle, she clearly hasn’t given up the war. Catching movement out of the corner of my eye, I look up to see Nic lounging against the railing of a second-floor balcony. He winks at me, then sidles out of sight. I shake my head. Valda never stood a chance against him.

Even though we narrowly escaped discovery by a woman who would gleefully turn a conversation into a scandal, I still feel dread in the pit of my stomach. Damon is perfect. Why would I ever think of another man? I’m not turning into my mother, am I?

I think about Nic, focusing hard. He’s very strong. Some might even call him ruggedly handsome, though that might be too generous. He can make me laugh, even when he’s grouchy. But I like him because he’s always looking out for Damon. No one makes my heart beat like the prince can with one glance, one touch. I can get lost in the thought of being in Damon’s arms, breathing in the scent of his skin. I’d never do anything to jeopardize what we have.

Right?

Valda takes me down the same passage to the queen’s dressing room. Here are the same bolts of white fabric, propped up against the wall and resembling tombstones. Here’s the mannequin, drowning in lace and looking like it’s lost the will to live.

“What would the queen have us do today?” I try to be as polite as possible. Though Valda will never make my list of favorite people, she does report to the queen. I don’t want her to hate me.

“Today we test fabric samples.” She spits the words at me. So much for a lack of hatred. Valda dumps a box of scraps on the table. “Choose one,” she barks.