Page 37 of Royal Rebel

With a smile on my face and a warmth in my chest, we go face not only our adoring public, but our adversaries who would love to tear us down. But that—I look at our hands clasped together, fingers entwined—will never happen.

CHAPTER 21

AMELIA

When we go back inside, Tristan makes sure I’m escorted to the table before he makes his way to the front of the room. I watch his broad back and shoulders as he slowly walks between the tables, shaking hands and smiling when he needs to. To know he’s gone so quickly from wanting to protect me, to putting on this face for the public, amazes me. He’s much more than he gives himself credit for.

The anxious part of me looks for Parker, wanting to make sure someone is out there looking after his best interests. When I spot Parker, I allow myself to slump slightly, then remember I’m going to be queen and need to act like it at all times. All I need is for someone to take an unflattering picture of me, then I’ll be all over the tabloids. I know for sure I’m not ready to face that sort of ridicule yet.

Once again, my eyes follow him. He stands tall and sure as he walks to the podium. Up on the stage, he’s larger than life. Even bigger than he normally appears to me. When hefaces the crowd, my heart flutters in my chest. The short beard is dashing on him, as is the small amount of lipstick he forgot to wipe off his lips.

“Thank you all for being here tonight.” His deep voice echoes in the silence of the room. “As most of you know charitable entities make up a great amount of what I work with throughout the year, and as I’m scheduled to take the place of my father, I will be handing these decisions over to my soon-to-be bride. The both of us rely heavily on those of you filling this room to help fund the grants we are able to give to the less fortunate of our country.”

As he says those words, he steps back and a video plays, showing the things he and his team have been able to do with the money raised. My eyes travel along the groups of tables situated among us. For a brief second, my eyes meet Callum’s. I avert them quickly, but he still makes me shiver uncomfortably.

“As you can see, your generosity allows us to make Haldonia one of the lowest-ranked countries when it comes to homelessness and starvation. We are also a world leader in recognizing mental health deficiencies in the national healthcare system. It’s my honor to announce our graduation rate from the countries secondary schools is ninety-five percent. We are able to send eighty percent of those that graduate on to post-secondary education. There, our students that are ranked among the highest in the world. It’s my pleasure to say the people of Haldonia can have the pick of where they want to work. Many stay here and put their earnings back into our economy, but some go to the US, to Scotland, to the UK and show all of the other nations what we can do.”

He pauses as everyone applauds.

“Without you, we wouldn’t be able to provide this kind ofeducation, and there definitely wouldn’t be this kind of funding. The success of these programs does not start or end with me, even though I’m the one who implemented most of them as I studied under my father. No, these programs start and end with you, the people of this great country. Together we can affect change, I believe that wholeheartedly. And as you dig into your purses and wallets tonight, please know that your donation makes a difference, not only to us, but to the rest of the world. Thank you.”

I stand, along with everyone else as he shakes hands with other dignitaries before walking back to where I’m seated at our table. “You did very well up there,” I whisper as he takes a seat next to me, before leaning over to kiss him on the cheek.

People are watching us, I can sense it, trying to see how we act in public. There are still murmurs going around that Tristan and I don’t like each other. Every time there’s an arranged marriage for the crown, there’s got to be some sort of cheating behind it.

The secret I have—that we both like each other—is the best secret I’ve had in years.

“I concentrated on you the entire time, I hate getting up in front of people and speaking.”

“There’s no way anyone could tell that about you.”

He takes a sip of the scotch they’ve placed in front of him. “One of the many things I’ve learned to do well over the years.”

The night goes on, people stopping by our table to congratulate Tristan and I on our upcoming nuptials. Some stop to speak to him about foreign policy, their wives speak to me about dinners I should be attending, but never once does he leave my side. Anytime I reach over to grab his thigh, he’s there, squeezing my hand and telling me it’s okay. I’m sonervous I don’t eat most of the dinner, but when dessert comes it’s a chocolate fudge cake with ice cream.

“Would you like some?” Tristan asks.

His voice is deep, dark, and just for me as he leans close enough so that I can hear him over the rumble of the ballroom.

“Yes.” I nod. “It’s my favorite.”

He grins. “I know, I asked they bring it to you especially.”

It’s then that I look around at all the other plates, noticing they have a different dessert. We’re the only ones with the one I prefer. The way my mood surges at this is almost stupid. The way it makes me feel that he decided to do something nice for me, is out of this world. Small things matter the most, and this is one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me. “You shouldn’t have, but I’m glad you did.”

A chuckle escapes his pouty lips. I watch as he takes his dessert fork, digging into the cake part, scooping it up with a tiny bit of ice cream and chocolate sauce. “Open wide.” He holds it up. I do as he says, and when I take a bite, it’s the richest cake I’ve ever had. I can’t escape the moan that breaks apart from my throat. It’s that damn good.

He leans in, his lips so close to my ear, I can feel them disturbing small strands of hair. “Dammit, Lia, don’t moan like that. I can’t get through the rest of this if I’m hard as a rock.”

“It’s so good.” I close my eyes, savoring the next bite he gives me. “The way the heat and the coolness mix together.” I lick my lips. “Reminds me of other things.”

After seeing Callum tonight and relieving what he put me through, I need this with Tristan. I need to take hold of my own sexuality and express it any way I want to. Heallows me to be open, always up for whatever I want to do. The way he looks at me, I think he gets that I need this. He doesn’t try and temper my answers or his response to me. It’s heady, and everything I need.

“This wasn’t supposed to give me a hard-on,” he growls.

A smirk plays against my lips. “Maybe it wasn’t supposed to, but I’m happy it did.”

“You’re evil.” He puts down the fork, picking his scotch back up and taking another drink. No more sipping from my man, now he’s halfway downing the tumbler. I’m proud I’ve been able to affect him this way. “You have no idea what you’re doing to me.”

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