Page 146 of Rags to Royals

She straightens.

“I’m the head of Prince Cian’s security detail. He tells me you’re very bright. I’m going to assume that I don’t need to explain in any depth how important it is that you keep details that you learn about the prince and the royal family to yourself until given permission otherwise.”

Leah’s eyes are wide as she nods. “Of course.”

“Hey!” Mariah protests. “No! I want her to have to tell everyone that I was right and that a prince really did propose to my mom!”

“All in due time,” Henry tells her. “But look on the bright side. Now you have someone in addition to Greta you can gossip with about everything.”

Mariah and Leah are looking at each other with circumspection as Henry tries to drag me out the door.

But I suddenly realize that everyone in this room knows who I am and how fucking amazing that is.

Because it means that I can kiss Scarlett in front of them in this public space and it doesn’t matter.

I wrench my arm from Henry’s grasp and reach for her, grasping her wrist, pulling her up against me with a little, “ooof”, and then dipping her back and sealing my mouth over hers.

“Yes!” Mariah cheers.

“Mr. Brady! I mean O’Grady! I mean Your Highness…” Amanda tries.

“It’s no use,” Henry tells her.

“Oh, wow,” Leah says.

I finally let Scarlett go and take in her stunned look and then the little smile that curls her lips as I bring her upright.

“Okay, that was pretty great,” I hear Leah say to Mariah as I finally let Henry shove me through the doorway and down the main hall of Emerald High School.

Chapter 32

Scarlett

Iwatch Cian and Henry through the window of Amanda Brown’s office until they disappear around the corner. I turn back then and take a deep breath. “Okay,” I say to the room. “Now what?”

I’d gotten the call from Amanda's secretary, telling me that Mariah and Leah had been brought into the office after a fight in class.

It looks to me like everything has been handled.

Amanda sighs. “I think the girls have reached an understanding.” She looks at both of them and they nod. “I feel like they’re best served by going back to class and finishing their day.” She looks at me. “Unless you feel that all of this…personal stuff is going to be a distraction for Mariah.”

I shrug and look at my daughter. “Well? What do you think?”

She shakes her head. “I’m fine. There will be a lot more talk about me if I leave now. I can handle staying.” She looks at me. “Will you text me if anything bad happens with the king?”

I feel a pang in my chest. God, Cian’s grandfather had a heart attack. I hate that. I hate that his family is going through this. I hate that Cian and Fiona and Saoirse are so far away from him. “Do you think that’s a good idea?” I ask Mariah.

“I just want to know. I want everything to be okay.”

“There is nothing we can do. Focus on school and we’ll check on everything when you get home.”

“I’ll say a prayer for him,” Leah says.

I hate that my initial reaction is to say no thanks. But she’s a sixteen-year-old girl who truly believes that her church is guiding her correctly. This is coming from a good place. “Thanks,” I tell her. “We appreciate that.”

“Okay, girls,” Amanda says. “Back to class.”

I step out into the hallway with them and they take a left while I take a right. I round the corner and nearly run over Hannah Lawton.

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