Page 18 of Rags to Royals

The knot tightens. “What does that mean?”

“I think she does want to see you and that scares her because it would complicate her plans, and it’s easier to avoid you completely. She doesn’t want to live the life of a princess.”

I bark out a laugh. “It doesn’t have to be that,” I say. “I haven’t been living the life of a prince.”

Henry gives me a smile that is affectionate and amused. “Haven’t you? You have more money at your disposal than you know what to do with. You don’t have a specific job and can spend your time and energy on whatever you want. You hang out with a bodyguard full-time. You have resources and influence and power that you can access at any time.” He looks around the plane. “You can hop on a private plane and show up on her doorstep with the snap of your fingers.”

I blow out a breath.

Henry shifts so he’s resting his elbows on his thighs. “There’s something else you should know.”

“Okay.”

“Scarlett is convinced that you’re actually in love with Ruby.” He pauses, looking pained. “Everything she did and told you was what Ruby would have done and said. She claims she didn’t tell you anything true about herself.”

My stomach clenches. No. That’s crazy. How could I be that intimate, spend that much time, feel that connection with somebody, and have it not be real?

“You’re taking me to see her now though,” I point out. “Why?”

“Because you need this closure. Because you can’t really figure this thing out with Astrid as long as Scarlett is in the back of your mind.”

I look at my best friend. He isnotlooking forward to this trip. “Of course we fell for identical twins. That’s just like us.”

He gives a short bark of laughter. But it does seem appropriate. Henry feels more like my brother than my actual brothers do a lot of the time. He definitely knows me better than my brothers do. That’s intentional of course, but it makes Henry and me very close.

Henry shakes his head. “The Gale sisters are not going to be happy to see us.”

I think about Henry’s words. In three months, I need to have a plan to move on. I promised Astrid I would take care of this.

I settle back in my seat and look out the window, not seeing the clouds. All I can see is Scarlett’s face. Her thick, inky black hair, her bright green eyes, her sun-kissed skin, her full pink lips, the freckle beside her left ear, the tattoo on the inside of her left wrist with the date of her niece’s birth—no, herdaughter’sbirth.

I frown.

She said that date changed her life.

I loved that she was so dedicated to her family. That she was so close to her sister and niece. I felt that connection with her because Fiona and Saoirse mean that much to me.

But it was a lie.

Herdaughterwas born on January thirtieth. Not her niece. If she lied about something that important, she could have easily lied about her favorite sub sandwich toppings, her dream weekend, her favorite sexual position, and what she’d do with a million dollars.

All of those things were apparentlyRuby’sfavorites.

Jesus. I scrub a hand over my face. I know a lot of fucking intimate details about my best friend’s ex-girlfriend if that’s the case.

And nothing about the woman I’ve believed I’ve been in love with for almost two years.

Chapter 5

Cian

According to Henry, Big Dick’s is not named for the obvious body parts nor is it named after a guy named Richard. Evidently the guy who owns the bar is actually just an asshole.

The story reminds me that Henry has been here a number of times and has information about Scarlett, her hometown, and her family that I don’t. That he didn’t share with me.

I feel the anger tighten my muscles again.

I’ve spent the last five hours stewing over everything and had decided to just go with the flow, let go of past beliefs and feelings and just start over.

---