Page 65 of His Kingdom

“To you,” I say gently. “He was watching you sleep. I didn’t know. He left after he carried you up to the bedroom. I didn’t know he came back,” I tell her.

“He carried me up to bed?” She shakes her head. “Doesn’t matter. What did you tell him?”

“You were talking in your sleep, Evie. He was adamant on finding out why. I didn’t tell him anything other than to look into the pageant world.”

Evie’s eyes widen. “It doesn’t matter. I’m sure he’s forgotten about it by now. But you’re right. I do need to get home.”

“I’m sorry,” I say. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I know that.”

“It’s fine. He can dig all he wants. He’s not going to find anything, because there is nothing to find. I’m glad I was here when you got married,” she says.

“Me too. It’s crazy, right?” I sigh.

“It is, but I think it was for the best. You seem… happy with him.”

“We don’t even know each other. What if it turns out he clips his toenails in bed or something just as gross? Or what if he wakes up tomorrow and decides he doesn’t want to be married anymore?” I ask her.

“What if he doesn’t? What if you spend the rest of your life waking up next to him and you’re both sickeningly happy? What if you get to live the dream everyone wants?” Evie counters.

“I know, but I just worry. It’s all happened so fast.”

“You know, there are many cultures that have arranged marriages and those work out. Is it fast? Yes, but that doesn’t make it wrong,” Evie says.

“How did you get so smart?”

“I don’t know, but don’t tell anyone because I don’t need them all expecting this level of wisdom from me.” Evie laughs. “Now, I’m going to shower and find a flight.” She places her empty mug on the counter and walks off. Only to stop short. “He’s not still around, is he?”

“Who?”

“Emmanuel?”

“I have no idea. Want me to ask Louie?”

“No, I just want to get out of here without running into him. It’s creepy that he watched me sleep… and embarrassing.”

“I’ll make sure you don’t have to see him.” I don’t know how, but I’ll make it happen.

* * *

“Thank you for helping me,” I tell Sammie as I climb into the car after dropping Evie off at the airport.

“Anytime,” he says. “You’re family now.”

My phone vibrates in my bag. I dig around for it and quickly see I have ten missed calls. All from Louie. I frown. I didn’t hear it ring. Just as I go to swipe to answer it, it cuts out.

“Boss?” Sammie says, and then Louie’s voice comes over the speaker in the car.

“I can’t get a hold of Charlotte and she’s at the airport.” He sounds… stressed.

“Ah, how do you know I’m at the airport?” I ask before Sammie adds, “Yeah, we just dropped Evie off. On our way back to the Royal now.”

“You dropped Evie off?” Louie parrots.

“How do you know where I am?” I repeat, seeing as he didn’t answer me the first time.

“We’ll discuss it when you get back,” Louie says, his voice now devoid of emotion. “No stopping. Straight here.” He then cuts the call.

I look to Sammie. “Does he always just order you around like that?”

---