Page 65 of Royal Charmer
Riley rushes forward. “Alice, I feel so awful about the way things went down. I didn’t mean to fall in love with him. It just happened, and I’m so, so sorry. I hope one day you’ll forgive me. I miss you so much. You’re the family I chose, and I can’t bear to know you’ll never be in my life again.”
Alice’s lips form a flat line.
Mason cuts in. “Alice, she loves you. She can’t sleep at night. She’s wrecked over it. That’s why I keep calling and texting you. She said you wouldn’t talk to her, but I thought if I could just explain how terrible she feels, you’d consider it. I know how close you two are.”
“How close wewere,” Alice says.
“I really am sorry,” Riley says in a small voice, her eyes welling.
We all look to Alice for her reaction.
She sighs. “You know what I wish?”
“What?” Riley asks, sounding hopeful.
Alice replies in a clear strong voice. “I wish for you and Mason to discover what cheating liars you both are. Riley, Mason will cheat and lie again. And, Mason, I fully expect Riley to do the same. Cheating liars are never satisfied. They’re always looking for the next, better thing, trying to fill that hole within themselves, but guess what? That hole will never be filled because it’s an ugly festering wound made of your own insecurities and deeply flawed character. I hope you hurt each other as much as you hurt me. That’s my wish.” She turns to Louis waiting patiently behind Riley. “Hercules, take them away!”
“Ma’am, my name is Louis. And I would be happy to.” He inclines his head for Riley to exit the room, and she does, her head hanging low, shoulders drooped in defeat. Mason has to be encouraged to go with a firm hold on his arm by the other guard.
I pull Alice into my arms and kiss the top of her head. “Well done, my darling badass.”
She looks up at me, giving me her sweet smile. “I can’t believe I finally got to say all that. I was in such shock before I couldn’t.”
Jules clears his throat.
“Oh, I am so sorry, Jules,” I say. “You too, David, that you had to witness our personal issues. Please, let’s have that drink now.”
“On the contrary,” David says. “I found it fascinating.”
Jules nods. “Did you and Alice really get engaged after only knowing each other a few weeks?”
I turn to Alice, a question in my eyes. After all the emotional upheaval of confronting Mason and Riley, does she still want to be my fiancée? I want that for real this time.
She lifts her ruby ring. “We did.”
Her voice is measured, not precisely down, but I know her, and she’s not truly happy at the prospect. She’s smoothing the way for me in my business transaction. She’s not ready for an engagement. I need to be patient.
“How wonderful,” Jules says. “A romantic thing for a romance writer to do.”
She stares at her ring. “Yes, it is.”
“Let’s get those drinks,” I say brightly and lead the way, heading to the wet bar to pour. Alice walks by my side while Jules and David take a seat on the burgundy leather sofa.
I pour the first tumbler, and Alice grabs it, tossing it back. “You okay?” I ask.
“I need to get back to work,” she says grimly. “I’m not losing my job over those two. I need to finish the draft.”
“Wait.” I pull her close, sliding my arm around her waist, and dip my head near her ear. “I’ll join you in a bit. Give yourself a little time. That was an ordeal.”
She goes up on tiptoe to whisper, “No. The Ordeal is behind me, and now I’m moving forward.”
I have to admire her fortitude. “Okay. I’ll call for Christina to escort you to your suite.” I kiss her cheek and add in a low voice, “Thank you for all you’ve done.”
Gabriel returns just then and joins Jules and David. I go through the motions, pouring drinks, and joining in on the toast, but my heart isn’t in it.
It’s with Alice as she stands by my side, feeling thousands of miles away.
She’s got my heart, and I can only hope she’ll stay with me. My gut churns. Somehow it feels less like a sure thing than it did before Mason and Riley’s arrival.
