Page 35 of King of Lies
My heart is beating so wildly in my chest it feels like it could burst at any moment. I try to distract myself by looking out the window, watching as the green rolling hills and overcast blue skies pass by. I feel the heat from his hand seep through me when he lays it on top of mine.
“It’ll be all right,” he says quietly as he squeezes my hand gently.
I don’t look at him and he doesn’t look at me. I just nod my head once to acknowledge his gesture. At this point, all I can do is trust him and take him at his word that he hasn’t lied to me yet.
Soon, I don’t have to worry about distracting myself with thoughts of being in over my head, whether or not I’ve made a huge mistake, because the car is approaching a huge stone wall topped intermittently with iron spikes. The gate opens and the car is saluted by the officers in the guardhouse.
My breath whooshes from my lungs as I take in the massive stonework castle that looms before me. It’s a real-life castle. Like in fairytale books. I’m riding in a car, with a driver, next to a prince. The man who I’ve been falling in love with for months now lives here … and I live a million miles away in America.
How is this ever going to work?
The car comes to a stop and the driver and protection officer climb from the vehicle. They open our doors, and Rhys comes around to stand at my side.
“You ready?” he asks for my ears only as he wraps my hand around his arm like a gentleman would treat a lady, or like a prince would treat a princess in a storybook.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
The heavy wooden doors are thrown open and what I can only guess is the household staff, of which there are quite a few in number, spill out to flank the sides of the door, welcoming their prince home. The somber expressions on their faces belie that this is not a happy welcome home but one of necessity and it’s painful to witness.
They bow and curtsey as he passes by and he touches their hands and murmurs soothing, gentle words to each one he comes in contact with, all while pulling me along behind him. Rhys stops in the middle of the crowd and draws me to his side.
“Everyone,” he begins. “Thank you for the lovely welcome. I’d like to introduce you to my fiancée, Miss Stella Reyes. She will be staying here with us for the foreseeable future. I hope that I can count on all of you to help make her feel welcome and help her to adapt to life on the Isle.”
His announcement is met with tentative smiles and murmurs of “Yes, sir.” Then he nods once and sweeps me further into the castle where a lovely redheaded woman about his age, a man only slightly younger, and a teenage girl are all waiting, immaculately dressed.
“Hello darling,” the woman says.
“Saoirse,” he nods before dismissing her and turning to the man. “Taylor.”
“Good to see ye, mate,” the man says before turning to look at me. “And who’s the lovely bird?”
“Stella,” I whisper.
“Taylor,” he replies, lifting my hand to his lips and placing a kiss on the back of my fingers. I feel my cheeks heat instantly. “You just let me know when you’re bored with the old goat and ready for some fun.”
“Not funny, Taylor,” Rhys warns.
“Only kidding.”
“What about me?” the girl asks. “Did you bring me a present?”
“Obviously,” he says with a fond smile. “Be good and I’ll give it to you at tea.”
“I’m always good,” she says with a cheeky smile.
“You’re never good,” he chuckles.
“But you love me and I’m still your favorite sister.”
“You’re my only sister,” Rhys replies. “Now do me a favor and make sure Stella gets settled into her rooms while Taylor and I go see to Dad.
“Sure.”
Rhys looks to the redheaded woman, Saoirse, he called her, and says, “Can I trust you to look after her?”
“Of course,” she says drily.
Rhys just nods his head before turning to me and, before I realize what he’s doing, he’s leaning down and touching his mouth to mine. He lets me go and turns on his heel, walking away with his brother right behind him, and leaving me feeling a little out of sorts.
