Chapter 17
Two hours later, we were in the air, Hannah snuggled up to my side in the oversized seats on the palace’s private plane. Although we’d left Vegas behind, I couldn’t help but reminisce.
“Would you believe that was my first ‘meet the parents’ moment?”
“No. I never would’ve guessed.” Hannah gasped with faux amazement. “It might not be a bad idea to brush up on your skills. You know,for the next time.”
I had every intention of making sure there wouldn’t be a “next time,” but it felt too soon to say as much. Instead I nodded. “Still, I really liked your mom.”
“Okay, now I know you’re lying. There’s no way that’s true. She shrieked in your ear, then yelled at you. How could you like her?”
“True. But that was because she cares about you. Even though it was over the phone,I could tell there was no way she’d let you leave with me if she really didn’t want you to. And I respect that.”
“And that makes you like her? What the hell kinda dysfunctional family do you have? What kinda insanity am I walking into?”
I laughed cynically. “Nothing as dysfunctional as you’re picturing. My family is nonfunctional, really. My mum is practically catatonic, and my brother, Bastien,is an uptight prick who’d rather everyone just do as they’re told and fall into line. He’s a lot likemon Pèrewas, but Bastien actually lives and breathes for the people of Monaco, whereas withmon Pèreeverything was lip service.”
I stared off into space as I remembered the endless lectures at the dining table frommon Pèreon duty and country, and then the moment when I realized just whomon Pèrewas—when I found Julien reading that tabloid one of the boys had smuggled into school. They wanted to look at the topless woman on page three, but Julien and I couldn’t look away from the headline: “Prince Pantsless and His Harem of Hotties.” The typeset was emblazoned on my brain. As were the blurry pictures ofmon Pèrecavorting on his yacht. Mum had been in England that week visitingfamily. I could still see her stoic expression when she arrived at the school for her surprise visit.
“That’s why I like your mother, you know. I could tell she loves her family. She’d die for you. And from what you’ve said, your father is the same. That’s something not everyone has. I never had it. I mean, my mum is great, or was great before the crash. Now she’s…” I broke off and shook my head.“Anyway, I just liked her is all.”
Hannah snuggled up to my side and made some comforting sounds. “I’m sorry. I know I complain about my family a lot, but I do appreciate them. Too bad you didn’t get a chance to meet my dad or my brother. He would’ve offered to help my dad bury your body, if that makes you feel any better.”
I chuckled. “It does, actually. I like that they care about you. Allof your family. You’re lucky. Doubly lucky. A prince for a boyfriend and a kick-ass, overprotective family.”
“That about sums it up. They’re crazy, but I love them. Tell me about your brother.”
“Bastien? Why do you want—”
“No, your twin. Julien.”
I blinked. “I—It’s been a while since anyone wanted to talk about Julien.”
“If you’d rather not—”
“No. It’s just…It’s not easy to talk about him.He’s like this big, gaping hole in my soul. He was such a huge part of my life, and now he’s gone.” I threaded my fingers through Hannah’s and looked at the differences in our hands. How small hers was. How pretty and manicured her nails were. I ran my thumb over the side of her hand and thought about Julien. “I never was a romantic kind of guy—never believed in soulmates or whatever—but Julienwas mine. We were inseparable growing up. Literally. None of the staff could tell us apart. I’m pretty sure only my mum knew for sure, and even with her there were times she’d let us get away with the ruse. And it was all my idea, of course. I was always the one with the plots to get us out of class or to go on an adventure. Julien was the one who’d inevitably come up with a way to get usoutof trouble. That’s what he was best at—being the peacekeeper. He’d excelled at keeping Bastien andnotre Pèrepacified whenever one of our hijinks was discovered. Everyone loved him. He was a born diplomat. The perfect spare. The very opposite of me.”
“He sounds like a wonderful man.”
“He is.” I shook my head. “Was. It’s still hard for me to think of him in past tense. He’s gone, my whole lifehas changed, but I still expect to see him when I walk into the palace. But he’s not there. And he won’t ever be again. I miss him.”
“I’m so sorry, Luc.” Hannah unbuckled her lap belt and climbed into my seat with me. She rested her head on my shoulder as she hugged me tight. “I’m so, so sorry.”
My scalp heated and I fought the tears burning at the back of my eyes. “He deserved so much more.It should’ve been me on that plane.”
“No! Don’t say that. I never want to hear you say that.”
“It’s true. The only reason Julien wasn’t on the same plane as me is because of royal protocol. Two heirs cannot fly together, so we had to take two planes. It could’ve just as easily been mine to have the mechanical failure and go down over the Atlantic. Butnotre Pèrewas late to the airport, andBastien wanted to leave. I wanted to get back to the base, too. So Julien, ever the peacekeeper, agreed to wait fornotre Père.Ishould’ve been the one to stay behind.Ishould’ve been the one to die that night. Not Julien.”
“So you were supposed to fly with your father? That was the plan all along?”
“Well, no, but—”
“But you should’ve been able to see the future and know that your brotherwas going to die that night?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not saying—”
“That’s exactly what you’re saying. You believe you should’ve known that you were going to lose half your family that night and should’ve done something. That’s ridiculous. Of course you miss your brother. It was a horrific accident. But there’s no point in playing coulda shoulda woulda. You’re tearing yourself up over somethingyou had no control over.”
