“It seems, er—” Mum paused and folded her hands on her lap. “It seemsthat Sébastien’s fiancée hasn’t been honest about her romantic relationships. One of the British tabloids hacked her phone, and tomorrow they will be publishing some of the texts between her and her personal trainer.”
Bastien gave an ugly laugh. “While we were holding a press conference announcing our engagement, she had been sexting with that Teutonicimbécile. And she didn’t even have the decencyto warn me. Apparently she didn’t come to the gala tonight because she had advance notice that her texts were going public. She couldn’t show her face, but she didn’t mind that I was left sitting there in public with my dick hanging out for all to see.”
I sat back in my seat and didn’t know what to say. What the hell did you say when you found out your brother’s fiancée had been cheating on him?“I’m sorry, Bastien. You don’t deserve this. No one deserves to be treated this way.”
Bastien grunted as he stared at the screen on his mobile phone. Text alert after text alert flashed across the screen. No doubt friends, acquaintances, and any member of the press who had his number were messaging to find out what was going on, if Bastien knew about the relationship, if they’d ever intendedit to be a real marriage.
“I suppose the small silver lining is that this happened before the wedding,” Mum said with a sad smile. “Better to break up now than have to deal with the fallout when children are involved. Believe me, nothing is harder in this life than weighing your decisions against your children’s happiness.”
Bastien smiled sadly at Mum and nodded slightly, then turned to stareout the window, impotent anger and hurt lining his face.
The rest of the car ride passed in strained silence. I felt bad for Bastien, but all I wanted was to get to Hannah as soon as possible. When the car pulled up to the palace, I raced up the back stairs and through the halls until I reached her suite. My hand was on the knob, but the door pushed open without any effort. I froze when I heardHannah’s sobbing voice.
“I should’ve listened to you, Mom. It’s just, I thought it would be different. I have hardly spent any time with Luc, and his family…No, his mother has been amazing—she was a little awkward at first, but she’s warmed up to me. It’s his brother, the crown prince, who’s the jerk. He wouldn’t let me sit with them at the gala tonight, despite the fact that there was an emptychair at their table. He hates me…No, Mom, I’m not exaggerating; he practically told me when he called me to his office this morning. He made it very clear that I have no prospects and am not worthy to be with a member of his family. He was so cold, Mom. He made me feel like a tiny, worthless, disgusting person.”
Hannah wiped at her face as she listened to her mom on the other end of the phone.My heart broke as I watched her heart breaking in front of me. I pushed the door wider but stopped when she spoke again.
“I know. I know it was fast, but…No, Mom. But now, here in Monaco, he’s checked out. I don’t see him. I’ve spent most of my time with his security detail. I think…” Her voice trailed off as I stepped into the room. Her eyes flashed to mine and a chagrined expression crossedher face before she narrowed her eyes and gave me a hard glare. “I have to go, Mom. Luc noticed that I left.Finally. I’ll call you later…Yes, I’ll let you know my flight details. I love you. Bye.”
“What did Bastien say to you? And why am I only finding out about it now? Like this?”
“Your brother isn’t the problem, Luc. And you’re finding out about it now because I haven’t seen you for mostof my time here. When exactly was I supposed to tell you? The five minutes I see you in the morning? Or the hour we spend together in bed right before you pass out from exhaustion?”
“I’m so sorry,mon chou. I know this trip has been tough, but—”
“No. No buts, Luc. If I was truly a priority for you, we’d be spending more time together. Your brother hates me. We hardly see each other. I don’tknow why I’m even here.”
“You’re here because I love you, Hannah. I love the amazing, strong, and gorgeous woman you are. And I have tried to spend time with you, but almost like every time I come to find you, you’re in our room sleeping. How many naps can you take?” I rubbed a frustrated hand through my hair. “I’m sorry. I know this week hasn’t gone how we’d hoped, but I want you here. I wantyou to stay here with me. I’ll do better, I promise.”
“That just feels like lip service. You haven’t done anything to show me that you love me. Heck, half the time I think you’ve forgotten you even brought me here in the first place. I’ve spent more time with Dimitri than I have with you this week.”
“I know, and I’m sorry,mon chou. I’ve been MIA this week because I’ve been busy setting up acharity in Julien’s name. Julien would’ve loved you, and I’m so sorry you didn’t get to meet him. He would’ve been the first one to welcome you into the family and smooth the way with my brother. And I wanted to do something in his name to make me worthy of you. And him. I feel like I never measure up, and I wanted to be a better person for both of you.”
“Luc.” Hannah shook her head sadly. “Youcan’t keep comparing yourself to Julien. You can’t keep punishing yourself for living after he passed away. I know I never met him, but I can’t imagine Julien would want you to do that to yourself.”
“I’m trying, Hannah. I’m trying to be the kind of man who’s worthy of you, but I can’t seem to keep all the balls in the air. I’m shite at juggling.”
Hannah folded her arms across her chest and gaveme an arched look. “Is juggling what you were doing on the dance floor with that woman? Isshethe reason I couldn’t sit at your table?”
“What? No. I wasn’t juggling anything. Or anyone. Apparently my mum entered me—a dance with me—as a prize for the silent auction. Lady Durant was the highest bidder. That’s all. I told her that I was with you and wasn’t interest—”
“She propositioned you? Inthe middle of the dance floor?” Hannah’s eyes widened as her voice rose. “And that’s the kind of woman your brother believes is worthy of you? Is he out of his mind?”
“Why would you think that? What did Bastien say to you this morning?”
“He asked me about my life back home—if I went to school, what my job was—but it seemed like he already had all the answers. He accused me of lying when I saidI worked at Camelot Beauty. He knew that I’d already given notice. He made it seem like I quit my job because of you—that I was some money-grubbing, dim-witted tart who’d finally found my meal ticket. He said that negotiations were already under way with Lady Durant’s family, and that I was just your last fling before you had to settle down.”
“He said that? Oh, I’m going to kill him. That fucking,fuckingbastard.” Boiling hot rage rolled through my body. Bastien thought he could run off my woman with some clever mind games and bullshit lies. He’d find out just who he was fucking with.
“Luc, wait. Maybe you should calm down before—” She broke off as her phone rang in her hand, and all the anger drained from her expression.
“What is it? Who’s calling?”
“I have to take this.” But Hannahdidn’t answer my question or move to answer her phone. Clearly she was deflecting.
Fine.
“You don’t want to talk about us anymore? You want me to do something to prove how I feel about you? You’re about to get your wish,mon chou.” I slammed out of her suite, the door bouncing into the wall with a loud crash behind me.
