She obeyed without a word and held my hand as she stepped out of the car. Her touch burned my skin; the ripple effect rushed down to my groin. The contact lasted only a few seconds, but it was enough to soften my stone-cold heart.
"Thank you, Mr. Banks," she said with a smile, looking completely unfazed by everything that had happened since the moment I saw her in that dress. "Let's get this party started."
This wasn't just another assignment anymore. Somewhere between protecting her and wanting her, the lines had blurred beyond recognition. Tonight, in that bloody gorgeous dress, surrounded by potential threats and political vultures, I'd have to choose between the bodyguard who follows protocol and the man who'd kill anyone who so much as looked at her wrong.
I followed her inside, scanning the crowd for potential threats. The anonymous caller's words echoed in my mind:'Royals should watch their backs.'My feelings for her were complicating everything, clouding my judgement when I needed to be sharp. Tonight, I had to choose between the man who wanted her and the bodyguard sworn to protect her.
As we entered the glittering ballroom, I caught sight of a figure in the shadows who didn't belong. My hand moved instinctively to my concealed weapon. The proper test was just beginning.
Chapter Eleven
Evangeline
My heart was mimicking a jackhammer inside my chest as I walked towards the building with James maintaining his usual protective position, scanning our surroundings while staying close enough to respond to any threat. I didn't even notice when he stared at me in the living room as I was trying to put the earring back on. It seemed like time suddenly stopped, and it was just me and him staring at each other.
James had an absolutely perfect poker face every damn time, but in that moment when he looked at me, his stoic expression began crumbling. He narrowed his eyes, and I lost the ability to breathe properly as the air in my lungs wasn't getting in. The air felt heavy and dense, the tension and heat between us sizzling with powerful energy. Tingles of heat rolled down between my breasts.
He didn't have to say anything; I knew what he was thinking even without words, and he probably sensed my arousal, although my voice of reason told me that this was humanly impossible.
He cleared his throat, but his body was rigid. I needed to forget about this silly infatuation and the fact that this attraction was fatal for all the parties involved.
"You look absolutely divine, Princess," he said and then moved past me, his arm lightly brushing against mine.
As I inhaled, his body's heat ignited something deep within me. I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. I was still shocked when I approached James because he had never complimented me before.
I couldn't hide the small smile when we went into the lift. After everything that had happened between us—the movie night, the charged moments in the library—the tension that brewed between us was still apparent, but his perfect poker face was intact. He was trying so hard to maintain a professional distance, yet I could feel his awareness of me in every careful movement he made. He didn't exchange any words with me. Outside, he opened the door for me, and I slid inside. I was supposed to be relaxed, chilled, and happy attending this gala. It was part of my duty to show up and speak on behalf of Bellavista. As second in line to the throne, I had responsibilities to fulfil, though I was grateful the primary burden would fall to Alexandra. I didn't feel under any pressure because I knew I had years before this would even happen, but she still expected me to follow the rules. Last time we spoke, she said something about marriage. She knew this was a sore subject, and yet she continued to bring it up.
I was so lost momentarily with my thoughts that I didn't see when the car stopped. Then I met James' eyes in the mirror.
"We are here, Princess," he stated.
"Yes, of course, thank you, Mr Banks," I said.
"Are you alright?” He questioned me when I put my hand on the door handle, because I needed to get out of the car.
"Yes, of course, why wouldn't I be? Are you going to stay in the car or open the door for me?" I replied with a question. He frowned but said nothing about my petty tone, even though I shouldn't have reacted like that or given him orders. This wasn't me, and I scolded myself for feeling out of my depth.
A moment later, James was opening the door for me. He took my hand to help me step out. When our palms touched, another wave of heat rushed through my body. God, I needed to sort out these feelings. The few relationships I'd had were politically motivated or ended when palace life became too complicated for them to handle, but nothing had prepared me for this intensity with James.
Soon, I joined other elegant men and women walking towards the door. A few people nodded at me, and I returned the gesture with a smile. I didn't really know what was wrong with me today. Maybe it was because James triggered something in me when he stared at me with so much longing.
He was going to leave soon, so maybe we had to get it over with and just sleep together. This would have been so much easier afterwards, but the tiny voice in my head told me I didn't do one-night stands with anyone. I walked inside, with the shadow of my bodyguard following behind me.
Around ten minutes later, I stood with Arya, the princess of Spain, holding a glass of champagne. We had met before, and I always enjoyed hanging out with her because she didn't care about the rules at all. She was always honest about everything and everyone, which was refreshing considering that people with masks often surrounded me. I had seen a group of five other women nearby, but I had never met them. They were all elegant, beautiful, and of high status in this crowd, and they were chatting happily amongst themselves.
"What's wrong, Eve? You don't seem like your usual chirpy self. I think you should change your expression since Christiankeeps looking at you," she said, sipping her champagne. I followed her gaze, and there he was. Christian Belikon, the most eligible bachelor in Europe, he gave me a smile when our eyes met. I took a sip of my champagne, feeling a little hot suddenly. Then I realised it wasn't him that caused the sudden heart palpitations in my chest, but it was James. I didn't even have to look to know that his eyes were always on me. I couldn't see him, but I felt he was there, watching my every move.
"You know I'm not interested," I told her.
"Come with me then; you're going to help me with something in the bathroom," she said, and I widened my eyes, glaring at her. Arya was so petite and slim. She had dark black hair and wore a green gown that emphasised her stunning olive eyes. She recently got engaged to the duke that her father had picked for her, and she seemed happy about it.
"Why in the bathroom? Are you okay?" I asked her, but she was already walking away, so I followed. A few moments later, we were both stuck inside a cubicle.
I quickly texted James to let him know I was helping Arya with a wardrobe issue—our established protocol for bathroom visits. He would position himself nearby while maintaining an appropriate distance, but I knew he'd be timing this interaction and would come looking if we took too long.
"The dress zipper is digging into my back, so I need you to pull it," she requested, standing with her back to me. I was so confused at first, and luckily there wasn't anyone else in there that could frown upon the fact that we both went inside one cubical.
"We could have easily done that outside; we don't have to hide," I said, laughing a little.
