I followed her through the palace and into the manicured grounds, maintaining a professional distance behind her. She was walking ahead of me, her back straight, her blonde hair cascading down her shoulders, catching the winter sunlight. It had grown longer since I first met her. I remembered how it felt wrapped around my fingers.
The winter air was crisp but not unbearable, and the sky was a clear, bright blue above us. We walked in silence for several minutes, both of us gathering our thoughts.
"You came back," she finally said, breaking the silence. She didn't turn to look at me, keeping her eyes forward as we followed the gravel path through dormant rose bushes.
"Yes."
"Why?"
I could have given her the official reason—that I wanted to ensure proper security protocols were in place and that I was concerned about Roger's qualifications. But she deserved better than my evasions.
"You know why," I said, my voice low.
She stopped then, turning to face me. Her blue eyes searched mine, looking for something. Truth, perhaps. Or reassurance. I kept my face impassive, though it took every ounce of willpower I possessed.
"I know what you're going to say," she finally began, her breath visible in the cold. "That our night together was a mistake. That it can never happen again."
"Is that what you want me to say?" I asked, watching her carefully.
She hesitated, then squared her shoulders—a gesture I recognised as her Princess Evangeline posture, the mask she wore when she needed strength.
"I think we should be clear with each other, Mr. Banks. What happened between us was..." She paused, searching for the right word. "Inevitable, perhaps. But now we need to be practical."
Mr. Banks again. The formality stung more than it should have.
"Practical," I repeated, the word like ash in my mouth.
"Yes." She nodded, her expression composed but her eyes revealing more turmoil than her voice. "You left. You had your reasons, I'm sure. But you came back, and now we need to establish boundaries."
I wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it. Boundaries. As if we hadn't already crossed every bloody line there was to cross.
"What kind of boundaries would you suggest, Your Highness?" I couldn't keep the edge from my voice.
She lifted her chin slightly. "Professional ones. You are my security detail. I am your client. Whatever happened between us was..." She swallowed, her composure slipping briefly. "It was one night. A moment out of time. It doesn't have to mean anything more than that."
Hearing her dismiss what we'd shared so easily made something dark and bitter twist inside me. To me, it meant everything. It had haunted me, consumed me, dragged me back here against all reason.
But I wouldn't give her the satisfaction of knowing that.
"Agreed," I said, my voice as cold as the winter air around us. "Professional boundaries. Nothing more."
She studied my face, perhaps looking for some sign that I was lying. I gave her none, keeping my expression as rigid as stone.
"Good," she said finally, though something in her tone suggested it was anything but. "I plan to remain in Bellavista for an additional seven days.. I need to be here for Alexandra's funeral, to support my mother, to begin the grieving process properly."
The mention of her sister sent a pang through me. I hadn't been here for her when she'd received the news of her sister's death. Another failure to add to my growing list.
"My condolences on the passing of your sister," I said, finding my words lacking but heartfelt.
Pain flashed across her face, raw and unbridled, before she masked it again. "Thank you."
We resumed walking, the silence between us heavy with unspoken things. I wanted to reach for her hand, to pull her close, to offer comfort beyond empty words. Instead, I kept my distance, hands shoved deep in my pockets.
"After the funeral," she continued after a moment, "I need to return to Luxembourg. I have to complete my studies. Graduate. It's important to me to finish what I started, especially now."
"I'll make the necessary arrangements," I assured her, slipping easily back into my professional role.
She stopped walking again, turning to face me fully. "There's something else you should know, James." Her use of my first name caught me off guard. "My mother has made it clear that after graduation, my life will change significantly."
