"It's Your Highness," she corrected icily, "and I asked Frederick to teach me self-defense. You said you were fine with this arrangement. You even drove me here."
Frederick's smug smile widened as he sensed the power shift.
"Of course, Your Highness. Where were we? Ah yes, pressure points." He moved closer to her again, his hands hovering near her waist.
"Now, if an attacker grabs you like this?—"
As my restraint frayed further, watching Frederick's hands slid down Evangeline's arms in what was clearly more caress than instruction. I couldn't watch this anymore. I couldn't stand here and witness her letting another man touch her because I'd been too much of a fucking coward to do it myself.
"I'll be right outside," I said through gritted teeth, my voice tight with barely controlled rage.
I walked out of the studio, my breathing carefully controlled, my face a mask of professionalism. But inside, a storm was building. The hallway felt like a trap as I took measured steps, my mind replaying every moment of Frederick's hands on her skin. This was my fault. I'd rejected her, pushed her away, maintained a professional distance when every fiber of my being wanted to claim her.
The rage built with each step, each echo of their voices from behind the closed door. My jaw clenched so tight it ached, my hands forming fists at my sides as I fought to maintain the control that had kept me alive through three tours in Iraq.
But this wasn't a battlefield. This was watching the woman I — fuck. The woman I craved let another man touch her because I'd been too much of a coward to cross the line myself.
Now she was in there with him, allowing him to touch her in ways I'd denied myself. Because of being a professional? Having boundaries? No because I was a fucking idiot!.
I could hear their voices through the door—his smooth instructions, her soft responses. It was excruciating, unrelenting torture.
That's when I saw it. The fire alarm on the wall, red and gleaming like salvation. An idea formed, desperate and reckless and completely beneath my professional standards.
But I was past caring about standards.
I pulled the alarm without hesitation. The shrill screech immediately filled the hallway as emergency lights began flashing throughout the building.
Despite the mayhem I had caused, I re-entered the studio with a facade of professional composure.
"Fire alarm," I announced, my voice carrying over the noise. "We need to evacuate. Now."
Surprise flashed across Evangeline's face before her eyes narrowed, revealing her suspicion. Frederick stepped away from her, looking around in confusion.
"Is there actually a fire?" he asked, but I was already crossing the room, taking Evangeline firmly by the elbow.
"Standard protocol. We evacuate immediately," I said, guiding her toward the door with unmistakable authority.
Despite a moment of resistance, her eyes showed she understood and was getting angry, but her royal training then took control. One didn't cause scenes in public, especially during potential emergencies.
"We'll continue another time," Frederick called after us, but I was already ushering Evangeline down the hallway toward the emergency stairwell, ignoring the curious glances of hotel staff and guests beginning to gather in the corridor.
Neither of us spoke as we descended the stairs and made our way through the lobby. I kept my hand at the small of her back, propelling her forward through the growing crowd toward the exit. Only when we reached the car and I'd closed her door did I allow myself to breathe.
The moment I slid into the driver's seat, she — well, she exploded.
I started the engine, pulling away from the hotel just as security personnel emerged from the front doors.
"What the hell was that!" she demanded, her voice shaking with fury. "You pulled a fire alarm! Do you have any idea how dangerous and irresponsible that is?"
I kept my expression neutral, my voice professionally detached. "I followed standard protocol when the alarm sounded. Immediate evacuation of the premises is protocol."
"Don't you dare!" she said, her voice rising. "Don't you dare pretend you didn't pull that alarm yourself?"
I glanced at her briefly before returning my attention to the road. "I'm not sure what you're implying, Your Highness."
"I'm not implying anything—I'm making a fucking statement! You couldn't stand watching Frederick teach me, so you sabotaged the entire session."
"The alarm sounded. I evacuated you. That's my job." My voice remained maddeningly calm even as my knuckles whitened on the steering wheel.
