Page 59 of The Prince Falls First
She buried her head against his chest. “Oh fuck.”
He huffed a laugh and she liked the feeling of being in his arms when he’d done it. “Why are you cursing now?”
“Because everyone will getideasabout us now. It’ll be in the gossip columns tomorrow. ‘Future king spends day in bed with unwed girlfriend’. What will your parents think?”
He was silent for a moment. “You called yourself my girlfriend.”
“Aren’t I?” Even though he’d just told her he loved her, maybe he’d changed his mind. Since her father died, the only constants in her life had been Sam and Diana. Now Sam was gone and Diana would leave for college soon, and she’d be all alone again. She was used to people either leaving her or people who stopped loving her.
“Of course you’re my girlfriend.”
The tension left her body, only to go back up a moment later.
“But you’re so much more than that, my dear.” He kissed her temple. “So much more, and you always will be. I’m a man who keeps a promise he makes, and that’s my promise to you.”
Could she trust him? She wanted to. Oh fuck did she want to.
Maybe she’d lean on him through the funeral, and see if he kept his promise.
Fuck, she hoped he kept his promise.
GENEVIEVE
Gen didn’t wantto leave him. Didn’t want to leave the hot and decadent showers and heated floors and staff that brought her scrambled eggs and toast for a late lunch. But now, dressed in some of Agnes’s fine clothing, she was in the car with Gabriel on the way back to her house. He was dressed casually today, similar to his picnic outfit, and she was curled into him in the back seat. He was gently rubbing her back, as if sensing her tension rising with each turn in the road that brought them closer to her mother.
“Would you like me to go in with you?”
She shook her head against his chest. “No. I need to face her on my own, and if you’re there she’ll just get…well, you know.”
“I do. I’ll stay in the car though, for a few minutes, just in case you need me. We’ll stay out of sight of your mother, don’t worry.”
“Thank you.”
As they pulled up just out view of the gate to the house, she took a deep breath. She’d left Sam’s clothes and purse with Gabriel, because her mother would just throw them out. She did want to return Sam’s ID to her parents when the time was right, so she had that with her. But for some reason she couldn’t bear to part with the remaining random items in Sam’s purse: Sam’s favorite shade of lipstick, her compact with a shade that would never suit Gen, a phone number from some guy who had given it to her who knew when, a hair band, and a few other things.
She knew all those things would be safe with Gabriel, and not here where she’d lived her whole life. It was a sad and sobering thought on many levels.
If this house wasn’t even safe for Sam’s things, how could it ever be safe for Gen anymore?
Mentally, she knew it wasn’t, but now it was time to emotionally let go of this place, and her mother, forever. She had to let go of her father; he wasn’t in that house anymore, not even in pictures since her mother removed most of them, and she needed to stop pretending that the memories of him could sustain her through the abuse.
With Sam’s death, everything had changed.
Everything.
“The Kaurs won’t do a funeral like we would because of their faith, but they’ll have people over to their house. I’ll see you then?”
“If not before. Please call me or Agnes if you need anything. I’ve had the phone lines secured to your house for now, so that no one can listen in. Well, except our security staff if needed. Keep that in mind.”
“I will.” She gave him a quick kiss. “I’ll see you soon.”
“Yes, you will, my dear. I love you.”
She smiled and had to admit to herself that maybe she was believing him a little more with each time he said it.
At the door, she took a deep breath before unlocking it and stepping through. For a moment there was total silence and she was relieved. Though her mother’s car had been in the driveway, perhaps she’d gotten a ride from someone else and left the house.
In the next moment, however, there was the sound of thundering steps from above. Both her mother and Henrietta appeared at the top of the stairs, anger on their faces.
