Page 104 of Scandal Queen

I’d let go of Oliver’s hand and walked over to the girl, bending my knees so I could squat next to her. She’d handed me one of her Christmas presents as a donation and I’d hugged her for all I was worth.

“I didn’t know they caught that.” I muttered.

Oliver looked at me, almost in surprise. “Leia. They catch everything.”

“The issue we have here…” I knew I’d punch Ava Bond the next time I saw her, no one would blame me. “is that you’ve got a woman who hasn’t officially been accepted by the royal family assuming by the lack of an official royal announcement, who is acting for all the world like a princess.”

“But she does live at the palace. She has been working alongside the royal family for months now.”

“But it isn’t a royal declaration of their marriage. This means the King has still not given the final say.”

“Well her Instagram name is Tabloid Princess,” the man quipped, shifting in his seat slightly.

“I believe that’s ironic. It’s as though Leia Lawrence knows she will never be accepted. The people won’t accept her; not so soon after the prince has already promised them a bride and then recanted that promise by acting in this way.”

“Jesus Christ, don’t you get bored of hearing this waffle?” I switched off the television and wedged the remote down the side of the sofa.

“They wouldn’t be saying this about you if Marcus Cartwright wasn’t blocking everything.”

“Babe, they probably would be.”

His eyes met mine and the exhaustion on his face made my heart ache.

“This will all get better, Ollie. I know it will.”

He shook his head. “I can’t live like this anymore, Leia. It’s never going to end.”

His head dropped and with my hands almost shaking I crawled over the sofa and settled myself across his lap, lifting his chin with my fingers.

“It shouldn’t be like this,” he whispered and his despair ate away at my insides.

“No. Maybe it shouldn’t.” I pecked a kiss against his mouth. His warm lips made me tingle. “But it is. You and I know the truth, that’s all that matters.”

I leant closer, melding myself to his chest, my lips hungry for his as pain and heartbreak mingled with hope and desire.

All these things. All the facets of us.

“This can only get better,” I whispered as I edged back and pulled his jumper over his head, pressing myself back against his bare flesh, revelling in his scent and the heat of his skin.

Of course, only stupid people make statements like that. Stupid people who don’t have a clue.

We woke to a polite cough next to the bed. I flickered open an eye, registering the fact it didn’t sound quite like Daisy.

Freya stood next to the bed and I gave a little shriek as I pulled at the duvet. “Sorry to wake you, Ma’am, Your Highness, but there’s a bit of a situation.”

Oliver groaned and lifted an arm over one of his eyes. “Freya, why are you in my bedroom?”

“It’s a Code Amber, Sir.”

I winced. Code Amber didn’t sound good, but then it didn’t sound very original either which made me think Marcus ‘I’m Such a Prick’ Cartwright had created it.

Ollie sat up straight and I wanted to cover his perfect chest so she couldn’t ogle it… which she was… while trying very hard not to. “Where’s Daisy?”

“She’s in the lounge with Vanessa watching television.”

I frowned. I never overslept, so it must be early.

“Don’t let her out of the house. I’ll be down in a moment.” He waited for Freya to move, but for an uncomfortable moment she stared at her boss. “If you don’t mind, Freya.”