A Royal Amnesia Scandal(20)

* * *

Luc stared at the area he used to call his kitchen. If this royalty thing didn’t work out, he was seriously getting a job with a contractor. Demolishing things was an excellent outlet for his anger.

Wiping his forearm across his forehead, he sank down onto a dining room chair and surveyed his destruction. The cabinets were torn out; the countertop lay beneath the rubble. He’d pulled the fridge out enough that he could get to the food, but other than that, he’d completely torn up the space.

Kate had been gone a week. Two weeks had passed since he’d arrived here, and he was heading home tomorrow. In these past seven days alone, he’d had more than enough time to reflect on everything, and he still had no clue what he was going to do once he saw her again.

He’d had to sleep in the guest room on a lumpy old mattress because he couldn’t lie in his master suite without smelling her, seeing her...feeling her at his side. The shower he’d so loved when the renovations started was now tainted, because all he could see was Kate’s wet body as he claimed her with the false knowledge they were a real couple. They’d been damn good together, but he would never, ever admit that to her or anybody else.

Luc’s cell chimed. He thought about ignoring it, but figured he’d at least see who wanted to talk to him.

Crossing the open room, he glanced at his phone on the coffee table. Mikos, his best friend.

Considering he had called Mikos three days ago and spilled his guts like some whiny high school girl with sad love songs playing in the background, Luc assumed his friend was calling to check on him.

“Hey, man,” he answered with a sigh.

“You still sound like hell.”

Luc laughed, sinking onto the sofa, resting his elbow on the arm. “Yeah, well, I feel like it. What’s up?”

“Just checking in.”

“Shouldn’t you be planning the wedding of the century?” Luc asked, feeling a slight pang of envy.

Envy? Why the hell would he be envious? Sure, he needed to be married because of the throne, but he didn’t want to be tied to one woman. No, Mikos had found the perfect woman for him, and Luc was happy for both of them.

There was no perfect woman for Luc. Hadn’t he proved that by getting too close to two very convincing liars?

“The wedding is planned down to the last petal and place card,” Mikos stated. “Are you still in?”

Luc was supposed to stand up with Mikos, right next to Mikos’s brother, Stefan. An honor Luc wasn’t letting Kate’s untimely backstabbing steal from him.

“I’m in. I’m not letting my disaster ruin your day.”

“Have you talked to Kate?”

Luc closed his eyes. Even hearing her name elicited a mixture of feelings, a myriad of emotions. Beyond the hurt, the anger and the bitterness there was still that underlying fact that he wanted the hell out of her. How twisted was that?

“No. I’m heading back tomorrow,” Luc answered.

“What are you going to do?”

“I have no clue, man.”

Mikos sighed. “Want my advice?”

“You’re going to give it anyway, so why ask?”

“I am,” Mikos agreed with a laugh. “Figure out why she lied. You told me once you had a thing for her. Maybe she was acting on her own feelings and taking a cue from yours before the accident.”

“Are you defending her actions?” The last thing Luc wanted to hear was a justifiable cause. Damn it, he wanted to be angry, wanted to place all the blame on her.

“Hell, no. I’m saying love is a strong emotion.”

“You’re too blinded by this wedding,” Luc replied. “Kate doesn’t love me. You don’t lie and scheme with those you love, no matter the circumstances.”

“I did to Darcy,” Mikos reminded him. “She had no idea who I was, and I was totally in love with her. I nearly lost her, but she forgave me. You know how things can get mixed up, Luc.”

Luc recalled that time when Mikos’s nanny had first been hired. She’d had no clue Mikos was a widowed prince. The two had fallen in love before Mikos could fully explain the truth.

“Our situations are completely different,” Luc muttered. “I’m not forgiving her. No matter what.”

“Just make sure you really think this through before you go off on her once you get home,” Mikos warned. “What she did was wrong, no doubt about it. But she’s not like Alana. I know that’s something you’ll never forget or get over, but Alana had an ulterior motive from the start. You’ve known Kate for years and she’s never once done you wrong.”

Luc finished the call, unable to think of anything else but the truth Mikos had laid out before him. No, Kate had never deceived him in any way before. She’d been the best assistant he’d ever had. To be honest, the only reason he hadn’t pursued her before was because of their working relationship and possible repercussions to his ascension to the throne. With the mess he’d gotten himself into lately, it would be a miracle if the press didn’t rip his family’s reputation to shreds if the truth came out.

Once he returned to Ilha Beleza, he and Kate would have a one-on-one chat, now that they’d both had time to absorb all that had happened. They needed to talk. He couldn’t keep her around if he didn’t trust her. And that was the problem. When it came to his professional life, he trusted no one else.

Unfortunately, when it came to his personal life, he didn’t trust her one bit...but that didn’t stop him from wanting her. Even this week apart hadn’t dimmed his attraction toward her. Which begged the question: What the hell was going to happen once he got home? And would he be able to control himself?





Thirteen

His desk was exactly how he always kept it—neat, tidy and organized, with his schedule in hard copies just as he wanted it. He knew there would also be emails on his computer with the same information.

Kate had kept up her end of the bargain and continued working just as if she hadn’t torn their entire lives to shreds. He didn’t know whether to be relieved or angry that she was still here, still within reaching distance...not that he was going to reach out to her. He had more pride than that.

Luc flipped through the papers, even though he’d looked through his email earlier and knew what he had coming up. Mikos’s wedding was only two weeks away, and other than that, there were a handful of meetings and social events at which he was expected to make an appearance. He’d been knocked down so many times in the past few months he didn’t know if he had the energy to put forth for anyone outside his immediate family and staff. He was so exhausted, spent and depleted from trying to perform damage control on his personal life, there was no way he could keep up with his royal obligations, too.

Thankfully, from the looks of his schedule, Kate had helped him dodge any media interviews over the next few months. For that he was grateful, but not enough to seek her out and thank her. He wasn’t ready to thank her for anything...and he might never be.

“Oh, sweetheart. You’re back.”

Luc glanced toward the high, arched doorway as his mother breezed in. The woman possessed more elegance and grace than anyone he’d ever known. With her polished style and loving grin, she made the perfect queen, but her reign was soon coming to an end. Well, it would be if he managed to find a way to secure his title before his birthday, and without a wife.

Luc crossed the room and relished her embrace. Even though he’d always been close with his parents, he didn’t have it in him to discuss all the ways he was struggling right now.

“How are you?” she asked, pulling back to assess him. Clutching his arms, she studied his face. “No more symptoms? You remember everything now?”

Luc nodded. “I’m perfectly fine.”

She held on to him another moment, then broke the contact. “We need to talk.”

He crossed his arms as his mother shut the double doors, giving them complete privacy.

“Have you seen Kate since you’ve been back?” she asked.

Luc shook his head. “No.”

“Darling, she told me what happened.” His mother reached out, took one of his hands in hers and squeezed. “I’m sure she left out some details, but I know you believed she was your fiancée, and she went along with it.”

Luc gritted his teeth. Seriously? Kate went to his mom?

“I wished I’d learned this from you,” she went on. “I can’t imagine how angry you must be, and I know you’re feeling betrayed—”

“Don’t defend her,” Luc growled. “I’m not near that point.”

“I’m not defending her actions.” His mother smiled, tipping her head. “I just want you to really think about how you’re going to handle this. Kate is a wonderful woman and I’ve always been so fond of her. I know we have a rule about remaining distant from employees, but she and her parents have been around so long, they’re like family.”

His feelings for Kate were far from family-like, and he sure as hell hadn’t been feeling brotherly in that shower.

“I will admit I’m surprised you didn’t fire her,” his mother added. “She’s good for you, Luc. She’s the best assistant you’ve ever had. I’m proud of you for not blowing up.”