When he finishes, he unties me and collapses next to me. I laugh and kiss him and he gets me a towel to clean up with. When I’m done, he wraps his arms around me and pulls me close.
He kisses me slow and doesn’t say a word, and I don’t need him to. I just want to stay in his arms forever. I’ll be whatever he wants me to be, a dirty whore if he wants, or a good princess if he wants. I’ll do what he asks, and I’ll make him happy, just as long as he keeps making me feel good, too.
After a couple of minutes, my phone starts to buzz. He grins down at me. “Go ahead, grab it.”
I shake my head. “I don’t want to.”
“Could be important. Check it.”
I sigh and grab my phone. It’s a video from a number that I don’t recognize. I open the message and it takes me a second to realize what it is.
“Nolan,” I say seriously. “Look at this.”
He slides up next to me and looks over my shoulder. “Is that what I think it is?”
I slowly nod and hit play. In the video, Renee smiles into the camera, takes a deep breath, and starts to tell us everything.
27
Nolan
My father watches me from across his desk and for a second, I think that he’s not going to say anything.
Hazel shifts in her chair next to mine. As far as I know, the only time Hazel has ever met my father was at the wedding. He hasn’t bothered to seek her out or to get to know her at all, like he’s expecting me to fail. That thought makes me angry, but I hold it back.
Finally, he leans back in his chair. “What will you have me do about this?” he asks.
My eyes go wide. “Are you joking?”
He sighs. “Things are complicated here, Nolan. You have to understand that.”
“Father,” I say, “he’s been sleeping with an underage prostitute and keeping her as his mistress.”
“So you say. But does the girl have any proof?”
I glance at Hazel. She’s nervously chewing her lip and I can tell she wants to say something, but she’s holding it back.
“She has proof,” I say. “Although we shouldn’t need proof. Her word should be enough.”
“Unfortunately, you know that isn’t the case.” My father shakes his head. “We’re royals, Nolan. People will say whatever they want just to get a little fame.”
“This girl didn’t seek us out,” Hazel says suddenly. “We found her, and she only told us this story reluctantly.”
My father slowly turns his gaze to Hazel and his face doesn’t change. “Why are you here?” he asks her.
She looks surprised. “I, ah, I’m Nolan’s wife, and—“
“No, you’re not,” my father says slowly.
“Father,” I start, but he holds up a hand.
“I know what you two are doing,” he says. “Do you think I’m a fool? You’re using this marriage to try and win some favor with me, but frankly, it only makes me want to pass on you even more.”
I can’t believe what I’m fucking hearing. “I won’t deny it,” I say to him.
“Good. I wouldn’t respect you if you did.” He looks back at Hazel. “I know you aren’t a spy, girl, but let me ask you again. Why are you here?”
He hesitates a second. “I care about Nolan and Polovia,” she says, and my father scoffs. She pushes forward, undaunted. “Despite what you may think, Nolan is more worthy of becoming king than any other person in this country. Your current choice is a pedophile and a scumbag.”
My father looks a little surprised. “Those are serious accusations.”
“You saw the video,” Hazel says, keeping her cool. “Julian is a liar and a snake. You know that he’s been blackmailing some of the nobles here just to keep pushing his agenda?”
Father looks a little uncomfortable at that. “There are rumors,” he admits.
“More than rumors,” I say. “I know for a fact that many nobles only support him out of fear. Do you really wish to pass the throne on to a man like that?”
He sighs slowly and shakes his head. “No, I do not. But you don’t have the support you need, and Julian does.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” I reach into my jacket pocket and produce a letter, signed by over one hundred and ten nobles. I pass it across the desk and he takes it.
Slowly, my father glances through the letter. It essentially is a pledge of support. He gets down to the signatures, and I can tell that he’s surprised at what he’s seeing. Finally, he looks up at me.
“Did you do this?” he asks me. “You got this many pledges behind my back?”