So many months of agonizing over the law, so many early mornings and late nights and conversations that made me want to tear my hair out…all worth it, because we did it.
I’m proud of you, honey. The soft female voice returned, and emotion welled in my throat.
It didn’t matter whether the voice was real or a figment of my imagination. All that mattered was it was there, closer than it’d ever been.
Thanks, Mom. I’m proud of me, too.
Rhys, my grandfather, and Nikolai had all reassured me I could do my job as queen, but I hadn’t quite believed them until now. My first real victory in Parliament. I hoped my relationship with the ministers would be more cooperative than combative, but I wasn’t na?ve enough to think it’d be smooth sailing from here on out. There’d be plenty of uphill battles to come, but if I won once, I could win again.
Rhys captured my mouth in a deep, tender kiss. “You did it. I’m just along for the ride.”
“Not true.” I snuggled closer to him, so euphoric I would’ve floated right off the ground had he not secured his arms around my waist. “You were there for everything, too.”
The interviews, the meetings, the public appearances. All of it.
A deep sound rumbled in Rhys’s chest. “Looks like you’re stuck with me, princess.” He grazed his knuckles over my spine. “Should’ve thought this through.”
“Am I?” I adopted a thoughtful expression. “I could always break up with you and date someone else. There’s a movie star I’ve always—” I squealed again when he stood and tossed me over his shoulder.
“Rhys, put me down.” I was smiling so big my cheeks hurt. “I have calls to answer.” I waved my hand in the general direction of my phone, which had been vibrating with new messages and calls since the vote concluded.
“Later.” Rhys’s palm landed with a hard smack on my ass, and I yelped even as heat seared through me at the impact. “I need to teach you a lesson about joking with me. Especially about other men.”
Was it wrong my panties dampened at the way his voice lowered into a possessive growl? Perhaps. But I couldn’t bring myself to care as he kicked the door to my bedroom fully open and tossed me on the bed.
“What kind of lesson?” I was already so wet my thighs were sticky with my arousal, and Rhys’s dark smile only made me wetter.
“Get on your hands and knees,” he said, ignoring my question. “And face the headboard.”
I complied, and my heart crashed against my ribcage when the bed dipped beneath Rhys’s weight. He yanked my skirt up with one hand and my panties down with the other, the movement so forceful I heard the unmistakable rip of silk tearing.
I needed to set aside a monthly budget to replace all the underwear he’d ruined, but I wasn’t complaining.
“We’ll celebrate the vote later.” Rhys dragged his finger through my slickness and over my sensitized clit, and a tiny whimper escaped my mouth. “But for now, let’s see if you still think you’re funny after I’m done with you.”
That was the last warning I received before a loud thwack filled the room, and a blush of pain mingled with pleasure burst onto my skin.
I lowered my head just in time to stifle my scream with my pillow before another burst of sensation joined the first.
He was right. We could celebrate the vote later. For now, we needed to work off all the tension and anxiety from the past month, and—
I gasped when Rhys filled me from behind, and soon, every thought melted away except for the bliss of his touch and the fullness in my heart.
49
Bridget
We spent the rest of the day and night in my room, only surfacing for food, but the next morning, reality intruded, and I was forced to extricate myself from Rhys’s arms.
As high as I was riding from our victory, I had one big issue left to deal with. I’d waited until after the vote because I couldn’t afford to be distracted before then, but it was time to face it once and for all.
Rhys stayed in the bedroom while I waited for my guest in the sitting room.
I heard a knock before Mikaela poked her head in. “You wanted to see me?”
“Yes. Please, sit.”
She walked in and plopped into the seat next to me. “I’ve been dying to talk to you, but you didn’t answer my calls yesterday. I assume you were…busy, but oh my god, the vote! We have to celebrate! That’s ama—”
“Why did you leak the photos of me to the press?” I skipped the buildup and got straight to the point. I couldn’t stomach small talk with the proverbial black cloud hanging over us.
I kept my voice neutral, but I dug my nails so deep into the couch cushion they left tiny indentations.
I hadn’t wanted to believe it when Rhys told me. Part of me still hoped he was wrong. But Mikaela’s pale face and panicked eyes told me all I needed to know.
It was true.
Betrayal stabbed at me with sharp talons, puncturing my previously cold calm.
I didn’t have a lot of friends in Eldorra. I had acquaintances and people who sucked up to me because of my title, but no real friends. Mikaela had been the one constant by my side, and I’d trusted her.
“I…I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Mikaela said, avoiding my eyes.
“Rhys’s old company traced the photos back to your IP address.” Rhys’s old boss Christian was apparently a computer genius, and Rhys had asked him to help find the leaker’s identity. I’d known for weeks Mikaela could be the culprit, and I’d had to pretend nothing was wrong until I confronted her.
If the royal thing didn’t work out, I might have a second calling as an actress.
Mikaela opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again. “I thought I was helping you,” she said weakly. “She told me it would help.”
“I know.”
The talons of betrayal dug deeper.
Christian had found some…interesting text messages when he’d looked into Mikaela’s correspondence with The Daily Tea, and they had thrown me for as much of a loop as the discovery Mikaela was technically the leaker.
The fact it hadn’t been Mikaela’s idea didn’t lessen the sting. She should’ve known better.
I heard another knock.
“Come in.” I didn’t take my eyes off Mikaela, who looked like she wanted to sink into the couch and never come back up.
Elin walked in, sleek and polished in her white Escada suit and three-inch pumps. Her eyes flicked over Mikaela before settling on me. “You requested to see me, Your Highness.”
“Yes. We were discussing the leaked photos of Rhys and me.” I finally tore my gaze away from my friend—ex-friend—and met Elin’s cool blue one. “Might you know anything about that?”
Elin wasn’t dumb. She picked up on my insinuation immediately, but to her credit, she didn’t feign ignorance or make excuses.
“I did it to help you, Your Highness,” she said after only one missed beat.
“By leaking private photos of me? How was that supposed to help?”
“They were not private photos.” Annoyance crept into her tone. “They were perfectly innocent photos framed in a suggestive manner. I would’ve never leaked truly incriminating images. But if I hadn’t done that, you and Mr. Larsen would’ve continued carrying on your reckless actions, and something more scandalous would’ve popped up. It was only a matter of time. Don’t think I didn’t notice what you two tried to hide beneath my nose. I didn’t hold this job for so long by being oblivious.”