Royal Pain in the Ass, page 15
“It’s kind of hard to picture you fighting.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know, I just find it hard to imagine you throwing down. Hell, watching you and Harper duke it out was weird.”
“That wasn’t an occurrence I would have planned, but there are only so many times you can hit a man before he’ll hit you back. Besides, boxing as it’s intended is a noble sport. Now, what happened tonight?”
“What do you mean?”
“What did you do tonight? And why did you forget to be on time?”
“Well, I went out with Gwen. She took me to the bar where Harper’s band was playing. We drank, we chatted, we played some music, lost track of time, and then I got your phone call. Harper dropped it all and took my home.”
Xavier nodded. “And that’s everything?”
“I think so.”
“What has you so upset?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. Everything?”
“Meaning?”
“This is just a lot. I don’t really know how I’m feeling anymore. I’m going numb to be honest.” Xavier gave me a concerned look and I suddenly felt self-conscious and wrapped my arms around myself.
“Juliet, that worries me a bit.”
“Xavier, I need time. None of this makes sense, try to fathom never knowing you have a family and then all of a sudden you have a father, a sister, a step-mother, and a gaping hole where your mother used to me. Just try to fathom that for a hot minute. Okay? Do you get it now?” I snapped. I was losing my temper, and not complaining about it. Anger I could use. “I really don’t want to talk right now. I just want to go to bed.”
“I’m afraid I can’t let you do that.”
“Why not?”
“If you have a concussion, you can’t go to bed.”
I groaned and lowered my head in my hands, but jerked back up when my hand put pressure on my jaw. I hissed in pain and groaned again.
“Let me look at it.” Xavier’s hands were gentle but firm under my jaw. “I can’t believe I did this to you.” He muttered as he looked it over. “There are no words to explain how sorry I am, and there is nothing I can do to fix what I’ve done. This never should have happened. I never should have lost my temper. If I had done my job properly we wouldn’t be here right now.” Xavier removed his hand and shook his head. “I feel like a monster.”
“Why?”
“I hit you. A man should never strike a woman, no matter the reason.”
“I knew what I was doing was stupid. You wouldn’t listen, so I jumped in the middle. You didn’t do it on purpose. Granted, you and Harper never should have started fighting to begin with, but I can’t hold it against you that I jumped in the way of your fists. That’s all on me.”
Xavier sighed. “You don’t understand.”
“Then explain it to me.”
“That is a very long story.”
“I can’t go to bed.”
Xavier sighed. “It’s not a pleasant story either.”
“I’m still listening.”
“Juliet,”
“Truth for truth.” I replied firmly. He wanted trust from me, but trust is earned. If he couldn’t trust me, I couldn’t trust him.
“You don’t understand.”
“Oh, I understand enough. You can leave.”
“What?”
“You can leave. You obviously don’t trust me. Get out.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“Do I look like I’m joking?”
“Juliet,”
“Get out.”
“Juliet,”
“No, I told you to get out. So get out.”
I heard a soft knock on the door and it opened to reveal James. “What is going on here?” he growled.
“I felt ill last night,” I quickly said. “Xavier, helped me out a bit, in all the adorable bits, I managed to slip and hit my face on the toilet. Cute right? Xavier was worried I might have a concussion, so he made sure I stayed awake all night, just in case.”
“Is that’s what’s going on in here?” James asked, his arms crossed over his chest and a skeptical expression plastered on his face.
“We just got into a minor argument. He just said Vivaldi’s Spring is better than Winter, I told him he was wrong and he needed to leave.”
“Mhmm, alright, well are you feeling okay now?”
I shook my head. “My head is pounding, and honestly all I really want to do is sleep.”
“I’ll ring the doctor, Xavier, thank you, I think. Keep an eye on her until the doctor comes, unfortunately I have a meeting in an hour otherwise I would wait. Feel better.” James closed the door, the suspicion etched on his face. Xavier and I both let out a sigh.
“You didn’t have to do that.” Xavier murmured, an appreciative look on his face.
“Neither did you.” I replied looking into the depths of his deep brown eyes. “But I’m not kidding. You want me to pour my heart and soul and confess my deepest fears and thoughts to you, I’m going to have to be sure I can trust you. If you can’t trust me, then I can’t trust you. If you really want to know what’s going on with me, I’m going to need to know what’s going on with you. I can be an open book, but only if you are too.” I gave him a hard look. “I’m no one’s tool. I’m not going to be used. Are we clear?”
“You think I want to use you?”
“Xavier, if you can’t trust me, it means I can’t trust you. I don’t know what reason I’ve given you to make you think I’m not trustworthy, but I have a lot of reasons not to trust people in general. Okay?”
“What in the world would make you think I don’t trust you?”
“You won’t tell me whatever it is that’s bugging you.”
“Juliet, you are a silly little fool sometimes.” Xavier chuckled.
“For the record, that doesn’t earn you brownie points.” I snapped.
“Don’t misunderstand, I meant no offense. I merely didn’t want to burden you with the horrors of my past. That is all. If you truly wish to know I will tell you, in good time. It’s a lot to take in all at once.”
“And let me guess, you decide when that time is?”
“As do you. You choose to when and where to tell me anything.”
I nodded. “Okay, I’m a little less pissed at you.”
“Ah, so you’re sobering up.”
“Wait, pissed, American pissed, as in angry, not drunk.” I laughed.
We both shared a laugh and the tension seemed to dissipate between us.
“Okay, so if you won’t tell me what’s up with you, tell me something else I don’t know about you, then.”
“What would you like to know?” Xavier smiled.
“Everything and anything.”
Xavier let out a chuckle that made me shiver. “Where would you like me to start then?”
“How about the beginning?”
“Very well, I was born on November 19th twenty-four years ago.”
“Eww, you’re going to be twenty-five, you’re going to be old.” I teased, and I watched his brow crease and he gave me an annoyed look.
“Ehem, as I was saying, I don’t have any siblings. I didn’t have much of a family life, as soon as I could I went off to University. As you know, I went to Cambridge and got my degree in Politics and Psychology. When I finished, I decided to travel, then I got that call from Lana and here I am today.”
“Wow, you summed your life up in what, five sentences?”
“Is that a problem?”
“That’s like a sandwich that’s only bread. There’s not meat, no cheese, no condiments, no, lettuce or tomato, what the hell kind of sandwich is that?”
“I’m not sure what you mean?”
“I want details. I went to college tells me nothing.”
“Then what about yourself?”
“Fine, I was born August 22nd, Mom raised me alone. I didn’t have any siblings until I found out about Angelica. I grew up on the beach and was always around water. If not at the beach, then in the pool. I broke my arm when I was seven because I was convinced a grocery bag worked like a parachute and jumped off the roof of my apartment complex. I graduated with honors and a 4.0 GPA from high school and college. I’m a cellist at heart, but the steel drums kick butt too. I manage at a fast food chain back home. When I get back, I’m next in line for a store of my own if I want it. I got a letter that I thought was a hoax not long after Mom died from James and here I am.
“There, and that’s not even scratching the surface, but at least there’s a little to it.” I replied, a smug smile on my face with my arms crossed across my chest. “Now, tell me something, a favorite childhood memory. Your first love. Your favorite color for god’s sake.”
After a moment of silence Xavier finally answered. “Green. Not just green either, granny smith apple green.”
I burst into laughter. I couldn’t help it and the more I tried to stop it, the harder I started laughing. I had tears in my eyes and Xavier scowled at me with a sour look on his face. “It’s, it’s not funny,” I laughed, “, but it is.”
“I fail to see the humor in this.”
“You thought for that long to say . . . green!” I couldn’t control myself, I clutched at my ribs and even with the pail I was practically rolling on the floor laughing. “You are too intense sometimes.” I managed after I started to catch my breath.
“I’m glad I could amuse you,” Xavier replied in a flat tone looking none too enthused himself.
“Dude, you need to relax and be less serious every once in a while.”
“One of us has to be serious.”
“When was the last time you had fun?”
“What?”
“When was the last time you had fun? Took a little time to yourself with no other agenda? Just to do it?”
“I-I,”
“In other words, never, or it’s been so long you can’t remember.”
“Well,”
“You’re overdue. No wonder you went a little crazy this morning.”
“Excuse me?”
“Dude, you need an outlet, worse than I do.”
A soft knocking distracted us and Laurel walked in. “What’s going on? Master Eastgate said you have a concussion? He told me to come keep an eye on you and he wants Xavier to meet him in his study.”
Xavier bit his lower lip and take a deep breath. “I best not keep him waiting.”
“Good luck,”
“Thank you, Juliet,”
Xavier reached up to straighten his tie, only to realize he wasn’t wearing one. After he straightened his shirt he stood up straight and walked out.
Laurel gave me a knowing look. “What happened?”
“I might have gone out again.”
“Juliet,” Laurel scolded. “What did you do? Master Eastgate looked furious.”
“I went out drinking and Harper and Xavier got in a fight.”
“Harper? Oh my . . .”
“Yeah,”
“How badly is Xavier hurt?”
“Not much, I’m pretty sure Harper is worse for wear.”
“How did you get hurt?”
“I jumped in the middle.”
“Juliet! That was stupid!”
“Yeah, I know. Trust me, it’s not something I’ll forget quickly, I’m still hurting.”
“Good, hopefully you’ll think next time.”
“Hopefully, but not likely.” I sighed. “I really don’t want or need another lecture, thank you very much.”
“You certainly do not allow this place to get boring.” Laurel sighed. “I’m just glad you’re alright. Let me take a look at that.”
Not much longer after that a portly, balding man with thick glasses came in. “I’m Dr. Buroughs, I am pleased to meet you. Your father called for me. He fears you may have a concussion. Let me take a look at you.”
After several questions I knew the answer to and about thirty minutes of me feeling like an idiot, Dr. Buroughs gave a content sigh. “Just a bump on the noggin. You’ll be right as rain after some rest. Now off to bed, doctor’s orders.” He chuckled at his own joke.
I laughed nervously and watched him walk out. He made me feel very awkward. After a few more minutes Xavier walked in, looking much more worn than he had about an hour ago.
“You okay?”
“Been better, how are you feeling?”
“I don’t have a concussion.”
I saw him visibly relax. “That is very good to hear.”
“Why do I have this feeling that something really bad is about to come out of your mouth?”
“Because I’ve been asked to remove myself from this situation. I’m being set up in a flat not far from.”
“Wh-what?” I felt my heart catch in my throat.
“That is your father’s wish, and I am his employee. I have no choice but to abide by his wishes.”
“Why does he want you to leave?”
“He believes I am becoming too attached to this situation.”
“Oh . . . are you still my advisor?”
“Of course.”
“I, I don’t want you to go.”
Xavier gave me a sad smile. “I won’t be that far away. I just won’t be sleeping here any longer.”
“I still don’t want you to go.”
“I have to Juliet,” Xavier took my face in his hands and I winced. “I, I’m sorry.” He laid a gentle kiss on my forehead and walked out. “Get some rest,” he muttered as he closed the door behind him.
I suddenly felt cold and sunk down on my bed. Why did I feel like crying all of a sudden? This didn’t make any sense.
I was so absorbed in my thoughts I jumped and gave an ‘eep’ when I heard someone clear their throat behind me. “Oh my god! Way to sneak up on a girl!” I breathed. “Hi James, what’s up?”
“You alright?”
“Something like that,” I sighed, still relearning how to breathe.
“What really happened this morning?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I don’t buy that you hit your face on the toilet.”
“Um,”
“Exactly. Now tell me what is really going on here?”
“James,”
“Juliet, you are my daughter, I want to know what he did to you and why you are covering for him.”
“He didn’t do anything. I’m not covering for him.”
“Juliet, someone hit you. I’m not daft. I don’t know who you’re lying for, but until you tell me, you are not leaving this room.”
“What?”
“I believe your term is grounded. You are not to leave this room for any reason.”
“Are you serious?”
“Completely.”
I shook my head. Every day I add another reason to why I should never have left America. “Wow, kay thanks. Doctor said I should get some rest. I’m going to go to sleep now.”
“See to it that you do.”
“Will do, Captain,”
“Excuse me?”
I gave James a wink and a thumbs up.
“Juliet, you have to understand that this is for your own good.”
“Of course. Everything is,” I smiled sweetly. He caught the sarcasm.
“I’ll have something sent up for you. You, you, ARGH,” James stormed out, slamming the door behind himself.
I flopped against the bed. I was going to go insane. I heard a buzzing sound, and it was then I remembered Xavier had given me a phone. I went over to the buzzing and opened it up. There were several new text messages. I had access to the outside world.
Chapter XVIII
I picked up the phone and saw twenty new text messages and seven missed phone calls. Four phone calls were from Harper, two from Gwen, and one from Xavier, then I turned to the text messages. Harper had sent several:
hey
how r u
im drunk
but I kinda like you
so when r we guna hang out
soon i hope
but i like the tattoos
i want to see that other one ;)
I felt my face flush. Oh my. And that was without a reply. I wasn’t sure how to respond so I just didn’t. Then I went to see Gwen’s texts.
girlie watch your back
i dont think u can trust Xavier
hes shady
hes always talking shit about me
sry about 2nite
ily either way
but srsly u can do better
harper really likes you
he wants to shag you ;)
i hear hes a good time ;)
i miss you
Once again I felt my face flush. Good to know that I need to watch what Harper and Gwen say while intoxicated. Then I had two from Xavier.
Juliet, I’m being escorted off the property, James will send my things
I will be back tomorrow morning to figure out arrangements, don’t worry everything will be alright.
I couldn’t explain why that made my heart sink. I didn’t like the idea that Xavier was being sent away. I felt empty again. As exhausted as I was, I just cried myself to sleep.
I was woken up to being violently shaken. I saw Angelica standing over me and screamed. “What the hell?”
“You’re leaving.” Angelica smirked.
“What?”
“You’re finally leaving.” She repeated. “Daddy is sending you away. Not a moment too soon either. It’ll be nice for you to be gone again. I can’t wait for things to get back to normal.”
“Great, now get out.”
“Excuse me.”
“You’ve had your fun, and you can get out now. Okay, thanks.”
“I can’t wait for you to be gone.” Angelica sneered and stormed out.
“Angie, darling, that’s hardly becoming of a lady. You’re better than that. That’s something I’d expect from that one.” Millie chided as she glided in. “As for you, let’s get your things packed. You’re being sent off.”
“I already told you, I can’t leave. The king has revoked my passport, so sorry, can’t go home, even if I wanted to.”
“No, you aren’t going back to America, we need to watch you. You are however going away from society for now. My husband has finally reached his senses. Meet him in his study.”
“Great. How about you let me get dressed and I’ll go meet him.”
