Recklessly Royal (23 page)

David was waiting by the fireplace by the time I made my way downstairs. His back was to me, but I enjoyed the way his tuxedo pants hugged his backside. Tabitha was chatting animatedly with him and I found myself frowning. Instead of wearing a nice dress that would fit in with the rest of the auction and partygoers she was wearing a ball gown that left little to the imagination.

I didn’t enforce a dress code for the people who worked with me. That seemed cruel and unfair. I would hate being told what I could and couldn’t wear. But if I was being honest, Tabitha looked like a call girl. And she was busy pushing her cleavage in David’s direction.

Okay, maybe I was being catty, but the dress was well on the side of ridiculous. And her cleavage put the little bit that I was showing to shame.

“Hello.” I stayed by the sofa, not wanting to compete for space next to the low fire.

“Wow.” David turned to look at me and his eyes drank me in. “You look amazing.”

“What a beautiful dress!” Tabitha cut off any response I had. She put a hand to her bosom and I tried not to roll my eyes. It was likely she didn’t know what to wear to the event, and I hadn’t thought to offer any advice or ask what she was thinking.

I bit my lip. “You look nice too.”

“Thank you. I was just telling David that my friend is a designer.” She ran her hand over the material. “She made this for me when I told her I couldn’t find anything that I liked.”

“I’m going to grab my wrap, would you like me to get yours as well?” I motioned toward the closet. I really hoped that she was planning on covering up a little bit. Or a lot. A lot would be good.

“Oh, no thank you. I’m warm enough.”

I eyed the cutouts at her waist and bit my lip again. Taking out a silk wrap, I started to drape it over my shoulders, but David’s hands stopped me.

“Let me help.” He tucked the soft material around me. “You really look amazing.”

“So do you.” I eyed the way his shirt hugged his chest under the jacket. “The tux looks good on you.”

“Chadwick made me buy one when I asked where I could rent one.” He touched the tie at his throat. “It was a scary experience with tape measures and a little man with straight pins.”

I chuckled. “Then pass my regards to Chadwick. He did a good job.”

“I’m sure he will appreciate them. He said that if I was going on a date with you, I had to look the part.” His eyes clouded for a minute before clearing with a smile. “That you would be wearing the latest in fashion.”

“I like having you with me no matter what you’re wearing.”
And not wearing
, I thought. I liked that idea a great deal, but I kept the thought to myself. If Tabitha hadn’t been watching us closely I might have offered it up as a flirty line, but now wasn’t the time.

“So, tonight you are Princess Catherine, and I’m her date.” He reached up and touched one of my earrings gently. “Maybe Cathy can come out and play later.”

I laughed. “Tonight you are Dr. David Rhodes, trusted confidant of Princess Samantha, and I’m the lucky girl that gets to hang on your arm.” I leaned close. “But Cathy would like to get out of this uncomfortable dress eventually.”

“I knew I liked you.” He leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to my lips. “And now we’ve gotten the kiss out of the way. Our date can proceed without inhibition.”

“Hm.” I smiled. “Not a bad idea.”

He walked me to the door, which he opened. The limousine sitting in the drive was running and ready for us. There were glasses and a bottle of champagne waiting for us inside. Before the door closed, Tabitha slid into the back with us, and I felt myself frown again. While I had known that she would be attending the formal function with us, I hadn’t planned on her crashing the date part of the night.

“There will be several journalists when we arrive. Is there one that you would prefer to speak to?” She pulled her phone out of a small satchel.

“I’d prefer to not speak to any of them.” My voice was a little sharper than I intended.

“It would be good publicity for your upcoming charity. Let them know about what you have in the works.” She eyed me over her phone, the slit in her dress showing most of her leg.

“If you’re worried about me, don’t. I can stand in the background while you answer some questions.” David smiled at me.

“Very well.” I frowned at the list she showed me. “Let me talk to Yvette. I’ve spoken with her in the past.”

“I’ll let her know.” She tapped on her phone. “How should I explain David?”

“Excuse me?”

“What do you want me to say about him?” She smiled at him, but her words annoyed me. As if he was an object that needed a backstory.

“He’s my date.” I shrugged. “That’s all they need to know.”

“Should I tell them you’re in a committed relationship? Or that you’re friends?” Tabitha persisted.

“That’s none of their business.” I looked at David, worried. He was watching, his mouth doing that thing when he isn’t sure if he wants to say something.

“Well, they’re going to ask.”

“That doesn’t mean we need to answer.” I shook my head. “Tabitha, it’s your job to talk around those questions, so you decide how you want to not answer.”

“I can do that.” She frowned. “But what about the pictures from the hotel?”

“What pictures?” My blood froze and my stomach twisted.

“I got word today that there are two magazines in possession of photos with you and David kissing at your hotel.”

“What?” I practically shouted the word. My stomach did a nasty flip. After Alex’s ex-girlfriend had released sex pictures, it had been my worst nightmare to think it could happen to me. It was one of the reasons I had been so careful.

“Are they security tapes?” David squeezed my fingers. I wasn’t sure if he knew about Alex and his ex or not, but he was quick to offer comfort.

“I’m not sure. Maybe cell phone pictures.” She shrugged. “If you don’t want them knowing about your relationship, you need to be more careful.”

“What magazines?” I took a deep breath.

“
Stylish
and
Celeb First
.” She shrugged. “They’re releasing them tomorrow.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about this before now?” I glared at her.

“I thought you knew.”

Deep breath. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Another breath. My chest hurt. And another shallower breath. “How would I know if they contacted you?”

“The e-mail said they were going to offer you the chance to buy the pictures from them.”

“I can’t do that.” My words sounded raspy. I looked at David. This touched him as well. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”

“It’s okay. I’m more worried about how this will affect you.” He touched my cheek.

“If I pay their blackmail money, it will only get worse.”

“It’s just a kiss, Cathy.” David cupped my cheek. “It’s not like what happened with your brother.”

So he did know.

The air left my lungs and I fought to catch my breath. My hands started shaking and tears rushed to my eyes. It was like catching the flu in a second flat and I had no way of getting better. In that moment I felt like I was dying. It was as if my worst nightmare had just jumped out of a closet and was dragging me down to the pits of hell and no one, especially myself, could save me.

David was watching me with worried eyes, but Tabitha just looked interested. As if this whole thing was an amusing story—that my reaction was overboard and insane. The derision in her gaze amplified that feeling of helplessness and I gasped loudly for air.

“Cathy?” David covered my shoulders with his hands.

“I can’t. I can’t do that.” I tried to take a shallow breath and then another. I meant paying off the vultures. “It’s us. Us. Our moment and they’re going to publish the photos in trashy magazines like they’re porn.” I couldn’t get enough air and I was starting to feel light-headed. “I can’t pay them off. I know this. I know it. I can’t but they’ll—”

“Take a deep breath.” His eyes focused on mine and didn’t flinch away when a tear ran down my cheek.

“I can’t. I can’t breathe.” I sniffed and covered my face with my hands. My breath rattled in my chest. The only thing I could think, the only words I could say, were
I can’t.

“Take us back to D’Lynsal.” David looked at Tabitha.

“She’s supposed to be at the auction.” Tabitha shook her head. “And Yvette is expecting her.” She picked up a wineglass. “Here, drink this.”

I shook my head violently and for a brief moment thought that I was going to be sick all over David. The feeling of being trapped, suffocated was almost overwhelming. Like I was drowning, but there was no water, no way to pull me out.

“It’s going to be fine, Cathy. Do you hear me?” David squeezed my shoulders. “I’m right here with you. We’re in this together. Do you understand?”

I shook my head no. I didn’t feel like anyone was with me. I was alone in a way I’d never been alone before—singled out in the media for the sole intent of being embarrassed; for someone’s perverted gratification. The only thing I knew was that there was no way I could walk out on that red carpet and face those vultures.

“I can’t.” The tears were running down my face, and the embarrassment that came with them only made it worse.

“Cathy, you’re having a panic attack.” He lifted my chin so I could see his face. “My sister has them—has since she was a little girl. You’re going to be okay.”

That made sense, but it didn’t help. Knowing what was happening didn’t stop it from happening. It just made me feel worse that I couldn’t control it.

“Maybe I have a Xanax.” Tabitha started looking through her purse. “You’ll be fine and ready in no time. Fashionably late.”

“No!” I shouted the word. The last thing I wanted was a pill that had been floating around in Tabitha’s bag. If the doctor had prescribed it for me, then that would be a different matter, but I wasn’t taking medicine that wasn’t mine. David let go of me. I thought I had scared him, but instead he rolled down the window between the back and the driver.

“We need to go back to D’Lynsal. The princess isn’t feeling well. Hurry, please.”

Mark looked back through the window at me and frowned. “Princess, are you hurt? Can I help?”

I shook my head, not trusting myself to speak. Each time I opened my mouth the crying became worse. It was pictures—just pictures—and yet I felt as if my life was over. How had Alex handled the pictures sold of him having sex? He was so much stronger than I.

“This is a nightmare.” Tabitha started typing on her phone and I had to fight the impulse to take it from her and throw it out the window. She didn’t know what a nightmare was and if she thought I was being a diva now, she had no idea what I could do.

“Tabitha.” David’s voice shook with anger and I was glad it wasn’t directed at me. “I haven’t been around royalty long, but from what I know, your job is to take care of Cathy. And right now, your priorities are fucked up.”

“I am taking care of Cathy.” She frowned. “This could hurt her image. And the pictures aren’t that bad. In fact, it will make her even more interesting. People will love that she’s dating Sam’s best friend. It will show she’s just as desirable as her brothers.”

“You can worry about the PR later.” He glared at her, but his fury was so intense I could barely keep from shaking uncontrollably just being near it. “Right now, you need to be thinking about helping her calm down.”

“Please.” I whispered the word, ashamed of needing help. I was the person who took care of everything, who planned events and rolled with the media. I wasn’t the person who had breakdowns and hysterics. I took another breath and wiped at my face. “Please tell them I came down with something. I’ll make it up to them later.”

“No you won’t.” David turned me back to look at him. “The only thing you’re going to do is relax and not worry about this. They don’t deserve to have you do anything nice for them.” His eyes cut to Tabitha. “You tell them she’s sick and leave it at that.”

“I don’t take my orders from you,” she said. Her eyes narrowed.

“I will see to it that you don’t take any orders from anyone at all if you don’t put Cathy first,” David growled. “If you think Sam and Alex are going to let you keep your position when you’re endangering the princess’s health, you’re very confused.”

She shut her mouth with a loud snap. While I watched, she took the wineglass she had originally offered me and took a long drink. The limo used one of the local roundabouts to take us back in the direction of D’Lynsal. The closer we came to the house, the more Tabitha drank, and the easier I could breathe. As long as she was being quiet I could put up with the nasty looks she kept shooting my way. I wasn’t better but D’Lynsal was my safe haven. The one place I didn’t have to pretend—didn’t have to feel threatened by people out to get something from me.

When we arrived, Tabitha exited the car before the bodyguard or the driver could get out. She didn’t stop at the door either, just disappeared inside.

I dabbed at my eyes, trying to school myself into a semblance of normalcy before climbing out of the limo. David moved closer and cupped my face in his hands. Using his thumbs he brushed the tears off and leaned forward until our foreheads touched.

“You are not alone. I’m right here with you and am not going anywhere. Do you believe me?” He waited for a response, needed an answer, so I nodded my head. “This feels like a huge thing because of what happened to Alex. It’s intrusive and thoughtless for someone to take the pictures, much less publish them. But it’s a kiss. A kiss I would gladly give to you in front of a million people if you asked for it. Do you understand? I don’t care if people know that I’ve kissed you, that I’m with you as whatever you want to call me. The only thing I care about is you. And right now, I’m worried about you.”

I opened my eyes to look at him. Honesty rang through his words and sincerity shone through his eyes. Reaching up, I touched his jaw with my fingers.

“You’re right.” My fingers danced along the stubble. “It was a kiss and I would have wanted your kiss no matter what.”

“What happened to Alex is not going to happen to you,” he whispered the words. “Whoever you choose will not do that to you. Your trust is too important to risk losing.”