Royal Pain in the Ass (47 page)

“
Who the fuck do you think you are?
”
Chase roared as he stood and got in my face.

“
I know who I am.
 
Who are you?
”

“You bitch.” 
Chase did the stupidest thing he
’
s ever done.
 
He raised his hand up and backhanded me against my face.

He hit my so hard I was knocked off balance and my eyes welled up.
 
God damnit that hurt.

“
Bad move.
 
You aren
’
t playing a show tonight.
” 
I pulled out my phone.

“
What do you think you
’re doing?
”

I didn
’
t answer him, instead I called the police and told the operator that I needed an officer and that I had just been assaulted.

“You fucking bitch!”
Chase screamed as he lunged at me and hung up my phone.
 
I didn
’
t know what was happening all I knew was that Chase was on top of me and he was hitting me.
 
That was the last thing I remember before I blacked out.

Chapter XXIV

I woke up to the smell of plastic and antiseptic and I knew exactly where I was.
 
I rolled over and lost the contents of my stomach, which wasn
’
t much.
 
I jumped when I felt someone
’
s hand on my back.

I turned my head too quickly and everything started spinning.
 
I couldn
’
t help but groan.

“
Juliet, are you alright?
”
I looked up into a pair of chocolaty brown eyes I never expected to get to see again.
 

I threw my arms around him and I can
’
t tell you why, but I just started crying and I held onto him for dear life.
 
I was clutching onto him and bawling and he just sat there, with me in his arms rubbing small circles on my back.
 
My back was hurting, so was most of me.
  I felt like I
’
d been run over by a truck or something.

After about twenty minutes I
’
d calmed down and managed something intelligible.
  “
How are you here?
”

Xavier smiled.  “
I got here as soon as I could.
”

“
But, how?
”

“
Well, Juliet, there is this marvelous invention called an airplane.
 
I got on one.
”

“
How did you find me?
”

Xavier gave me a smile that made me feel like a small child.
  “
You aren
’
t exactly subtle.
 
The paparazzi have been following you for one, you
’
re in a hospital for two, and Angelica called me for three.
”

“
Angelica did?
”

Xavier let out a soft chuckle.
  “Yes.”

“Oh.”

“
Naturally, James has asked me to bring her back.
”

“
Right.
”
I nodded, suddenly feeling numb and cold.

“He
’
s worried for you too.
”

“
Of course.
”

“
You’re welcome back, if you so choose. He’d like you to come back.
”

I nodded, not knowing what to say.

“
But no one can force you to come back.
”

“
This has always been home .
  . .”

“
I understand if you don
’
t want to.
”

“
But it
’
s been different since I
’
ve been back.
” 
Xavier gave me a curious look.
  “It
’
s home, but its not.
 
Hell, I haven
’
t been allowed to go back to my house since the press first learned I was here.
 
Why does it hurt so much to breathe?
”

A murderous look crossed Xavier
’
s face.  “
You have three broken ribs, two more cracked.
 
You also had a concussion and bleeding on the brain, and bruised lungs.
  You
’
ve been unconscious for nine days.
 
That boy who was blackmailing you, he is now awaiting trial, and he signed a gag order.
 
He thought it was a plea deal, but it
’
s still binding.
 
When your country
’
s legal system is finished with him, he
’
ll be awaiting charges back home.
”

“Oh.”

“
He is being charged with assault, assault with a deadly weapon, possession, assault and battery on an officer, as well as possession of paraphernalia, and he was also carrying an illegal firearm.
 
Upon the warrants arrival, they searched his home and they found a great deal more information and evidence.
 
Upon said search, we found what he had on you.
 
To avoid international incident, it was removed from his computer and I have what is believed to be the only remaining copy.
”

I felt myself relax and everything hurt.

“
Juliet?
”
I looked up at Xavier.
  “Don
’
t you ever leave like that again.
”

“
I didn
’
t want to.
 
I felt like I had to.
”

“
You should have talked to me.
 
We could have figured something else out.
”

“
I didn
’
t think I had any other options.
”

“
There were plenty of options.
 
How could you just leave like that?
 
No note?
 
No phone call?
 
You even left your belongings.
”

“
I didn
’
t mean to,
”

“
Juliet, don
’
t do that again.
 
We were all worried sick for you.
”

“Xavier,”

“
Let me finish.
”
Xavier growled.
  “
Do you have any idea how frantic we all were?
 
After we found out King Henry had given you back your passport we were able to figure it out, but it took a while.
”

“
Xavier, let me talk.
” 
I started.
 
As I was feeling more awake, I was also feeling more of my body.
 
It was getting harder to focus.
  “
As I was saying before, it was different this time.
 
This was home, but since I
’
ve been back, it
’
s been different.
  It
’
s home, but it
’
s not.
 
Something has been missing.
 
Since I left, not a day has gone by that I haven
’
t thought of you.
 
I haven
’
t missed you.
 
I don’
t know what this means, but I know I don
’
t want to miss you anymore.
”

Xavier looked taken aback for a moment then a small smile spread across his lips.
  “
Then you don
’
t have to.
” 
Xavier kissed my forehead and I can
’
t explain why, but I felt lighter than ever, almost like I was lighter than air.
 
Maybe it was the drugs.
 
Because at this moment the nurse came in and injected something into my IV.
 
The last thing I saw was Xavier before the drugs pulled me under.

When I woke back up I smiled as I saw a familiar face sleeping awkwardly in a chair.
 
I tried to sit up but felt my ribs and I couldn
’
t suppress a groan and Xavier woke up.

“You
’
re awake.”
He sighed.

I smiled.
  “
Sorry to wake you.
”

Xavier shook his head.
  “Don
’
t be.” 
Xavier stood up and stretched and made his way to my bedside.
  “
How are you feeling?
”

“
Still sore.
”

“
Do you want me to call the nurse?
 
Do you want more of the pain meds?
”

“I
’
m alright.
”
I smiled.

“
How are you feeling?
”

I shrugged, and that hurt.
  “A little hurt.”

A dark look crossed his face.
  “
I wish I had ten minutes alone with that bloody tosser and I would show him what it is to . . .
”
Xavier took a long breath.
  “
No man should ever raise a hand to a woman.
”  Xavier
’
s finger
’
s gently traced my face.
  “
I wish you had come to me and it hadn
’
t come to this.
”

“Xavier,”

“
Juliet, you were just gone.
”

“I
’
m sorry.”

“Don
’
t disappear on me like that again.
 
If you want to leave, fine whatever, I can’t stop you, but you have to promise to tell me.
”

“
Xavier, I didn
’
t want to embarrass anyone.
 
This was my mistake.
 
I trusted Chase when I shouldn
’
t have.
 
I wasn
’
t going to let this get out and James or worse my uncle find out about it.
”

Xavier let out a sigh.
  “
Juliet, you forget, it
’
s my job to fix this.
 
I wanted to help you.
 
I continued to, after you left.
 
I have friends in high places, once your legal system finishes, he will be tried for conspiracy to defame a royal official.
 
Our system is quite different from yours .
 
I do believe it can be far more effective. Chase’s father cannot buy our system like he can here.
”

“
Oh, right.
”

Xavier shook his head.
  “
None of that matters anymore.
”

“
What?
”

“
I said, none of that matters anymore.
”

“
How does it not matter?
”

“
Juliet,
”
Xavier chuckled, as he shook his head.
  “I
’
ve missed you.
”