Royal Pain in the Ass (53 page)

I couldn
’
t deny it anymore.
 
He was cheating on me, and Hailey wasn
’
t the only one he was cheating with.
 
That one just hurt the most.
 
That girl was supposed to be my best friend and she did that?
 
I kicked Hailey out and dumped Chase.
 
He tried to
“explain”
and so did she, but there is nothing to explain.
 
My best friend and my boyfriend were fucking, it was that simple.
 
To add insult to injury, I caught them in my own bed.
 
After that, I was almost always messed up.
 
The only time I was sober was when I was with Mom.
 
I was even showing up to work out of it.
 
This was about the time Amanda moved in with Maverick.
 
She was going through a divorce and needed a safe place for her and her son.
 
I had the room.
 
I let her move in.
 
Since Maverick was here, I didn
’
t have alcohol in the house anymore.
 
Amanda is the reason I got pulled out of my drinking binge, and my other bad habits.
 
If not for her I would probably still be in that slump.
 
She got me to quit the drugs, I wasn
’
t on pills anymore and then I got that letter from James.
 
I haven
’
t used in months.
 
Chase actually came and found me about this time I got that letter
. 

“
So, you
’
re going to England?
”

“
That
’
s the plan.
”

“
Why?
”

“
I might have found a link to my mother.
”

“
Why does that even matter?
 
She's dead.
 
It's that simple.
”

“
Because, Chase, I want to know.
 
I just do.
”

“
You shouldn
’
t go.”

“
Chase, you really don
’
t get to tell me what I should do anymore.
”

“
How long will you be gone?
”

“
Not your concern.
”

“
Come on, Jules.
”

“
No Chase, you lost your right to give me input when you fucked my friend.
”

“
Are you still bitching about that?
”

“
Chase, how stupid are you really?
”

“
It was just sex.
  It
’
s not like I actually like them.
”

“
Them?
”

“
I mean Hailey.
”

“
You lying sack of shit.
”

“
Jules, really?
 
Name calling?
”

“
Chase, why are you here, anyway?
”

“I can
’
t believe you
’
re leaving.
”

“I
’
m not going to be gone forever.
 
Besides, you decided I didn
’
t matter enough to you when you started cheating.
”

“
Jules, you know I love you.
”

“
Chase, it isn
’
t enough.
”

“
Jules, what do I have to do to fix this?
”

“
You can
’
t fix this, Chase.
  You broke us. 
You can
’
t get back the trust you broke.
 
If you wanted more than I was giving you, you could have done things differently.
 
You didn
’
t, deal with it.
 
You made your decisions, you deal with the consequences.
”

“
Jules, what was I supposed to say?
 
I don’
t get enough of you, don
’
t go see your dying mom?
”

“
You could have asked for a break.
”

“
Jules, I don’
t want to lose you.
”

“
You already have.
”

“
I want to get you back.
”

“
And people in Hell want ice water.
”

“
Damn it, Jules!
”
Chase slammed his fist into the wall.
  “
Let me make it up to you.
”

“
Chase, we
’
ve discussed this.
  I can
’
t trust you.
”

“
I can fix this!
 
Just fucking let me!
”

“
Fool me once, shame on you.
 
Fool me twice, shame on me.
”

“Jules, I
’
m not going to let you go.
”

“Chase, I
’
m done having this conversation.
 
Can I count on you to take me to the airport or do I need to find another ride?
”

“I
’
ll take you.
”

“
Good, now I need to finish packing, if you aren
’
t going to annoy the piss out of me, you can stay, otherwise, it
’
s time for you to leave.
”

“It
’
s good to see you sober.
”

“Chase, I
’
m not having this conversation with you either.
”

“
I felt so responsible, for everything that happened to you.
”

“
Chase, you can leave.
”

“I
’
m going to find a way to make it up to you.
  I
’
m never going to let this go.
”

“
Get out, Chase.
”

“I
’
ll come get you in the morning.
”

“
Kay, bye now.
”

“
I love you.
”

“
Get out.
”

“
That
’
s about where the headlines picked up.
”
I finished with Xavier.

Xavier shook his head.
  “I can
’
t believe it.
”

“
Which part?
”

“
That he really believed he could treat you that way and that you would still be his.
”

I shrugged.
  “
Chase and I had an interesting relationship.
 
It worked while we were both being honest.
 
When there is no trust there can
’
t be anything else, either.
”

“
That is understandable.
”

“
During that time that we were together, I got close with Chase
’
s family.
 
His mother was a sweetheart and his brothers were pretty cool.
 
His father I only saw when he was campaigning.
  I
’
m part of what won the election for him.
 
I earned him the rebellious youth vote as his publicist put it.
”

“Interesting.”

I shrugged.
  “
If it will make Mrs. Evans happy, I
’
m willing to let Chase apologize.
 
I really liked Georgia.
 
She was always so nice and accepting to me.
”

“
So you aren
’
t just going to appease Chase?
”

I shook my head.
  “
If it will get Chase to leave me alone, I
’
m alright with him apologizing.
 
It will earn his father a few nods of approval, and hopefully I
’
ll be done with them for good.
”

Xavier sighed, defeated.
  “
I don’
t suppose I can assuage you in any way?
”

I shook my head.
  “
My mind is made up.
”

Xavier nodded.
  “
Very well, then I would like to escort you.
”

“I
’
d like that.
”

“
What is the dress code?
”

“It
’
s like a ball.
”

“
Very well, I shall have my tux pressed.
”

“Kay, I
’
m picking my own dress this time.
”

“
Was your last dress not to your liking?
”

“
No, I loved it, but I get to choose now.
  It
’
s that simple.
”

“
You will never stop fighting, will you?
”

I shook my head.
  “Not til I
’
m dead.
 
Oh, and you might also get to meet my grandparents.
”

“
Really?
”

“Yes.”

“
I look forward to it.
”

“
Well, I have a lot of work to do before Saturday.
” 
I closed myself in my bedroom and called the one and only lovely Lillian.

Chapter XXVIII

Saturday came faster than I wanted to.
 
I was more nervous than I wanted to admit.
 
Lillian came through and made me a gorgeous knee length apple green halter dress.
 
Lillian was a good friend of mine I used to party with back in the day but she was well on her way to being a fashion designer.

“
Are you ready?
”

“Yeah,”

“
Why exactly are you driving?
”

“
Because I want to be able to leave whenever I want.
”

“
And they would hinder this?
”

“I
’
ve
known the Evans for a while, they
’
re not bad people, but Senator Evans is known for getting his way.
”

“
I see.
 
You look lovely, by the way.
”

“Thank you.”

I got in and drove to Chase
’
s house.
  Chase
’
s house kind of reminded me of my father
’
s estate, but on a much smaller scale.
 
A valet parked it and Xavier escorted me inside.
 

“
Name?
”

“
Juliet Benn.
”

“
And who is your guest?
”

“My date.”

“
I have you listed at Chase Evan
’
s date.
”

“
Your list is wrong.
”

“
The list is never wrong.
”

“
Then how about we ask Richard his opinion?
”

“
Senator Evans?
”

“
Who else would know for certain?
 

“
Is there a problem?
”
came a smooth voice that I wanted to punch.

“
Why am I listed as your date?
”
I growled.

“
Because you are.
”

“No, I
’
m not. 
Xavier is my date.
”
I snipped.
  “
If this is a problem then I
’
ll leave right here, right now.
”

“
Ah, my mistake, let them in Gunther.
” 
We made our way in about ten paced when Chase grabbed my arm and pulled me aside.
  “
What the fuck was that?
”

“
Let go of me Chase, you
’
re hurting me.
”
I growled back.
 

“
Why are you embarrassing me?
” 
Chase squeezed my arm and a moment later Xavier was between us, shielding me behind him.
 

“
Keep your hands to yourself and do not ever lay hands on a lady again, especially not this one.
”
Xavier warned.
  “
You are lucky she agreed to this, if she were sensible you would already be back in police custody.
 
I do believe your prison system loves women beaters.
”  Xavier
’
s arm went around my shoulders and he led me away.
  “
This is why I didn
’
t want you to come.
”
He whispered to me.
  “
I worry about things like that happening.
”

I nodded.

“
What would you have done had I not intervened?
”

I shrugged.
  “
Chase would have stopped before I made a scene, but I don
’
t really know.
  I
’
m not sure who Chase is anymore.
” 
I replied as I rubbed my arm.

“
Are you hurt?
”
Xavier gingerly took my arm and examined it.
  “
If he touches you again, I will make a scene, this will be a police crime scene.
 
Do I make myself clear?
”

“Xavier,”

“
No, Juliet.
 
I will not move my opinions on this one.
”

I nodded knowing he was right.
 
Something about Chase frightened me.
 
He made me weak in ways that no one else could.
 
He was definitely dangerous for me.

“Thank you.”
Xavier sighed and pulled me into a hug.
 

“
Juliet,
”
came a gruff bark.
 
I turned to see Senator Richard Evans.
  He
’
d gained weight around the middle since we
’
d last spoken. 
His black hair was also showing a great deal more grey, especially around his ears, but it was still cut into a short military cut.
 
Richard was a large man, he was used to being the biggest and the strongest.
 
He towered over me and offered a large meaty hand.
 

“
Senator Evans,
”
I replied cordially.
 
He shook my hand and offered it to Xavier.

“
Xavier Lewis.
”

“
Ah, never heard of you.
 
Who did you come here with?
”

“
Juliet.
”

Senator Evans gave me a confused sideways look.
  “
Juliet?
 
I thought you were coming with my son.
”

I shook my hand.
  “
No, Chase asked me if he could apologize for the sake of your campaign.
”

Senator Evans nodded.
  “
Very well, so why is he here?
”

“
Because for one, I invited him, for another I
’
m entitled to bring a date.
”

“You
’
re Chase
’
s date.
”

“No, I
’
m really not.
 
Nor do I have any intention of being so.
”

Senator Evan
’
s beady green eyes narrowed on me.
  “
Oh really?
” 

“
Senator what do you think this is, exactly?
”

“
We shall see.
 
Good evening, make yourselves at home.
”
On that note, Senator Evan left us to go mingle with other guests.
 
Xavier and I had a few minutes to ourselves when Chase
’
s eldest brother, Richie came and found us.