I liked them a lot. They were more “real” than most of the people trying to be part of their world. But there was still a disconnect, a sphere they lived in I could never touch.
“We’re going to head to my godfather’s pub tonight. You are coming, right?” Theo kept space between us. Everyone here knew we were together, but the future king, no matter what, couldn’t be caught making out with his girlfriend. When we did kiss at school, it was quick and chaste. He tried to make up for it in private, but there never seemed to be time to really be together. Duties, lacrosse, schoolwork. The prince was always needed somewhere. “He’ll have it secured for us. I’m so ready to let loose.”
Theo’s godfather, Thomas, owned a chain of upscale pubs and restaurants, but the one we went to the most was a very small, local pub. It was randomly stuck in a neighborhood in the middle of row houses and flats in an up-and-coming area. It certainly wasn’t hip or trendy, and I think that was why Theo liked it. Having a pint of beer while he watched a footie game with the locals, he could be a normal guy for a night. The reporters and paparazzi hadn’t figured out the place yet, probably because it was not where they imagined a prince would go. The bodyguards preferred it because it was easier to secure, keeping Theo safe and under the radar.
Thomas made sure everyone left Theo alone when we came in. He insisted they didn’t take pictures or go on social media about the prince and his friends being there. He was very protective of Theo.
“I’m there.” Landen raised his hand. “Be honest, that’s all you really cared about.”
“Yeah. Sure, mate,” Theo replied evenly. I could tell Landen rattled him a bit; he wasn’t quite sure how to take him.
“We all set to get rat-arsed tonight?” Ben came up behind Theo, patting him on the shoulder, grinning at all of us.
“Hell. Yes.” Theo exhaled deeply, the rest of us nodding in agreement.
“Okay, let’s get to it then.” Ben cuffed Theo again. “You don’t have a lot of time before freedom ends. Better get to it.”
My lids narrowed at Ben’s odd comment, but Theo didn’t give me a chance to ask what he meant.
“Yeah. Grab Hazel and Charlie,” he said to Ben as he stepped closer to me, grabbing my hands. “I’ll meet you there?”
“Of course.” I nodded.
“You know I hate we can’t go together, but we have to be careful. The press…”
“I totally understand.” I did, but it still hurt that I had to act like we weren’t together, that I was just a random girl showing up at the same bar until I was inside and we could relax a bit.
“See you later.” He kissed me on the cheek before heading off for his dorm room. The one he seemed to forget was completely plastered with animal rights pamphlets.
It was another quirk of mine. I loved practical jokes, but I expected him to retaliate. I mean, the boy had the means and the connections, but he never tried to get back at me.
The future king was above such things, I guess.
Chapter 3
“Another round, my lovely bird!” Charlie excitedly swished his arm around the table, showing the server we were scarily close to having half-empty glasses.
“Of course.” She smiled, her cheeks turning a deep shade of plum, and headed for the bar. She was a cute, twenty-something girl from Poland. Thomas put her on us whenever we were here, but as good as she was, she didn’t seem to get used to the notion that the Prince of Victoria was sitting in her section. Not that I blamed her. I still felt like this was some alternative universe I didn’t belong in, and I grew up more in this world than she had.
The bar was full and bustling with Friday night cheer. Thomas reserved the table hidden in the dining room for us, and away from the front door, toilets, and main bar area. It was around a wall, in a dark corner. If you just came into the pub to grab a drink, you’d never know the prince was there.
Dalton, one of Theo’s lead bodyguards, sat at a table by an emergency exit near us, trying to blend in with the local patrons. If you weren’t really paying attention, you’d think he was a guy relaxing after a long week. But I could see the tension in his shoulders, his darting gaze assessing every little movement or sound, ready to act. I had only seen him in action twice, when the paparazzi started pushing the boundaries with Theo. He was quick to respond and was scary as hell when he perceived you getting too close to the prince. I never talked to him much; he was on the periphery when we were at school, but he didn’t seem like the chatty type.
He was intimidating, but I couldn’t deny he was extremely good looking. Only in his early thirties, he was tall, fit beyond belief with dark chocolate skin, short hair, and had a perfectly trimmed beard lightly covering his jaw. Dalton held himself with refinement and discipline that only came from years of training with the military.
“Toast!” Charlie stood, holding up his glass, his normally neat brown hair ruffled, his blue eyes glazed over. “To finally leaving the horrid place that kept me away from my real aspiration: becoming a complete and utter wanker. Laying on a raft in my pool, surrounded by models at my private estate in Nice, while getting trolled off my arse with you twats!” He held up his glass to his friends. “Cheers!”
“Cheers!” Hazel and Ben jubilantly joined in, already well on their way to being pissed arse drunk.
“He stole my dream,” Landen said into my ear, pouting.
“Sorry.” I patted his hand. “But his is reality… yours is actually a dream.”
“Damn. Harsh.” He slugged one of the many shots our table was loaded with, encouraging Mina on his other side to do the same. Landen was loud and over the top in real life, but when he drank, he got reserved and moody, where Mina in a blink went from dancing queen to sappy, sloppy drunk, puking in the toilets. I just got louder, and every old ‘80s song made me want to dance on the bar.
“But true.” I winked, leaning into Theo on my other side, feeling the alcohol swimming in my head, heating my cheeks. My pale skin was like a neon sign when I drank or got embarrassed.
Theo’s arm went around me as he snuggled closer to me, his hand going to my thigh under the table. Nerves fluttered in my stomach.
“Don’t be bitter, our sweet prince,” Charlie slurred, directing my attention back to him. Charlie wobbled on his feet, holding out another full shot, his focus on Theo. “When we come up from shagging so many gorgeous people, we’ll send postcards saying ‘wish you were here.’”
Hazel burst out laughing, brushing back her long wavy blonde hair. “You are such a wanker!”
“And?” Charlie shrugged.
“Fair enough.” Hazel shook her head.
A sensation itched at my consciousness, a warning shifting my spine up.
“I wouldn’t do that to you.” Ben sat across from Theo, a smirk on his face. “I’ll send a video to rub it in.”
“Ohhhh.” Hazel laughed louder, covering her mouth with her small, delicate hands. “Leave Theo alone. He’s the only one doing something respectable.”
“Not because he wants to.” Ben snorted, waving at Theo, who sat stiffly next to me, his hand no longer on my leg. “But what Daddy says…”