Keeping My Prince Charming (4 page)

“I want to do this, Xavier. I want to be a part of this.”

“Okay,” he said, and suddenly he smiled as he leaned down to kiss me. “I was hoping you would say that.” And then I kissed him back, and all thoughts of leaving were vanquished from my mind. All thoughts of leaving and going back to London without him were gone. I didn’t want to be without Xavier. He was the Prince Charming I’d been looking for. Granted, he wasn’t the Prince Charming of fairytales, but he was mine and he loved me. That was good enough for me. It was better than good enough. I was going to show Xavier that I could live in his world. I was going to show him that true love could last forever. I was going to show him that there was such a thing as happily ever after, even if I hadn’t truly believed it until this very moment.

Chapter Six

Lola

There’s a magical moment that occurs when two people who like each other stare at each other. There’s a spark of electricity that seems to flow between just the two of them, and it doesn’t matter how many other people are there. That moment is between just the two of them. That’s how I felt when Xavier and I entered the grand entrance of the Royal Palace. He grabbed my hand, squeezed it tightly, and looked into my eyes with a deep, penetrating stare.

“It’s all a game. If you remember that it’s a game, then everything will be okay.” Xavier’s voice was low as we walked into the palace.

“It’s hard to think of it as a game,” I said, taking a deep breath and hoping that the fresh air would provide me with the courage that I felt I was lacking.

“It’s hard, but that is what this is, Lola.” He stopped and looked toward me, his eyes scanning my face carefully. His green irises glowed like the gentle blades of grass in the morning as the sun was rising. They were gentle yet powerful in their beauty and elegance, warm and stoic all at the same time. “If you want to leave, just let me know.” He squared his shoulders and I could see doubt in his eyes for a split second. “Maybe this isn’t a good idea.”

“No, we have to do this.” I shook my head. “I can do this. I’m strong, Xavier. Stronger than you think.”

“I know.” He nodded. “You have to be strong to have stuck with me through all of this.”

“You’re a complex man.” I laughed, suddenly feeling light inside.

“I think you’re the only one that has ever truly seen me for who I am.” His eyes pierced into mine and he just stared at me for a few seconds. “You’ve seen beyond my exterior, beyond my being a prince, beyond my abrasiveness. You’ve seen me for who I am and I still can’t quite believe that you’re here.”

“You and me both.” I laughed and he leaned forward and caressed my lips gently. His thumb brushed against my lower lip and moved gently back and forth.

“If ever there was a rose as beautiful as you, I’d plant it in my garden for when my days were blue. And I’d sit there and watch it, all the days through. Because that rose in my garde
n
—
well, it would remind me of you.”

“I always knew you were a romantic, Xavier van Romerius.” I smiled at him as my heart thudded at his words.

“That’s good that you’ve thought so highly of me.” He winked at me and then stilled, his face becoming serious once again. “Tonight, though, there will not be any romance. Tonight is not about romance. Tonight you will witness me as a man that I don’t want to be. Tonight you will be introduced to a world that I didn’t want to show you.”

“It’s okay, Xavier.” I touched his shoulder. “I can handle it.” I smiled at him, but my stomach was churning in fear and worry. To be honest, I wasn’t really sure if I was going to be able to handle it. I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into. I wasn’t sure what I was going to see. What was Xavier going to do? And would I be able to forgive him or myself if it crossed the mark? I loved this man and all of his flaws. I knew that he wasn’t perfect. He was human, and had secrets that would make stronger women than me flee. But that was the beauty of love. It made us stronger. It gave us hearts of steel and guts of iron. I had a shield around me that could withstand a war for this man. I had a passion that could overcome mountains. My love for Xavier burned in my soul and ran through my veins, and I was willing to take this chance. I needed to show him that I could be there for him. And I also wanted a role in bringing Violeta and Casper down, after everything that they had done to ruin Xavier’s name and to bring him down. I just couldn’t let this happen to him again. I couldn’t let them try to destroy the man I loved. The man who had stolen my heart the very first night we’d met.

“Let’s do this.” I licked my lips nervously and inhaled and exhaled a few times. “I’m ready.”

“Just let me know if you’re uncomfortable.”

“I will.” I nodded.

“This will be not be what you’re expecting…” His voice trailed off and he looked nervous.

“How do you know what I’m expecting?”

“I didn’t tell you everything.” He closed his eyes. “Look Lola, there’s—”

“Xavier. Lola.” Casper’s voice boomed as he interrupted Xavier and walked toward us. “I’m surprised to see you both here.”

“Why?” I offered him a superior smile and tried to hide my distaste as I gazed at his handsome face. How could someone who looked so handsome and pure be as disgusting as he was? I didn’t understand how my body could warm as I stared into his blue eyes, even when I knew how undeniably evil and callous he was.

“I’m glad that you’re both here.” He kissed both of my cheeks and pulled away. “It’s always good to see you, Lola. So beautiful and pure, like a breath of fresh air.”

“I wish I could say the same,” I muttered as I glared at him. I was already feeling uncomfortable and I hoped this would be the first and last that I’d see of Casper tonight.

“Casper, there you are.” Violeta appeared out of nowhere and walked up to us with an angelic smile on her beautiful face.

“Violeta.” Xavier nodded and I scowled at the woman who had tried to make me leave Xavier with a lie.

“Darling, you look even more handsome than the last time we were here,” Violeta said sweetly and stepped her right leg forward so that we could see the long expanse of her naked leg through the high slit in her silky midnight-blue dress.

“Is that possible?” Xavier raised an eyebrow at her.

“I didn’t think so.” Violeta reached over and brushed something off of his jacket, her perfectly manicured fingernails tapping against his chest lightly. “But then I’ve been known to be wrong.”

“We all make mistakes.” Xavier nodded and I was fuming. Did he seriously think that Violeta had made a mistake by saying that he was the father of the baby she’d given up? How could he be so chummy with her already? It infuriated me that this bitch was being treated with anything other than scorn.

“But everything comes right in the end,” Casper said with a smirk on his face. “I am surprised to see you here, Xavier, but quite pleased.”

“I’m sure you are.”

“May the best man win,” Casper said as he bowed his head and then looked at me. “To the victor go the spoils.”

“You know, there is a painting by Rembrandt called
Night Watch
,” Xavier said softly and deliberately as he held my hand.

“And?” Casper looked bored.

“It’s called
Night Watch
because it depicts a city guard moving his troops out of the city,” Xavier said and paused, smiling at everyone as he spoke. It was almost like he was in class again and talking about paintings to his students.

“Sounds boring.” Casper yawned, but his eyes narrowed as he waited for Xavier to continue.

“The painting was covered with a dark varnish and that is why it had been called
Night Watch
,” Xavier continued. “However, that varnish was removed and art collectors realized that the scene wasn’t depicted at night at all.” Xavier smiled. “So what was once seen as a guard leaving a city at night with his tail between his legs was really not accurate. The fact of the matter is that
Night Watch
wasn’t a night watch at all.” He looked at me then and I felt as if his words were directed at me only. “What we think we know and see is not always correct. And the winner isn’t always the one that speaks the loudest or the most aggressively.”

“I understand.” I nodded at him and I could see Violeta frowning bitterly.

“Nice educational fable,” Casper said and chuckled. “It’s a pity that life isn’t as simplistic as pictures, isn’t it?”

“Paintings.” Xavier frowned.

“Whatever.” Casper shrugged and grabbed Violeta’s hand. “Let’s go back inside. The event is about to start.”

“Let us go.” She nodded and squared her shoulders back. “I’m ready.”

“Good luck, my brother.” Casper nodded at Xavier. “Here’s to another successful Society of Brothers event.”

“Yes, here’s to another successful event,” Xavier said, and I watched as Casper and Violeta went back inside. I turned to Xavier and gazed at his face with a question.

“What’s going on here, Xavier?” I touched his shoulder. “I don’t understand what’s going on.”

“To be a leader, one must have control.” His voice was tight. “One must have control and command over everything.”

“What does that mean?”

“We can’t talk now.” He shook his head. “We need to go inside. Come, we can’t miss the beginning.” He grabbed my hand and escorted me down the hallways into a huge ballroom. I gasped at the crystal chandeliers hanging in the middle of the elegant room. There were about forty other couples there. The men were all dressed in tuxedos and the women were all in ball gowns. Each ball gown looked sexier than the last one and I no longer felt self-conscious in my skin-tight black gown, with the wide V-neck at the chest. The V was so low that the tops and sides of my breasts were exposed and pushed up. The material covering my nipples felt flimsy, and I’d been uncomfortable leaving the palace with Xavier in the dress, but now I felt conservative. Breasts seemed to be on display everywhere. Many of the dresses were so flimsy that they did nothing to cover the assets of most of the women in the room. I stood there feeling awkward as I looked around, and was about to say something to Xavier when the lights dimmed.

"Welcome, everyone," a tall, dark-haired man said from the front of the room. His voice was heavily accented and charismatic, and I stared at him in wonder. Who was this man who seemed to command the attention of everyone in the room?

"Who is that?" I asked Xavier curiously and he smiled at my dazed expression.

"Prince Stephan of Germany."

"Germany?" I said, surprised. “Really?”

"Not everyone in Germany is blond," Xavier said with a smirk.

"That wasn't why I was surprised. I didn't even know they had a royal family." I explained.

"Aww, I see. That's not surprising. You're American."

"You say that so patronizingly." I glared at him.

"Don't be sensitive." He grinned. "Now pay attention. Stephan's talk isn't to be missed." His eyes narrowed and he looked back to the front of the room.

"Whatever." I turned away from him and stared at the German prince on the stage in front of me. He was handsom
e
—
more handsome than Casper with his deceiving boyish good looks, and more roguish than Xavier. He looked like a Hollywood hunk, a rebel, a man who could command attention from everyone he encountered.

"I'm so glad that everyone could join us this weekend." He looked out at the crowd with a wide, genuine smile. His blue eyes were dazzling, and for a second his eyes met mine and he smiled, a wide welcoming smile, and I responded back automatically. In that moment I felt like we were the only two people in the room and my breath was taken away. "It brings me joy to see so many beautiful women in the room," he said, his eyes never leaving mine, and I felt myself blushing.

"I see my dear Lola isn't turned off by flattery," Xavier said in a dry voice, and I looked over at him. He had a wry smile on his face, but his eyes were anything but humored.

"He didn't say anything specifically to me," I said hurriedly, embarrassed at how easily I'd given myself away. Yes, I loved Xavier, but I wasn't immune to attention from a hot man.

"You're right." Xavier nodded. "His comment was directed to me and not to you."

"To you?" I frowned in confusion.

"It was a challenge." His eyes looked thoughtful.

“A challenge?”

“Do you know who runs the world?” Xavier asked me, his eyes serious.

“The presidents of the Western world?”

“No.” He had a wry smile on his face. “They are figureheads. Interchangeable. They mean nothing.
We
run the world. The men in this room run the world.”

“Oh.” I waited for him to continue, as I wasn’t quite sure what he was saying.

“And do you know what runs the world?” he whispered as Stephan continued to talk at the front of the room.

“No, what?” I shook my head.

“It’s not money. It’s not power. It’s not sex. There is no power of the pussy.” He grinned and then looked down toward my crotch. “Though pussy has a lot of power.”

“Xavier!” I blushed.

“What runs the world, you ask?” he continued. “What runs the world is fearlessness. He who dares will always win. He who has no fear. He who can conquer and lead in any battle will always be on top.”

“Battle?” I frowned.

“Battles don’t mean war. Battles don’t mean games. The most dangerous battles are the ones that happen behind closed doors. The ones that the everyday public don’t see.”

“I don’t really know what you’re talking about,” I said with a whisper.

“The Society of Brothers is made up of royalty from all over the world. We have Arab sheikhs, African tribesmen, and Britishlord
s
—
anyone who is anyone. And we only have one leader and we have an inner circle. To make it into the inner circle one must completely trust their allies. When you control the world, nothing and no one can be more important than your trust in your fellow brothers.”