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“Don’t be nervous.” Grandma held my hand. “She can’t wait to see you.”
I nodded, my eyes pooling.
“Bree’s already up there. I wanted to introduce Zoe to her little sister myself. I thought it would be nice for each of you to have your own time with your long-lost sister.”
“Thank you, Grandma.” I leaned toward her to kiss her on the cheek.
The elevator door opened. I spotted Zoe and gasped. Seeing her was like traveling back in time. Her years in the grave had left her looking the same as I remembered.
Her face lit up and she hastened toward us. I met her half way, burying my face in her shoulder, the world and everyone in it vanishing for that moment.
She winced. “Careful.”
“I’m so sorry.” I loosened my death-grip, remembering she was still fragile.
“No, it’s okay. Totally worth it.” She smiled weakly, studying my face. “My little sister, all grown up.”
“You look exactly the same.” Most of the gray in her skin had been replaced by pink. She wasn’t all the way better, but she was alive and aware. I stroked her hair and tears leaked from my eyes. “I’ve missed you so much. I don’t want to think about what you’ve been through.”
Zoe winced, her eyes clouding over. “I-I can’t talk about it.”
“Shh. You don’t have to.” I hugged her again, but more gently. I’d hoped she’d been unconscious with no memory of being trapped in the ground. One day, she’d want to tell me what happened and I’d listen. But a big part of me didn’t want to know what it was like being buried alive.
Zoe’s eyelids drooped and she swayed. My arm shot out to restore balance.
“You should sit,” I said.
“I’m fine. Look at you. It’s so weird to have you all of a sudden my age.” She smiled, her eyes glistening. “Don’t forget I’m still older than you.”
If her being older meant she was next in line to rule, that was fine by me. I gingerly leaned over and hugged her again, not caring if I looked over-the-top clingy. I felt another arm around my shoulder and an orange blossom scent tickled my nose. Another arm wrapped around my hip and with it came the scent of bubble gum. Bree. I picked her up and sandwiched her between us.
* * * *
With Boris dead, Jane’s need to live in secrecy abated. She rented an elegant Tuscan-style home big enough for her family and most trusted staff — with a few rooms leftover. It boasted, among other things, a pool, sprawling gardens and a guesthouse.
Grandma offered the guesthouse to Chait and Hayden in exchange for protection services. Chait accepted, but Hayden declined in favor of staying home to keep an eye on his mother. He wanted to make sure she made it through the divorce and that Sam didn’t try to hurt her. Hayden had missed being a real part of her life over the recent years and this was his chance to reco
I opened a permanent post office box, so my parents could always contact us. It’s not as if I could ever give them our real address, since I lived with two people who were supposed to be dead.
Queen Jane gained control, but many of Boris’s men were still loyal to his cause. They couldn’t be set free to cause trouble later. I never knew what happened to the men we’d fought in the gym, whether they were tossed in a deep, dark dungeon or if they’d been killed. I didn’t want to know either.
Boris’s other followers were directionless. Over the next month, they came to us in droves and offered allegiance. Grandma insisted it was only temporary. Soon, in a week or a year, someone would replace Boris and the battle would resume. In the meantime, Bree, Zoe and I were under the protection of Queen Jane.
My parents, knowing I’d be eighteen soon, didn’t squawk over our leaving, even though my birthday hadn’t yet arrived. Then my birthday came and went without so much as a card from them, as if I’d never existed. They were probably relieved to be free of the burden and all reminders of the child they’d lost.
I didn’t tell them Zoe was alive. Even if I had, they couldn’t handle the fact that we looked the same age. For all intents and purposes, we were the same, because Zoe had been seventeen the day they’d buried her. She remained pale, her face drawn and tired, but seemed stronger with each passing day.
Bree had witnessed too much in Hayden’s gym and refused to sleep in the dark or alone. She’d grow out of it eventually, I hoped, and want to sleep by herself. Until then, Zoe and I were perfectly happy to coddle and cuddle her. The king-sized bed provided ample room for all three of us. She’d only be five years old once.
During the day, we went everywhere accompanied by bodyguards, including school. I didn’t mind the extra eyes and ears watching out for us though sometimes I missed the old days when I came and went as I pleased. One day, someone like Boris would rise up and I’d be grateful as hell for the backup.
“Princess Tessa, I’ll walk you in.”
“Chait, I told you to quit calling me that.”
He chuckled. “You’re my Queen’s granddaughter and second in line to rule. You are a princess. Get used to it.” His face grew serious. “And after what you did, you earned the title.”
I rolled my eyes and exited the limo, automatically searching for Hayden. I hadn’t seen him in days — the longest I’d been without him since he’d begun working as Her Majesty’s personal trainer. It felt like a lifetime. God, I missed him. I ached for him.
And there he was. Hayden leaned against his car, watching me. My grandmother had assigned him two guards as well. He’d protested. Overruled. No way would she allow the boy who’d taken such good care of me — crashed through a window to save me, no less — to remain unprotected.
I smiled, overjoyed to see him, but did my best to hide my enthusiasm. Did I really want the guy who dumped me to know how much I needed and wanted him or that I thought about him almost every minute of every day?
No.
“How was your weekend?” I asked him, keeping my voice light.
“Why don’t I walk her in?” Hayden asked Chait.
“Sure,” Chait answered. “I’ll meet you here after school, Tessa.”
I nodded and glanced at Hayden. He looked like he itched to say something.
“I was wondering if you wanted to catch a movie Friday night,” he said once we’d created distance from Chait.
My mouth dropped open, legs halting mid-step. Why on earth would he want to go out with me? He’d been there and already dumped me. There had to be a catch. Maybe he wanted another chance to sleep with me. Or maybe he found the whole princess thing intriguing.
My eyes narrowed. “You must be still traumatized by the Boris battle and forgotten we were stuck together for a brief moment in time, not because you wanted to be with me. It’s over now and you can move on.”
I resumed walking toward the building and he followed.
“I’m asking because I want to spend time with you.”
“You’re only talking to me, because you figure it’s easier if we’re getting along. We’re both freaks in this school, so maybe you feel a co
“What if it’s real though? What if I’m asking you out because I want to?” Hayden asked.
He’d finally lost it. And once I walked away, he’d remember all the reasons he didn’t want to associate with a girl like me. I turned to go. “Get a grip.”
Hayden yanked my upper arm, dragging me back to face him. He swooped and my entire body sizzled when his lips touched mine. He plummeted, looted, stole while securing me firmly against him.
Sadly, the thought of resisting him never crossed my mind. I dug my fingers into his shoulders and clung to him. His grip tightened, his hand at my back almost lifting me up and molding me to him.
I don’t know how long we kissed. I’d lost track of time, lost track of everything.