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I throw on a t-shirt and head down to the secret room that is under the palace. I walk past the guard and perform the crazy number of scans required to gain access. Once inside, I pause in front of the empty spot, the one that used to house my mother’s favorite tiara.

I place my hands on the ledge and stare at it, as though staring hard enough will make it appear. The vault door opening startles me, and I turn to see Anna.

“What are you doing in here?” she asks quietly.

“I couldn’t sleep,” I admit. “What are you doing here?” I frown because I didn’t think she’d be back till later today.

“Nightmare?” she asks, ignoring my question. She’s the only one that knows I still have nightmares about that day.

I nod. She comes to stand next to me, wrapping her arm around my waist. I place my arm around her shoulder, and we stare at the empty spot together.

“Are you still looking for it?” I ask her.

She shakes her head. “No. Not really. Sometimes when I’m bored, I look, but not like before. It’s not important to me like it was before. Why?”

I shrug. “I…I just wonder sometimes. I mean we know that Uncle Hans arranged Mom’s death, but the details…we still don’t know so many things about her murder.”

“I know,” she huffs.

“I knew it still bothered you deep down,” I say with a half-smirk because the most childish part of me likes to be right.

I know she’s rolling her eyes at me. “Augs, we may never get all the answers. We know that.”

I sigh. “I know. I just…that dream…I…it’s so vivid. I can see the crown in it, and it kills me every time. It’s like she’s sending me a message, but I don’t understand it.”

I feel her little arm tighten around my middle. “The message she’d want us to get is to be happy and live our lives. I’m very sure of that.”

“I know that. I do.”

“Good, now, how about that lunch you promised me?”

“It’s seven in the morning, Anna.” I wrack my brain for any excuse because I don’t want to admit that the president’s daughter is in my bed.

“It’s five o’clock somewhere,” she answers as she grabs my hand and pulls me toward the door. I laugh. If anyone can get me to laugh, my little sister can.

“I have to take care of a few things. I can meet you in about an hour,” I say to her.

She gives me a curious look. “Christ, you didn’t? Auggie, for crying out loud, can’t you keep your dick in your pants for five seconds?!” she scolds, placing her hands on her hips.

The asshole in me is smirking, but a small part of me is hurt by her assumption. They always assume the worst. I really have no one to blame but myself, but it still stings.

“No, Miss Holier-Than-Now, I did not bang the first daughter. There was an unwanted guest last night. Terrance and I smuggled her out to take her mind off it,” I explain as cryptically as possible.

“Who?” my sister asks, her eyes growing wide with curiosity.

“Doesn’t matter, won’t happen again. Anyhow, she got a little plastered, so we came back here. Terrance is here, too.”

Anna backs off when I mention this. “Well, call me when you want to grab a bite.”

“Will do,” I say to her.

I head back up to my apartment to find Kate still fast asleep in my bed. I decide to have the kitchen send us up some breakfast. My father will likely kill me if he finds out she’s here but watching her right now…it seems worth it. She’s truly breathtaking. Her skin is pale and there’s the faintest hint of freckles on her cheeks. Her hair is dirty blonde and has a natural wave to it. Her lips are pink and plump. My mind immediately goes to what they would look like wrapped around my cock. I shake my head at myself. Her hand lies on the bed next to her face. Her nails are painted a pale pink and she wears only one ring, a small gold one with an intricate woven design and small amethysts in it.

I pull myself away from gawking at the beauty in my bed. I need to work out.

I hit the gym before heading back to my shower. Kate is still asleep. Sleeping Beauty. I smirk as I decide it’s time to play with her a bit.

I walk over to her with only a towel wrapped around my waist. “Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty.”