Page 134 of American Royalty

The audience went wild.

She executed the same moves as the dancers, her graceful body stirring all kinds of feelings within him. And then everything went dark.

When the lights came back up, the image that had been on the screen was in person on the stage.

The crowd got louder.

“Duchess is here!” she called.

“Bitches better bow down!” came the response.

“Yeah.” She smiled, like she had a secret. “What’s good, Wembley? How y’all feeling?”

A chorus of answers pelted the stage.

Dani tilted her head in a movement he’d seen in several of her videos. “I want you to do something for me. Throw your fists in the air / And pump them like you just don’t care / If you’re a bad boss bitch / Who rocks with Duchess / Somebody say, ‘Hell yeah!’”

“Hell yeah!”

She was a powerhouse who commanded the stage and the attention of every person in attendance. Her videos could never properly illustrate how immensely talented she was or how much work went into what she did. She glided across the stage, dancing, rapping into the mike, not missing a single cue. One song, two songs, three. They all got her at one hundred percent maximum effort. And she did it all while wearing four-inch heels.

He couldn’t tear his gaze away from her.

After the third song, she took a break. One of her dancers walked over and handed her a towel and a glass of water.

“Thank y’all for coming out tonight to remember Prince John and support his charitable causes. I’ve gotten to know a lot about him lately and the more I’ve learned the more I wished I could’ve met him. He must’ve been a wonderful person to inspire such love and respect.”

Dani glanced over to where he was standing. Their gazes met and tangled for a brief second, during which her expression seemed to soften before she broke their visual connection.

“He was a firm believer in sustainability—not just working to protect our environment but focusing on how, as a community, we live, work, and play so we don’t deplete our natural resources for future generations. And you don’t have to be rich or royal to do your part. Activism on this issue needs to be affordable and inclusive. It’s our planet, too! So, when you leave here today, think of one small, sustainable thing you can do and incorporate that into yourlife. Imagine the impact we could have if everyone in here made one small sustainable change. I think Prince John would approve!”

His heart hammered in his chest. He’d mentioned his grandfather often, but now he knew she’d actually listened. And remembered. The stinging prick of tears burned behind his eyes.

Don’t make a spectacle of yourself.

He dropped his head and pinched the bridge of his nose.

This woman would be his undoing.

The audience clapped and yelled their approval.

Dani returned the glass to her dancer. “I was having such a good time I forgot that I brought a friend along to help me, in case I got scared or nervous. Is it too late? Do you guys mind if I bring him out?”

A friend? Who?

Jameson turned to see Liam Cooper striding past him and onto the stage.

Bloody hell!

The crowd erupted as the singer took her outstretched hand.

“Hey, Duchess!”

“You know Liam Cooper, right? Liam was kind enough to agree to help me, but you guys have been so great, I don’t think I need him anymore.”

“I was watching. You were awesome. Wasn’t she?” Liam asked the crowd.

They looked fantastic together. Like they truly belonged up there. And their chemistry was palpable. When she went back home, would she start dating Cooper? The media would be into it. And it could help her company...