Page 145 of American Royalty

Chapter Twenty-Four

“Shall they be a family in name only; or shall they, in all their actions, be true to the name?”

—Plato

If Jameson had a moment’s doubt they’d been discovered, it was alleviated when he saw the expressions on the faces of the guests.

Shock from Imogen.

Resignation from Liam Cooper.

Approval from Kay Morgan.

Disgust from Countess von Habsburg.

Almost immediately, several phones shot up, pointed in their direction. Members of the press, beneficiaries of the elite invitation, hurried over, cameras at the ready.

He clenched his jaw, frustrated by his circumstances. He hadn’t asked for this. He was simply a man who wanted to be with his woman. Why did the world care?

After the concert, he’d headed back to Primrose Park, but instead of reveling in triumph after a rewarding celebration of his grandfather’s life, he’d felt lonely and steeped in sorrow. There’d been a time when driving down the long driveway and seeing thefamiliar structure of his ancestral home had given him immense satisfaction. Not anymore.

In fact, since Dani had relocated to her hotel in London, taking her sparkle and vibrance with her, the place hadn’t held its usual joy for him. Memories of her permeated so many spaces: the kitchen, the old drawing room, his office... the thought of never seeing her again, of never touching her or hearing her laugh, left him hollowed out.

Had he really fallen in love with her?

No! Impossible. It was too fast. A month ago, he hadn’t even known her!

But in the past few weeks he’d been happier than he could ever remember being. He couldn’t imagine going back to a life without Dani in it.

Did she feel the same?

Their situation was complicated, filled with duty, work, and obligations that required a great deal of focus and attention. But if she cared for him, he’d do anything to convince her to give them a shot. What they’d discovered was special. They deserved the opportunity to explore it: in their own way, on their own timetable, and outside of the spotlight.

This wasn’t what he’d had in mind.

In the midst of the crowd, Jameson made eye contact with Rhys, who was standing next to Dani’s friend Nyla. The actress was watching her friend, worry creasing her brow. With a sharp nod, Rhys barreled his way to the front of the throng and closed the door.

“Move along,” Jameson heard Rhys say over the sounds of complaint.

“What is he doing?” Dani demanded. “We can’t stay in here.”

He sat on a nearby chair. “I need a moment to think.”

“About what? They saw us. They know.”

It wouldn’t be long before the story got out. He imagined the juicy tidbit making its way through the ballroom, like a note emitted from a musical instrument.

“It’s going to be fine. We just need to come up with a plan on how we’re going to handle this,” Dani insisted, standing over him.

Even worse, it wouldn’t be long before it was all over the internet.

His mother!

Fuck!

The last thing he ever wanted was to have her blindsided by a story involving him. He’d promised to never cause her to have to endure what she’d gone through with the press after the death of his father.

The door opened and he stood, tensed and ready for battle, only to exhale when he saw Roy, one of his protection officers.