Page 149 of American Royalty

He hated that. She didn’t have to be alone anymore. He was here. He wanted to help her. “I was trying to protect you.”

She pushed away from him. “No. You were more interested in continuing to get your rocks off. You knew how important this was for me. If there was a chance something out there could’ve derailed it, you should’ve told me. I had a right to know.”

Her anguish crushed him. He couldn’t believe how quickly everything had fallen apart. “I know, love. I’m sorry.”

Dani shook her head. “This is too much. I don’t want any part of it. I’m going home. You can stay here. Problem solved.”

She backed away from him, each step drawing her closer to the exit.

He couldn’t let her leave. Not on these terms. If he could only explain. “Dani—”

“No, Jameson. I’m done. Leave me the fuck alone!”

She yanked open the door and bumped into his mother, Rhys, and Nyla standing on the other side. He wasn’t sure she recognized them.

“Great!” Julian threw his hands in the air. “Are we to have noprivacy? If anyone can have access to our private quarters, why not start charging for tours? That should help to support us!”

“Oh give it a rest,” Catherine said.

“Excuse me,” Dani said, proving the truth of his thought since she failed to acknowledge her friend as she hurried from the room.

“Dani?” Nyla called after her, then scowled at Jameson. “What did you do?”

Jameson shook his head. “You should go after her.”

Her lips tightened until they practically disappeared, but she did as he suggested. When he saw Roy, he started, “Can you—”

“On it,” the officer said, closing the door behind him.

Although every fiber of Jameson’s being screamed for him to chase her and beg for her forgiveness, he had to handle a few issues here. Starting with his mother.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

Calanthe, elegant in a simple yet dramatic burgundy caped evening gown, crossed the space and took his hands. “I’m fine, but I was worried. Everyone’s buzzing about you and Dani. Thank God Roy came to fetch me.”

He inhaled deeply. “It’s probably going to get worse before it gets better. And I’m sorry. I never wanted to put you through that again.”

“Jameson, this is not your fault. You fell in love, my darling. You did nothing wrong.”

“Calanthe,” the queen called out.

His mother brushed a hand against his cheek before greeting her monarch with a curtsy. “Ma’am.”

“I’m glad you’re here. It’s time for your son to finally put his duty to this family over his personal interests.”

Calanthe clasped her hands loosely in front of her. “It’s my understanding that’s what he’s been doing.”

“Not this week.” The queen dismissed his efforts during the tribute with the wave of her hand. “I’m talking about with regard to this woman.”

“This isn’t only about her or Jameson,” Bettina complained. “It affects all of us. The tabloids will shove recorders in my face everywhere I go. And after I’d just drawn them off my back.”

“So youdidgive the tabloids the story about my hunting trip in Limpopo!”

“Shut it, Julian!” Bettina returned her attention to the queen. “None of this would’ve happened if you’d just left him in the library where he belongs, instead of bringing him here as if he was the answer to your problems.”

“I didn’t want to be here,” he exploded, his chest rising and falling. “You seem to be under the impression that I came here and asked to play a role in this tribute. I did not. I was happy back at Birmingham, teaching my classes.” He didn’t mention that if he hadn’t been drafted, he never would’ve met Dani. He didn’t think they deserved credit for the one good thing to come out of all this. “I did what was asked of me. I held up my end of the deal.”

“You call this holding up your end?” the queen retorted. “No one will be praising John or his work. Everyone will be too busy gossiping about you and your rapper.”