Page 27 of Royal Trouble
Bollocks.
He quickly moved behind the desk and began opening the drawers, one after another. He uttered a curse and slammed the last drawer shut. Then he ran his hands underneath the desk, doing one final search. His fingers brushed against metal, and his spirits soared.
Jackpot.
Xander grabbed the metal key ring from the hook and slipped it into his pocket before rejoining Everly in the kitchen. At her raised eyebrows, he lifted a finger to his lips and steered her toward the cellar door, which stood ajar. He led the way down the steep stone steps, Everly close on his heels.
“You’re not going to lock me in the palace dungeons, are you?” she demanded.
“The thought had occurred to me, but no. I’ve got something far more interesting in mind.”
When they reached the bottom of the stairs, he fished the keyring from his pocket and used it to unlock the heavy wooden door.
Everly fidgeted next to him, eying their dank surroundings warily. “Are you sure you’re not going to lock me up? Because this feels like every medieval dungeon I’ve ever seen on TV. Or, you know, one of those true crime documentaries where the seemingly normal hot guy next door chops women into little pieces and stores them in his basement freezer.”
He chuckled and swung the door open. The low lights came on, and he stepped back, giving her full view of the crown’s cavernous wine cellar.
Everly stared, mouth agape as she took in the curved stone ceilings, wrought iron chandeliers, and endless rows of bottles. “On second thought, feel free to lock me up and throw away the key. This is the nicest dungeon I’ve ever seen.”
“I thought you’d like it.”
She handed him the tray of desserts and drifted forward, her gaze bouncing around the cellar in wonder. “Seriously. This is amazing. Who needs crown jewels when you’ve got this place?”
Xander grinned. Mission accomplished. Judging by the look on her face, she’d forgotten all about her father and the garden party outside. “Come on. I’ll show you around.”
Everly followed with a blissful smile as he gave her the tour, ending in the tasting room where they could relax and enjoy a glass of wine—and each other—in private. He’d never brought a woman to the wine cellar before, but it was by and large one of his favorite escapes within the palace. He’d practically lived there after resigning his military commission. Quiet, dark, and filled with alcohol, it was the one place he could escape with only his thoughts for company.
No photographers, no courtiers, no expectations.
Unfortunately, being on the straight and narrow meant his access had been revoked. Not that he blamed Their Majesties. Raiding the palace collection for staff poker games might have been a bit overzealous on his part.
But that was the old Xander.
The new Xander just pinched the bubbly from the catering staff.
He popped the champagne and poured them each a glass. Beside him, Everly rested her elbows on the high-topped table, forgoing the plush leather armchairs his parents favored. Fine by him. He preferred keeping her close. It was a preference he refused to consider beyond the lush curves of her body, which were hidden underneath a prim pink suit that would look far better on his bedroom floor.
“I’m actually a pretty good listener, if you want to talk about it,” he said, surprising himself as he offered her one of the champagne flutes.
She took the glass and rolled the stem between her fingers. “I guess I kind of freaked out back there.”
He shrugged, remaining silent. If he interrupted now, she’d clam up.
The truth was he didn’t blame her one damn bit. The court could be brutal, and he knew as well as anyone the pain of not only letting your parents down but being let down by them.
“I knew my father would be here, but I figured with eight thousand people, the odds of running into him would be ridiculously small.”
Apparently, he wasn’t the only one with shit luck when it came to being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Just one more thing they had in common.
“He doesn’t know you’re in town?”
“Doesn’t know, doesn’t care.” She shrugged, features hardening. “Take your pick. He’s not exactly the involved parent type. At least, not when it comes to me.”
She lowered her gaze, as if unable to meet his eyes. And damn if it didn’t stoke that protective fire smoldering in his belly.
“I get it,” he said, pushing the dessert platter toward her. He’d read somewhere that chocolate made everything better. Whether that was true in this case, he had no idea, but it was worth a shot. “My family isn’t exactly close, either, although Liam seems determined to bridge the gap lately.”
All Xander had to do was not screw it up.