Page 23 of Striking (Red Lips & White Lies #7)

Ares grins and leans back in his chair. “Gracie said she thought something was going on at the beach house, and I told her there was no way... Guess I was wrong.”

I hold my fingers up and squish them together to measure an inch. “Maybe just a little bit.”

“You were always destined to help people, B. Now you’ll have a bigger platform to make a bigger difference.” It’s the first positive thing Cross has said since I answered the phone, and there’s no way for me to hold back my tears.

I wipe my face with the back of my hand and sniff, then look up at the open doorway where my husband has been watching most of this conversation from the background.

Without voicing a word, he asks if he can join me, and I nod.

Rhys moves into the camera’s frame. “I’m sorry you weren’t there to see your sister get married. But I promise you, I will protect her with my life.”

“You fucking better.” Cross’s voice holds a threatening edge I haven’t heard before. “She’s better than you, Windsor. She’s better than all of us.”

“I love you guys.”

Has our King Taken an American Queen?

Rumors circling the house of Windsor say this, in fact, is true.

King Rhys has married the American commoner, Bellamy Wilder.

A nurse from Kroydon Hills, Pennsylvania, and a close friend of Her Royal Highness Princess Lennon and her new husband, as well.

My sources say the late King Frederic passed before King Rhys was able to share the news.

Now we will all be waiting on pins and needles to see if this marriage will last the test of time and the pressure of the crown.

Only time will tell.

Stay tuned, royal watchers.

Rhys

Father

Your mother would be ashamed of you.

I ignore the text from my father, leaving him unread and skip down to the message from my sister.

Lennon

If you don’t stop whatever you’re doing right now and call me, I’m going to charter a flight right back to Mornea and cause a scene like you could never imagine.

In case you weren’t sure, I’m deadly serious.

Call me.

Rhys

I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but I’m in the middle of dealing with this at the moment. I can call you tonight.

Lennon

Was she there? While Maddox and I were staying at Lilihill, was one of my husband’s former roommates and my best friend’s sister-in-law sleeping in your bed, under the same roof?

Rhys

… … …

Yes.

Lennon

Why wouldn’t you trust me enough to tell me? What have I ever done to deserve that?

Rhys

It wasn’t about you, Lennon. Bellamy asked for time and I gave it to her. Unfortunately that meant keeping it from you.

Lennon

I can’t believe you’d do that.

Rhys

Tell me you wouldn’t do whatever it takes to respect your husband and protect him for as long as you can. Tell me that truthfully, and if that’s not the case then I’ll apologize.

Lennon

That’s not fair.

Rhys

Like hell it’s not. She’s my wife, Lennon. It’s my job to protect her and thanks to me and our fucked up family, and I suspect especially thanks to our fucked up father she’s been thrown to the wolves.

Lennon

Is she okay?

Rhys

Not really. But she will be. I’ll make damn well sure of it.

Lennon

Fine. I’m still mad at you, but I understand why you did it. What do you need from me?

Rhys

I need you to stay in Kroydon Hills and not give any statements until I find out what the hell happened and how this was leaked. I’ll call you once I know the plan.

For what it’s worth, I am sorry I couldn’t tell you.

Lennon

For what it’s worth, I’d put Maddox above everyone else in the world so I can understand you doing the same for Bellamy. You’re a dick for doing it though.

Rhys

Stay safe, little sister.

Lennon

Love you big brother.

I pocket my phone and skim over the newspaper headline for the tenth time, and my anger grows with each fucked up word. “How did this happen?”

“You know exactly how it happened, brother. All it took was one person to leak it to the tossers heading up one of the anti-monarchy groups. This is exactly the kind of salacious headline they’ve been looking for.

Especially now, when they think the crown is in upheaval.

” Atticus rips the paper out of my hands and throws it in the trash bin.

“They gave you last week, whether it was the press’s way of showing respect or no one was able to dig any dirt up when the world was watching you mourn your king.

But they’re coming after you with guns blazing now. ”

“The only people who knew we were married before his death were in the high council room yesterday, so you want to tell me why I have this sinking feeling father’s fingerprints are all over this?” My relationship with him has been strained for years, but this would be a new low, even for him.

“He’s pissed, Rhys, but is he this stupid?”

I’m shocked my brother would even question that, but then I remember that he and Lennon haven’t had to deal with him in all the same ways that I have.

“Would you honestly put this past him? I could easily see him wanting some kind of retaliation for being relegated to a lower standing at Grandfather’s funeral.

He’s furious I elevated you and Lennon with me but left him beneath us.

And make no mistake brother, that is exactly how the world viewed it.

” I wish I could bring myself to regret the move, but I can’t.

Even now, I don’t want him in my inner circle.

Trust few and love even less.

My mother’s final words of wisdom are as loud today as they were back then.

“Fuck . . . What the hell am I supposed to do now?”

Atticus looks around the otherwise empty room, like he’s looking for someone else to answer. “I hope you know we’re all fucked if I’m the voice of reason, Rhys.”

He sits down across from me and rests his elbows on his knees. Mother once told me to give Atticus room to surprise me, and I think he’s about to do it.

“Now we spin it. We show the world that you and our little bee?—”

“My fucking bee, not yours.”

Atticus’s hands go up in defense. “Sorry.” He clears his throat with a Mad Hatter-esq smile on his face. “We introduce the world to Bellamy. We show them a king and queen madly in love. We show them she’s good for you and for this country.”

“And how do you suggest we do that? You were there last night when I promised her no on camera sit-down.” I won’t destroy what little trust I’ve built with my wife.

“You’re the fucking king, Rhys. You married her. The king doesn’t owe any explanations to anyone but his queen. And she doesn’t need one because she was right there with you. Ignore any suspected involvement by our father and focus on you and your wife.”

“While that all sounds very pompous, brother, being the king means I have to keep the trust of the country.” I wake up my laptop and run my fingers over the keys. “Now let’s get them a written statement.”

From the desk of the King of Mornea:

I married my wife privately, for us. We planned to share our marriage with the country the following day, however, the world we woke up to had changed overnight.

Out of respect for the late King Frederic, I opted not to publicize my marriage until after the national week of mourning, choosing to keep the focus on my grandfather and his historic reign and not take away from the life he led.

Unfortunately, our happy news was revealed this morning, circumventing our announcement that was scheduled to be made this afternoon.

We look forward to introducing the new queen to the citizens of Mornea in the coming days and weeks as both Bellamy and I embrace our new roles.

We will not be doing any interviews at this time.