Chapter 20

Brooks

With every step closer to Charlotte’s room, I have to fight the urge to say fuck it and walk out on her. Not because I plan on abandoning her but because she lied to me.

I need air.

I need space.

But most of all, I need to be inside Charlotte.

I crave her body, crave the sounds she makes when I’m thrusting into her, crave the sweet taste of her lips and pussy.

“Every day without you has been hell,” I tell her as we climb the second set of stairs. I keep my hand firmly on her arm so she doesn’t slip or fall.

God knows these damn floors are polished so slick that a sticker couldn’t adhere to the finish. Hell, even the flagstones are polished to a glossy shine.

“If you hadn’t lied, then every day would have been heaven with me,” she points out in that fucking adorable prim voice I love.

“I don’t think you have a moral ground to stand on, Princess.” I come to the second door, just like she said, and push. It gives easily and I let go of Charlotte, watching the sway of her hips as she walks inside. Her ass in the dress she wears clings to her curves. Long, dark curls hang down to her small waist, brushing the top of her ass and making my dick jump.

Bumping the door with the back of my foot, I wait for it to close before I lock it. I know Peter isn’t far behind and I know that he most likely has a key.

“Tell Peter that everything is okay,” I order.

Turning to face me, her lips part. Perfect pink lips that I have to bite, kiss, and tease. I thought I had it bad before, but to be deprived of her and then see her like this, in her room with a bed so close by…the southern gentleman is gone, long gone.

“We’re getting things sorted, Peter. No need to be on standby,” she calls out, then lowers her voice. “That should do it, but I can’t help if he stays.”

“Are there monitors in your room?” I ask.

She shakes her head, sending a thick length of hair cascading over her shoulder and caressing her breast.

I swallow hard, my hands flexing.

“They’re only triggered by a break-in, not by my simply walking into the room.”

“No breaking furniture, got it.”

She smiles a little, then abruptly turns away and walks to a bedside table. “Your crackers. I have those and a fresh soda.”

“I’m not hungry for that right now.”

She turns slightly, her profile is to me and my gaze runs down to her stomach, where it’s still flat. “I suppose you want to sleep then.” Her hands go to her neck. She rubs it, and makes her back arch, putting her tits on display. Those are definitely bigger. I can practically see the outline of her nipples. Those are bigger, too.

“Eventually.” I move close to the bed, sitting down on the edge and putting my hands on her waist, pulling her to me. “Let me help you.”

She turns, presenting her back to me, and I slowly urge the zipper on her dress down, taking my time, letting the back of my hand touch her soft skin.

Goosebumps appear in my wake and she shivers visibly. “Cold, Princess?” I ask, knowing damn well she’s not.

“No.”

The dress drops to the floor and I press my lips against the small indentation of her back, right above her heart-shaped ass. She moans at the contact and tries to turn, but I hold her firmly in place, her hands at her sides imprisoned at the wrists.

I kiss my way up her spine, licking and tracking each vertebra with my tongue until I touch the back of her neck. I bite at the side, sink my teeth in the tender flesh, unbuttoning her bra and letting it fall to the floor before I glide my hands around her, pausing at her belly and resting there for a moment.

Her hands cover mine and I swear that in that moment I want to compose words that convey everything I’m feeling—anger, hate, love, lust, desire…and joy.

But they’re out of reach, resting on the edge of my brain and refusing to budge.

I flex my fingers, making her hands fall again to her sides while I follow the lines of her body, the path that leads me to the most perfect breasts I’ve ever touched, kissed, and sucked.

I make her sit in my lap, turning her slightly so I have access to every part of her body. She tries to kiss me again, but I turn my face away, denying both of us the satisfaction.

“Brooks,” she whispers, her fingers tangling in my hair. “I want to kiss you.”

“First things first, Princess. Undress me.”

I don’t make it easy on her. I don’t help her and I don’t move unless she asks as she takes off my jacket. Yeah, I’m being a first-rate arsehole, as Charlotte says, but she doesn’t seem to mind.

She rises up on her knees, her fingers at my throat, loosening my tie and then unbuttoning every single button of my shirt. She slides her hand under the material, touching my chest and humming softly under her breath. I watch her intently, memorizing the beautiful planes of her face, the way her lashes cast shadows on the tops of her cheeks.

A soft puff of air makes my skin tingle.

“Like what you feel?”

“Very much so.” She pushes my shirt off my chest and, just like the first time, I have to help her with the cuff links. Only I do it without her asking, unlike when we first started.

Once they’re gone, she presses her soft, firm breasts against my back and lets her hands roam over me, until she gets to the fly on my pants. With a flick her wrist, she has them unbuttoned and unzipped before I can blink.

“You’re very good.”

“I was tutored by the best,” she murmurs in my ear.

Gritting my teeth, I toe off my shoes, remove my socks, and all but throw my damn pants across the room. My erection, freed from its confines, rises up, precum beading at the tip.

“Lie down on the bed.” As soon as she moves, I turn and crawl up her body, tearing at her panties along the way. “I’ll buy you another pair.”

Her pretty hazel eyes widen; then that familiar glow of emotion reappears, making my gut clench. I want her so bad that my hands shake, and I show her.

She has to know.

“Look what you do to me.”

She spreads her legs. “Feel what you do to me.”

I grab my cock, rubbing it up and down her wet pussy and making her gasp before I guide the head inside her. She’s so fucking tight, just like the first time we made love, that my head feels like it’s going to blow off before I get all the way in.

Her fingers dig into my biceps, her back arching as her thighs widen more. I’m acutely aware of everything. Her soft legs wrapping around my thighs, the rosy tips of her breasts, how swollen her nipples are…how sliding inside her is like coming home.

Another thrust of my hips and I’m balls deep. Her inner muscles clench me tight, as if they’re ready to start milking me to orgasm. She’s like sunlight in my arms, light liquid heat that I have to immerse myself in or die trying.

“Don’t move, sweetheart. Don’t fucking move,” I order.

She nods. “I won’t.”

But then she tips up her chin, her mouth brushing gently across mine, and I attack her lips like an animal, shoving and thrusting my tongue inside. Desperate to taste her, desperate for her to taste me.

My hips shoot forward and I groan right into her mouth. She lifts her hips, meeting each thrust.

But she’s not there, not yet.

I need her with me.

With my free hand, I grab one of her breasts, sucking on a nipple until she starts rippling around my cock. She’s so fucking sensitive that I’m almost one hundred percent sure I could make her come like this.

I angle my hips slightly, pressing down so that each slide of skin hits her clit. She cries out my name.

“That’s it. I found the sweet spot, didn’t I, Princess.”

“Yes. Oh, do that again, yes.”

“Say you love me.”

I half think she’s going to fight me but her pretty eyes fix on mine as she says, “I love you.”

With a growl, I quicken my pace, making sure to press down on the upstroke, exactly the way she likes it, until her thighs tremble, her nails rake across my shoulders, and her head falls back, mouth opening wide to scream my name.

But I don’t get to celebrate for long because as soon as she starts to come, my own orgasm rushes up from the base of my spine. I mold her tightly to me, coming so hard that my eyes water and the sensation of falling makes me gasp her name.

When I come down from my high, I focus on her. “Why did you lie to me about the baby?”

She stiffens in my arms. “I didn’t lie to you.”

“Don’t,” I say, and she scowls at me. “I mean, don’t wriggle around so much. We’ll make a mess of your covers.”

“Oh dear.” Her cheeks pinken and I kiss the tip of her nose. “I honestly have no idea why you think I lied to you. Yes, I’m pregnant, but since I haven’t heard a word from you, I assumed you moved on and that any day now, you’d publish our secret. My secret.”

Moved on? Is she insane? “I got a text from you, three weeks ago, saying that you’re not pregnant.”

Her eyes narrow. “I did not send that. Three and a half weeks ago, Gen removed you from my contacts but said that if you were to contact me, I could make the decision as to whether or not I wanted to forgive you, or worse.”

What’s worse than forgiving me? “Does your sister like to call people darling?”

“When she wants to be sweet…or annoy them, yes.” She looks up at me. “You’re not implying…she wouldn’t do that.”

I roll to one side, afraid that my weight might hurt the baby. “If you promise not to run, I’ll get us cleaned up and let you read the text exchange for yourself.”

Biting her lip, she nods. “I promise to stay.”

“Good.” Sliding out of her warmth, I stalk to the bathroom and get cleaned up before grabbing some towels for her. But by the time I get back, my princess is asleep, her mouth slightly parted.

I clean her up as best I can without waking her, then tuck her under the covers before cutting off the lights and joining her. Wrapping my arms around her sweetly curved body, I kiss the back of her neck and finally, after seventeen days without her, go to sleep.

I wake up to an empty bed, but it’s full of her familiar scent. Burying my face into her pillow, I breathe it in and mentally prepare myself for today.

First up, shower, shave, and breakfast followed by avoiding getting shot or hanged…or whatever it is royals do these days to assholes who knock up their sister.

Rolling over, I’m shocked to find my suitcase sitting on a bench at the end of her bed. I scan the room, searching for Charlotte, and find a small table with a plate covered by a dome instead. Either side is flanked with glasses of juice and water. There’s even a carafe of coffee.

Even though there’s a place setting for only one, I have to take this as a good sign. Like she promised, she didn’t run. However, I have no idea if she got around to reading the texts from her to me.

Determined to clear the air between us as soon as possible, I shower, shave, dress, and eat in record time. Gathering up my laptop, phone, and wallet, I step outside her room and stand there for a second or two, my body on alert. When no one drops me from above or shoots a dart into my neck, I make my way downstairs to the first floor.

Along the way, I pass huge paintings, a multitude of staff going about their business, and wide windows with a view of the city below as well as the sea. Small boats bob in the waves, fishermen cast their nets, and cars travel up and down the winding roads.

“Ah, you’re up and still alive. Brilliant,” Theo says, grabbing my shoulder. “Let’s go this way, so you stay in that condition.”

“Colin set a trap for me?” I joke.

“More like a firing squad as soon as you attempted to leave.”

Okay, so that’s how it’s going to be. “You do realize that I’m only carrying my laptop and phone, not any luggage.”

“People tend to carry around what they value the most.”

“Too bad Charlotte’s not here. I’d carry her back home with me.”

Theo stops, pinning a light blue gaze on my face. “I want to believe that you’re an honorable sort. The expression on your face last night proved that you had no idea about Charlotte’s predicament.”

“It’s not a predicament,” I say, irritated by everyone who thinks our baby is a problem to be solved.

“Most men would run in the opposite direction.”

“I’m not most men. I don’t run, and I sure as hell don’t leave a woman because my brain can’t handle what my dick did.” Crude but true. Besides, this is her brother and I don’t think he’ll be offended. Okay, so this is the most easygoing of her brothers and I don’t think he’ll chop my dick off.

“Are you certain it’s not for a title?” he asks, resuming our walk to God only knows where.

“You do know who I am and what I do for a living, right?”

“I’m an avid reader of your work.” He pushes a stone in the wall, and an entire painting slides to one side. “But you still haven’t answered my question.”

Yeah, the easygoing-brother act is just that, an act. “I don’t want your sister to get a title or money. I asked her to marry me before…well, before, and she turned me down.”

“I take it you didn’t ask in a very romantic way.”

I rake my hand through my hair. “No, I told her to marry me so she could be free.”

He gives me a you are an idiot look, but I’ll take that over a we’re going to hang you by your balls look any day of the week. “I can’t imagine why she said no. The nerve.” He indicates I should step through the portal to death, for all I know.

“After you. I’m not familiar with the place.”

“Very well.” He cocks a brow at me, his lips thinning. “Welcome to my office. We won’t be disturbed here.”

Light suddenly fills my vision as he opens some curtains. The room is circular, made entirely of stone and dominated by a large fireplace with rough-hewn beams as a mantel. A portrait of some long-ago queen hangs above it.

In the center is a desk with a chair on either side. It’s enormous, taking up almost the entire space.

“Get comfortable, Mr. Walker.” Theo walks around the desk and sits down in his chair, steepling his fingers. “Honestly, I’m quite surprised you chose to email me instead of forwarding your draft to Davies.”

I sit down, lean forward, and open my laptop, spinning it around so he can go over the contents. Yeah, the hard copies would be more impressive, but I don’t trust anyone at this point.

Well, anyone besides Charlotte.

“I did send a draft to him on the flight over, but it’s not the one I sent to you,” I admit in all honesty, and give him the details of the lawsuit against Walker Media. “He’s running my business to the ground, I have employees who need to support their families…and I need to buy some time, until I figure out what he’s got on my investors.”

“What makes you think he won’t publish what you sent?” Theo asks.

“He’s had this information for decades and even after he lost his job as prime minister, he still didn’t publish it. So…my hunch is something’s forged or he had a hand in switching the princesses.”

“That’s my thinking as well.”

“I’m hoping that you can use your connections with Silicon Valley to dig deeper, find out the reason why. He also mentioned that everything in the envelope he gave me is recorded in the royal library.”

Theo chuckles, then looks at me over the top of the screen. “How convenient for him, then, that the royal library burned to the ground four years ago.”

“Fuck.” I sit back heavily in the chair. “How in the hell can I help Charlotte if there isn’t any record of that asshole being at her birth?”

“Tell you what. I’ll contact some friends of mine to see what they can find out.” He rubs the side of his jaw as he scans the screen. “I had no idea any of this existed, no idea at all that Charlotte is the rightful queen.”

“Charlotte and Imogene did.”

Theo freezes. “They knew?”

I nod. “The note Charlotte left me all but said it. She wasn’t shocked about what I learned. She accused me of knowing all along and playing her.”

“Well, that changes everything. I think a family meeting is in order.” Theo smiles widely. “Over dinner, of course. We Sinclairs do love a good dinner show.”

“And for the grand finale, your brother can poison my dessert.”

“Don’t be stupid.” I start to apologize, but then he continues. “He’d stab you first.”

“Tremendous.” I smile and nod. “Looking forward to my last meal.”

“In the meantime, Charlotte is outside in her private garden, should you want to talk to her…with her clothes on.”

I’m out of my chair like a shot.

“Don’t you need directions?” he calls out.

“I can figure it out on my own.” Besides, I’m sure he’d fuck with me and send me to the dungeons instead.