Chapter 23

James's POV

"Good night Emma" I said to her and walked out of the room. I can't believe she can't trust me after all this time. I was doing my best. And she didn't even tell me about Ashworth? If he will come into my way I swear to god I will beat him so hard he will not walk again. Putting his filthy hands on her. And her? She just brushes that off? Like nothing happened? She thinks she can handle everything on her own. Why can't she let me be the man to protect her? I know she is innocent but she has to learn to trust me. I didn't even realized I said that I love her. I finally admitted it. Not only to her but to myself too. I finally found out what love really is and now I know what everyone was talking about.

"Here you are baby." I heard annoying voice behind me when I was walking back to the hall. I rolled my eyes in annoyance and turned around to look at her.

"What about you finally stop calling me baby Meghan?" I told her keeping it cool even I was out of my mind after the argument with Emma. She pouted her lips at me and came closer taking my collar between her fingers.

"How do you want me to call you then? Darling?" She asked me flirtatiously.

I put her hand down already pissed off. She was the reason I just argued with Emma.

"How about you finally leave me alone?" I told her and she frowned.

"Why are you so cold and bad at me?" she asked me whining. I took a deep breath.

"You just complicate things. Keep your distance from me for once and for all." I said and she looked at me taken aback.

"Seriously Meghan. I've got enough. You are being ridiculous acting like there is or ever was something between the two of us. I would really appreciate for you to finally leave me alone and let me live my life." I said to her and she looked like she was about to cry.

"And tell the same thing to your brother too. He should keep his distance from the royal family." I told her even more pissed off only by a pure thought of him. I was trying to exclude Emma from this but Meghan just put a huge smile on her face clearly knowing I was talking about her.

"Oh please James. I know Emma can't keep her hands off of my brother. I know she was bagging him to get him to sleep with her." She said making the anger in my chest boil. I witnessed on my own how innocent and scared she looked when Ashworth was harassing her tonight. She is not going to convince me she would do such a thing. I came closer to her threateningly.

"As I said. Keep your distance from us." I hissed at her turned around and walked away.

Oh how I hate the Ashworth's.

I stormed out of the Palace not even telling my family I was leaving. But I guess they are already used to my disappearing. I took the keys from my Aston Martin from the valet and speed out of there heading to my restaurant. I have to find out how to do this. I have never been in relationship before. I certainly don't want to break up with her. I just need her to trust me. I can't live with the thought of her doubting me every time I am out. I know I have never been a good boyfriend material.

I walked into the restaurant as everyone was already cleaning up everything before closing.

"Aren't you supposed to be at the ball?" Mia asked me from her desk surprised to see me there.

"I was there. I don't have the mood for dancing." I said and walked to the kitchen taking off my tuxedo and hang it on the stand, pulling out the sleeves on my shirt.

"Creative hour?" Chris my chef said as he was already preparing to leave. The kitchen was clean and the staff was already gone.

"I guess." I said coming to the fridge.

"Don't worry. I am already leaving. The kitchen is yours. Good night boss." He said and left smiling. He is already used to me coming here and creating new recipes. Most of the time I come here I am drunk. Which reminds me. I took out the bottle of wine, opened it and took a big gulp.

"That's better." I said to myself taking out some ingredients from the fridge. I put them on the counter and took few gulps from the wine again. I took out my phone to check if Emma called me. But there was no missed call. What if she doesn't love me back? Was I too hasty to tell her that I love her? What if I scared her with it? But then I really mean it. She has to know that. What can I do to gain her trust? And with all these thoughts and probably three or four bottles of wine I spend the whole night in the restaurant creating some new recipes and trying to come up with some plan.

.....

"Hey man. You are finally here." Henry called at me when I was walking to the stalls. He woke me up by calling at seven in the morning to join him for a ride. I agreed to come here but I will definitely not ride a horse right now. Only if I would want to puke all over him.

"In my full glory." I replied looking at him through my sunglasses.

"Tough night?" He asked me pointing at my miserable hungover look.

"Yes." I nodded and headed to the bench taking a sip from my Starbucks coffee handing him one too. At least it will warm me if not wake me. It was cold as hell. I was surprised it didn't rain like it usually does.

"I thought you are over with the partying." He said leaning on the fence leaving his horse running around the paddock.

"Really? What made you think that?" I asked him surprised.

"I guess I haven't seen you partying for some time." He replied smiling. "I thought that maybe you finally found someone." He said making me uneasy. Does he know about me and Emma?

"What do you know?" I asked him nervously.

"Am I right?" he asked me back laughing seeing my nervousness. "Damn I am right. You finally met someone." He said laughing. At least that mean he doesn't know I am sleeping with his sister. And that I love her.

"Yes. You are right." I replied taking a sip from the coffee. I was now regretting there was no boost in it. I could really use some right now.

"Tell me. Who is she?" He asked me.

"Who is who?" I heard another voice behind me and I started to regret I actually agreed to come here.

"James is seeing someone." Henry said to Philip who put his horse into the paddock and closed the gate.

"Are you serious?" he asked amused.

"Come on guys I really don't want to talk about it." I said standing up. My headache was killing me.

"You have to tell us now that we know." Philip said folding his arms on his chest.

"There isn't much to say." I replied trying to avoid the talk with them. I can't have this conversation with them.

"Is she hot?" Philip asked me making cringe. Jesus if he only knew.

"Don't." I said. "And please don't even ask me if she is good in bed." I said terrified.

"She must be something." Henry said smiling.

"I am leaving." I said turning to walk away. I couldn't bare the thoughts of them talking about their sister like this. I know they don't know it's Emma but me knowing it was unbearable.

"Okay, okay. We are not going to make fun of you anymore." Philip called out at me.

"You know what. It doesn't even matter anymore. She doesn't trust me." I said stopping.

"What do you mean?" Henry asked me folding his arms on his chest.

"Me being only with her. My reputation is bigger than my actions I guess." I said to him and he looked at me surprised. Okay. Maybe I could use some advice.

"You two are in perfect relationships. I have never been in one. Tell me what should I do?" I asked them hoping they will give me some idea.

"Do you love her?" Henry asked me.

"I do." I said definitely.

"Ok. I didn't expected such certain answer." He said surprised. "Then you have to be patient until she learns to trust you." Henry said.

"But it is tearing me apart. For how long should I be patient?" I asked him.

"It depends on your actions. If you will leave in the first opportunity you will not gain her trust." Philip said and I groaned.

"You left didn't you?" Henry asked me and I nodded desperately.

"Then you have to go back to her and work it out." Philip said.

"Talk." Henry said.

"Don't talk. Listen. Women don't like when men talk. Just be quite." Philip said and we looked at him surprised.

"You will learn that too. Trust me." He said to Henry.

"I don't understand it." I said to them.

"You will never understand women." Philip said.

"That's terrible advice." Henry said to Philip.

"What is your suggestion?" he asked him offended.

"Communication is the key. When me and Eva were keeping things from each other it was the worst. Honesty is the key and to be understanding towards each other." Henry said.

"So just talking." I said confused.

"You will get there. You have to understand that she knows your reputation and don't get me wrong it's not very nice. Be patient to gain the full trust when you know very well she has a point." Henry said.

"I guess." I replied.

"Ha. She must be something when you are willing to work on yourself." He said with a smile.

"Yes she is." I replied hoping he will remember that when he will find out about us.

"How did you know that Eva was the right one?" I asked him.

"I just knew it. I knew that I couldn't imagine waking up next to someone else. I couldn't imagine my future without her. That's how I knew for sure." He said. "So is she?" he asked me with a smile.

"Maybe." I replied honestly. I never thought about it like that.

During the day I was looking at Emma's number at least hundred times. Every time I wanted to call her I stopped myself because I didn't know what to say. So I buried myself at work and I was helping Chris back in the kitchen. The next day was the same. I taught him those new recipes I created during my Saturday drunken night. I was in the middle of explaining my eight recipe when Mia run into the kitchen.

"Oh my god. Have you seen it?" she said looking for something.

"What?" I asked her confused when she finally found a remote control and pointed at the TV screen on the wall.

"This." She said switching into another channel turning on the volume.

I stood there frozen when I saw a Kensington palace from Helicopter point of view with a lots of flashing police cars around. Emma's picture in her ball gown from Saturday was in the corner of the screen and my heart started to beat faster. Those police cars were all around her part of the palace.

"I repeat we are still not sure what is happening in there. The Kensington and Buckingham Palace are keeping quiet about the situation. We are not sure about the whereabouts of the rest of the Royal family. According to our sources this part of the Palace belongs to Princess Emma. We have information that at least five police dogs are sweeping around the property and special squad and ambulance is present. Our sources are trying to find out more and we are going to inform you as soon as we will know more." The presenter said.

"What the hell is happening there?" Mia asked me as I was looking at the screen with horror.

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