A Royal's Love (Unit Matched #1) (17 page)

Chapter 18

Verdict

I stared at myself in the mirror. If someone had told me that I was going to be punishing my best friend and my Matched, I would have never believed them.

But here I was.

“Are you ready?”

Gia reached for my hand.

“I’m fine I don’t need to be calmed.”

“Today is going to be difficult.” She reminded me, and I saw a single tear fall from her eye.

“I know.”

We left my bedroom and went to my father’s office. Mom and Dad were already in there. The Edwards’, Roberts’, and Thomas’ were standing around. Amaya was in the middle of the room. Her hair was askew, and she wasn’t wearing any makeup. Oliver was standing by his parents, looking like a lost puppy. Graham was in the other corner. The only person that wasn’t there: Thaddeus.

Amaya and I looked at each other, and her eyes were puffy. She was wearing that strange shirt again. The one with a high collar, and I couldn’t figure out why. Amaya was more fashionable than that. I went and stood by my parents and Gia stood next to me.

“Amaya,” my dad’s voice boomed. “I had planned on giving you your punishment but Xaviera came to me, and she wants to do it.”

Dad looked at Mom, and she nodded. He squeezed my shoulder and stepped away. Amaya’s green eyes were studying me trying to figure out what my plan was, and I wasn’t all that sure.

Then I had the perfect plan.

“Oliver, come up here, please?”

“No, Xav-Princess, he didn’t do anything wrong. Don’t punish him, please.” Amaya’s tears rolled faster down her face as Oliver stood next to her.

I gave her a small smile. “You see, right there, Amaya, I know that there is good in you.” I took her hands in mine. “I’m so upset with you because you’re my best friend and you broke my heart. You were bounded to me as my Protector and I loved you as if you were my sister.”

Amaya’s lip quivered as I said my words. She couldn’t stop the tears. “Xav.” She stopped shaking her head. “Princess, I’m truly sorry.” She squeezed my hands.

“I know that you are, but you did break the Rules.”

Amaya nodded her head but didn’t say anything. I dropped her hands. She quickly wiped her eyes, standing taller like the Protector that she was.

“Oliver.” I turned to him first. “Your family still has the cabin in Canada right?”

“Yes, Princess.”

“And how long is left in your decision period?”

“Two weeks.”

That wasn’t long enough for what I was thinking. My mind spun with ideas on how this plan would work, when, suddenly, it all became clear.

“Okay, I’m going to do something unheard of. I’m going to extend your decision period.”

“What?” Everyone in the room said.

“Hear me out. Amaya.” I stood directly in front of her. “You’re being punished to Oliver’s family cabin for the next three months.”

Her eyes widen.

“You will not be allowed to leave or talk to any citizens of Unit besides Oliver for the entire period.”

She had a confused look on her face as I stepped in front of Oliver.

“Oliver, I’m asking you for a personal favor. I want you to spend the next three months as if it’s a new Matched with Amaya. Reach out to her, try to figure out what is going on. I know that you’re a strong person and Controller. You’re allowed to leave the cabin and speak to anyone you choose. I ask that when the time is over that you bring Amaya right to me and at that time I will make my official ruling.”

“You have my word, Princess,” Oliver promised.

“This starts right now. You have to leave here and go straight there.”

Amaya didn’t move.

“Take this time. Figure out whatever is wrong and come back in three months,” I firmly told her.

She still stared at me for a few more seconds before turning to Oliver and leaving the house. The Thomas’ and the Roberts’ left with them leaving me with everyone else.

“Xaviera, why?” Dad asked when we were alone.

“Because that’s not the Amaya I know. My Protector wasn’t that person. Yes, Thaddeus and she had a…relationship and that’s wrong. I don’t know why she lied, but there has to be a reason, and I know that Oliver can help her. If not…” I shrugged because I knew that I would have to possibly banish her when she came back. “I need to find Thaddeus.”

“Princess, I can take you to him,” Graham volunteered.

My dad pulled me into his arms before I could leave. “You’re going to be a great Queen.”

My heart filled with pride, and I smiled up at him.

“Gia, will you come with us?” I asked as Graham and I headed out the door.

She nodded and the three of us went to Graham’s car. I didn’t know where we were going, but he headed to the other side of town.

Until he pulled into a driveway.

“What are we doing here?”

“Well, you wanted to see Thaddeus, and he’s here.” Graham pointed to the house.

“This is Mr. Mason’s house. He died a year ago.”

Graham nodded, and I turned to Gia. She was looking at the top of the car.

“Okay, I can’t take anymore secrets, please tell me.”

“Xaviera, I think this is something Thaddeus and you need to deal with.” Gia touched my shoulder from her position in the back seat, instantly settling my nerves.

“He’s inside?”

They both nodded.

I got out of the car. My boots crunched in the snow, and I walked up to the front door. Normally, I would have knocked but something told me not to.

I opened the door and saw the stunning inside of the house. I was standing in a small foyer, bright white. A large staircase lay out in front of me, and I turned to my left seeing the living room that opened into the dining room. It was fully furnished with neutral colors of white, ivory, and tans. The dining room table is modern, with a glass top and rod-iron black chairs.

I walked into the kitchen. There, leaning against the counter, was Thaddeus. He had on his light color loose jeans, a light green polo, and his black leather jacket. His hands were in his pockets, and he was looking at the ground.

“Hey,” I choked out.

“Hey.” He looked up at me.

I didn’t know what to say, but he continued to stare at me.

“Bet you’re wondering why you’re here?”

“I’m curious,” I said. The kitchen was as stunning as the rest of the house. All the appliances were new, as were the countertops and floors.

“I made the decision to stay with you a while ago, and I thought after our ceremony that we needed to live somewhere. So, Mom heard Mr. Mason’s house was for sale, and I bought it.”

I gasped.

“That last day you saw me at the bank, I finished the paperwork.” He handed me a paper that was lying on the counter.

“This is your house?”

“No, this is
your
house and our child’s,” he clarified. “I’ll take care of all the bills, upkeep, and whatever you need.” There was only sadness in his voice.

“Thaddeus.” I didn’t have the words to say anything else.

“You don’t have to say anything.”

I stared at the paper in wonderment. Thaddeus had bought us a house, and I didn’t think he would be able to share it with me.

“Would you like to see the upstairs? Your mom helped.” I gave him a sad smile nodding. I left the paper on the counter and followed him through the house.

Upstairs there were four rooms. The first one on the left Thaddeus turned into a small office. Across from that there was a smaller room that had boxes in it, and then next to it a room a little bit larger. At the end of the hall was a master bedroom. There was a large four poster bed with two matching dressers, attached to it was a large bathroom.

I walked to the window facing the back of the house. A fenced in yard that already had a nice size deck was snow covered. I could see our child building snowmen in it.

“It’s beautiful,” I said turning back to him. He stood across the room far away from me.

“I thought you would like it.”

“I gave Amaya her punishment,” I blurted out to him. “She’s at Oliver’s parent’s cabin for the next three months, and I extended their decision period.”

“I thought she would be banished.”

“Well, Dad was going to but I jumped in.”

“You saved her?”

“Sort of,” I sighed. “When she comes back I’ll make an official ruling.”

The silence filled the room again, and I felt the tension building.

“What about us?”

He asked the question that I had no words for at that moment.

“You’re giving Amaya a second chance, right? Why not us too?”

His question was a valid one. I felt in my head he deserved a chance, but my heart was broken still.

“When are you leaving for New Orleans?”

He looked at his watch. “About three hours.”

An idea came to the forefront of my head, but I wasn’t sure that I was going to be able to handle it, but it was fair.

“Thaddeus,” my voice cracked. “I’m going to give you the same punishment as Amaya.”

His eyes widened. “I’m going to the cabin too?”

“Oh no, not that. I meant since you’ll be in New Orleans for the next three months, you need to remain down there. And you can only talk to your parents, no one else.”

I could see the water in his eyes. “What about you? Am I able to talk to you?”

“No, I’ll give your mom all the updates about the baby, but I think this is for the best.” The tears rolled down my face, as my heart breaks from the words. “When you come back in three months, then I’ll give my official punishment.”

Neither of us said anything.

For the next three months, I wouldn’t speak to him. I knew that it was going to hurt, but it was something that had to be done.

“I know that I have no right asking you this,” Thaddeus stepped closer to me, “may I ask a favor?”

He was right in front of me now. I could smell the leather of his jacket, and I saw all the pain in his eyes.

I didn’t know what he was going to ask, but I nodded.

Thaddeus took my hand in his, and my heart stopped. It was as soft and tender as the very first time he ever touched me.

“I don’t want our last memory to be you and me fighting in your parent’s kitchen.” He laid his forehead on mine. “Please could we just lie in the bed for a little while? I want to hold you and have one good memory in this house, and the last one to hang on to,” his voice cracked.

The truth was I wanted that too.

“No sex, Thaddeus,” I told him firmly.

“It’s not about sex, Xaviera. I want to hold my Matched and our baby. It might me the last time.” He pulled back, and I saw a tear fall from his eye.

He’s right. It might be the last time that we’re ever going to be able to have this moment.

After a few seconds memorizing his deep blue eyes, I nodded.

We both shrugged off our coats, and I went to the bed slipping off my boots. I thought that it was going to be strange, almost awkward, but it wasn’t like that.

I lay on my side, and Thaddeus was behind me. When he wrapped his arms around me, the smell of the ocean filled my senses, and I felt safe.

I was home.

Thaddeus placed on hand on my small belly. His large hands brought a shiver through me.

Not a single word was spoken between us.

Nothing.

Thaddeus held me never trying to do anything more than hold me.

I don’t know how long we stayed in that position. It could have been an eternity for all I knew, but eventually, I heard his phone beeping.

“I need to leave.” He sniffed, and his husky voice tickled my ear.

When he released me, I felt so alone. Almost lost. I didn’t move as I listened to him put his boots and jacket back on. I shut my eyes letting the tears leave me. I knew that he was staring at me, but I couldn’t open my eyes. It was too painful.

“I love you, Xaviera.”

I popped opened my eyes and jumped off the bed. I let my emotions take over, as I did when I was with him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and clung to him.

He held me as tight as I was holding him, and we both let our tears fall.

“I love you, Thaddeus.” I sobbed.

We pulled back, and he wiped the wetness from my face. I cupped his face and leaned in.

When our lips touched, a shock pulsed through my veins. We both hung onto each other as if we were on a life raft in the ocean. I didn’t want to let go as I moaned from his touch.

It was Thaddeus that freed us from the passion we were feeling.

“Goodbye, Princess.”

I silently gasped. Thaddeus has never called me that since we’ve been Matched. It felt informal and robotic. I watched him walk out of the room, and I didn’t move until I heard the front door close.