Royal Pain in the Ass (40 page)

“Xavier, spare me.”

“
What do you mean, Juliet?
”

“
I don’
t need a little pep talk.
 
I know I
’
ve just made everyone
’
s life more complicated by the simple fact that I exist.
  Don
’
t lie and say I haven
’
t.”

“
Juliet.
”
Xavier seemed to be fighting with himself.
  “We
’
ll talk about this.
  Later.”

“
What is there to talk about.
”

“
It looks like your aunt and uncle are coming.
  It
’
s getting late, they
’
re probably about to leave.
  Say goodnight.”

He was right.
 
Sure enough, my Aunt Cassie and Uncle Henry were coming this way.
 

“
Juliet, you look lovely tonight.
  I
’
m sorry I wasn
’
t able to come see you sooner.
”

“It
’
s all right, Aunt Cassie.
”
I smiled.
  “It
’
s nice to meet you in person, um, I
’
m not quite sure what to call you.
 
But I did want to apologize for how I acted when I first got here.
”

I saw my uncle
’
s lips purse for a moment then he sighed.
  “
That was unfortunate.
 
Though there is no grudge, I
’
m glad your more recent behavior shows a more flattering image of our family.
”

“I
’
m trying.
 
I don’
t want to be an embarrassment.
”

“
You aren
’
t, child.
”
Aunt Cassie assured me.
  “
Well, it is getting late.
 
Henry and I are going to retire for the evening.
 
You enjoy yourself.
” 
Cassie pulled me into a hug and Xavier shook Henry
’
s hand I waved goodnight to them.
 
I looked around and most of the guests were gone now.
 

“It
’
s time,
”
I heard Anise coo to Chad who was looking quite happy with her on his lap.
 
Anise got up and ran to Hewitt.
  “
Baby brother, it
’
s time.
”

I saw Anise run over to Fiore who beamed and followed her out.
 
Minutes later the trio had armfuls of liquor.
 
This was my kind of party now.

I walked over and Fiore quickly handed me a bottle.
  “
A little birdie told me you like this.
” 
I felt a grin spreading across my face.
 

“
How did you - ?
”

Fiore shook her head.
  “
I know everything.
”

Anise nodded.  “
She really does.
  It
’
s a little frightening.
 
I have drinks to hand out.
 
Hewitt, keep your shit out of everyone
’
s drinks unless they ask for it.
 
Got it?
”

“
What?
  I
’
m just trying to have a little fun.
” 

Oh yes. 
Now it was a party.

Chapter XX

I woke up to a pounding head.
 
I looked up at the sun streaming through the slight gap in the curtains and I winced.
 
I looked around and didn
’
t recognize anything.
 
I decided now wasn
’
t a good time to stress about it and I snuggle back into the blankets when I realized it wasn
’
t just a blanket and I sat bolt upright.
 
I wasn
’
t alone in the bed.
 
Quite the contrary.
 
There were three other people in the bed with me.

I looked down and realized I wasn
’
t wearing the dress Xavier had given me last night.
 
Instead I was wearing a pirate costume.
 
I looked at my bed mates and saw Fiore, Xavier, and Hewitt.
   
What happened last night?

I shook Fiore lightly and she didn
’
t budge, so I shook her violently until she groaned.
  “
What?
”

“
Fiore!
”
I hissed.

“
What?
”
she groaned again.

“Wake up!?”

“
Why?
”

“
Because, we
’
re in a bed, I can
’
t remember how we got here, and I have no idea why I
’
m dressed in a pirate costume, or why we
’
re in costumes to begin with!
”

“
Because we didn
’
t want to be naked.
”
Fiore replied like it was obvious.
  “
I need a cigarette if we
’
re going to be doing this.
 
Actually, I really do need to get up.
 
We have to stop by the hospital anyway.
”

“
What?
 
Why can
’
t I remember last night.
”

Fiore sighed and gave me a sympathetic look and got up out of bed, careful not to disturb the boys and pulled me with her.
  “
First coffee, then answers.
 
Now go through the wardrobe, anything you like, it
’
s yours.
”

“
So it this your house?
”

“
Of course.
 
Now I need to fetch Kenneth and get us to the hospital.
 
I want to make sure everything is okay.
”

“
Fiore.
 
Why can
’
t I remember last night?
”

Fiore thought for a moment.
  “
You shared a few drinks with me, didn
’
t you?
”

“
Um, I don’
t know?
 
Probably?
”

Fiore nodded.
  “
Bad trip.
 
I was a naughty girl last night.
 
If it was your first trip, that would explain it.
”

“
By the way, what are you?
”

“A ninja.”
She replied like it was obvious.

“
Then why are you wearing bright orange?
”

“I
’
m an orange ninja.”

“
Oh, I wasn
’
t aware there were orange ninjas.
”

“
Well, there are now.
”

In no time I was wearing a pair of black dress slacks with heels and a turquoise blue halter top.

“Oh my god. 
I love that!
”

I looked over my shoulder and remembered my tattoo.
  “
Oh right, I keep forgetting.
 
I have to keep it covered.
 
James still doesn
’
t know I have it.
”

“
That
’
s awesome!
”
Fiore showed me her wrist.
  “
I had a little one here, just a little one, but no, as soon as Daddy found out, he made me get it removed.
”
Fiore gave me a sideways glance.
  “
But he doesn
’
t know about this one.
” 
Fiore pulled the lining of her pants down to reveal a small zebra print heart tattooed on her hip bone.
  “
And I have no intention of him ever finding out.
”

I laughed.
  “
Of course Fiore.
”

“
Here.
”
She handed me a flared out cream colored blazer.
  “
Now we have to go see how Lana is doing.
”

“Lana? 
What
’
s happened with Lana?
 
Wait . . . I’
m getting fuzzy memories.”

Fiore sighed.
  “
Get in the car, I
’
ll explain along the way.
”

I sat and listened to Fiore
’
s story.
 
As she explained my memories started flooding back.
 
I remembered Ian drunkenly shouting how Lana was his fianc
é
, and his future wife.
 
I remembered Lana getting shot.
 
Fiore
’
s strict ordered that no one else was allowed out.
 
I remembered crying until I heard that Lana was safely in the ambulance.
 
I was having flashbacks.
  I
’
ve seen enough ambulances to last me a life time.
 
Fiore had quickly taken charge of the situation and had Ian and Chad carefully move Lana as she tore her own beautiful one of a kind dress with orders to pack the wound.
 
Fiore saw to it none of the media was allowed any access, they were all too terrified of her to challenge her.
 
She had her servant Kenneth direct the Ambulance and it wasn
’
t long before Lana was in the best hands English money could buy.
 

“
Have we heard anything?
”

“
I have some hysterical texts and voicemails from Christine and Ian, but Chad and Greg have assured me she
’
s stable.
 She
’
s not conscious, but I think Ian needs us more than Lana does right now.
 
Someone said something.
  I
’
m going to find out who, hunt them down and make sure no one ever accepts another piece from them.
 
I will see to it that they not only lose their job, but all future hope of any livelihood.
  Ever. 
I am no one to be trifled with.
” 
Fiore turned to me.
  “
Which reminds me, what happened with you last night?
  Who do 
I need to deal with?
”

Then I remembered.
  Chase.
“I think Lana is more important right now.
”
I deflected.

Fiore raised an eyebrow but let it go.
 
Fiore and I shoved our way through the media circus outside the hospital and were led into the main waiting room.
 
We were led through security and the smell of antiseptic and plastic filled my nose and it took me a moment to calm myself back down.