28
KENNEDY
It was a family dinner. Again, I didn’t know what I was doing here. I pinched myself under the table for the second time. The fact that I was sitting across the future king, I felt like I was in another universe.
They looked regal.
The apparent Prince was in his formal suit. The graying hair was scattered across his head.
Thayer got his eyes from his father—fierce, deep, and expressive. And also his height—Prince Isodore was so tall and medium built. The rest of his son’s features came from Princess Aimrose.
Carlott sat beside her carbon copy—her mother. From the color of her hair to the shape of her face.
“Is my son treating you well, Kennedy? I hope you don’t mind if I call you Kennedy.”
My gaze flew back to him. I smile timidly, even if I wanted to blurt out how his son kidnapped, teased me, and then treated me like his precious gemstone when he was in his Thayer-not-the-prince-mode.
“To be honest, your son is nothing but humble and kind. And yes, I have the best accommodation and treatment I more than deserve.”
“You don’t have to be polite, dear. My husband knew what his son has been doing lately.” Princess Aimrose stole a glance at her son, who just put his cutlery down.
“I’m sure Kennedy doesn’t have to cover up if I’d been treating her bad. Besides, having her with us is proof that I’m a gentleman.” There was something in his words that I grasped what the message was trying to send to me.
My heart hammered in my chest to recall what he did to me in his study. That was the first time we’d been that closed since he kidnapped me. My skin tingled everywhere. My hand slightly trembled. I grabbed the glass of water.
“Gentleman, my ass. I apologize for my choice of words, Father, Mother. How long has it been since Kennedy back? Did he take her on a date? Or tour around? Or even brought her a cheap flower? None.”
I swallowed hard. “That won’t be necessary.”
“Oh, please, Kennedy. He’s been an ass. I know he has a pretty tight schedule lately, but spending a little time with you won’t kill him.”
“Carlott, language, please? I’ve raised you better than to use such words in front of dinner,” Prince Isodore scolded his daughter. Then he turned his attention to his heir. “Sure, you have better reasons for yourself, Thayer Camren. If you want to be the future apparent, you should treat your woman right. You may be my son, but I won’t tolerate that kind of attitude.”
“May I speak?” I raised my hand. I felt like I should start talking since they weren’t exactly aware of what was happening between us, and it seemed unfair to Thayer. Or I just wanted to defend my man since his father just called me his woman. Yay! It sounds good, though.
“Of course. Please?” He gestured his hand.
“Um, Prince Isodore, I’m not defending your son, but it’s unfair on his side. I’ve been... arduous—”
“Kennedy.” I could see the sadness brewing in his eyes and feel the shame seeping through him.
I looked at him.
“Let her finish.”
“It is true, I’m not here on my own accord, but before that I—I, um. I liked Thayer before I even knew he was a prince. I mean, I have feelings for him. But you may as well know my background by now, where I came from, about my family. We’re not a perfect match. We are from different worlds. He deserves someone better than me.”
“Kennedy.” Thayer groaned in annoyance. “Just, please?” His jaw ticked, sighing constantly.
“But his sincerity, his kindness, his compassion, and if there’s one thing we have in common is our passion for our jobs. He’s true to his words, and aside from being charming and most cocky, he’s also down-to-earth when he’s with me. He never used his power to belittle someone. That’s what I admired most in him. So, even if I didn’t come here willingly, I still would love to give this relationship a try whether you, Your Highness, or Princess Aimrose are against it. If he did his best to bring me back after I ran away like my butt was on fire, I think he deserves a second chance.”
“Yay! Great!” Carlott grabbed her wine. “To Thayer and Kennedy.”
Oh, God. What had I done? I raised my glass, so as the dumbfounded Thayer and his parents. I sipped my wine.
I would surely regret this. I could feel it.
I smiled genuinely at him. Now I just saved your ass. One day, I was going to ask that favor back.
“I’m happy for both of you, honey.” I suddenly felt guilty seeing how happy his mother was.
Damn it.
After the dinner, Thayer was on the phone, and it seemed crucial. Carlott toured me around, introducing her descendants’ portraits on the wall.
“That’s King Camren. Thayer’s middle name came from. My grandfather’s father.”
“I can see the resemblance.”
“Father said the same,” she agreed.
“Excuse me for interrupting your tour, Princess Carlott. Lady Kennedy’s been summoned by your father in his study.”
My pulse quickened. My throat clogged. I had an idea what was this all about—my horrible saving Thayer’s ass speech.
“Relax. My father won’t bite.”
“How did you know?”
“You look like about to collapse right now. Just chill. You can be yourself in front of my father. Trust me. He likes it better than you trying to impress him.”
“He’s gonna throw me back to the States.” I drew a deep breath. “I should go. I can’t let the Prince keep waiting. Wish me luck.”
“You don’t need it.”
On my way to the study we passed by earlier, I kept on wiping my sweaty palm against my dress.
“Kennedy?”
Crap.
“Not now, Thayer.” I knocked on the door. I didn’t bother looking back at him because I would only lose focus.
“We need to talk.”
“Fine, but not now.” The door finally swung open.
I addressed him before I walked closer.
“Please sit.” He looked behind me. “Get out, son.”
“But, Father.”
“Take him out,” he ordered to the tall man in a suit in the door. “If he won’t get out in five seconds.”
“Fine.”
Once the door shut behind me, I felt like I wanted to gag. My teeth might break anytime soon of how strong I clumped my jaw to stop them from tattering.
“I’m aware of my son’s intentions towards you, Kennedy. You can relax now.”
“I mean what I said earlier, Your Highness.”
“But there are things you intent not to tell.”
I met his gaze. “Sir? I mean, pardon me, Your Highness?” I learned a few things from Arina. Thank goodness.
“You don’t share the bed with my son.”
“Excuse me?” My eyes widened. “I mean no disrespect, Your Highness, but I think it’s none of your business.”
He’d never been look amused when I thought he would order his bodyguards to drag me out of his chateau and throw me somewhere far and let me freeze to death there.
“So, it’s true then? Forgive my son’s behavior. He’d never pursue a woman before.”
“I find it hard to believe.”
“Well, he’s been with women, I’m sure you’re aware of that, but he never brought anyone to meet us. He’d dated to prove to the press that he’s not gay.”
I tried hard to contain my smile because the Prince was still staring at me. I almost squirmed in self-consciousness.
“Now, my question is not how you fit in into his world. That’s not the problem, but how far would you go to be with my son? How far would you go to protect him? Our lives are messy, Kennedy. Wherever you go, media and scrutinizing eyes are everywhere. You wouldn’t have privacy like you used to anymore. You wouldn’t be able to kiss him in public and display public affection. Your friends, your old life, even your ex-lovers, especially the people you cared about back in the US, would be dragged out once the public knows you are with my son. To be honest, at first, I’m against his ideas of looking for someone out of his circles, but I can’t also watch him suffer in a loveless marriage. You know you have to marry son, haven’t you, Kennedy?”
“Well, I haven’t thought about that, but maybe later if we’re both ready.”
“Oh, my son certainly is.”
I stared at her. “What do you mean?”
“My son went to the US to find his bride.”
“What?” I rose to my feet. My voice might raise a little. My eyes widened in shock. “That’s not true.”
“Besides, meeting his aunt and visiting my ill father, yes. He went to search for his future bride.”
I watched him through my blurry eyes. “So, I was like, what? His conquest?”
“It’s not all about looking for his bride.”
“That’s exactly what is all bout, sir. He went there to search for that woman to marry. You said it yourself.” I wanted to open my mouth to say more, but nothing seemed to come out.
That made sense now. Maybe Thayer first saw me at Alessia’s office, but at the Night Stalker where I met Lud and Ash, and the coincident of our hotel rooms. The apartment maybe was a setup as well.
I wiped my tears. “Your son is not in love with me. He’s only in love with the idea that I’m the perfect candidate to be his so naive wife. The fact that I didn’t know him before we met made me his perfect choice.” I knew my hands in the air. “This is screwed up.”
“You can still decide your own path. We haven’t announced the engagement. I can assure you, if you choose to leave, you’re gonna break his heart. And I can assure you, Thayer will come, find you, and bring you back because believe me, you two belong together.”
“But why does he have to find a bride so urgent? It’s not that he’s so old.”
“It’s part of the royal laws. In order to be the heir apparent, the Prince has to be married before his coronation within three months, or the title will be passed on to the next in line.”
“What? That’s so cruel.” If the King passes away, Prince Isodore would be crown as King. His son would be the Prince apparent. And the first requirement is he should get married.
I shivered.
“That’s how it works. It’s been adhered to for generations. Since my father is in a coma, and any day from now, he may pass away, we have to prepare and arrange for Thayer’s marriage, or he loses his birthright.”
“Fine. I’ll marry him.”
