The Wicked Prince

“Now I’m ready for the camera.” He grinned at me and winked. My heart stuttered.

“Can we talk?” I asked. “Afterwards, I mean.”

“Sure. I think Esmée and Oscar are staying for lunch, but we can speak after they’re gone.”

“I’d like that.” I smiled as I watched him get dressed again.

I was ready to clear the air, and I had a feeling Addie was right. Aramis and I were on the same page about our feelings. One of us just needed to come out and outright say it and I decided it would be me.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

I watched as Oscar held his Batman action figure in his hands and sat between his parents. He was so adorable and I had no doubt the public would go crazy over him. Esmée looked beautiful as well, in an ivory dress with a conservative scoop neck. Aramis was wearing a black shirt with a high collar, a style he loved to wear these days, probably to conceal burns from the car accident.

“So, you have some pretty big news,” the interviewer started.

“I’d say finding out I have a son is probably the biggest news,” Aramis answered with a small laugh.

“Were you surprised by this?” the man asked. “There have been rumors for years that you and Elias may have children from your party days.”

“We always dismissed them as rumors. My brother, by his own account, has always been very careful. I knew I hadn’t been a couple of times, but never in my wildest dreams did I think I produced a son.”

“How was it keeping this secret for so long, Esmée, and why did you?”

“It was definitely not easy,” she said. “But I wanted to protect The Crown and my son from media attention. I didn’t want him to be known as the Prince’s bastard and figured it should be kept a secret.”

“Why did you decide to tell him now?”

“I suffered a pretty bad accident recently and realized that I may not always be here to protect Oscar. I felt it was time for him to meet his father and for Aramis to know about him.”

“How has it been for you, Oscar, to meet your father after all this time?”

“Good. Great. He’s the best papa in the world.” Oscar grinned. Everyone laughed.

“I have to ask, is there a chance the two of you will be together?” the interviewer asked. I held my breath, though I couldn’t imagine why. It was a ridiculous, hopeless, fairy-tale question. Life wasn’t a fairy tale though.

“I knew that question was coming.” Aramis chuckled.

“No one knows what the future holds,” Esmée said with a smile and a small shrug. I felt my entire body grow hot. The burn of jealousy threatened to overtake me. I counted to ten in my head. It was a trick King Elias used often and I desperately needed it to work.

“It doesn’t bother you that the Prince is featured in all of the tabloids with various women, most recently with his long-time friend and secretary?”

“Definitely not. He has a colorful past. I mean,” Esmée signaled at Oscar and laughed. “But I don’t believe either one of them ever confirmed that romance. People kiss all the time.”

“So, there is hope for a reconciliation?” the interviewer asked. Aramis and my eyes met briefly, but he quickly looked away and back at the interviewer.

“It wouldn’t be a reconciliation. We had a one-night stand eight years ago and created this wonderful child.” Aramis smiled.

“So, it would be a new romance,” the interviewer said. “The people have followed all of your romances closely through the years and are always curious to know what kind of woman it would take for you to settle down with.”

“It would take a very strong woman to settle down with me, definitely. One who is willing to look past my flaws and accept me for who I am. I’m not as picky as people think I am. I don’t need an heiress or a socialite. I want what everyone else wants, to be loved unconditionally.” He shrugged a shoulder.

“On that note, I guess we can definitely say that Esmée is a potential contender,” the interviewer said with a laugh.

Esmée blushed and smiled wide.

Aramis laughed along.

The cameras cut.

I stormed outside.

I bypassed my cottage and walked right up to the first car available. When I saw Pierre standing there, talking to another one of the security guards, I signaled at the car. He must have been listening to the interview because it was as if he knew what was happening, or maybe he sensed how upset I was.

“Just drive.” I buckled my seatbelt. “Drive. Drive. Drive.”

Pierre set the car in drive and did as he was told. “Just aimlessly?”

“Yes, that’s fine, I don’t care.” My heart was still pounding. Adrenaline was still shooting through my veins. I felt absolutely and completely heartbroken.