The Princess and the Player (Royally Pitched 1)

When a poor image of the palace was projected, the team watched the offending appearance, looking for reasons and fixes so it wouldn’t happen again. At some point, she would have to talk to the queen about the incidents today, and she needed to be prepared to offer an explanation or at least some kind of convincing apology for the absolute chaos.

Her attention shifted to the screens, even as she wished she were anywhere but sitting in this particular conference room with the assembled staff. It was one thing to wish to see what had happened, to joke with Robert about it in the car. Quite another to be subjected to scrutiny and judgment.

Ele shivered with unease as she caught sight of her face on the screen. She looked like she was wearing a mask. Her face was frozen in an unnatural pose, one she didn’t think she could muster if she stood in front of a mirror, trying. Over the years, there had been pictures, capturing her looking stiff and uncomfortable. But seeing it in live action, the physical response to the stress brought to mind a boxer bracing for a blow. Waiting for it. It was disconcerting to look at the woman on the screen, as it didn’t even feel like she was the person in the picture. The action unfolded as Juliana left her side in the video. Drawn to her sister’s movement, she watched the steady progress as Jules made her way to Rowan.

Juliana provided a diversion for sure, but the intent and purpose on her face gave her actions a bit of an ulterior motive. There was little question Juliana knew where she was going before she took her first step. It was the perfect distraction to draw attention away from Ele.

She reached out, squeezing Juliana’s shoulder—a unspoken thank-you. Juliana jumped, not expecting the contact from her sister. When Jules reached up and squeezed Ele’s hand in appreciation, Ele smiled.

Noah’s head dropped to the table, and Harry coughed when the kiss took over four of the screens. As the kiss heated up, everyone around the table shifted uncomfortably. It might have begun as a distraction, but there was something behind the lip-lock—for both Rowan and Juliana. Ele looked away, somehow hoping one less person in the room focused on the scorching hot kiss would somehow ease Juliana. With nothing else to look at, her eyes drifted to the corner screen, the one with Tristan as the star. His eyes never faltered, never shifted, never moved. With singular purpose, Tristan Davenport watched Ele like a sentry, eagle-eyed and ready, in the event he needed to swoop in and save someone—her. Warmth suffused her, weaving through her blood.

She had no idea what Tristan felt for her, and if she had to articulate her feelings for him, she didn’t know what words to use to describe it. But seeing Tristan uber-focused on her answered some questions, turned the mechanisms on those locks. She reached a decision without even knowing she’d been teetering on the edge of something monumental.

The video feed ended, and for a moment, no one spoke.

“Juliana, I am sure we will be receiving a directive from the palace after they have seen this and come up with a plan,” Harry said, lips tight, voice strained.

Ele froze. The queen’s warning came back to her. There was no way she was going home before this was through.

“I’ll handle the palace,” Ele said. “Harry, please wait for a word from Millie once I have spoken with the queen. I would like for you to be difficult to contact until you hear from us.”

Millie’s head snapped to her. Ele never engaged with Queen Lilian. She did as she was told. Millie knew it—hell, everyone in the room knew it. But no one else was bold enough to question Ele’s statement.

Ele stood. Robert and Millie followed.

She bent over the top of Juliana’s chair, placing an impulsive kiss on the top of her head. “I see you,” she said quietly. “Thank you.”

Then, with her team behind her, she exited the room. As they traversed the corridor, Michael fell into step.

“Robert,” Ele said crisply as they walked, “I want to speak with Rowan. Please set it up.” After a few more steps, she spoke to Millie, “Please arrange a call with the queen.” She took a breath, trying to strategize. “And Jamie.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Ma’am, the team returns to Chicago today. We are supposed to follow. Do you want me to set it up for tonight?”

“The sooner, the better.”

The day, which had seemed interminable before the viewing, was infinitely longer now. Beatrix and Millie packed, Robert secured the plane and the airport, and Michael worked with Harry and Noah.

An hour after they’d left the conference room, they were on their way to the airport. Three hours later, they were back in their Chicago-based hotel. Thirty minutes after that, Ele followed Michael with Robert trailing, down the hall, on her way to Rowan’s hotel room.

“He is okay with this?” Ele asked as they moved purposefully.

“I didn’t ask if he was okay with it. I told him you wished to see him, and I gave him a time.”

Rowan didn’t seem the type to like being told what to do. As they arrived at his door, Ele was hit with a wave of exhaustion. After a conversation with Jamie and the queen, she’d used more intellectual power in the last two hours than she had in months.

She knocked lightly on the door. Rowan opened it and bowed. But she had seen his face before he buried it under the illusion of respect. She kept her back straight. She was determined to get through this meeting without further upsetting Rowan Beckwith because he meant the world to Tristan. And she remembered that he was someone to Jules.

“Mr. Beckwith, thank you for agreeing to see me,” she said as she entered the room.

“Didn’t have much choice,” he responded.

But he led her to the small sitting area and waited for her to sit. It wasn’t much, but she’d take it.

She gave him time to settle in the chair across from her. As she studied him, she decided Rowan Beckwith would make a good royal. He rarely dropped his guard. Even now, after a long day of travel, he appeared buttoned up with a crisp white shirt tucked into a slim-fitted dark jeans. He wore plain-toe oxford shoes. He could be dropped onto a runway in the midst of a fashion show.

Ele heaved a calming breath. She’d never done this before, willingly sacrificed her secrets for someone. It was appropriate to do it for her sister, who had happily been putting herself on the line for years. As prepared as she had been for this encounter, she struggled to begin.