Highness (16 page)

“Did I miss the party?” Michael asked, leaning against the doorway watching her.

His voice made her scream, this time in surprise.  She turned, a blotch of rose colored paint now at the top of her head, and smiled at him.

“You scared the crap out of me.” 

“I’m sorry,” he said, strolling into the room in his underwear.  “I just couldn’t help but admire your work.”

She looked back at the canvass proudly.  “Yeah, it feels good to be back.”

Michael pulled her close to him and kissed the back of her neck. “I missed you this morning when I woke up.  You weren’t there.”

His kiss made goose bumps form all over her body.  Shivering as he kissed her neck slow and sweet, she closed her eyes in ecstasy.  “I didn’t want to wake you,” she explained, nearly dropping the brush as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Excuses, excuses,” he said, moving his lips to kiss her. 

This was going to be dangerous. 
She knew it. She could feel it.  As long as he was around, how could she focus on anything but him and his amazing body, and more important than that, his amazing mind?  But she also, didn’t want him to go anywhere.  She wanted him there forever in his underwear or in her bed. It was hardly realistic, but she didn’t care.

Michael couldn’t help himself.  Reaching behind her, he grabbed her soft bottom and pulled it into his growing erection.  “Do you know that we’ve made love in nearly every room in this house, except this one,” he said, growling a hiss into her mouth.

She bit her lip at the prospect. “Then you should do something about that, Tiger.”

He grinned, showing a deep dimple in his square jaw. He loved when she called him tiger. No woman ever had, but she made it sound nobler than being called the Prince of England.

Picking her up off the ground, he carried her over to the table and sat her down beside her paints.  He massaged her thighs and pushed her legs apart. 

“When will this stop feeling like heaven?” she asked. 

He looked up at her and frowned.  “You want it to stop?”

“No,” she said sincerely. “That’s the thing. I don’t.  Do you?”

“Since I met you, I haven’t been happier, Hope.  Your name describes my entire being now.”  Before he could think about his words, he let them slip out of his mouth. “I can’t think of a life without you.”

Looking up into his blue eyes, she quietly held her breath.

He pulled at her chin and blushed. “Bloody hell.  You look as though you don’t know already.”

“Don’t know what?” she asked as the doorbell rang. 

They both looked toward the doorway and stood up. 

“I’ll get it,” he said, looking down at her in her underwear.  “When I come back, I want those off.”

“If it’s your security men, can you ask them to stop interrupting us in the middle of sex?”

Michael laughed. “I think it’s their form of royal birth control.”

When Michael arrived at the door, Geoff was there patiently waiting on him.  Dressed in his normal black suit today and not bothering to hide his two weapons under his jacket, he nodded at Michael and took off his shades. “May I come inside, sir?”

“That doesn’t sound good,” Michael said, standing to the side as Geoff stepped inside the house.   He had never been in, but was impressed at the set up.  “I’m sorry to bother you, but Prince Richard is here in Memphis and requests your presence at the Peabody Hotel within the hour.”

Michael rolled his eyes.  “What does he want?”

“He does not share these types of things with me, sir,” Geoff answered flatly.

Michael raised a brow. “I know you know. Your big brother is his number one advisor,” Michael said, looking at the grandfather clock across the room.  Hope would be pissed at him having to leave so suddenly.  “You can’t call him back in London and probe him for Intel?”

“No, I can’t.  He’s here with Richard.”

Michael paused. “William is here with Richard?”  He blinked and turned around.  Putting his balled up hand by his mouth, he frowned. “What is wrong?”

“I’m sure it’s just time to give you another ultimatum,” Geoff assured Michael. He patted his shoulder. “I’m sure it’s fine.  Why don’t you go upstairs and get dressed?  I’ll wait for you.”

Michael didn’t trust it, but he agreed. “Hope and I aren’t exactly presentable.  She’s in her studio working.  Why don’t you step outside and let me tell her what’s going on and then I’ll get ready.”

“Whatever you need,” Geoff said, headed to the door.  “I’ll just be outside on the porch, sir.”

“Thanks,” Michael said, turning on his heels to go and explain the situation to Hope.

Geoff stepped back outside in the sun just in time to see Sean’s BMW come barreling into the driveway. His men quickly stopped him.  They were parked at the low-end of the hill, blocking the drive.  Stepping out of their Yukon in suits, guns and shades as well, they walked up to Sean’s car and knocked on the glass.

“What in the hell do you want?” Sean asked, turning down his radio.  “What is this?”

“I’m sorry, sir. Can we help you?” one of the men asked, eyes narrowed on Sean while two other men circled his car like hungry wolves. 

“Nice accent,
asshole
,” Sean said, purposefully provoking the bodyguard. “I’m here to see Hope.  Who are you?”

“A friend,” the guard lied.  “And I’m sorry, but she’s not available.”

“Since when does she have fucking body guards outside of her home?” he asked, pulling out his cell phone. “I’m calling her. I don’t believe you.  For all I know, she could be held hostage in that place.”  As soon as he dialed Hope, her phone went to voice mail.  He hung up quickly and hit
camera
on his screen.  Snapping photos of the man in his face, he raised a suggestive brow as if to imply
now what
?

“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to leave the property,” the man said, tired of talking to Sean.  “And I’m going to have to insist that you not return. Ms. Daniels doesn’t want to see you.”

“Let
her
tell me that,” Sean said, snapping another photo of him.  “Where are you from anyway?  Definitely not from around here.  London?  Australia?”

The man looked at the phone and then at the other guard on the other side of the car as if he wanted to take it from Sean. He clenched down on his jaw and tried to stay as professional as possible. “Where I’m from is not important.  I’ll tell you one more time to please remove yourself and your vehicle from the property, and then after that I’m going to assist you,” he said, moving his jacket where Sean could see the gun in its holster. 

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m an American citizen,” Sean sneered. “And you also happen to be on American soil, you piece of euro trash.”  

The bodyguard on the other side of the car laughed aloud. 

Leaning closer, the guard closest to him lowered his voice and smiled, squinting as the sun shined in his green eyes.  “Piss off, you fucking wanker, or I’ll make a bloody mess of ya.  How’s that for an explanation?”

Reality was quick to set in with the threat.  This was private property.  Sean knew that he could be shot at any point once being told to leave no matter who Michael was or was not.

Happy with his initial proof, he nodded at the bodyguard as he noticed a menacingly wide man on the porch watching with his hands folded.  On the side of the house were two more men in suits, standing still and watching their surroundings with ear pieces. 

This was confirmation enough for him and a little too close for comfort. 

As he pulled out in the road, he quickly picked his phone back up and sent the photos to Hannibal.  Only seconds after he had hit send, the phone rang.  Sean laughed as he answered. “Well, it’s not a picture of Michael per se, but you can’t tell me that you don’t recognize the men on his detail.”

Hannibal exhaled a deep sigh.  “I’ve got the check for $100,000, and I’ll be there in literally two and a half hours.”

“I’ll be waiting with an address,” Sean said, hanging up the phone.  “Thank you, Hope!”

Chapter 15

Exactly one hour from the time that Geoff relayed Prince Richard’s message Michael was being transported via motorcade to the historic Peabody Hotel in downtown Memphis.

With bright blue skies and unseasonably cool weather, it seemed that even though it was morning there were tons of people milling about outside. All it would take was just one tourist with a good eye or a good phone to spot him, and blast this entire project to smithereens. That was why Michael thought this meeting to be uncalled for and in extremely poor taste for a man so concerned about his family’s appearance, but that was Richard – the
do as I say and not as I do
prince.

Their drive from Hernando, Mississippi 20 miles north had been epic, especially for the town’s folk. His cocktail of an entourage included DeSoto County Sheriffs with flashing lights and sirens until he crossed the state line where Memphis Police Department’s Tact Unit took over and escorted him with his personal security, Prince Richard’s extended security team, the State Department and God only knew who else through the city.

Hope had stood in the doorway watching with her mouth open as they all loaded in – all except the men he insisted stay with her to keep her safe. After all, she was his now, and he couldn’t afford to have anything happen to her or anyone disturb her.

He was grateful that she didn’t debate the issue. Instead, she simply raised a brow and grabbed her coffee mug. “If this is what it takes to keep you safe, then you have to do it,” she said with understanding.

“I like her,” Geoff said under his breath as he followed Michael off the porch.

Now, they were finally here.

Michael didn’t particularly like having to possibly blow his cover to see his brother, but he did know foreign protocol. Traveling into a city as large as Memphis for an
official
meeting with all of these additional bodies and vehicles required taking the most security measures possible. A handful of very capable security men, Geoff included, had coordinated his small trip down to the last detail. Streets had been blocked off; snipers had been put in place on the top of the hotel, the perimeter had been secured and the entrances to the hotel had been shut down, all so he could spend a few minutes arguing with his sibling. He was certain that Richard would not have it any other way. He was a stickler about security, demanding the most elaborate precautions possible.

Michael slipped his sleek Aviator shades over his eyes as he stepped out of the back of his bulletproof SUV. He straightened his suit and then followed his men up the covered pathway to a secure entrance of the building.

Under his black Armani suit, he wore his custom-made slim fitting body armor and on his own accord, he always wore his own personal sidearm, just in case.

The extra layers of clothing and materials made him heat up a little bit under his clothes, and he was happy to be greeted by the cool blast of air as the doors opened.

Quickly, he was ushered through hollow hallways cleared by men in uniforms and wearing semi-automatic rifles to a large service elevator and with men standing in front of him and behind him, they loaded inside, sucking all the cool air out again.

By the time that he arrived to the Presidential Suite, he felt absolutely exhausted and reminded of why he was enjoying the simple life with Hope so much. He had never been allowed to just be a normal man before, but after getting a taste of it, he rather preferred it to the theatrics of the crown.

As soon as the doors opened to the luxury suite, the first person that he saw was Geoff’s big brother, who was also Richard’s best friend and confidant, William Becking. He was 10 years his brothers’ senior, but his physical appearance made him look old enough to be Geoff’s father. From years of late night strategies and worrying about the royal family’s every detail, he had gone bald and what had not fallen out had turned gray. He had fine crow’s feet at the corner of his ash gray eyes and a pale skin. However, just like his brother, he had a wide frame and a tall, bulking build.

He sat with a cup of tea, legs crossed in a $5,000 black suit speaking on his Bluetooth, but when the doors opened he abruptly ended his call. Standing slowly, he bowed to Michael and then nodded more informally at Geoff.

“Your Highness,” William said with an air of arrogance that spoke of generations of service to the crown.

“William,” Michael said simply. “Where is my brother?”

“Just being looked after by the doctor. He wasn’t quite himself after the long trip over, sir.”

“What doctor?” Michael said, walking toward the master bedroom. “Is Dudley here also?”

“Yes,” William said, walking behind him. “It was the council’s suggestion that he travel with a doctor from now on.” There was only a short stutter in his words. “He is in his late 40s. A man needs constant attention after 25, especially a prince.”

His light-hearted joke made Michael suspicious. William never joked, barely smirked and only smiled pleasantly once a year to make sure that the muscles in his mouth still worked.

As Michael was about to open the bedroom doors, they swung open and his brother emerged, fully dressed and as poised as ever. Standing taller than life, Richard looked his brother up and down and then offered his hand.

“Good of you to come,” Richard said, shaking Michael’s hand firmly.

“The message didn’t sound like there was an alternative,” Michael said, eyes narrowed on his brother. “What is this about? You fly thousands of miles to check on me now?” Even in his wildest years, his brother had never done such a thing.

“No,” Richard said, sitting down in the chair furthest from the windows. He crossed his legs and rested his elbow on the arm rest. Wiping his face with his hand, he bit his lip. As he did so, his ring flashed in the sunlight. “I flew thousands of miles to retrieve you. This charade has ended as of…” he looked at his Patek watch. “Well, as of now.”

Michael looked around the room.
So that is what this was about?
“Retrieve me,” he repeated gravely.
He’d like one of them to try.
Shaking his head in defiance, he slipped his balled up fists in the pockets of his pants. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Richard rolled his eyes. “Don’t be a child. The story is out there. RQL received Intel that was confirmed by Hope’s ex-lover that you are in Hernando, Mississippi. You can’t expect to go back there now. This suite is simply your theatre holding area until you are escorted back to the plane.”

“How do you know that RQL believes him? What did you do? Bribe an intern?”

Richard smirked. “Don’t be stupid. I’m the Prince of England. I don’t bribe anyone. William made a call to the editor who told him that Hannibal was on a flight from Los Angeles to Memphis.”

“And why would she tell you that?” Michael asked, stepping closer to the door.

Richard smiled cleverly. “Because…I am the Prince of England.” He released a sigh. “It’s good to have favors occasionally from the crown when you visit England as much as that woman does. However, that is truly beside the point. The
point
and the fact of the matter is that you’re leaving for London now. Someone else can collect your things. I doubt that there is anything of real consequence.”

“I’m not leaving here without Hope,” Michael said sternly. His jaw clenched tighter.

Richard’s aggravation grew apparent. “What is your problem? How do you continue to make these monumental mistakes? This woman, Hope Daniels, is not the type of woman you bring back to England and declare to the world as Thalia’s replacement.”

“Please don’t tell me it’s because she’s black,” Michael bit out.

“Don’t be so ridiculous. It’s not that she’s black. It’s that she’s a commoner, a United States citizen, and…” Richard watched his brother’s posture become more erect, “and her family is not desirable.”

“Her mother.” Michael knew that it would come up eventually, he was just glad that it could come up now where he could address it out of her presence.

“Yes,” Richard said, glad that Michael already knew. “Her mother.”

“Her mother is dead.” Michael had heard enough. He turned to head to the door.

“Well, the scandal behind her life and her mother’s death won’t be, and we have no time for this. There are other responsibilities that you need to handle as the Prince of England. You have obligations to the crown, Michael.”

Michael spun around. “No, that would be your obligation! Everyone knows you’re going to be king, and I have no objections to that, brother. I truly do not. You’re perfect for the job. But I want nothing to do with it.”

William looked at Richard and then lowered his head. It was a small gesture, but one that Geoff quickly picked up on even though Michael – in a rage – had not.

Richard stood up from the chair. “I’ll make you.”

“You’ll try,” Michael said, legs planted firmly. “And you’ll fail.”

“Do you think this is a game?” Richard said, stalking up to his brother. He stared him in the eye.

It was then that Michael noticed that his brother looked peaked and pale. His eyes were darker than normal under his lids. “What’s wrong? Where’s mother?” Michael asked, feeling like something wasn’t right. “Nearly two months ago you were chomping at the bit to get me out of the public eye, now you are demanding that I go back there?” he asked, fuming with anger. “To that place. Is she sick?”

“That
place
is your home,” Richard reminded. “And nothing is wrong, but you being here. It was a mistake to suggest it, a mistake to see it through. I take full responsibility, but now it’s time to remedy the situation.”

“You’re impossible,” Michael snapped.

“This conversation is over. You are going back today, and that’s final,” Richard said, going back to his chair to have a seat. He seemed out of breath.

“I will not,” Michael said low and serious. “Not without Hope.”

“Because you love her?” Richard asked mockingly. “In two days, you’ve fallen in love?”

“It’s been longer than two days and you know it,” Michael argued.

“It’s closer to two days than the years you invested in Thalia and look how that ended up. Don’t you see that you’re worse than an impulse shopper when it comes to love? You see a girl. You like the girl. You suddenly love the girl. Normally, it all happens in the same blink of your pretty little blue eyes. And in the next blink there is someone else.”

“Don’t patronize me,” Michael growled. “I won’t stand for it.”

William walked over to the chair and bent to Richard. Whispering something quickly in his ear that made Richard nod in agreement, he looked back up at Michael and calmed himself.

“Very well. Go prove my point, you insolent child. Go back to her, try and retrieve her. If she won’t agree, then my point is proven. I’ve heard various reports that she might have more sense than you anyway.” He shook his head in disgust. “In three hours, the Royal Family is leaving the United States. And if I have to drug you and have you put on that plane in a coma, I will. I swear it on God and Country.”

Michael knew his brother too well to doubt him. Turning on his heels, he stalked out of the suite and headed for the elevators. The men with him quickly followed.

“Something is going on,” Michael said to Geoff. “Find out what it is for me.”

Nodding, Geoff got onto the elevator with him. “We have to hurry, Your Highness.”

“I know,” Michael said, looking down at his watch. He only prayed that Hope would follow him.