Xander is such a good man, and I’m so grateful he will always be mine to love.
“I love you,” I say.
“I love you, too,” Xander says.
Then his lips brush against mine in a tender, sweet kiss. I drink him in, kissing him gently, delicately, with all the love I have in my heart for him.
He breaks the kiss and nuzzles his nose to mine.
“There are a whole bunch of people upstairs who want to know what the hell is happening down here,” he murmurs.
I manage a small laugh. “I’m glad we get to tell them everything is as it should be.”
“Me, too,” he says, kissing my forehead. “We should go back upstairs.”
I nod. Xander rises from the bed, then extends his hand to mine and pulls me up into his arms. I feel his hands span my back, and warmth spreads through me.
“I can’t tell you how relieved I am that I’m holding you,” Xander whispers. “I was terrified you were going to say no.”
I brush his hair back off his forehead. “I know the road ahead is going to be bumpy and difficult. I will have to compromise. I will have to give up my privacy in public. Yet I know without a doubt, that this is exactly what I want to do. Those sacrifices are worth it if I get to love you.”
He dips his head and kisses me again.
“All right. Let’s go,” Xander says, once again taking my hand in his. He leads me out of the bedroom and up the stairs. As soon as we’re on the main floor, I find a living room full of people. I blink in surprise. Not only do I see Clementine and Christian, Liz and Roman, and Amelia and Victoria, but Jillian and Helene, too.
“Oh!” I blurt out.
Christian studies me, his eyes shifting down to my hand, which is wrapped around Xander’s, then back up to my face. And a brilliant smile lights up his face.
“Did you get this one sorted out, Poppy?” he asks wryly. “He was rather … intense when he arrived.”
I can’t help but laugh. “No. Xander sorted me out. I’m sorry I put all of you through this drama.”
“So, everything is fine?” Bella asks anxiously.
I smile at my new friend, the one who made all the difference in the world this evening.
“It’s better than fine. And I owe you so much. More than you can ever know.”
The attention of everyone in the room shifts to Bella in curiosity. Her cheeks flush prettily in response.
“It was nothing. All that matters is that you two are okay,” she says.
“Thank God for that,” Liz says, exhaling. “Whilst I’m sorry for the circus you have entered by joining our lot, we didn’t want to lose you.”
“She,” Xander says, drawing me into his side, “is not going anywhere.”
“I’m sorry for all the drama. For ruining your Saturday night,” I say, warmth pooling in my cheeks.
“Please, if you thought that was drama, you haven’t been around us long enough,” Victoria teases.
“Oh, there was drama,” Xander says, his voice taking on an angry edge. “And it was caused by my mother.”
“What do you mean?” Roman asks.
“Like an idiot, I told both her and my father about Poppy ahead of our dinner next week. I even told them about the shopping trip Poppy was taking with Bella. I know she tipped Dishing Weekly off so they could trail Poppy today. She used everything I said, tapping into her contacts, and twisted it into that awful article that was released today.”
“Oh my God,” Bella gasps.
“Hmm. I give her credit. She skipped right past tea and went for the jugular,” Liz says archly.
“After I take Poppy home,” Xander says, his voice seething with anger, “I’m going to Buckingham Palace for a little chat with my mother. She has gone a bridge too far with me.”
I turn and look up at him, shocked by this statement. “What?”
“She’s not getting away with this. I have leverage with her. And I will use it,” Xander says.
Everyone begins talking, but my mind is working.
In the car today, Amelia told me how Queen Antonia threatened Liz and humiliated Roman. Jillian explained how she tried to drive a wedge between Christian and Clementine. And outside of her sons, I don’t think Queen Antonia is used to people pushing back on her. Standing up and putting her in her place.
She gets her leverage by going after what her enemies hold dear.
I blink. But Xander is the one royal who has some power over