The Controversial Princess (The Smoke & Mirrors Duology #1)(61)

“Your Highness.” He performs the customary greeting. “Enjoying the champagne?”

“I’m sorry, you are?” I ask, seeing Damon moving in quickly.

“Not quite a whole bottle of Belvedere, though, eh?”

I frown, looking at my glass, confused. It is then I spot his camera bag resting on his hip. My heart jumps.

“How many men did you share a bed with, ma’am? Two? Three? We heard it was three. Can you confirm that?”

“Excuse me?” I cough, astounded by his rudeness.

“We were told there was cocaine, too. Care to comment?” He moves in, his phone in his hand.

“I was enjoying my thirtieth birthday. There were no drugs, and there was no sex.”

“And the man in the picture. He’s your lover, right? What about Haydon Sampson? Is a proposal from him definitely off the cards?”

“Enough.” Kim is by my side in a second as Damon seizes the journalist, who struggles boldly, continuing to shout his incriminating questions.

“Oh!” I stagger forward when I’m jolted during the scuffle, my palms coming up to save me.

“I’ve got you.” Josh catches me, righting me with ease, and I look into eyes full of concern, tinged at the corners by rage.

“I’m okay,” I murmur, dropping my eyes. “Thank you.”

He doesn’t let go of me, watching on as Damon manhandles the journalist out of the gallery, taking his phone as he does. “No comment, ma’am,” Kim hisses. “Always no bloody comment.”

I breathe back my nerves, unable to stop my shakes. “I can’t believe that.”

“Everything cool?” Josh asks, letting me gently break away from him.

“Yes, everything is cool,” Kim retorts, turning into me. “What did he say? What did you say?”

“Nothing. He was just trying to put words in my mouth.”

“Damn republicans.” Kim scans the gallery. “Time to go. Where’s Damon gone, for God’s sake?”

“I’ll walk her out,” Josh interjects.

Kim’s disgusted face tells everyone what she thinks of that idea. “I don’t need any fuel adding to the fire, thanks,” she says as Damon strides back through the crowds, his hand held to his ear. “We’re leaving,” Kim informs him.

Josh moves into me quickly, his hand wrapping around my wrist, his mouth dropping to my ear. “See me again,” he whispers. “Tell me you’ll see me again.”

“I … I can’t.”

“Yes, you can.”

“No, I—” I’m pulled abruptly from Josh’s hold by Damon. He says nothing as he places his hand in the small of my back, lightly pushing me onward. I look over my shoulder as I’m directed to the exit, finding Josh not far behind, his jaw tight. Kim’s trying to convince him to hold back, and the other guests are starting to recognize him, people moving in from every direction to crowd him as he tries to bump his way through. His eyes never leave mine.

“Pay attention, Adeline,” Damon orders as we make it onto the street, and I’m forced to rip my stare from Josh’s. The car door is held open for me by one of Damon’s men, his watchful eyes scanning the area. I slide into the seat and quickly move across when I see Eddie being led to the car by another one of Damon’s team. He falls in beside me and is immediately on my case. But not about what should be being addressed here.

“You and Jameson,” he says accusingly as the door is shut behind him, closing off the flashes of a million cameras.

I sit back in my seat and look directly forward at the back of Damon’s head. “There is no me and Jameson.”

“Then what the hell is he doing here?”

“Buying art, I expect.” The car pulls off quickly once Kim’s in the passenger seat.

“Addy, I know what I saw just then. This is bad news.” His hand goes to his forehead and rubs. “They’ll never allow it.”

“There is nothing to allow,” I grate, my frustration building. I know my brother is only trying to protect me from the inevitable strong-arm of the royal household. And protect Josh too, really. He has so much to lose. Being discredited by the British Royal—

“I hope so,” Eddie mutters as I fish through my purse for my mobile when it chimes. I discreetly turn the screen away from Eddie when I see who has sent me a message.

Either tell Damon to pull over, or I’ll stop your car in the middle of Oxford Circus.

Your call, Your Highness.

I look out the back window on a skip of a few heartbeats, scanning the darkness. I can only see headlights.

“Yes,” Damon says to one of his men through his earpiece, looking up at his rearview mirror. “Run a check on the plate.”

“What’s going on?” Eddie shoots forward in his seat, worried.

“Unknown vehicle following,” Damon informs him, cool as can be, clipped and to the point.

Eddie immediately looks out of the back window too, and I begin to sweat as I reread Josh’s message. The unknown vehicle. It’s him. I know it’s him. At that very second, Damon’s eyes catch mine in the mirror, and I sense that someone’s confirmed who is in the unidentified car. I force a smile, and he shakes his head, returning his attention to the road. “For fuck’s sake,” he mutters. He rarely swears, so to hear him do so now, I know he’s exasperated. And rightly so. Josh needs to pull back before this blows up.