“Never,” I tell him, shoving at him. Naturally, the stubborn bastard doesn’t budge. Thankfully, or really not so thankfully since they’re all jumping and piling on his back, adding to the weight on top of me, the kids come to my rescue. It doesn’t take long before we’re all screaming and laughing and soaked and freezing cold.
Rowan has the brilliant suggestion of hot chocolate, and then we’re all back inside where it’s warm and dry, shucking off our wet snow things and getting back into cozy pajamas, snow people all but forgotten for today.
Hours later we’re in front of the huge stone fireplace, lazy and half drunk from the wine with dinner. We feasted on an incredible meal Margarite and Emily made for us and then each devoured our weight in chocolate cake and decadent bonbon-type things that are a very popular dessert here in Messalina. It’s getting late, but none of us seem to care. Zayer is half asleep on me, Sebastian is doing a bit of work on his laptop while Rowan is working on a five-hundred-piece puzzle with Phaedra and Sabrina.
“Happy birthday.” My head rolls back, and I find Altheastanding behind me with a smile. She juts her chin toward whatever it is she dropped beside me. “Go on. Open it up.”
Sebastian puts his laptop away and grabs Zayer, hauling him onto his lap.
“Wait!” Phaedra cries. “If we’re doing presents, I want to get ours.”
The girls run out of the room, and I glance back at Althea. “You didn’t have to do this. Any of this.”
“Nonsense. It’s your birthday.”
“Ours first,” Sabrina demands as both she and Phaedra climb on the couch on the other side of what is now becoming a pile of presents as Rowan adds his in there. She hands me the present that’s from all the children, which is a box wrapped clearly by them in green paper.
I tear off the handmade construction paper card and nearly burst into tears when I read it.
To Bellamy, our beautiful friend. We love you so much. Happy birthday.
Love, Phaedra, Sabrina, and Zayer
“I love you all too!”I tell them and go after the paper on the box, only to actually break into tears when I see what it is. “An iPad.”
They bought me an iPad.
“Why are you crying? Do you not like it? You told us you wanted one. Remember?” Sabrina says. “You were using Papa’s and I asked you why and you told me you were never able to afford your own. So we got it for you.”
“I love it. That’s why I’m crying.” I wipe my face, feeling foolish. “These are happy tears.” Setting the white box down, Iget up and hug each of them fiercely, kissing their faces. “Thank you, my legendary princess and my queen and my favorite little man. Thank you.”
“This is from me,” Rowan says with a slight smirk, nudging his gift bag in my direction. It looks very professional. “I already know you’ll love it because I’m awesome and a master of gifts.”
Now I straight up roll my eyes, but that doesn’t stop me from diving into his present. “Oh my god!” I cry out, immediately recovering the package.
He chuckles. “Thought it all might come in handy. My room isn’t too far away from Sebastian’s in the palace if you know what I mean. Incidentally, my gift to myself for your birthday was a new set of noise-canceling headphones.”
And just like that, I’m a hundred different shades of red.
“What is it?” Phaedra asks, trying to go for the bag, but I quickly shift it away from her.
“Nothing. Just a joke from your silly Uncle Rowan.”
“Yes, please don’t show us,” Althea says, shaking her head and pursing her lips at Rowan. “I should have known you’d do something like that.”
“That’s because I’m the best,” he tells her cheekily. He grabs the bag from my hand and tosses it at Sebastian, who instinctively catches it. He leans in, whispering in Sebastian’s ear so the children can’t hear him. “You’re welcome, big brother. Just don’t scare our aunt with what’s in it and don’t scare away our beautiful new queen-to-be.”
Sebastian doesn’t even so much as peek inside the bag. Butt plugs and vibrating toys and lubricants and nipple clamps and yeah… I’m a fireball of embarrassment and lust. I won’t even lie about that.
Then there’s what he called me.ThatI can’t entertain. Because while this does all feel magical and special and likesomething out of a fairy tale, I’ve been educated enough to know all those notions are bullshit.
King’s mistress or not, I won’t be his queen. How could I be?
By the time we’re done with presents and another round of drinks and the hour is late and the children are asleep and we walk upstairs together, it’s easy to forget I’m the nanny and he is the king. This is a vacation, after all. An escape.
And if I try very hard, I won’t think about the fact that I’m wearing a massive diamond around my neck in the form of his heart.
Or the fact that I want this to be my life. Forever. When that’s all part of the fairy tale.
