“What are you thinking about?”
“You. Us. What it would be like to build a life with you.”
He grins. “Beautiful thought, isn’t it?”
We turn the corner, and that’s when I see the four guards waiting. They’re on both sides of the cottage, standing on the gravel path. Louis’s hand tightens on mine, and he moves me closer to him.
“What is this?” His voice changes completely. The softness is replaced by something more demanding. “Why are you here?”
None of them answer or even look at him. They’re focused on me.
“Stay here.” He drops my hand and strides toward them. “I asked you a question, and I’m ordering you to answer me immediately.”
The cottage door opens, and a guard steps out, carrying boxes. Another staffer hauls my painting supplies.
“Hey!” I move forward. “Those are my things. What are?—”
A guard steps into my path and grabs my arm. His fingers dig into my biceps, and I can smell his sweat.
“Miss Cross, you’re being removed from the premises.”
“What? No. I need to?—”
“Let go of her.” Louis’s voice is lethal. “Take your hands off her.Now.”
He’s full of rage, ready to fight, but the guard doesn’t release me.
Another one moves in on my other side and secures my other arm, and suddenly, I’m being walked toward a car idling on the driveway.
How did this day turn so ugly?
“Please,” I say. “Please, let’s discuss this. I need to?—”
“There is nothing to discuss. You no longer have clearance to be on the property, Miss Cross.”
“I said, let her go!” Louis lunges forward and shoves the guard on my right, breaking his grip on my arm. “That’s an order!”
For one second, I’m free. Louis pulls me behind him, positioning himself between the guards and me, and I clutch the back of his jacket.
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper behind him. “This is my fault.”
He doesn’t get a chance to respond because more guards round the corner and come up from behind us. We’re surrounded by five, six, maybe ten men. The queen sent an army of men, and I lose count. They’re moving fast, faces blank, and I understand this was planned. His mother knew exactly where we’d go this morning, and she was waiting for this.
“Your Highness”—one of the new guards steps forward—“please step away from Miss Cross.”
“No.”
“Sir, we don’t want to use force. But we have orders to do so if neces?—”
“I don’t give a damn about your orders. She’snotgoing anywhere.”
“This is your final chance to please step away, Your Highness.”
“Fuck you,” he says, and they rush us.
Two of them grab Louis from behind and jerk him away from me. He throws an elbow that connects with someone’s jaw, but there are too many of them. Four more pile on, forcing his arms behind his back, driving him to his knees on the gravel as they rip me away from him.
“Louis!” I try to go to him, but hands clasp around me. They’re much rougher this time, not caring. One steps on my dress, and the material of the skirt rips. “Get off me! Let him go!” I’m screaming at the top of my lungs as tears stream down my face.
