I force my way through the crowd, Cedric trailing close, the anger flaring up all over again.
What the hell has that woman done this time? Everywhere she goes, there’s drama. And what the hell does she have to do with Damien?
I charge through the foyer into the front hall like a man possessed, then suddenly stop, frozen in place, convinced I’m seeing things.
Cedric bumps into me and starts to complain, but his words catch in his throat as he takes in what I see, hears what those jerks are saying, and watches what that crazy girl is doing.
Is she insane?
Her hand lashes out and lands hard on Robins’ cheek, and everything quickly spirals out of control. He grabs her and I rush forward to her side. The security team finally grasps the seriousness of the situation, and before I know it, Amelia is inmy arms. She looks at me with wide, terrified eyes, struggling fiercely against me.
“No. Don’t. Don’t touch me,” she pleads again and again, the desperation in her voice and the trembling of her slender body cutting deep into me.
She tries desperately to breathe but cannot; only wheezing gasps escape. For the first time, real fear grips me.
What the hell is going on?
“She’s having a panic attack. Get her to breathe steadily,” Cedric says, while Damien just stares at Amelia in shock.
“She tried to help me. She just went after him, even though I told her to stay behind me,” he stammers, completely shaken. Cedric pats him on the shoulder.
“Come on, bro, let’s get out of here and grab a drink. Nic’s got her.” He pulls the devastated Damien away into the hall, leaving me focused on Amelia.
My hands move to her cheeks, trying to get her to focus on me, but I can’t get through.
Fuck.
Just moments ago her blue eyes were filled with panic, now she is collapsed in my arms.
My gaze turns cold and deadly, landing on the bastards being held by security. A fury unlike anything I’ve ever known surges through me. I want to kill them. All of them. They touched Goldilocks. They scared her.
“Get them out of my sight and make sure they’re blacklisted from every event. I don’t want to see them anywhere,” I command coldly, and Robins scoffs.
“Like I care. My father is a senator. I can go wherever I damn well please,” he sneers arrogantly, clearly high. A dangerous grin spreads across my face.
“Try me. We’ll see what you’re allowed to do, and what not.”
I nod to security to remove them, then turn and carry Amelia away.
“Lia! What happened?” Lizzy suddenly appears out of nowhere like a bolt of lightning—of course she didn’t stay home as instructed—and falls in step beside me, eyes full of concern as she looks at Amelia.
“She tried to protect Damien and ended up going after Robins. Then she suddenly panicked and…”
I nod toward her limp body in my arms, and Lizzy huffs.
“That discriminatory, arrogant asshole has annoyed me for ages. Let him rot in hell for all I care. But we need to get her out of here before the paparazzi catch wind of this and swarm us with cameras. Eric is distracting them. We came in together, and that’s when I saw you.”
Lizzy scans the area, and a wave of relief washes over me because Eric knows exactly how to handle the press. It’s his job, and he’s got it covered.
“We’ll take the staff entrance at the back of the hall. It’s the only way. Come on!”
My sister gives me a pointed look, and I nod. She’s right. No one has really noticed what’s happened yet, but that won’t last long.
“Let’s move.” I motion for Lizzy to lead the way, pressing Amelia tightly against my chest. Her head rests beneath my chin, and having her close again somehow soothes me, even though part of me still wants to strangle her, even though I also want her as far away from me as possible.
We slip outside and into the waiting limo almost unnoticed, which then takes us back to the palace while Lizzy deals with our parents and the guests.
As quickly as possible, I carry Amelia into our apartment and lay her gently on the bed, gazing down at her. She’s incredibly pale, yet still stunning. Her curls have come loose from herupdo, now falling wildly around her head. The sight of her cuts into me like shards of glass.
