Seduced (Royal Expat Series Book #1) Page 15

  “Above everything else, I’ve just wanted the freedom to make my own decisions. I like to take life as it comes and enjoy the opportunities which are out there without being forced to do something for someone else, the way I have my whole life.

  “I guess that is what appeals to me about travelling with you. But it’s more than that. Since I met you, my life changed. The way I see things has changed. Being with you makes me feel complete. I think we could do amazing things together. I don’t know what yet. All I know is that I want to be with you…that is, if you feel the same way.”

  “Of course I feel the same way. I sometimes can’t believe my luck that I met you. Why would I give that up?” Damian said, sending her a crooked smile. “But what about your family? I know you said they’re strict, but you love them, don’t you? Do you want them to worry?”

  “I’m scared,” admitted Matilda. “You don’t know my father. If he knew I’d run off with a man and planned to travel around America, he might force me to come home right away.”

  “In my experience, parents only want what is best for their children,” Damian said. “Besides, if you’re always running away from your father’s wishes, you’ll never be able to be truly happy.”

  “That’s true,” Matilda said. “I think it would always be a small doubt in the back of my mind. But what else can I do?”

  “You have to face up to him,” Damian said simply. “Just tell him the truth. You’re an adult, you’re mature and strong, and you have a good man who cares about you. That doesn’t mean you are a bad daughter. It just means you choose to go in your own direction.”

  “What if he doesn’t understand?” Matilda asked nervously.

  “You can never know for sure unless you talk to him and tell him the truth,” said Damian. “You should at least talk to him, otherwise you’ll always be running.”

  “You’re right,” Matilda agreed. “But what if he does force me home? What if we lose each other?”

  Damian leaned forwards, stroking the hair out of her face and caressing her cheek gently. He looked deep into her eyes with his piercing grey ones, and gave her a warm smile which made her heart turn cartwheels.

  “I promise that I will never let that happen,” he said. “I’ll never let you go, Matilda. Not even your ogre of a father can keep us apart.”

  He kissed her fiercely, as if claiming her for his own, and Matilda responded with equal passion, as if that kiss was the only thing shielding her from harm.

  -

  They left the diner and got back in the car, enjoying their journey through the small town and down a series of winding country roads before heading back to the highway to continue their journey west.

  “So, are you going to call them?” Damian asked.

  “I would, but I don’t have any internet connection here,” Matilda said. “I usually use Skype to call. I don’t even know if my phone can make a call to England.”

  “Oh, well that is a problem,” Damian admitted. “How about we find an exit along the highway and hit up a hotel or restaurant or something? They usually have wifi, and you can call your parents from there.”

  “Just my dad, actually,” Matilda corrected him. “I never knew who my mother was; my dad was married to my stepmum when I was born, so my sister is really my half-sister.”

  “Well, I’m sure she’ll be worried about you too,” Damian said. “We’ll pull over as soon as we find somewhere; it might be a few miles. In a place like this, there can be quite a long space between exits.”

  “Well, there’s no rush,” Matilda smiled. “It’s nice just to get some time alone with you.”

  “Maybe I should speak to your parents too? You know, to convince them that I’m not just some guy trying to whisk off their daughter into the sunset,” Damian teased.

  “But you are trying to whisk me off into the sunset,” Matilda pointed out.

  “Yes, but they don’t need to know that,” Damian laughed.

  “Well, I’m sure I’ll be able to explain everything,” Matilda said.

  At that moment, she caught sight of flashing lights in the mirror, and heard the wail of a siren.

  “I wonder what happened.” Matilda mused.

  “Damn it; they want me to pull over,” Damian muttered.

  “Were you speeding?” Matilda asked, confused.

  “No. There shouldn’t be any trouble. Sometimes the police just like to hassle you,” Damian said.

  “Oh,” Matilda said. There was a faint ache of worry in her stomach, but she trusted Damian. He wasn’t drunk or on drugs, and he was a sensible person. There wouldn’t be any reason for the police to bother them. Somehow, though, she couldn’t quite shake the feeling that something was horribly wrong.

  She watched nervously as Damian opened the window for the approaching policeman.

  “Good morning, officer,” he said politely. “Can I help you?”

  “Do you own this vehicle, sir?”

  “Yes, I do,” Damian confirmed.

  “Can I see your license?”

  Matilda bit her lip as Damian obligingly showed his license, followed by a sequence of other papers for the car and insurance. Was this normal? The policeman hadn’t even told Damian that he was doing anything wrong.

  Finally, the policeman finished studying the papers and handed them back to Damian. He leaned down and peered over to the passenger seat, looking at Matilda.

  “What’s your name, ma’am?” he asked.

  “M-Matilda,” Matilda answered, her stomach knotting with anxiety. Why was he talking to her?

  “Officer, is there a problem?” Damian interjected, obviously irritated that the policeman was trying to hassle her.

  “Indeed there is,” he acknowledged. “There’s an alert out across all the states for a vehicle with this registration.”

  “An alert?” Damian sounded surprised. “An alert about what?”

  “Well, all I know is that I’m going to have to make a call to the station,” the policeman said. “Can I ask you to hand over the keys for the vehicle?”

  Damian looked both confused and angry, but he handed over the keys; what else could he do?

  Matilda’s fear was mounting by the second. What was going on? Was this because of her, or was there something else at work? Surely Colin wouldn’t have made any moves knowing that she had such strong evidence against him. She found Damian’s hand, holding it tightly, as if to communicate here worry through the contact.

  “It’ll be fine,” he said soothingly. “We have nothing to worry about.”

  It was hard to relax when you know that a horde of policeman are on their way to interrogate you, and the next 20 minutes were tense and silent. Damian tried a few times to start a conversation, but Matilda was too consumed with worry to carry it on for more than a minute or two.

  “What if this is about Colin?” Matilda said after the conversation had foundered for the third time.

  “Then you’ll just have to be brave and tell the truth,” Colin reassured her. “I won’t let anyone touch you, Matilda. I promise.”

  At that moment, the original policeman came over to the car again and tapped on the window. Damian opened it, and the policeman peered in apologetically.

  “Sorry about that. It turns out that nobody at the station knew anything, so we had to make a few phone calls.”

  “So we’re free to go?” Matilda asked hopefully.

  “I’m afraid not, ma’am. I’ll have to take you both down to the nearest station and hold you until you can be processed.”

  “Processed? What does that mean? Can you please tell us what’s going on?” Damian asked, an edge of anger in his voice.

  “All I know is that there’s a warrant issued for your arrest,” the policeman said to Damian, “and that this young lady is an illegal alien. She’ll likely be deported.”

  “What?” Damian roared, causing the policeman to lean back a little in alarm. “She’s not illegal—you’ve got a visa, haven’t you? Sh
ow him,” Damian insisted.

  “I—I have a work visa,” Matilda stuttered. She had only just thought about it. If she was no longer working, her visa wouldn’t be valid. “I quit the job…”

  “Well, all I know is what I’ve been told,” the policeman said with an air of finality. “Now, I have to drive you to the station, and from there I’ll hand you over to whoever it was who ordered these warrants in the first place.”

  Mechanically, they got out of the car and into the back of the police car. They weren’t handcuffed, but it still felt to Matilda as if she had been caught red-handed doing something wrong. And maybe she had. If her visa had been revoked, she was illegal. But Damian arrested? What was going on?

  There was a sick feeling in her stomach, a feeling she recognized. Whatever was happening, she was sure that it was Colin’s doing. She held Damian’s hand tightly for the entire journey. Somehow, his presence made her feel comforted. Even in this situation, she knew that if she could stay with Damian, everything would be OK. If they were separated…she wasn’t sure if her heart could stand it.

  Her mind was spinning with possibilities, and she was terrified that Colin might have talked to her father, maybe even shown him the photos. But whatever happened, she had evidence against him. If only she had had the time to copy it onto something.

  “Excuse me,” she spoke up.

  “Yes, ma’am?” the policeman asked, as Damian glanced at her curiously.

  “I think that there’s been some misunderstanding,” she said.

  “That’ll all be sorted out down at the station.”

  “I understand, but I have reason to believe that someone is trying to hurt me. I have evidence against that person, but I’m afraid he’ll try to destroy it.”

  “You can talk to the people at the station about that,” the policeman repeated.

  “You don’t understand,” Matilda said. “It has to be now. Listen to this message!”

  She got out her phone and found the message, hitting play. The car was filled with the sound of Colin’s assault on her, and his confession to blackmail and attempted rape was crystal clear.

  As the message played out, Damian’s face turned white with anger, and he held her hand so tight that it almost hurt. As the recording came to its end, the silence which filled the car was almost solid.

  “I just wanted a witness to hear that,” Matilda said into the thick silence. “I think this man is trying to get to me, and I wanted there to be a witness to what he tried to do to me. Colin Astor tried to rape me, and he blackmailed me.”

  “…you’ll have to sort this out at the station,” the policeman said uncomfortably. “I don’t know anything that’s going on here.”

  “I just wanted someone else to hear the evidence,” Matilda said quietly.

  “Matilda, I promise I won’t let him hurt you ever again,” Damian said, his entire voice laced with suppressed rage. “I’m so, so sorry that you had to go through that. We’ll sort this out. I give you my word.”

  When they finally reached the station, a group of policemen were waiting for them. To Matilda, with their guns strapped to their waists, they looked like a firing squad.

  “Matilda Stuart? Come with us, please,” a burly policeman said, his voice a deep baritone.

  “Not without Damian,” she said stubbornly. “Neither of us have done anything wrong and I’ll not be separated.”

  “Don’t worry, for now we’re just going to hold Mr. Knight. We need to ask you a few questions,” the policeman reassured her.

  Matilda looked desperately at Damian, but he nodded, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

  “Just go along with it for now,” he said. “Tell the truth and we’ll sort it out.”

  Unable to protest, Matilda allowed herself to be taken along a stark corridor, ending in a security checking area, much as you would find at an airport.

  “We’re going to do a search,” the deep-voiced policeman said. “Please put any electronics aside.”

  “But—my phone—,” protested Matilda.

  “It will be returned to you later,” the policeman reassured her, plucking it from her hand and placing it in a plastic tray.

  “No! I have to keep it. It’s the only protection I have,” she insisted.

  “Against what?” a familiar voice said. Matilda spun around and came face to face with Colin.

  Matilda felt all the blood rush from her face. She felt light-headed and almost fainted. It was only the superior smirk on Colin’s face which made her fight back and pull herself together. How had he found her? Why was he here? Was he really going to try and win, with the evidence she had against him? She had thought that she was safe, protected against his malice, but here he was, trying to wrap his clammy fingers around her throat once again.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice much smaller than she wanted it to be.

  “My job,” Colin replied easily. “Your father sent me here to protect you. Now that you’ve run off with some irresponsible, unemployed wastrel, it was my duty to inform him.”

  “You…” Matilda’s mouth went dry.

  “Of course he contacted the government immediately, and your visa was revoked. Since you left your job anyway, you are, as of now, illegal in this country.”

  “But…” Matilda didn’t know what to say. He had her there. With all the excitement of the past few days, she hadn’t thought this far ahead. What could she do now? Claim asylum? It seemed ridiculous even in her head. All she knew was that she had to stay out of Colin’s clutches no matter what.

  “Look—this man is dangerous,” Matilda said, directing her comment to the policeman. Don’t believe what he says. Just give me my phone and I can prove it. Where is it?”

  She looked into the evidence tray where she had placed it moments before, but it was gone. The policeman looked just as confused as her, but one look at Colin’s face told her the answer. He must have taken it when nobody else was looking. That was it. That was the only piece of evidence she had to defend herself with.

  “Matilda!” she spun around as she heard Damian’s voice behind her. Another policeman was escorting him down the corridor, obviously assuming they had moved on by now. “You!” Damian snarled as he saw Colin. “I’ll kill you, I swear!”

  “Now, now.” Colin’s crisp English accent sounded mocking and overstated in the small town police station. “No need to get violent in front of these upstanding officers of the law.”

  Damian just scowled, his face glowing with hatred.

  “What have you told the police?” Matilda asked, her voice trembling even though she tried to keep it steady.

  “The truth. That you are to be escorted back home. Your father himself signed a statement to that effect.”

  “You talked to my father?” Matilda knew that her voice contained all the horror that she felt, and Colin grinned a vampiric grin.

  “I explained the situation to him. But don’t worry, all I used was words.”

  Matilda knew that this meant he hadn’t shown her father the photos. In the end, he hadn’t needed to. She had run away, an act that, out of context, seemed reckless and irresponsible. She had played straight into his hands, and now he was able to reserve his blackmail for a later occasion, if he chose. She felt stupid, humiliated and angry.

  “He doesn’t have the right to revoke her visa,” Damian protested. “It’s true that she quit her job, but can’t she get a tourist visa? It doesn’t seem fair to just drag her out of the country.”

  “Ah, she never told you?” Colin’s eyes lit up gleefully. “You’re not looking at just anyone. You’re looking at a royal princess. Her father is a prince, so he’s allowed to do pretty much anything he likes.”

  “What?” Damian blinked, looking at Matilda as if he had never really seen her before. “You’re what?”

  “A princess,” Colin repeated helpfully. “Or at least the daughter of a prince. She’s a member of the British Royal Family.”

>   “A royal?” Damian repeated, still looking into Matilda’s face. She looked into his eyes miserably, and saw the conflict there.

  “I wanted to tell you,” she said. “I just didn’t want you to define me by who my family is.”

  “But you lied to me,” Damian said. “A royal…”

  “I’m still me,” Matilda tried.

  “And you’re still coming home,” Colin said decidedly. “Your father has organized a private plane at the nearest airport. Unfortunately I can’t accompany you, but I’ll be sending all my best wishes.”

  Matilda knew that there was no way to protest. She was illegal, and there was no way to stay here without breaking some extremely serious laws. She looked at Damian, who still had an expression as if he had been punched in the stomach. Her heart felt empty, as if all his love for her had suddenly been grabbed and pulled out.

  “Damian?” she asked. He looked at her, but his gray eyes were vacant.

  “Ah yes, now Mr. Knight,” gloated Colin. “I asked the police to arrange an arrest warrant when I thought the worst and feared that you had abducted our Royal Highness. Now, if that was the truth of the matter, I will press charges and make sure you never see the light of day again.”

  “It’s not true,” Matilda shouted out, fear grabbing her once more. “I went with him willingly. I love him!”

  “Manipulated,” Colin said sadly. “Anyway, princess, your father would never allow you to attend the trial. If, however,” he addressed Damian again, “this was all a tragic mistake, I’ll be lenient.

  “All you have to do is agree never to try and lay a finger on our princess ever again, and you’ll walk free. What will it be?”

  Matilda looked desperately from Damian to Colin. It was a terrible ultimatum—prison or never being able to see each other again. Either way was hopeless, but even so, somewhere in her heart she hoped that Damian would pull out a trump card. He was her white knight. It was the time for him to save her.

  Without so much as looking at her, Damian said, “I’ll go free.”

  “Just like that? You won’t try and make trouble?” Colin asked.