Once Upon A Royal Matrimony

12. invisible line

Eden Salvatore

I disliked the duke. From his egotistical grin to the very end of his bones. I wondered how his veins would feel like between my palm when I tore it out of his throat. Zachary Hasting was an annoying motherfucker.

But, he was my wife's brother and best friend. Very fucking great. They were close, too close they could have been perfect lovers. I could feel the desires he had for her miles away. I barely talked to the guy but I sure as hell observed his every moves.

Went away to explore world for a decade and he chose to come back now, the same time the princess came back, when she was married and ready to take the throne. Did he come back to be there for his friend or did he have something else in mind. I was going to fucking find out.

She was my duty, no matter how miserable it was to deal with her.

" You didn't get along well with Zach. " the duty asked, looking at me with her big pretty doe eyes.

They were the color of chocolate, dark brown and round liked Oreos. I would kill for some Oreos right now.

I cleared my throat. " I don't like him. "

" Why not? " she suddenly jerked up from her seat.

" He annoyed me. " I said and Thane muttered a small " Typical " under his breath from the driver's seat.

" Is there a possibility that you might be jealous? " she cocked her head up, narrowing her eyes at me.

When was the last time, I had Oreos. Last night. Did Thane forget to restock the drawer at my office? I sighed looking away from her eyes.

" I wasn't jealous. I was being your husband. "

" Make it make sense, my darling husband. " she raised an eyebrow in amusement.

I sighed again. " It wasn't jealousy. It was self respect. You can be involved with as many lovers as you want. I really don't care. But, not in public, not in front of me, in my face where I will be humiliated and pitied as the stupid husband. "

Amusement vanished from her eyes. Her palms balled into fists, I could see her biting into the flesh of her bottom lip liked she was trying to hold herself. She tore her eyes off of me and turned forward, glaring into spaces. I continued.

" When you're tired of hiding and finally want to be free with the man you truly love, come to me and I will sign. "

A drop of tear fell down her rosy cheek when the car came to an abrupt in front of our house. She angrily wiped it away before turning to me.

" Tell me, my prince, when did you lose all the respect you have for me? Or is it never there at all? I seduced my lawfully wedded husband into liking me and suddenly I am the whore of London? Do you really think that low of me? That I would crawl into another man's bed, not one but multiples, just because dearest husband is emotionally unavailable? You don't want me, I can take that but to humiliate and accuse me of something this disgusting. I really thought we had a chance, Eden Salvatore. " she said.

Then the car was dropped dead silent. I watched the water that threatened to spill out of her red eyes, I could almost hear her heart beating inside her chest. Thane was as still as a plague. I didn't say a word. Adalina let out a humorless chuckle before getting off the car and slammed the door shut.

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes. She walked away because I fucked up, crossing an invisible line. Mother would have killed me on the spot.

" That was harsh. " Thane mumbled.

" Was it really that harsh? " I leaned my head on the seat, rubbing my temples.

" You told her to sneak around with her many lovers behind your back just so you won't look stupid to the tons. "

" I want her to be happy without me. "

" You indirectly called the crowned princess an unfaithful wife or the more accurate term, a slutty whore with many lovers. " Thane winced.

Mother would definitely murder me with her bare hands and father would be laughing his ass off in the background.

It was three in the morning, I sat behind the desk in my new office. The words on my patient's file started to blur into nothingness as my mind faded away, replaying the scene in the car when we were on our way back from the palace. I shifted uneasily in my chair remembering the tear that escaped her eyes.

Even the most annoying self centered too bold for her own good person on earth such as herself had a weak line. My words, they hurt her liked a stick breaking her bones.

I was an asshole but I had been one since birth. I didn't intend to change.

Cursing under my breath, I shoved another Oreo in my mouth. I made her cry twice in a day, mother must be so fucking proud to use her gun on me.

Sighing, I rose from my seat and out of the office door. The long hallway of this castle was colder than yesterday, I listened to my own footsteps admiring the moonlight through the tall glass window. It was dead silence but the voices in my head were louder than ever. I let out a long breath feeling at peace, just me and my own thoughts. I stopped in front the door of our supposed bedroom. I let my fingers wrapped around the cold doorknob twisting it as quietly as I possibly could and then the door creak open.

She sat in front of the glass door that lead to the balcony, knees up to her chest. Her white dress shined under the moonlit night and golden hair flew to her back as the wind brushed past her. I felt brain jerked inside my skull when she turned her gaze toward me.

" You're not in bed. " I said, stepping inside.

" Don't talk to me. You're not my favorite person today. " she grumbled, turning away.

" You're not my favorite on any day. " I mumbled under my breath.

She was on her feet and before I could blink she was in front of me, familiar fire dancing across her eyes. I took a step back and she forward. Another step back, my back was against the door. I stared at her trying to figure her next move but she was more complicated than all the math and science I did in school.

I never knew what to do with her.

She leaned closer until her breath fanned my neck and lips faintly brushed on the skin of my neck. Unfamiliar feeling, unwanted sensation I felt my skin crawling but I never looked away.

" I'm going to fucking break you, Eden Salvatore. " then she slipped past me into the darkness behind our door.

I stared into empty space, the feeling of her lips on my skin, sternness in her voice. It was a promise she didn't intend to break. Her words were not the empty threats I would take so lightly. She was determined.

And, I knew she was coming for me.

➺ ♕ ↞

A/N: you really thought Eden was jealous huh? sorry to break this to you, lol.