The Girl behind the Throne (Editing)

Chapter 10

'Liam?' I said in shock, looking at my ex-boyfriend's handsome face. He looked just as surprised to see me.

I looked up at Jamie, who was standing stock still, his hands still wrapped around my waist. 'Quickly, go into the woods.' I said, walking around him and pushing him gently. Jamie ran towards the thick copse of trees, and Liam's eyes followed his broad back, until the shadow's swallowed him from view. From behind, he just looked like a well built, blonde man, and I doubted that Liam had ever paid enough attention to anyone other than himself enough, to even think about who it could be.

If I wasn't so incredibly shocked, I would have laughed. It was like a vision, my toff ex-boyfriend, who dumped me for being of a lower class than him, had just caught me in a tender embrace with the Crown Prince of England.

'Tess, what are you doing here?' He asked, and I noticed that he was standing on the edge of the field, obviously one of the people who had been sitting in the garden enjoying the sun. I looked over his shoulder, recognising the shocking red hair of his best friend, Harris, who was still sitting on the garden deck.

Great, my surprise trip to 'cheer me up' was to my ex-boyfriend's equine farm.

'I'm here with Sloane.' I stammered quickly, she rented out the riding courses.

Liam's face looked like he just had sucked a lemon, there was no love lost between Sloane and Liam. Sloane had seen straight through Liam, calling him a two-bit wannabe fuck boy to his face on many occasions. Liam thought that Sloane was trashy, although, now that we had broken up, I recognised his antagonism towards my beautiful best friend as desire, though he would never admit it. Renting out an entire multi-million pound facility for an evening of delight, was very much something that Sloane would do.

'Who's he?' Liam asked, jerking his chin in the direction that Jamie had gone.

Relief swamped me, he clearly hadn't recognised Jamie.

'He's a friend.' I said with a stubborn lift of my chin. Liam had had many 'friends' while we had been together, and I could tell by his clenched jaw, that he had picked up on my usage of the word.

'I've been trying to get through to you.' Liam said, taking a step forward.

I took a step back.

'I've noticed. I'm sure you've noticed that I haven't replied.'

Liam exhaled heavily, running a hand through his short brown hair. 'Look, Tess, I didn't want for us to end that way. I still have feelings for you.'

I let out a short humourless chuckle. If Liam Blackwood was standing in front of me six months ago telling me he still had feelings for me, I would have jumped at the chance to get back together. Now, I felt nothing but mild disgust. I wasn't sure if it was because I just naturally got over Liam, and his terrible blip as my boyfriend, or because of the blonde haired prince who set my blood on fire.

'Ok, good for you.' I said with a bitter laugh, turning on my heel and walking back towards the horse, putting one foot in the stirrup, hand on the saddle and pulling myself up onto Garfield's back.

As I was about to urge the horse on, Liam jumped down after me, grabbing a hold of the reins and standing in front of the gentle, good mannered animal.

I looked down at Liam and sighed, pointedly staring at the reins in his hands.

'We have to talk. My parent's made me break up with you, it wasn't my choice.'