The Royal Arrangement

Chapter 15

Please feel free to point out if there are any plot or detail errors, I'm trying to make sure nothing is going round in circles and I get everything right, but it's been a while since I've written this story. x

Adeline's POV

When we got back to our apartments, Lorenzo excused himself to his office for a few hours. I decided I would just relax for a while, I felt like I hadn’t been able to for a while, but now things were back on track. I knew my old plan for my future would never be carried out now, but it felt good to have at least a part of it.

I was laying on the sofa, curled up with cushions surrounding me and was halfway through watching Captain America: Civil War when Lorenzo left his office and came in and sat on the sofa next to the one I was taking up.

‘’Team Cap or team Iron Man?’’ He asked lightly.

‘’Team Iron Man, one hundred percent.’’ I answered, letting out a small laugh. He responded with a big smile.

‘’Good, I don’t think this marriage would work if you were team Cap.’’ He teased.

I let out a proper laugh that time and nodded in agreement. In that moment it hit me how I had unconsiously become suprisingly comfortable just sitting here with him, talking about little things like this. It just felt natural, but that thought scared me. Lorenzo’s smile slowly slipped from his face, and it was replaced with a heavy expression of concern and reluctance.

‘’Adeline,’’ he started warily. I paused the film and sat up to face him properly. He took a deep breath and continued. ‘’I got a call from my father, he is demanding our attendance at a family dinner tonight.’’

I froze. I knew I would have to meet the king properly at some point, but I had hoped to avoid it for a while longer. He was the sole reason I was here, and although I was growing more comfortable around Lorenzo, I still missed the life I could’ve had if I was still just Adeline Willcombe. I noticed Lorenzo carefully analysing my reaction, trying to gauge what I was thinking.

‘’I promise, I’ll be there all night, you won’t be left alone with him, and if he steps over the line we will leave.’’ He tried reassuring me.

‘’Ok.’’ I said with a deep breath. I looked down at the joggers and and old t-shirt I had changed into when we got back earlier. ‘’I guess I’ll have to get dressed up then.’’

Lorenzo chuckled in relief, I was evidently taking this better than he thought I would have. ‘’Yeah, just put a nice dress on or something. Family dinners are always pretty formal.’’ I nodded and left to get ready.

Half an hour later I met Lorenzo back in our foyer. I almost tripped over myself when I saw him. He wore a tight white shirt that made it painfully obvious that he spent a lot of time in the gym,  and dress trousers that hugged him in all the right places. Whether the fit of the clothing was intentional or not, he looked like a sinfully perfect Adonis. I moved my eyes back up to his face and noticed a smirk painted there. Shit. He caught me checking him out. I lowered my head, allowing my hair to fall around my face and hide my blushing cheeks. Lorenzo stepped forward and gripped my chin, pulling my eyes up to meet his.

‘’You look perfect, Adeline.’’ he rasped. It only made me blush further. I started to feel uncomfortable with how close and intimate the moment had become. He sensed this and stepped back, releasing my face as he did. The guards opened the doors for us as I composed myself and we started the walk down to the main family wing, where dinner would be hosted.
Ten minutes later we stopped before the doors to the family dining room. The guards turned to announce our arrival to the people already inside, but Lorenzo held up his hand to stop them.