Annalise Stark, orphaned after losing her parents in the military, is desperate to find a way to pay off her sister's medical debts. She finds work at the palace, home to the infamous Prince William. Despite her efforts to ignore him, Annalise soon...
"She is full of wounds, riddled with scars, but she is still standing, and she is still beautiful." ~R.H. Sin
I took a deep breath.
Just say it. You'll feel better.
"Some days are worse than others," I admitted. "Some days, I miss Will terribly because despite how we ended, we were really close. I told him things I don't think I even told Mark or Mia. I don't know... I just felt I could trust him. I guess I should be grateful he only used my fears against me rather than leaking them to the press. Besides, he hurt me, so I dished it right back."
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"James told me what he said to you. I wanted to smack him upside the head for that. I still think you telling her to invest in spanks, so we stop seeing her pale ass in the news is the best thing I've ever heard."
I buried my face in my hands, thoroughly embarrassed. "I was furious, and she wouldn't shut up."
"If I didn't have to hold up some sense of decorum, I'd tell her the same next time I see her." Everly set down the mascara. "I never told you this, and I think enough people have told you this already, but Will kept liking you long after you shot his ego down the first time he asked you out."
I frowned. "Really? He didn't act like it. I mean, any affection he showed me, I thought it was just Will being Will."
"You think forehead kisses and lavish gifts and always closer to you than he needs to be is platonic?"
"Yes?" I sighed, pulling my sleeves over my fists and leaning my head against the wall. "He's a royal, and despite his stupidity recently, he's actually brilliant? Hell, the guy graduated college at eighteen. His IQ is off the charts."
"Will can run this country like nobody's business. When it comes to personal relationships, he's not as adept. Sometimes, I wonder if Will lacks in social skills because he's so smart. Don't get me wrong, he's charming and quippy and entertaining, but almost every single friendship he's had has always been kind of... superficial? Sure, he went out and partied with friends, but he never told them anything about himself. You and James? You two were the only ones he ever revealed things to, especially you."
Everly dug through my makeup bag, searching for eyeshadow. "Many of Will's issues come from his dad, who trained him to conceal, not feel. You've met the man. He's not exactly warm. Obviously, Will didn't follow that rule when he fucked up his relationship with you, but most of the time, he does. You were the best thing that ever happened to him, and I told him as much in my tirade against him. I always thought you two would be a good match. I would've told you sooner, but I was going to wait until you reciprocated, if you ever did."
"I started to..." I whispered, swallowing down the knot in my throat. Everly froze, eyeliner pencil suspended in her hand. She turned slowly to face me. "I even gave him an opportunity to ask me out, and he didn't. So I figured his feelings for me had passed."
