章 137: Chapter 137
"Who in the bloody hell tipped them off this time?"
Louis said. Cameras were everywhere at the main entrance to the hotel after they came down from the roof. Erik wrapped his arm and jacket around Pearl and Louis did the same for Fi. "Prince Erik, why are you in town?" A thick Italian accent shouted.
"Louis, did you settle the last hotel incident in court?"
"Fiona Templeton, are you here with them?"
"Pearl Clarke, are you here with the prince of Wales? This is the second time you have been seen together. Where is Holden? Is the rumor of the separation true?" And with that, a bodyguard practically picked her up and put her in the suv.
Erik and Louis rode with Pearl and Fi in their car and Auggie, Julian and a woman he met that night, Paola, and a friends of hers, Emilia rode together. There was a black suv behind them with two more bodyguards.
Pearl shifted in her seat uncomfortably a few times. The Alfa Romeo suv sat all four of them comfortably but Pearl felt uneasy.
"Why are you so on edge, Pearl?" Erik asked, looking over at her. He was always so calm and put together.
"I don't know. I hate paparazzi. And I just can't believe we are hosting royals. I never imagined something like this and I feel it isn't going to be nice enough for all of you."
Erik leaned over towards her. "Haven't we had this discussion before? We are all just people enjoying each other's company. My brother was starstruck meeting YOU. Let's not let formalities like birthrights and vocal talents get in the way of knowing each other. And that is my intention", he leaned even closer, "...knowing you." She felt chills when his breath grazed the side of her neck. He moved back into his seat when he saw her response to him. Fi and Louis were all over each other in the back of the car. They could hear Fi giggling and Louis telling her he had never made out with a movie star before which Pearl gathered was insincere.
They arrived and the security detail got out and walked into the house with the driver. "They need to secure the house. Just take a minute." Erik said.
"I feel like you had more freedom in California" Pearl thought out loud as she watched the men enter the villa. He was all alone with her in her room all night and he seemed like any other regular man.
"Every place is different." He said, noticeably choosing not to elaborate.
"Ah, gotcha." Pearl said.
"I meant to tell you something at the lounge." Erik said, putting his hand on the door handle as he got the all clear from his security detail.
"Oh yeah? What is that?" Pearl asked.
"You look absolutely ravishingly tonight." He said, and opened the door.
Pearl blushed and led them into the home. She was thankful the maid hadn't left yet and she offered to pay her extra to stay for another half hour to make some snacks and serve drinks.
"You don't have to pay me, ma'am. I will be serving the future king of England. I would be happy to." And the security detail talked with her about a confidentiality agreement, which Pearl left and went to meet Fi and the rest of them outside by the pool. "Why doesn't our family own a villa in Tuscany, brother. Look at this view!" Auggie said, looking out at the hills. The moon was full and the hills were all visible with the blue light emitting over the land. It was truly breathtaking. "I'm not sure, little brother but after tonight, we should consider it." Erik said, smiling at Pearl. "Show me the house?" Erik asked.
"Um, sure. Ok." Pearl said. She led him through the villa, into the kitchen with the enormous wood fire place for cooking, the living room and sitting room and each bedroom. "You are all welcome to stay tonight if it gets too late. By the looks of things, Louis will be staying with Fi in her room." Pearl laughed as she said it.
"Yes. I'm certain he will be." Erik said, smiling. He moved closer to Pearl. "I would love to stay as well. Thank you for the invitation." He leaned toward her, backing her up to the wall. His gaze was intoxicatingly alluring and she had to break eye contact to maintain. "Where is your room, Pearl?" He asked, leaning close enough to her that she could smell the wine on his breath.
"It's there" she said, pointing across the hall. He lingered for another moment and turned around. "It's a lovely room." He said and walked in.
"Erik, I... I'm married. I don't want to give you the wrong idea." Pearl said.
"My idea of you and my ideas about you is and are far from what I would call wrong." He said. He walked around the room and then back to where she was standing at the door. "A little inappropriate, maybe, but far from wrong." He moved his fingers over her hand and up her arm, stopping at her face. "I won't touch you further than this until you ask me to. And you will ask me to. I'm certain of it by how you respond to me." He said in a raspy whisper. "And just to be clear, I make no habits of seducing married women. But I don't see a husband here. I also do not see a wife here. Partly because I see a woman that rushed into something without thinking it through clearly. But I mostly do not see a wife here because the marriage she claims to have... was never legal in the first place." He said and backed away.
"What? Pardon me. I'm sorry. I don't know what you mean." Pearl was clearly confused.
"It may have been a real ceremony but the marriage license was never filed, darling. It's not legal. I told you I found all this out when I looked into you. And after everything you told me the night we spent together, I dug deeper. There was never a marriage license filed. You may have had a ceremony but you were never his wife."
What? What does that mean? She signed paperwork. They had a ceremony. Then she remembered his words. "We will still have the big wedding in June for our family and friends. But this, today, is just for us. We won't have to tell anyone and it can be ours for a little while before the media finds out. No one knows. I planned this very secretively. Marry me"
He had made her plans to rent the house in the Poconos void. He made sure they didn't have a big wedding. Oh god. It was all a lie?
"I'm sorry. I believe you. But do you have proof? I need to see something real. For me." Pearl said.
"Of course. Grab your laptop and come with me." He took her hand and led her to the kitchen. "May I?" He asked. She nodded and he opened her computer. He typed in a search of marriage licenses in Oahu. "It's public information, Pearl. Just look it up." And he turned her laptop toward her. She typed in her name. Nothing. She typed in Rhys's name. Nothing. She could not believe it. She searched more and found the same results. They weren't married.
"Why? Why would he do this to me?" She said, gasping for air.
"My guess is that is has something to do with money. It always has something to do with money. Or title. Or family expectations." He added, clenching his teeth. She could see the muscles in his jaw tightening. She looked at him with care and sympathy. His life may look easy and perfect but it seemed it wasn't as it seemed, either. Pearl decided to enjoy the night and breathe a little. She could call Rhys but why? He would either lie or make her upset and ruin her night and week and trip altogether. No. She wasn't going to give him that. Not this week. Not ever. She took a bottle of scotch from the liquor cabinet and opened it, pouring a tall glass for Erik and herself. "What's this, a single malt girl?" Erik asked slyly.
"Indeed. This is how we midwest USA girls do "refined"" she joked.
"I like the way you think." He said. After three glasses they were properly drunk and went back to the pool to join the party. Auggie had found the vodka and was down to his tighty whities, swimming in the pool on a blow up tube and singing "That's Amoré" along with the Bluetooth speakers outside. "Do you know the lyrics to this song are also symptoms of having a stroke?" He yelled to them. Pearl laughed and pulled her dress over her head and canon balled into the pool. The two Italian girls laughed and followed suit along with Julian. Fi pulled her face away from Louis long enough to laugh and cheer her on. "That's my girl!" Fi called out.
"I can't have you showing me up, American woman. Cannonball!!" Erik yelled after dropping his trousers and diving in with them all. They splashed and Erik flipped Pearl in the air backwards. Auggie was fighting with one of Italian girls for his float ring. They were all like kids again. Pearl, the Princes and Italy.
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