Royal Secrets (The Hidden Kingdom Romances Book 1), page 15
Her mind was whirling. She didn’t know what to believe. “Are you serious? I can’t… I don’t know if I can believe you.”
“Please believe me.”
“You kissed her hello and goodbye,” she insisted. “You two looked so … together. Perfect together, really.”
Bodi grabbed her hands with both of his. “I promise we aren’t together. It’s you I want, Julia. Only you.”
Julia knew what she’d seen, but did she? “I want you too.”
“You do?” He looked so irresistible, a little vulnerable, very tough and appealing.
“But … you stripped almost naked in front of her and I know you kissed her.”
He chuckled. “I was just changing my clothes in front of a friend. It didn’t mean anything. She kissed me hello but I didn’t return or initiate it, I promise.”
She studied him. “Do you also promise that you broke up with Grace?”
His dark eyes had never been so serious and full of a pleading that made her heart thump faster. “I promise, Julia. You’re the only woman I want to be with. Please tell me you feel the same.”
Julia bit at her lip but she couldn’t stop from admitting, “I want to be with you too.”
Bodi’s eyes lit up. He pulled her in close and tenderly kissed her once, twice, then the connection and passion overtook them both again and they were kissing desperately. He pushed her against the statue and she loved his body so close, overshadowing her.
She loved him.
Was it too soon to admit that? What if he really was with Grace and was just playing with Julia?
No. She couldn’t believe that. She lost herself in his kiss and pushed the stupid, insecure thoughts away.
“Prince Bodi, Prince Bodi!”
Someone was interrupting the kiss to end all kisses. Bodi pulled back and they both looked around to a teenage boy. “They’re waiting for you, sir. Commander Alaric beat General Kingston in the joust.” He was obviously excited at the unprecedented events of the day. “It’s time for you to ride against Commander Alaric.”
Bodi nodded to the boy, still holding Julia close. “I’ll be right there.”
“Okay, sir.” The kid smirked at her and ran off.
Bodi looked down at her. “I have to beat Alaric and then probably Malik. I’ve never beaten either of them before.” He kissed her. “I’ll crush them both. Then can I kiss you in front of everyone?”
Heat and happiness filled her at his confidence, knowing he was fighting and winning for her. “If I must kiss you, I guess we might as well have a crowd.”
He kissed her softly. “Are we finally that friendly?”
She giggled. “Yes, I think we are.”
He kissed her more deeply and then groaned. “I have to go. You’ll come watch?”
“Of course I will. I’ll be cheering for you like a Prince Bodi mega-fan. Just between us, PB … I love creamy peanut butter.”
He laughed, winked, gave her one last hug and kiss, then turned and jogged for the cemetery gate. Julia followed him more sedately. She watched her handsome prince, grinning as he picked up his discarded armor and hurriedly put it back on. He turned to give her one last wave and intimate look with his incredible dark eyes before dashing into the stadium.
Some townspeople smiled knowingly at her as they followed him into the stadium.
Julia hugged herself and followed the stragglers. She truly felt like a princess in the best modern-day fairy tale she could imagine. She passed the bakery and inhaled deeply, loving the sweet, yeasty smells that lingered and the memories of going there with Bodi. She loved him. She loved this place.
Could she stay here? Could she be with Bodi?
Closing her eyes, she leaned against the gate by the bakery and imagined staying in Magna for a few moments. The picture she was forming looked pretty incredible. Her and Bodi—running on the beach, working on marketing and development plans, marrying in that gorgeous church, settling down in his suite and eventually moving into one of the homes down by the beach, babies—
A hand wrapped around her mouth and another around her waist. Her eyes flew open as she was jerked behind the bakery. She screamed but no sound escaped past the large palm pressing hard into her lips.
She glanced at the man over her shoulder. Her eyes widened and horror made her stomach drop to her knees. Samson? No! How did he escape?
He smiled at her. “You should’ve listened to my warning.” His smile disappeared. “Too late now.”
Lifting her off her feet, he held her mouth and waist so tightly it ached. She kicked and clawed at him, but he might as well have been made of steel. His hands didn’t budge and he didn’t slow his pace as he stormed down the narrow side street behind the bakery. He carried her away from the stadium, the castle, any chance of her being rescued, and Bodi.
Oh, Bodi.
Would he ever know that she’d fallen in love with him? Samson would kill her. Of that she was sure. She prayed desperately that Bodi would somehow know how deeply she cared, and that he and her family would be able to go on with their lives if she died in this terrifying man’s hands.
Chapter Sixteen
Bodi gripped his lance, seated confidently on his favorite horse, Guy. His anticipation to take on his brother mounted, but his head was still in the clouds with Julia’s kisses. She was incredible. He was falling in love with her. After he somehow beat two of the three best jousters in the kingdom, he would kiss her in front of everyone and beg her not to leave their island. She belonged here. She belonged with him.
Alaric raised his lance to him in salute, waiting down at the other end of the list. Bodi returned the motion and prepared himself for battle. He glanced at where Julia had been sitting with Adelaide, Leia, and Constance. She wasn’t there. His gaze swiveled around the stadium, searching, searching for her red hair. Where was she?
The herald dropped the flag as the signal to start the joust. Bodi’s heart was aching, wondering where Julia was, but he couldn’t just sit here and lose a round. He’d miraculously beaten Kingston in the sword fight, which he’d never done before. He had to beat Alaric. Then he could find Julia and kiss her again before he beat Kingston. Then he would kiss her in front of everyone.
He spurred Guy and they took off. He gripped the lance with his right hand, the horse with his thighs, and the reins with his left. They pounded down the dirt track, approaching each other at a frightening speed.
As he and his brother crossed paths, he jabbed his lance perfectly and felt the satisfaction of it crunching into his brother’s chest. Alaric’s lance caught him at the same instant and he was flung back. Pain shot through his left shoulder. It took all of his strength, but he kept his seat and jerked back up. This was the one tournament he had to win because Julia would be waiting for him at the end. The scorekeeper gave them each a point. It was better than losing, but a tie wasn’t something to celebrate. The people cheered crazily.
Bodi slowed Guy to a stop at the end of the fence line, tossed his broken lance and was handed a new one. He had a few seconds to recover, and he searched anxiously for Julia. Had she seen him take and give that hit? If she wasn’t watching, did that mean she didn’t care? Where could she be?
A young woman in a beautiful blue dress was racing across the stadium toward him. One of Belle’s friends? The herald went to intercept her, but she screamed, “No! Prince Bodi! Prince Bodi!”
Bodi called to the herald, “Let her come.” The tournament didn’t matter if one of their people were in need. He handed off his lance and sprang off his horse, jogging toward the girl. “Are you all right?”
The audience watched with bated breath.
“Prince Bodi! The beautiful redhead, Miss Adams. A man took her. A large man with long, dark hair and no shirt. He picked her up and took her. He looked like a dissenter.”
Bodi felt the world spin. “Which way?”
Who had her? It sounded like a description of Samson, but that was impossible. He was in custody.
“Toward the road that heads south,” she said. “I’d gone home to check on my mother; she’s sick. I saw a man carrying the redhead out of town and ran here as fast as I could.”
Alaric’s horse stormed their direction and Kingston raced toward them from the stands.
“Thank you,” Bodi managed to say to the girl. He jammed his foot in the stirrup and swung back onto his horse, bringing him around as Alaric approached. “Julia,” he managed then galloped toward the stadium gate. Somebody swung it open and he heard Alaric thundering after him.
“Follow us with the men,” Alaric hollered to Kingston.
He heard Kingston issuing commands. He’d get the military and vehicles that were smarter for pursuit than a horse, but Bodi couldn’t slow down. He had to go. Hopefully he could save her before whoever had her got her to the dissenters. Would they kill her outright in protest of the island’s decision to allow tourism, or would they barter with her life? Bodi didn’t know, and terror rode high in his throat at the answer he feared.
He and Alaric pounded through the empty cobblestone streets. The horses’ shoes clattered loudly and each step jarred him in the saddle. They finally made it to the wider road out of town and Guy responded to Bodi’s urgency, flying down the road as Bodi bent low over his horse’s neck. He spotted a red truck driving south toward the mountains. Wait. That was his truck. Could someone have stolen it? Could they have Julia? He urged Guy faster and prayed even harder.
Julia was pressed between Samson and another man in the front of a pickup truck. Bodi’s pickup truck. Being in his truck without him made tears leak down her face. She tried to stifle her crying so Samson wouldn’t know he was getting to her, but the man kept his distance and didn’t look at her. At least he hadn’t slit her throat yet.
They raced down the road along the beach that led to the turn off for the mountains. Neither of the men said anything to her and finally she couldn’t take it any longer. “What are you going to do with me?”
Samson stared into the sideview mirror and said, “Don’t take it personal, Miss Adams. You’re a means to an end.”
She snorted at that. “You’re a bigoted jerk.”
He smiled slightly but didn’t answer. A muscle ticked in his jaw.
“How did you get out?”
He laughed but it was cold. “I helped update the prison.” He sneered at her. “Almost as easy to escape from as a sliding glass door is to open.”
“They’re coming,” the driver said, his eyes darting nervously to the rearview mirror.
“I know,” Samson replied. “We just have to make the turn off.”
Julia’s heart leapt. “Bodi?” she asked.
Samson snorted. “Yes, your precious Prince Bodi. At least you ingratiated yourself to him. He’ll be willing to stop the ludicrous plans you both instigated in order to save your life.”
She stared at him. “You really hate outsiders this much?”
His jaw clenched and he snarled, “You have no idea.”
Her eyes widened.
They turned onto the road that led to the mountains and her eyes got even bigger. Hundreds of men stood in the field to their right, many armed with pistols or rifles. Most of them were bare-chested, glistening with muscle and anger.
Any hope that Bodi was pursuing her turned into horror. These men could easily kill Bodi. How many men did Alaric and Kingston have in their military? Would they bring more than a couple dozen? If they were even coming.
The truck pulled off the road with a puff of dust and ground to a jarring stop.
Samson turned to her and said, “Don’t fight me, Miss Adams, and you might have a chance at living.”
He flung open the door and stepped out, gesturing to her. She scrambled out, standing straight and glaring at the men in turn. Most of them simply glared back, but some turned their gazes away.
Samson walked around in front of his men and gestured to her. “Come stand by me, Miss Adams. If negotiations go well, maybe today won’t be your day to die.”
She was sick of his threats and sick of him. She’d never hated a person before, but she found herself loathing this man. What right did he have to hate, kidnap, and try to kill her simply because she was an outsider, a means to an end?
She stomped over and stood beside him, watching two horses race toward them with a line of nineteen-eighties’ style military vehicles behind them. Her heart leapt again. There were men coming to fight for her. As they grew closer, she picked out the one man she yearned to see. Bodi rode in the front with Alaric next to him. He looked incredible in his battle armor as he rode expertly on his large black horse toward her. The horse was magnificent and powerful, but the man on his back was even more so.
Bodi and Alaric stopped about fifty feet away and leapt off their horses. They ripped off their helmets and faced hundreds of men. Neither of them had any weapons but there was no fear on their faces.
Kingston and the military were coming, lining up down the road, some jumping from their vehicles and running toward them, some driving through the field to get closer.
Samson pulled out a pistol and shoved the point of it into her neck. She gasped and tried to shy away, but he grasped her arm tightly with his free hand. The entire scene felt like a war movie where the good guys were going to lose. She prayed desperately, wondering if she had the faith to believe this could turn out for the good.
“Samson,” Bodi roared. “Let her go!” His handsome face was a mask of determination and anger. His dark eyes were fierce.
“Gladly,” Samson said smoothly. “I do have a few terms.”
“I’m sure you do,” Alaric snarled at him.
“Name them,” Bodi commanded. He looked like he was barely restraining himself from leaping at them and ripping Samson apart.
“I need a hostage for negotiations. You provide me one and we exchange. I’d prefer not dealing with an innocent, emotional woman.”
So Samson thought she was innocent, emotional, and didn’t want her around? Fine by her. Relief rushed through her that soon she wouldn’t be his prisoner but she felt awful for whoever was.
Bodi and Alaric exchanged a look. Kingston and a load of military men were stopping in vehicles behind them. Kingston popped out and strode to Alaric’s side. Both sides were tense and she feared that if someone so much as sneezed, a full-scale battle would start.
Bodi stared at her. He was strong and willing to do anything for her. She could tell he was barely holding back from coming after Samson with nothing but his bare hands. Her knight. Her prince. It was strangely romantic but more terrifying than any movie made it seem. Bodi couldn’t be hurt by this monster.
“He wants to exchange hostages,” Alaric explained.
“Sure,” Kingston responded. He looked behind him as if calculating who to send in Julia’s place.
“I volunteer,” Bodi said, pushing out his chest.
“No!” Julia cried out. Samson was evil and low. He would kill Bodi. She knew it. She’d rather remain Samson’s prisoner and pray he had some honor that prevented him from killing an innocent woman, even if she was a redheaded outsider.
Despite his brother and cousin’s protests, Bodi was already striding across the space between them, dropping his helmet as he came. He tossed his gloves and ripped off his chest plate, just as he had before he’d kissed her earlier today. He wasn’t coming to kiss her. He was coming to sacrifice himself for her. Her knight in shining armor was taking off his armor. It was like he was symbolically showing everybody that he needed no protection. He was that strong, or maybe it was that he was making himself vulnerable and proving he would give his life for her. No! She couldn’t lose him.
Every man seemed like a statue as everyone on both sides of the conflict watched his approach. Bodi walked right up to them, bent low and kissed her. “I love you,” he murmured, “It’ll be okay.” He was strong and fearless, yet tender with her. He was epitome of every dream she’d ever had.
Then he shoved between her and Samson so Samson’s gun was pointed at him and he urged her toward Alaric with both hands on her waist. “Go.”
“No.” She shook her head, tears streaming down her face. She loved him as well. She loved him completely.
“Kingston, Alaric,” Bodi called.
The two men ran toward them, picked her up off her feet, and hurried her back to their side before the dissenters responded.
“No!” she screamed, but she didn’t fight them. Somehow she felt like fighting them was hopeless. Everything felt hopeless as they left Bodi behind as Samson’s prisoner.
When she, Alaric, and Kingston were surrounded by their men, Kingston released her and she found herself leaning against Alaric. His metal armor wasn’t comfortable, but he held her up. Bodi stood proud and straight. He didn’t need armor to look strong, fierce, and like her personal knightly prince. Samson’s pistol was still against his neck, but there no fear at all on his face. He gave her an encouraging smile.
“What other terms?” Kingston asked.
“You cancel this tourism nonsense and Miss Adams goes home immediately. She’ll be safe, and our country can remain strong, independent, and untouched by outsiders.”
“No,” she whimpered. At the moment she didn’t care if their plans were ruined, but how could she leave Bodi? A few days ago, she’d planned on going home. Now she knew her place was wherever he was.
Alaric and Kingston exchanged one of their looks. “Would you be willing to meet with King Kendrick, Duke Zoltan, Alaric, Bodi, and I?” Kingston asked. “We’re all Magnites, Samson, and want what’s best for our people. Let’s figure this out together.”
Samson looked to the men standing by him. One of them nodded slightly, making Julia wonder for the first time if Samson wasn’t actually the one in charge of these rugrats.
“Get your fathers, and some chairs.” Samson smirked. “We’ll meet right here.”
