I head back toward my empty room, safe in the knowledge that Eloise is with Lauren. Opening the door, I walk back inside with a heavy heart as I stare at the tangled sheets from our lovemaking only hours ago. I fall backward onto the bed, wondering what the hell happened.
I stare up at the ornate ceiling for a long time, trying to work it all out.
What secret did George find out about Eloise?It must be more than The Paradise Club because I can’t imagine she would be upset over that unless he tried to blackmail her into sleeping with him. My hands ball into fists as I punch the crap out of my pillow. I’m done with him and Miranda. They’re as bad as each other.
At some point, I must fall asleep for a couple of hours, as I am startled awake when I hear a knock at my door. Instantly, I think it’s Eloise and jump out of bed, then realize it won’t be her. I head on over to my door and pull it open. Paul and my father are standing there.
“Can we come in?” my father asks.
I move aside and let them in.
“We found this,” my father states, handing over the manila folder. “George’s friend, Fred, handed it to me this morning when I interrogated his good for nothing bunch of friends.”
Opening it up, I see Eloise’s birth certificate.
Lady Eloise Victoria Miller.
Wait! What? She’s royal? And her surname isn’t Muller?
“I can’t believe it. Her parents were at the wedding last night. They are good friends of ours, the Marquis and Marchioness of Winchester. We had no idea your Eloise was their Eloise, and what’s worse is they never said a word.”
“Oh my god, we met them last night. Eloise even introduced herself to them as if they were strangers, and they acted the same way. Why the hell would they do that?” I ask him.
“I have no idea, son. All I know is over the years, they had a wayward daughter, Eloise, who they said had a lot of mental health problems, and she had decided she didn’t want anything to do with them,” he explains to me.
“Does Eloise seem to you to have mental health problems?” I ask him, my voice rising as the anger begins to bubble away under the surface.
My father shakes his head.
“She must have had good reason to hide her past like that. To change her name. She told me her parents cut her off because she wanted to model. Do you think they would really do something like that?”
“Who knows, son.”
Then a sheet of paper falls out of the folder. It was hidden underneath some others, and I stare down and look at a psychologist’s notes. I begin reading, and my stomach turns.
No.
Oh my god.
No.
I hand the paper to my father, and his face pales as he reads the report.
“Her uncle was here last night. We’re friends with him. This is absolutely disgusting. I can’t believe it. I can’t believe they didn’t protect this little girl.”
“George used this against her. That’s why she ran. He tried to blackmail her into sleeping with him, and when she wouldn’t, he did something, and she ran. Fuck! I’m going to kill him,” I scream as I rake my hands through my hair. “I’m going back to London, Dad. I have to find her.”
“Go, son, go get her. I can’t apologize enough for what has happened. This isn’t right, Ali. I’ll be dealing with George myself,” my father tells me angrily as I start heading for the door.
Good, looks like karma is coming for my brother.
The problem is, I hate that it is at the expense of my girl.
* * *
I’ve driven like a maniac back to London and have rocked up to her old home and knocked on her door.Please talk to me, baby.I don’t care about her past. I just care about her. I want to make everything all right. I don’t want this wall up between us.
The door opens, and Lauren’s standing there.