I was in a hurry, so I didn’t break my stride. “I have a meeting. I’ll see you in about an hour.”
“It’s Sunday. Who works on a Sunday?”
I gave her a cold look. “Me. I work every day.” I walked out, annoyed she’d questioned me. I realized she wasn’t a staff member so her position was different, but I still didn’t like it. I headed downstairs and moved to the garden room on the west side of the castle. I wore slacks and a blue collared shirt, refusing to put on a suit when she dropped by unannounced.
I walked inside, seeing the sunlight filter through the room. The royal furniture had withstood hundreds of years, even though most of it had been refurbished or preserved. She sat in the armchair with her tea cup on the coffee table, steaming and untouched. She wore a bright blue dress, nearly the same color as her eyes. “Your Royal Highness—”
“Please don’t call me anything other than Josephine when it’s just the two of us.” She looked at me with eyes full of despair.
I sat in the other armchair, refusing to greet her with any kind of touch. The room filled with obvious tension, our old relationship eliciting memories for both of us. She stared at me with a look of longing, words practically written on her face.
I wanted this conversation to remain professional. Whatever her intentions were, I didn’t want to be caught up in a scandal. “I’m very busy this afternoon, so please get on with it.” I didn’t stop myself from being rude, but I stopped myself from insulting her.
She sighed before she spoke. “Henry and I are getting married in a month, and I just—”
“Having cold feet is natural. Don’t worry about it.”
“It’s not that…” She scooted closer to the edge of the armchair. She would touch me if she could.
“Then I don’t know what to say, Josephine.” We weren’t friends, so she better not expect me to give her advice. Her personal life was none of my concern. “Henry seems like a nice fellow. You know he’s wealthy and has a direct line to the throne. Sounds exactly like something you’d want.” I kept the bitterness out of my tone, but only barely.
“I think I made a mistake.” She whispered so quietly I could hardly hear her. “Crewe, I don’t love him. I thought I could, but I don’t. But with you—”
“We’re done, Josephine.” There was no possibility of us ever having a future together. She humiliated me in front of everyone I know. She turned her back on me when I never turned my back on her.
She winced at the blunt way I silenced her. “I still love you…”
I looked out the window, refusing to meet her gaze. Her words were empty. They didn’t mean a damn thing to me.
“Do you still love me, Crewe?”
I rubbed my fingers across my stubble. “No.” I didn’t feel the sting of regret. I didn’t feel the pain. All I felt was nothing. “I’ve moved on, Josephine. Even if I still felt the same way, I would never go back to you.”
“Why?”
I laughed because the question was stupid. “You humiliated me. That’s why. You think I’m some imbecile you can play games with? I let my guard down for you, and only you, and you fucking betrayed me. Fuck you, Josephine.”
She closed her eyes as if she was about to cry.
“You have a lot of nerve coming here, to my home, and asking me to take you back. Jesus Christ, you’re engaged to another man.”
“I know but…” The tears began to pour. “When I saw you with her…I knew I made a mistake.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’ve been with a lot of women since you, Josephine.”
She flinched as if I had slapped her.
“You should leave before anyone finds out you’re here.” I rose to my feet, not looking at her. “I mean this in the most respectful way possible, get the hell out and don’t come back. You aren’t welcome here.”
She rose to her feet, the tears falling freely. “I know I hurt you, and I’m sorry for that. I know I made a mistake—”
I stayed by the door so I wouldn’t slap her. “It wasn’t a fucking mistake. You chose him over me. Plain and simple. You cared more about his wealth and power than settling for the Duke of Rothesay—a man who actually loved you. So enjoy your loveless, passionless marriage to a man who will fuck his concubines every time you’re out of the country.”
She wiped her tears on the back of her hand and sniffed. “Crewe—”
“Get the fuck out, or I’ll drag you out.” I walked out of the room, my shoulders bunched and tense. I wanted to punch a hole in the stone and watch the castle crumble down. I wanted to hurt Josephine for everything she’d done to me.