IX. Royally

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We were in the car driving down the main road when she put the window down and sighed into the wind.

"That was. . .," she nodded slowly searching for the right words.

"A circus?" I offered and wished she would turn so I could see her face.

"My God," she said in exasperation. "Some of the things they were saying you would think they were God himself. I just. . . " she trailed off shaking her head and sitting back into her seat.

I wondered if I came across that way to her. "So you had a terrible time?"

"No I'm not saying that," she said and tapped my arm reassuringly. I like when she touched me. "Wealthy people are easy. They mostly talk about how money makes them happy and I can't fault them for that." She dug at her thumbnail and said, "They just treated me like some anomaly and it wasn't fun." She was biting on her bottom lip. "It was like they went out of their way to let me know I was different from them."

She was referring to the sideways glances they were ricocheting towards her all night and I opened my mouth to say something but decided against it.

"I wasn't bothered," she said and I looked at her. She gave me a small smile and I guess she gathered I was weary. She laughed to herself and said, "I mean you are King Nathaniel. I would be worried if people didn't react to me the way they did."

For a while I struggled with what to say. Should I tell her about Emma? Would she care? When I gathered up the nerve, I rubbed the back of my neck and asked, "What do you think about me?" 

She said nothing.

"Really now, take your time why don't you," I joked when she still kept quiet. ". . . Nuri?"

Her head head fell slightly to the side and she was out cold. I reached over and stroked her chin with my knuckles.

I held her to my chest and kissed her cheek when the elevator doors opened to my loft. I had made it to my loft, parked the car, got her out and carried all this way and she hadn't moved an inch. I could carry her everywhere. Ms. Thorpe was in the kitchen and came through the archway to meet me.

"Mr. King,  welcome home. You're - - ," She quieted when she saw me carrying Nuri in my arms.

"Hey Adelaide. This is a friend of mine, and she's sleeping over tonight. Can I set her up in the spare bedroom?"

"Of course, follow me." She was light on her feet and led me to the guest bedroom across from my bedroom. She quickly moved away the throws and spread so that I could settle her onto the queen sized bed. "Shall I prepare a bath for her, some tea maybe?"

I shook my head. "No we can manage. Maybe some clothes she can wear."

"Right away Mr. King," she nodded and was on her way.

I took Nuri's shoes off and set them down by the door. She snuggled into the pillows and mumbled something about soft sheets and lavender. I was glued to the spot.

Shrugging out of my coat and loosening my tie, I knelt down beside her watched her eyes flutter beneath her closed lids. I ran my pinkie along her curled eyelashes.

"I want to keep you Angel," I whispered before resting my head on the bed parallel to hers.

Adelaide cleared her throat and I rose my head to acknowledge her. She looked down at the rug awkwardly than moved in to set some folded clothes on the edge of the bed.

"Thank you." I said graciously set a finger on the back of Nuri's hand.

"You are welcome Mr. King. If there isn't much else for me to do for you, I'll be heading home."

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