Royal On The Run (unedited)

Chapter Forty

Naomi

It was a mixture of the cold and personal disgust of Anthony behind me that had me wishing I was anywhere but here. Anywhere Anthony wasn't. Anywhere Sebastian was. Anywhere where my life wasn't a complete shit show it had turned into.

Anthony did very little to keep me from getting pelted by the ice and snow. His hold on me was only to keep me pressed against him, nothing to keep me shielded from the raging elements around us.

His body was unfortunately very warm and very welcoming even if his hold was one of a viper. If I wanted to stay warm until we got to the palace, I'd have to fall back into him willingly and take some of his warmth for myself.

I felt him chuckle behind me as I sunk back towards his body. His lips were at my ear as we drove. "Glad to see you're not afraid of getting close to me. Naomi." His lips grazed my ear and I cringed. "You better get used to it, it'll happen a lot more once I get you back to the palace."

"I doubt that."

"I don't."

He was so full of himself, it was driving me crazy. And the cold was certainly not helping.

And just as I thought I'd fling myself from the vehicle, I saw it. Saw the palace.

Saw my home.  In ruins.

While most of the palace seemed to be in decent shape, I still couldn't believe that this was the magnificent place I'd called home a few weeks ago. It was the same yet so different. It had become tainted. It wasn't my home anymore.

Tears pooled in my eyes. My home wasn't my home. From the outside it looked the same with the exception of part of the roof being repaired, though those repairs had been on hold due to the storm that was on its way out.

"What did you do to my home?" I hissed through chattering teeth. "This isn't my home anymore"

A dark chuckle rumbled through his chest at my back. "You're right on that."

My surprise at his words must've shown through my body because he laughed harder as he stopped the vehicle just at the base of the palace steps. Right where he and Sebastian had stood all those years ago when I'd met Sebastian for the first time. Back when things were normal and good, back when there wasn't a reason to hate Anthony.

He dragged a gloved finger down my cold cheek. "You heard me."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, yanking myself away from his touch. "Did you turn it into a circus while I was gone?"

"Nope." He popped the 'p'. "I turned it into our home."

I spun on him so fast, I fell off the vehicle. Stunned from his words and the impact of my fall, I rolled onto my back and could only stare at the aftermath of a stormy sky. My back was frozen once more as it soaked up the ice and snow below me.

Anthony had an amused look on his face as he leaned over to glance down at me. He shook his head slightly. "Why so surprised, Naomi? You should've expected this."

He was right. I should've expected it. He'd said it plain as day when he caught me and prepared to take me back here to the palace.