Royale (Book #1 Royale Series) {Under Revision}

Chapter 33: And the Crown Goes To...

Juliana's POV

I fluttered my eyes open just to be greeted with a blinding light cascading through the room. I tried to shield my eyes away from it, but every muscle in my body protested. My bones ached and my head felt ten times heavier than it actually was and I felt that if I tried to lift it, it would fall off of my neck completely.

The perimeter of the room I was in looked familiar, but I knew it was not my own.

What the hell happened last night?

"Rise and shine, Julie Bear!" An achingly loud voice said to me, using a nickname I hadn't heard since I was seven.

"Taylor? What am I doing in here? What happened?"

Using the small ounce of strength I had, I tried lifting myself up, just to realize I had been sleeping on the floor.

I glanced at Taylor who was sitting upright in her bed reading a magazine. Her hair was a bright blonde and her curls danced around her face. Her large green eyes gleamed at me and her full pink lips were turned up into a smirk. She was glowing. Being pregnant looked great on her.

"You don't remember?" She asked me and I shook my head.

She laughed hysterically. "Well come over and sit beside beside Mama Taylor. It's story time."

She patted the spot next to her mockingly.

I rolled my eyes, but stumbled over to her anyway ignoring the pain in my body.

The bed was soft unlike the hardwood floor that I had apparently slept on last night and I had the urge to fall asleep all over again, but I restrained myself.

"Please. Don't make it too long. I can't take a long story this early in the morning." I placed my fingers on my temples and began massaging deeply. This headache was the headache to end all headaches.

She giggled. "Ha! You wish it was the morning. It's a quarter to four, sweet cheeks."

I gasped. "What? That can't be. What the hell did I do last night?"

"Well, tell me what you remember first."

I thought back to the night before trying desperately to recall the events that took place. We had a family meeting that did not go too well. And then I went to find Aspen and I had overheard a conversation between him and Haven in regards to Emmy and I seem to recall my name being dropped a few times. Then I went to the Council to request an open marriage in which they granted as long as Aspen signed the documents as well. And finally, I went to talk to Aspen about it, but somehow it never came up and we kissed and then-blank.

"Oh my God, I think I-or we-me and Aspen-" I stopped stuttering and looked down.

My clothes from yesterday were still on. My blouse and school-girl skirt. Did I put them back on when we were finished?

I didn't know much about sex, but I was pretty sure that when you lost your virginity, there was supposed to be an aching pain between my legs making it hard to walk. But apart from the insane pain in my head, everything below that felt fine.

Did it actually happen? I remember us kissing and then I was pushed against the wall and then-nothing. That can only mean one thing, right? No, because if it did, I would be in my chambers right now. With him.

"What? You and Aspen what?" Taylor looked at me as if I belonged in a mental institution. And well, maybe I did.

"Did-" I swallowed trying to force out the words, "did Aspen and I, you know?" I asked hoping she would have the answer.