Ma Reine Her King✔ (Complete)

Chapter 22

Fleurie

Alex swam in the pool with lazy strokes, a small smile on his lips as he looked up at me, sunbathing in one of the poolside deck chairs. A strand of hair blew over my face, I swiped it away and sat up before turning and rolling onto my stomach and grabbing my lemon water from the side table. I took a sip and then placed it down before closing my eyes and letting the hot sun wash over my body.

I jumped, feeling a hand on my back.

"Careful there Fleur, you don't want to fall off." I turned around and glanced up at him, he sat on the edge of the deck hair and grabbed my left foot, massaging it softly. One of those little things that he always did, whenever we sat close enough to touch, Alex would always reach out for something, whether that be my foot, hand or my thigh.

My eyes met his and I smiled up at him,

"You do know that you look absolutely scrumptious right now." He told me and I blushed. Alex stood and moved closer to me before leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to my lips.

I removed my sunglasses and whispered,

"I know, why do you think I chose this one?"

Alex smirked down at me before diving down for another kiss.

"I'm going back for another couple of laps. But before that-" He pressed another kiss to my lips, smiling happily. "-I love you."

"I love you too. Now go."

Alex turned and headed back towards the pool, climbing down the stairs into the water. He spared me a final smile, before he dove under the water.

"Hi." A woman said, I turned towards her, she had a sharp face, piercing green eyes and beautifully tanned skin and pinned up auburn hair.

"Hi, lovely day isn't it?"

She nodded, "Yeah it is." She had a slight accent that sounded a bit Italian.

"So, who are you here with?" I asked and she turned her head towards a man, he had black hair, a similar tanned complexion and blue-gray eyes.

"My husband Diego, we're having a little break from our child and work." she paused, "What about you?"

A small smile crossed my lips, "I'm here with my husband too, Alexander. Me and him have come away for a little break before I start my new job."

Alex glanced back at me and to say that his jaw hit the bottom of the pool would be understatement. He glanced at the woman next to me, who I had yet to learn the name of and back at me and mouthed,

'Lombardi'

I stilled,

"So anyway, what's your name?" The woman who I'd now identified as a Lombardi thanks to Alex asked,

I swallowed. She might not be all that bad, she's a chef, she may be completely unaware of what her husband had done to me and my family.

"Fleurie, and you?" I asked and she smiled,

"I'm Charlotte, just call me Lottie, all my friends do."

I smiled at the woman, the nickname reminding me of Charlotte Fairchild, née Branwell in the Infernal Devices. Alex's warning, as stark and brief as it may have been, was a warning nonetheless and I had to be wary of her, but I would never say no to making a new friend. I only had the two, Daniel and Ivy, I needed a couple more.

And I hate to say it, but me and Charlotte really hit it off, chatting away as our husbands glared at each other, unspoken threats being hurtled back and forth like nuclear weapons. By the time that mid day had arrived Charlotte and I had already exchanged phone numbers and were having a very interesting conversation about working in the customer service industry.