The Ace of Queens ( Ace of Queens #7)

Ch.3 Widow's Black

Chapter 3

Clare sat patiently in the back seat of the car along with Cleo and Piper as Maksim waited for the paparazzi to part. Their car had been sitting at the same spot for the last ten minutes and Maksim was starting to get impatient. Ella reached out and took his hand to remind him to be on his best behavior when he tried to honk at the photographers.

"These losers need to get a life," Piper said she looked out her window at the protesters. They carried large signs with hateful words about the royal family and the angry glares in their eyes were venomous.

"Piper," Ella said from the front. "The photographers can read your lips."

"Am I not supposed to speak at all?" The teenager rolled her eyes.

"Not unless you want your face all over tomorrow's newspaper," Clare said. She dug into her purse and pulled out her oversize shades. The flashes from the camera were giving her a headache.

"This is the worst birthday ever," Cleo shook her head. "We're going to miss our reservation."

"Relax," Maksim said as he patiently waited with his wrist on the steering wheel. "They can't not let us in."

"Can we go around the back?" Piper asked.

"What do you want me to do? Drive through the crowd?" Maksim laughed.

"Max," Ella shook her head. "Everyone calm down. Give the guards some time to clear them out."

"Maksim this is all your fault!" Cleo complained. "Why didn't you send the guards earlier so they could have had everything ready?"

"You didn't know where you wanted to go!" Maksim looked over his shoulder. "You literally decided like 20 minutes ago."

"Why did I have to decide?" Cleo frowned. "You made the plans."

"It's your birthday, idiot!" Piper said.

"Why are we all shouting?" Clare shook her head.

"Clare's right," Ella clapped her hands.

"I usually am,"

"Everyone shut up!" the future queen commanded. "Until we get into the restaurant, not another word."

"You're not the queen," Piper snickered.

"Yet," Clare added. "But practice makes perfect."

"Finally!" Maksim hit the steering wheel as the car began to move forward. The Queen's guard cleared a path for them and he navigated the vehicle into an empty parking spot beside the restaurant.

Everyone inside immediately began to take off their seatbelts as the guards opened their doors and helped them down.

"Thank you, Joseph," Clare said as she climbed out of the black car.

"Anything for you, princess," the guard said under his breath. He gently placed a hand on her back and guided her into the restaurant behind Maksim and the rest of the family.

Clare held her breath as all the eyes in the restaurant immediately turned to the royal family. She could feel their envious gaze on her skin like crawling bugs. Their lust, desires, and greed soaked into her pores like water.

Somewhere beneath the cocktail of emotions brewing inside of her, Clare felt her own anger try to keep its head above water. Someone in the room was thinking about Cleo and Piper. Their vile thought made Clare's stomach turn with disgust as she began to move down the aisle.

"You can take your shades off now, Madonna," Cleo teased.

"Maybe I'm not ready to see your ugly face, you rat," Clare snapped. "Stay close to me. Makey, stand next to Piper."