15. Luca

CHAPTER 15

LUCA

W alking down the first-floor hallway, I stuff my hands into my pockets, letting my gaze drift out the windows. An easy tune fills the air, and I turn around, looking for the source of the humming — before realizing that it’s me.

I’m humming . I’m… in a good mood?

I suppose that it makes sense. I can’t stop thinking about that charged moment with Hailey in the garden two nights ago. The way she looked at me, the electricity crackling between us — I was a breath away from pulling her into my arms and kissing her senseless. Against my better judgement, of course.

Part of me curses the interruption by the staff member, but an even bigger part is relieved. Relieved I didn’t let my baser instincts take over and potentially ruin everything.

Swallowing hard, I reach the room at the end of the hallway. It’s fitting time. Fitting time for my coronation attire, a tedious but necessary task.

Of course, Hailey will be shadowing me, her presence both a blessing and a curse.

Has she also been thinking of me since that night in the garden? Did she want my lips on hers even half as much as I did?

Shaking the thought away, I rap on the half-open door then step inside. The room is full of racks of clothing, and a bent-over man fusses with a fur-lined cape. He’s so old that he’s more wrinkles than anything else.

Hailey is already here, diligently sitting in the corner of the room. Catching my eye, she nods at me, and I nod back.

Then quickly look away. No use driving myself any more crazy than I already am.

Yet as the fitting begins, I’m hyperaware of her every move: the sound of her breathing, the scratch of her pen against paper as she jots down notes. It’s maddening and exhilarating all at once.

The tailor fusses over me, pinning and measuring with shaky hands. I stand as still as a statue, afraid any sudden movements might cause the poor fellow to keel over. Hailey watches the process with an amused glint in her eye, and I have to bite my cheek to keep from smirking.

“How long have you been the royal tailor?” Hailey asks, and I can tell it’s her curiosity getting the better of her. This isn’t really important information for her to know.

The old man pauses, squinting at her through thick spectacles. “Longer than you’ve been alive, my dear. I dressed His Majesty’s father, as well as his father before him, may they both rest in peace.”

I raise my eyebrows, impressed by his longevity and loyalty. “We’re lucky to have you and your expertise.”

He nods, a pleased smile crinkling his weathered face. “It is my greatest honor to serve the crown.”

As he returns to his work measuring me, I catch Hailey’s eye in the mirror. She grins, and I return it, a moment of levity amidst the weight of my responsibilities. But I quickly look away, reminding myself to focus on the task at hand — which, right now, is merely standing as still as possible.

The tailor sends me behind a curtain to dress in Werdenfeld’s traditional coronation outfit: loose pants, a vest with the royal crest on its chest, and a fur-lined cape.

When I step out from behind the curtain, the man steps back, surveying his handiwork with a critical eye. “Wonderful, sir. I believe we’re finished. Take a look.”

I turn to face the full-length mirror, and my breath catches in my throat. The man staring back at me looks every inch a king, from the perfectly tailored suit to the regal set of his shoulders. It’s a stark contrast to the carefree prince I once was, and for the first time, my new role feels less a burden and more a blessing.

Hailey moves to stand beside me, her reflection joining mine in the mirror. Her eyes meet mine, and I’m surprised to see pride shining in their depths. “You look like a true leader, Luca,” she says softly, her voice filled with sincerity.

Her words send a warmth spreading through my chest, and I stand a little taller, feeling bolstered by her belief in me.

“Thank you,” I murmur, holding her gaze for a moment longer than strictly necessary.

The tailor clears his throat, breaking the spell. “If that will be all, sir?”

I nod, tearing my eyes away from Hailey’s. “Yes, thank you. You’ve done an excellent job, as always.”

He bows deeply, a pleased flush coloring his cheeks, before shuffling out of the room. As soon as the door closes behind him, Hailey turns to me, a mischievous grin tugging at her lips.

“I think he might actually be older than the castle itself,” she quips, her eyes sparkling with mirth.

A laugh bubbles up from my chest, the first genuine one in days. “I’m pretty sure he dressed my great-great-grandfather,” I reply, feeling the tension drain from my shoulders.

Hailey’s smile widens, and for a moment, it’s just the two of us, sharing a joke like old friends. But reality quickly reasserts itself, and I sober.

“We should go,” I say, already moving towards the door. “I have a meeting with my advisors.”

I quickly change, leaving my coronation attire on a hanger, and Hailey wordlessly falls into step beside me. As we walk, I risk stealing a few glances at her, marveling at the way she manages to be both a comforting presence and a tempting distraction all at once. I know I should keep my distance, focus on my responsibilities, but a part of me yearns to lean on her, to let her ease the burden of my new role.

“I need to pop into my study,” I say. “Collect my notes.”

Her nod is perfunctory. “Of course.”

In my study, I try to focus on gathering my papers — I prefer to use longhand rather than typing — but it’s like my body is buzzing to be closer to Hailey.

“I don’t know where I put them.” I straighten up from my desk, increasingly frustrated. I’m normally very organized.

“Are those them?” Hailey points.

“Where?”

She picks up a small notebook from my desk. “These.”

“Oh. Yes. They were right under my nose.”

I reach up to take the notebook from her, but neither one of us lets go. Instead, we stand stock-still, frozen in time, our gazes locked.

The room blurs around us, and my breathing picks up. Hailey’s pupils dilate, and her pink lips part. I actually salivate, remembering how that mouth tastes, how?—

The door to my study bursts open, and Stefan rushes in, his face pale and his eyes wide with alarm. “Your Majesty,” he says, slightly out of breath.

I swiftly step back from Hailey, taking my notebook with me. “Stefan,” I snap, irritated.

Not once has he ever burst in to a room like this. What was he thinking?

“We have a problem,” he says.

My stomach drops, a sense of dread washing over me. “What is it?” I ask, bracing myself for the worst, even though I don’t entirely know what that would be.

He holds out a tablet, his hand trembling slightly. “This was published online just a few minutes ago.”

I take the device, my eyes scanning the headline splashed across the screen. “Prince Luca Finds Comfort in American Journalist’s Embrace.” Below it is a picture of Hailey and me in the garden at night, standing close together, our faces illuminated by the soft glow of the moonlight.

My heart hammers in my chest, a mixture of anger and fear coursing through my veins. How did they get this photo? The palace grounds are supposed to be secure, impenetrable to outsiders.

I look up at Stefan, my jaw clenched tight. “How did this happen?” I ask, my voice low and controlled.

“A photographer breached the wall somehow.” He stands straighter, and I can tell that, even though security is not his department, he’s disappointed that the breach happened. “Our team is looking into it. Right now, our main problem is this story.”

Hailey looks at the tablet, and her eyes go wide. “Oh,” she gasps.

“It’s trending on social media,” Stefan replies, his expression grim. “This should take precedence in our meeting today. I must ask… are you two?—”

“No,” Hailey and I both say at the same time. We exchange a look, the pink in her cheeks reflecting the heat in mine.

“A relationship does not look good for me right now,” I explain.

Stefan exhales sharply. “I agree with that.”

I nod, handing the tablet back to him. “Tell the others I’ll be there in five minutes.”

Stefan bows and hurries out, leaving me alone with Hailey. I turn to her, an apology on my lips, but she speaks first.

“Luca, I’m so sorry,” she says, her brow furrowed with concern. “I never meant for this to happen.”

I shake my head, running a hand through my hair.

“It’s not your fault,” I assure her. “But we need to be more careful. My people can’t think I’m being distracted, not now.”

She nods, her eyes searching mine. “I understand. I’ll do whatever you need me to do.”

I feel a surge of gratitude mixed with something deeper, something I can’t quite name. It’s risky, though, whatever it is, because it has to do with Hailey.

“Right now, I need you to stay here,” I tell her, my tone firm but not unkind. “Let me handle this.”

Disappointment flickers across her face. She’s supposed to be shadowing me, and here I am, asking her to not do her job.

This is different, though. Personal. And embarrassing. While it took the two of us to get into this mess, I just want to disappear for a while and fix it on my own.

She acquiesces, at least, and I stride out of the room, my mind already racing with strategies and responses to release to the press.

As I make my way to the meeting room, I can’t shake the unsettled feeling in my gut. The palace walls seem to close in around me, the weight of my responsibilities bearing down like a physical force.

I enter the room to find my advisors already seated, their faces grave. The palace publicist, a severe woman named Martha, clears her throat.

“Your Majesty,” she begins, her tone clipped. “We’ve already released a statement to the press, clarifying that your relationship with Ms. Warren is strictly professional.”

I nod, taking my seat at the head of the table. “Good.” Thank goodness my voice is steady despite the turmoil within. “We can’t afford any distractions right now.”

But even as the words leave my mouth, I know they’re a lie. Hailey is already a distraction, one I can’t seem to shake no matter how hard I try.

The meeting drags on, discussions of public perception and media strategy blurring together in my mind. But through it all, my thoughts keep drifting back to Hailey, to the warmth of her smile and the spark in her eyes.

Finally, the meeting adjourns, and I escape back to my private study. Hailey is gone from it, which I expected but find disappointing nonetheless — another longing that I despise myself for. I sink into my chair, rubbing my temples as I try to clear my head.

But the truth is inescapable. I let my guard down with Hailey, allowed myself a moment of weakness. And now, I’m paying the price.

I can’t let it happen again. And I won’t.