Page 33 of Royal Desire

I tip my head in agreement and give her a slight shrug. I have no defense to either of those allegations. “Okay, but you can’t accuse me of stalking you at the manor. It’s posted on their website for the world to see. Not only that, but Devon’s posting that shit on social media left and right. Legit social media—not shit like the Winslet Uncut private group. I hear we’re as popular as we used to be. We were royalty after all.”

She rubs her eyes and talks to herself. “This place—I swear, it’s like going back in time. Nothing has changed.”

“Trust me, everything has changed.”

Her arms fall to her sides, and she looks like she may give up on life. “So you came here to tell me that you know my schedule so you can follow me around and demand to know all my secrets?”

I give her the palm of my hand. “I also came to ask about Alice. But every time I see you, I’m going to ask you why you’re back. And since I know where you are almost daily, I’ll wear you down eventually.”

She takes a step back and reaches for the door. “I thought I could move back to town and go about my business. Thanks for the heads up, stalker freak from the past.”

I take a step forward and put my foot on the threshold so she can’t slam the door in my face. “You have no idea how grateful I am for the distraction.”

She glares at me. “So you’re saying you wouldn’t stalk me if you didn’t need a distraction?”

I lower my voice. “If you tell me why you’re back, I wouldn’t have to.”

“This is the most ridiculous conversation I’ve ever had. Telling someone you’re going to stalk them is the most stupid stalker move anyone could ever make as said stalker. You don’t even deserve to be in the stalker category.”

“It’s only fair to share that information with you. In the courtroom, we call it discovery.”

She officially gives up. “You need to leave. I need to go to bed. As you know since you’re a self-identified stalker, I have to get up before dawn.”

I can’t let her shut the door on me. None of this went the way I planned, but I do need to tell her the real reason for my visit. “Wait. I have to tell you one more thing.”

“What?”

I want to touch her. I want to reach out and run the tips of my fingers across her lips. Dip my hand into her hair and pull her to me so I can devour her mouth, every inch of her body, and tell her that her mere presence has woken me from a miserable coma. That she’s also made me miserable, on edge, and given me the urge to burn down my life as I know it and start over.

It can’t be healthy to feel so many conflicting things at once. I might as well be the red flag on a tug of war rope. I feel like a chick when I say this, but no one has ever given me emotional whiplash other than Ruby Mae Sinclair.

Yes, I need to start over.

But I really need to get my shit together.

She’s losing patience. “Payne⁠—"

I pull in a deep breath. “I made you cry when you were already upset about Alice. I feel like shit. I’m sorry. I’m done being an asshole.”

She leans against the door and rests her temple there. Her teeth sink into her lip, and I love that I know her well enough to know what that means.

She’s overcome but she doesn’t like to show it. She also doesn’t say a word.

I continue to do what I do best and run my mouth. “So, when I’m stalking you, there will be no reason to avoid me or bite my head off. You can rest assured I’m putting the asshole away when it comes to you. It doesn’t matter what happened in the past. I hate myself for being that way.”

Her tits rise and fall with deep breaths. She finally swallows hard and licks her lips. “Thank you. I will also be ... cordial.”

I try not to frown, because of all the things Ruby is, I’d never put her in the cordial column.

Instead, I clap my hands once. “Great. And bonus, we’ll stay off the Winslet Uncut tabloid.”

She frowns. “What is that?”

“Never mind. Ask Blake. Actually, ask Alice. She’s a ringleader in that group.” I turn and head for my car as I give her one last farewell. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the Combover for breakfast.”

“My stalker is alerting me of his next location. Thanks for the heads up.”

I stop and hold my arms out low. “See? An asshole stalker wouldn’t do that. You’re welcome.”