Chapter 27

"What a pity you haven't mentioned it before," remarked the King sarcastically.

"I... I may not remember well," tried Charlotte, her voice was already shaking. "It was long ago and we talked about so many things."

"Really, about what else?" he stepped closer confidently. "It seems you know quite a few things about him, hm?"

"No, I... I really don't know much." she felt she could faint in any minute, but fortunately Shades cut in.

"She knows nothing," he said quickly. "It's just some kind of a babbling. You know, women's talk... You don't have to take it too seriously," he tried, but the King just stood there with a winning smile,

"True friends are worth more than gold, right?... Then let's see how smart is the two of you if we continue this conversation in my office," he said mockingly and there were not many options, so they followed him...

Their walk towards the King's office was silent and awkward, while Charlotte and Shades tried to communicate with mouth reading... with not much success.

"Send that psychologist to my office immediately!" cried the King to his secretary as they sat down, then he turned to Charlotte. "So... did you manage to recall where exactly Joseph used to live?"

"No," she answered instantly. "I... I cannot remember."

"It seems you have a serious amnesia, right? Then maybe Shades remembers a bit more. A good friend of Joseph..." he did not take his eyes off of him. "I'm sure Joseph told you a lot of things about his life."

"Well, not really," said Shades calmly. "He is quite a loner guy."

"So you two as friends never talked to each other, right? You know nothing about him." The King started to lose his patience. "He never mentioned where he comes from... as he never mentioned his affair with my wife?"

"He did not have to mention it." Shades couldn't help, but added, "Because it was so obvious. Since he works here he is in love with Her Majesty."

"In love... what a beautiful expression, isn't it Charlotte?" he tried to be confident, but his hand betrayed him.

"...yes." she barely dared to say anything.

"Then I tell you what it means exactly... that he has been fucking my wife since he's here! And you knew about it!" he turned to Shades again. "Of course you knew... men between each other, I know how it goes. I'm sure you know every detail... what she likes and how."

"Do not mistake me with yourself."

"What did you say?" he stood up menacingly.

"You heard it right!"

"Shades please!" she tried to calm him, but he just continued vehemently,

"I was there on every whisky party of yours and I had to hear all those disgusting things you talked about your wife... like about a neat dog in a circus."

"Really? And what did you hear exactly?" he provoked him.

"You know it well..."

"Why are you so upset? It was just men's talk, nothing else." he laughed up, what was the last drop for Shades.

"Men's talk? It was degrading and cruel... Do you call it a men's talk when you're talking about in detail what are your wife's best skills in the bedroom?... Or laughing on what lies work always to sleep with her?... Not to mention how grateful she can be for a few kind words? I was ashamed just hearing this whole thing," he sighed. "There's no word for how far you are from Joseph. He never... never ever talked about any woman like that, especially not about Her Majesty... he respects her like you never did and he is the only one who deserves her."

"What a powerful speech..." he was clapping theatrically, "Maybe you also had her? You can tell me... she is such a slut!" he remarked, what made Shades nearly lost his head, but suddenly the door opened and Phil the psychologist had arrived. "Oh, what a nice guest! Come on, come on... have a seat."

"You wanted to see me," said Phil nonchalant and sat down.

"... How long do you know Joseph?" the King did not waist time.

"Joseph who?"

"Joseph Romero."

"I don't know who he is," he did not even blink.

"Are you kidding me?!"

"Do I look like who is kidding you?"

"Joseph Romero, my wife's personal bodyguard."

"The one who looks like the actor Hector Elizondo?"

"Yes, who else?"

"Look! Why should I have to know the name of your bodyguards?! At least two hundred people works here."

"You're joking, right?"

"No! How many times do I have to tell you?"

"...So how long do you know him?"

"Maybe it will be quite surprising, but since he works here."

"But your sanatorium is in the same town as Joseph came from."

"And?"

"How you mean 'and'?" he started to lose control.

"Why should I have to know him? You know everybody personally from your hometown or what?"

"..."

"And I'm telling you another thing... I'm getting fed up with your family problems and continual harassment. This morning the police completely turned my sanatorium upside down, where my patients go to relax. If you can imagine or not it's a business, where I can get my real money from, because with my name..." he calculated the pause. "I just work here as a charity, you know that? So I absolutely no need this bullshit!" and with that he left the office angrily, what was so unexpected and shocking for the King that he could not say anything against it...

OOOOOOOOOO

Meanwhile in a bedroom far away...

"You okay?" asked Joseph fondly as they curled up in happy tiredness. "You're still shaking a bit..."

"Yes, of course... wonderfully," she whispered, losing herself in his closeness. "I just have to calm down a bit... it was too intense."

"In a good sense I hope..."

"Only if good means frenetic," she chuckled, making him smile.

"You know, I've always thought I'm fantastic..." he teased her, while he was stroking her thigh playfully. "But I've never seen anything like this before... your whole body was shaking."

"Yes..." she bit her lower lip from the memory, "I could not control my muscles anymore... and I literally had to hold myself back from crying out loud uncontrollably."

"It was the most beautiful vision ever..." he kissed her shoulder and drew her closer lovingly.

"But now, that I've seen what you're capable of..." she added mischievously, catching his hand and slowly guiding it higher and higher, "I think I'll want it every day... are you okay with that?"

"Actually, I'm not sure I can repeat it whenever I want," he said with false regret, "So I think I'll need time to find the perfect technique..."

"You will have a lot of chance to find it, don't worry." she giggled. "And now..."

"You want to start it right now?" he chuckled.

"No..." she laughed. "I'm just a bit thirsty... so would you be so sweet to bring me something to drink?"

"Yes of course, anything." he gave her a quick kiss, then put on a T-shirt. "What would you like?"

"Just some water."

"Okay, water is ordered," he winked and went downstairs happily where Martin was standing in the kitchen with the phone is his hand... "Hey Dad, you're still up?" he wanted to open the fridge, but stopped. "What's the matter?"

"Phil just left you a message... I think you two should disappear immediately."

"What did he say exactly?"

"That somehow it turned out you grew up here, so it's fairly certain there will be a percussion soon."

"Oh shit..."

"I don't know just in here or at the neighbors also, but I think we can call it a problem anyway. "

"That's true," he agreed. "But the point is the police could be here in any minute."

"The police here?! But why?" asked Clarisse frightened as she came down the stairs...

To be continued...