New chapter, finally. Work was crazy but it has finally calmed down a bit, so hopefully in between Euro 2016 and work, I can get a lot of writing done. This wasn't edited; I finally have the time to write, so I was like, write first, edit later. I have some MAJOR issues with the last chapter and seriously debated taking it down, but it felt like that would've been unfair to you guys. Promise next chapter will be better. Thank you all for reviewing and still reading this. Love!

Chapter 6. Bloody fool

He had never intended to meet her in person, hadn't even known what exactly to talk about, because yes, he might love her, but no, that didn't mean he wanted to and just maybe, he didn't deserve to. But her reaction had been quick and to the point – Cartizze, 9 pm tomorrow night – and even now, while he was driving there, he still wasn't entirely too sure whether this was a good idea or not.

Because he could tell himself he was fine, that he didn't want to go back there – whatever that was – and he could pretend to his heart's desire, but there was no denying the way his heart skipped a beat – or two, or three – when Eleanor replied to his text. And Jasper Frost didn't do nervous nor excited, but the tingles running through his body certainly suggested otherwise.

He hadn't even told Poppy about meeting the Princess, because she would've had a smug I told you so waiting for him, while in fact she had told him nothing and everything at all and he still had nothing to talk about.

Honestly, what were they going to talk about? He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, waiting for the light to turn green again.

Yeah Princess, so basically Poppy told me you love me and maybe I have feelings for you too, but you kicked me out of your life, so now you fuck off out of mine.

He imagined that would go over well with her. Though, honestly, he was scared it would.

He could just tell her he loved her, get it all out of his system, give it a – as Poppy had said – good end. It was more than they both deserved, but desperately what they needed. To end it. On good terms. Without lies and accusations and secrets left between them.

He truly wanted to talk, he decided, he just had no idea where to fucking start. Because so much had already been said and done and nothing had ever been enough.

He drove 'round Grosvenor and Brook Street for a while, searching for a parking spot and perhaps just postponing the inevitable. He eventually found a spot on Brook's, but he sat in his car for at least ten minutes after. Mostly because he knew the Princess hated it whenever he was late. Anything to get under her skin and get the upper hand.

The bar's obscure entrance was well-concealed and he walked past the Mews thrice, before he discovered the small sign next to the posh bar, indicating that yes, this was the doorway leading to Cartizze. By then he was already twenty minutes late.

A thick, broad-shouldered man in a smart suit stopped him as he stepped through the doorway, eyebrows arched, looking for all means unimpressed, and Jasper mimicked his expression.

I was her bodyguard first, so please, try your best.

He would've been perfectly fine staring the bloke down for however long it took, but a voice sounded from behind the heavy curtains separating the foyer from what he believed was the main bar.

'Let him through. He's with us.'

And for a second his impassive façade fell.

The voice wasn't Eleanor's, most definitely not. It was distinctively male and Jasper found his hands unwittingly balled into fists.

Us?

He nodded at the bodyguard at the door, unable to keep a smug grin off his face, as he stepped through the curtains and into the bar.

There she was, Eleanor Henstridge, the Rebel Princess.

And for fuck's sake, it was all bloody three of them.

She was flanked by them both, the Heir Apparent Robert Henstridge on her right, and to the left her twin brother Prince Liam.

Fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK, and he schooled his features into an impenetrable mask of dispassion.

'Your Highnesses,' he said calmly and there was one empty chair placed before them, clearly meant for him, so instead he took a seat in one of the fauteuils to the near right. Eleanor pretended not to notice, but Liam and Robbie shared a quick look. They said nothing, though.

A tall glass was placed on the small table beside him by a young woman dressed entirely in black, and before he could ask her what it was, she had already blended back into the shadows. He sniffed his glass and he didn't care how unrefined it looked.

Robbie grinned, holding up a glass similar to Jasper's.

'Don't think, just drink,' he said. 'Rich is a bartending genius. He was actually crowned the World's Most Imaginative Bartender in 2014.'

He held up his glass towards the man behind the bar, who smirked back at him. Robbie seemed to want to continue his praise, but Eleanor cut him off.

'You're late.'

Jasper rolled his eyes.

'Traffic.'

He took a sip from his drink. Robbie hadn't been exaggerating. It tasted great. A bit spicy, though.

He looked at her and she stubbornly stared back and again, Liam and Robbie exchanged looks. When it became apparent neither Jasper nor Eleanor were speaking up anytime soon, Liam cleared his throat.

'So, Jasper,' he started awkwardly. 'How have you been? Haven't seen you since...'

'The lunch,' Robbie piped up. 'Now, I heard that was really exciting, wasn't it?'

And Liam rolled his eyes, because of course, Robert, talking about that uncomfortable event was certainly going to ease the tension in the room.

'Certainly not my finest moment,' Jasper replied flatly, praise the man.

'Neither was it hers,' Robbie grinned, and Eleanor narrowed her eyes at him.

'Either way,' Liam continued, 'it's good to see you, mate –'Robbie snorted '- since with the coronation coming up we've had practically no free time whatsoever. Hopefully after this one is crowned King, things will settle down and we can finally catch up properly.'

'Help him out with the ladies,' Robbie added, 'because if we leave it solely to his charms, Willow will leave his ass sooner than later.'

'I'd encourage her to make it sooner,' he whispered conspiratorially at Jasper behind his hand. When Liam gasped undignified, Robbie laughed and ruffled her little brother's hair.

'I'm joking, kid,' he grinned. 'Just messing with you.'

Liam, childishly, stuck out his tongue at him and grinned back.

'I thought that after the Paris-incident,' Robbie continued to explain, 'he had learned to think with his head instead of his dick, but the shit this lad has gotten himself into after his birthday party… You won't even believe it, Frost.'

He went on a lengthy monologue, describing his brother's stupidity quite colourfully. Jasper listened intently, refusing to look at Eleanor, though he knew, knew, she was already on her third glass of wine since he had entered the bar and her legs were crossed, uncrossed, crossed again, which let him know she was aerated. Somewhat.

'You're awfully quiet for someone who claims to need to talk,' Eleanor said suddenly. And he was right. Her brothers fell silent immediately.

He raised an eyebrow at her; she glared at him.

'With all due respect, Princess,' he said curtly. 'The need to talk did not include your brothers.'

'Why not?' Eleanor said. 'We keep no secrets.'

'I doubt that,' Jasper said.

Again, Robbie and Liam looked at each other.

'Why do I get the feeling this was not just a social call?' Liam asked.

Robbie nodded, nursing his drink. 'I feel like I've been lured here under false pretences.'

'My sister promised me a nice night out and this just feels way to awkward to be just nice,' Robbie continued. 'Had I known, i wouldn't have come.'

'If there's alcohol involved, you're always willing to come, Rob,' Liam muttered and Robbie grinned, nodding in agreement, throwing back what remained of his drink in one go. He set the empty glass back down and crossed his arms over his chest. Jasper looked at him and it was uncanny, the transformation, because suddenly he could see it. See what the entire nation saw in Robert.

A figure of authority.

A King.

'Now, Eleanor,' Robbie said, his tone imposing and permitting no argument. 'What is going on?'

Even before she opened her mouth, Jasper knew he was fucked.

Completely fucked.

'Nothing special,' she answered sweetly, too sweetly. 'It's just that… Jasper texted me we needed to talk. And I thought it would be so much more fun to do so with my lovely brothers present.'

Robbie raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

'Talk about what?' he asked.

And fuck, fuck, fuck. He could still get up, leave, get out of there before she had a chance to continue, but he sat rooted to his chair. Because some sick, twisted part of him, wanted her to say it and fucking get it over with.

Atonement.

'I don't know,' she answered. 'What did you want to talk about, Jasper?'

Wicked, was the only word that came to mind when he looked at her. But there was something else there, something else in her eyes, which he purposefully chose to ignore, because… Because.

'Maybe about the fact that -' and she was speaking to Robbie, but looking at him, and ignore, ignore, ignore, because, because, because, because '- he tried to rob me. Maybe he wants to talk about that. Perhaps about him fucking Mother, could be another thing he wants to talk about. Or, I don't know, maybe he wants to talk about blackmailing me into having sex with him.'

Or maybe it's about making me fall in love with him and then leaving me when I needed him the most.

'What are you talking about?'

She hadn't yet broken eye contact, but when her brother addressed her, she turned towards him. Robbie was looking at both of them, trying to do so simultaneously and failing miserably. Liam had his head in his hands, rubbing his temples with his thumb, but when Robbie again asked what the fuck are you talking about, Len? and his sister still hadn't answered, Liam looked up and sighed.

'Jasper tried to rob us, blackmailed her and had sex with Mom,' he explained, faintly jaded. 'But he also found dad's killer, kept Len safe when she went on her drug rampage 'round the world and he has been nothing but good to the family after.'

'After?' Robbie repeated. 'After?'

Eleanor had nothing to offer. Just drank her wine, looked at Jasper over the rim of her glass.

'After what?!' Robbie demanded.

And he demanded something that no one could give him, because everything they could say, would sound absolutely ridiculous.

'After everything that happened,' Liam said softly. 'He's been good to us.'

'You mean after he tried to steal from us and fucked Mom and bloody blackmailed our little sister into having sex with him?'

Jasper should've seen it coming, but it was all so graceful and controlled, so anticipated that it became unexpected. Thus his eyes were still on Eleanor when her brother was getting up and he was still trying to read her instead of reading the movements around him.

It wasn't a sucker punch, but he was completely blindsided.

When Robbie's fist first connected with his face, he fell sideward, barely holding himself up. The second punch knocked him straight out of the chair and then Robbie was on him – and Liam was screaming and pulling his brother backward, while Eleanor calmly sipped her wine.

'You're a fucking bastard,' Robbie roared and maybe Eleanor voiced her agreement or perhaps it was just a figment of Jasper's imagination. He hit Robbie in the stomach, not to hurt him, but to get him off, but he was a fucking bastard and Robbie a bloody Prince – almost a King – and when ever did Princes lose to bastards? And for a moment he fancied himself Ramsay and Robbie demure, little Jon Snow. He chuckled and of course Robert didn't like that, but thank the Lord for Liam.

'Robert, you twat,' Liam grunted, 'get off him.'

And it was funny how Richard the Award-Winning Bartender watched and did nothing, just like the guard at the door, the waitress in the shadows and whoever else were there. Jasper wasn't even surprised.

'For fuck's sake,' Liam snarled and then the weight was off Jasper. Both brothers were cursing, Liam loudest, and he told Robbie to 'get your fucking shit together and move to the next room, right now' leaving Jasper and Eleanor alone.

He was still on the floor, eyes closed, fists clenched. Mentally did a check and was pretty sure his eye was going to swell shut tightly. Not yet, though.

When he opened his eyes again, the first he saw were hers.

'Are you okay?' And her voice was so soft he barely heard it, but he held onto it like a lifeline. As he sat up, he never broke eye contact. Neither did she. There was so much emotion there and he couldn't possibly decipher them all, but he knew. And it scared him just as much as it scared her.

'Are you?'

Her eyes fluttered shut and she inhaled deeply, and she was so, so beautiful.

'I'm sorry,' she whispered and it was all he needed to hear to propel him forward.

'Eleanor,' he said and he was on his knees in front of her. Debated whether to touch her or not, but decided against it.

'What is it you want from me?' he asked. He looked at her and she looked through him, and for fuck's sake, her brothers wouldn't be long and he needed to know.

'Eleanor,' he urged her. 'Tell me. Please.'

And for someone who claimed he never begged he had been doing a lot of it the past couple of days. His hands were floating, roaming, and the gods damn it all. He pulled himself up between her legs, touched her hands, her arms, her collarbone and eventually cupped her face between his hands.

She inhaled sharply, stiffened, but did not pull away.

'What do you want from me, Eleanor?' and he practically breathed the words into her mouth, because he knew she wasn't drawing breath anymore and he hadn't been thinking straight for a long time now, because whenever he was near her he wanted to give her all that he had. Everything.

'Tell me.'

And the hoarseness of his voice was nothing compared to the feel of her hand, grabbing a fistful of his shirt, and she wasn't moving and didn't say a word, but he knew.

'Eleanor,' he sighed and she opened her mouth, just marginally, and inhaled his breath. Drew it in so deeply, he was almost afraid she would drown in it, the way her eyes widened and bore down on him. Her tongue flicking out to wet her lips. And for fuck's sake, he instantly got hard.

And she knew.

Her fingers skimmed his cheek, sending a jolt of electricity through his body.

But then there was a sound and her brothers were coming back and she pushed him away, with such force he almost fell down, but he didn't care, because he knew and by the time Liam and Robbie entered the room again and took their places next to Eleanor, Jasper was already back in his seat, holding his cold glass against and glaring at the world like nothing had happened.

'Len,' Robbie barked. 'Get up, we're leaving.'

Jasper looked at her, tried to make eye contact, but already knew she was going to ignore him. She was out the door without a second glance.

'You,' Robbie growled at him and Liam had done a well enough job in calming him down, but the Heir apparent clearly was still angry. 'Tomorrow a car will pick you up at six p.m. and you and I are going for a ride.'

Jasper rolled his eyes, was already deciding in his head who he would bribe to pick up the last two hours of his shift, but still replied, 'Some of us have a job, Your Highness.'

Robbie, who had already been on his way out, turned around swiftly and Liam immediately placed a tight hand on his arm.

'You better be there, Frost,' he growled. 'If you know what's good for you.'

'He will, he will,' Liam was quick to say, earning him a glare from Robbie.

'I'm not finished with you either,' he hissed. Then he spun on his heels and was gone in a flash.

One, two, three.

Liam stood by the curtains, looked at Jasper.

Four, five.

They looked at each other.

Six, seven.

Liam grinned; Jasper snorted.

And then they were both smiling, chuckling, and bloody hell, laughing out loud. It only lasted a couple of seconds, which was enough to embarrass Jasper deeply, so when Liam sat down on the sofa again, shaking his head, still smiling, all Jasper could think was, the fuck?

'Did you know she was going to do this?' Liam asked.

Jasper shook his head.

'Did you?' he replied.

But Liam shook his head in denial.

'Your sister is fucking crazy,' Jasper muttered. 'Out of her mind.'

'So are you,' Liam grinned, 'so I guess it's a good fit.'

He cocked his head to the side, took a good look at Jasper's face and smirked.

'You need to put some real ice on that eye,' he said. 'Robbie got you good.'

'I let him,' Jasper grunted.

'Sure, mate,' Liam nodded. 'Whatever you say. I'm going to get you some ice and us some drinks.'

'Shouldn't you go home with Eleanor and your brother?' Jasper asked.

Liam snorted.

'Home?'

'Believe me, Robbie threw Eleanor in the Range Rover and told Baker to drive her back to the palace,' he said. 'Robbie himself is probably still out with one of the other bodyguards, drinking a pint and bitching about the mess I supposedly made of shit while he was bloody dead.'

He grinned, placed a hand on Jasper's shoulder.

'I'd rather stay here with you,' he said, 'practicing my nearly perfect American accent and absolutely not talking about fucking my Mom, stealing jewellery and blackmailing Eleanor.'

He squeezed softly, then went off toward the bar and the moment he turned his back, Jasper grabbed his phone from his back pocket. And maybe he shouldn't, but he didn't give a fuck because he wanted to. And perhaps he thought it was what she wanted him to do.

You were just going to let your brother beat me up?

Almost immediately he could see three dots, her responding to his message.

Yes.

More dots.

But I knew Liam would interfere.

He smirked, winced when it hurt his mouth. A small cut. He hadn't even noticed.

Couldn't contain his grin despite the pain, when he saw there were still dots. She was still typing.

Have fun with Liam and pray they find your body after tomorrow, Jasper from Las Vegas.

She said nothing after that and he knew not how to reply, but there was Liam and there was alcohol and halfway through the night his head started throbbing like a little bitch, but perhaps all of that made it easier to accept.

Because for fuck's sake. He was loath to admit it, but Poppy was right.

He wanted the epic love story. Everyone wanted the epic love story. And he was pretty sure he wanted this epic love story more than anyone.

Poppy was fucking right.

Curse her.

And curse him for being such a bloody fool.