Ch. 316..320: The Hidden Princess At All-Boys Alpha Academy Chapter 316-320
Chapter 0315
"You were shocked?" Jesse asks, stepping forward, wanting more details.
"Yes!" Luca says, almost shouting in his need to be believed. "She was asking me about the match, and life at the Academy, and then she just dropped the question about my mate in there casual as hell! I think she knew I was going to be shocked - wanted to surprise me! And if you read the way it's written in the article - that I blushed, and stumbled over my words - that was all me having no idea that this was coming!"
Rafe and Jesse just glare, not buying it not yet.
"Do you think I don't know how much this fucks things up for her!?" Luca says, gesturing towards me now and then looking into my face, ignoring my brother and my cousin now, knowing that this is - deep down - about us. "Ariel," he says, stepping forward, though Rafe puts out a hand to stop him from getting to me knowing that my judgment is compromised by physical touch with my mates.
Luca glares at Rafe for a second but then gives in, dropping his hand and looking at me again. "Ariel, I would never do that to you," he says, pressing his hands to his heart and willing me to believe him. "I know that this is not my story alone - that you have a right to hold your secrets, and that you live a very private life on purpose! You have to believe me."
And as Luca stares at me with his big brown eyes, passing all his love and carnestness and truth down the bond to me - I believe him. I do, instantly. There's just...no room for deception here - he's too raw, too open.
"Okay," I say, my voice breaking a little as I step forward, reaching for him. Rafe drops his hand and Luca groans aloud as I dart to him, wrapping my arms around his waist as he gathers me close. "Okay, Luca," I whisper. "I believe you."
Jesse sighs, believing my belief in Luca, but still not finished here. "Why didn't you deny it, Luca?" he snaps, still mad. "That would have fixed a lot -"
"You can't lie to the press, Jesse," Luca says, frowning at him. I loosen my arms around him a little so that I can look to see Jesse's expression, but I don't let Luca go. "The best you can say is no comment, but you can't lie - if it ever comes out one day that Ariel is my mate then they have me on record as a liar, and you can't get away from that "
"Well then why didn't you say no comment?" Rafe asks, folding his arms and still frowning at my mate, I think pleased to know that our friend didn't betray us but still unhappy with the whole situation.
"I basically did!" Luca says, his voice raising again in self-defense. "I just said a lot of noncommittal things about how Ariel's a lovely girl and how my love life is private - I thought that was all better than a cheeky, blushy 'no comment,' which just sounds staged!"
"It makes sense, Rafe," I say softly, wanting to come to my mate's defense. Because if he didn't do this, then he's on our side and doesn't deserve to be interrogated anymore. But if he didn't do it...
I see the same question forming on Rafe's tongue, but before he can ask it, there's a soft cry from the kitchen and then the door bursts open, a blur of grey and blue dashing through it.
"Principe!"
The tiny figure dashes immediately for Rafe, shouting his name in desperate tones, sounding almost as if she's crying. And then suddenly Luca's Gran has her arms around Rafe's waist, squeezing him tight as she shouts his name and his title over and over, her eyes pressed shut with little tears at the corners.
Rafe stumbles back, a little shocked, and Luca groans, reaching for her, but I hold him back, letting her have her hug. Jesse grins, a little delighted, and Rafe glances around at us for a second before lowering his arms and patting Gran warmly on the back.
"Principe Rafe!" Gran cries, clearly having the best moment of her life. "Mio preferito!"
I have a very, very hard time keeping the smile from my face as I watch her meet her idol.
But my smile falls immediately as Luca's mom comes back into the room with a tray of iced tea, followed closely by his uncle. And Luca's uncle looks stern as hell, and ready for battle.
Which can only mean...one thing.
Chapter 0316
Rafe immediately goes into Prince-mode, continuing to pat Gran on the back while looking up at Luca and quietly mouthing "who is this?"
Luca sighs and gestures towards her. "Rafe, this is my Gran," he says. "She's...a big fan."
"Oh," Rafe says, his eyebrows going up, because of course we've heard a lot about Luca's Gran at the Academy. "Oh, with the cake!" he says, laughing a little. And then, I think to everyone's shock, he puts his hands on Gran's shoulders and presses her away just a tiny bit. Surprised, Gran opens her eyes and looks up into his face.
And then, in what sounds like perfect Itablio, Rafe says, "Grazie per la torta. Lo amaro."
Gran gives a loud shout of joy and then starts to cry harder, pulling Rafe close again and tucking her face away against his stomach, crying hard into his shirt.
"Oh my god," Linda says, hastily putting down the iced tea and reaching for her. "Mom, please -"
"No, it's okay," Rafe says, holding out a hand towards Linda and giving her his best Princely smile. His other hand softly strokes Gran's back in a comforting way. "It's fine. This...happens sometimes."
And Linda laughs and rolls her eyes but gives a shrug, like he asked for it. Gran continues to cry softly, starting to pull herself together, as Luca looks awkwardly between all of us, and then over to his uncle.
"Rafe, Jesse," he says with a sigh, holding a hand out towards his coach. "This is my uncle and my coach, Bruce Grant. Bruce, this is_"
But Bruce just waves a hand at him, clearly indicating that he knows who they are, and Luca hangs his head. He doesn't look at me anymore even though I stare up into his face.
And it's all the confirmation I need.
I slowly loosen my arms from around Luca's waist and take a step away from him, staring at the guilt in the lines of his posture, the sorrow. And then I turn my eyes to Bruce.
"So," I say, slowly, softly. "You did it."
Bruce holds my gaze, his mouth a thin, determined line. "Yes, miss Ariel," he says, crossing his arms as he leans back against a sideboard, at once casual and defensive. "Yes, I did it. I told the press about your relationship with my nephew. And I'd do it again."
Rafe glares, hard, at Bruce Grant, but he continues to stroke Gran's back, clearly unwilling to push her away when she's still overwhelmed. But this just makes space for Jesse to shine.
"Are you kidding me?" Jesse growls, stepping forward loom over Bruce, who is an inch or two shorter than him. Bruce doesn't flinch away, instead simply looking at Jesse with a steady frown. "You had absolutely no right to spread that information to the press. God damn it, you selfish asshole, did you sell it!?"
"Of course I sold it," Bruce snaps back, glaring at Jesse, not backing down. "I sold it in Luca's name - all the profits when to him."
Rafe gasps, and so does Jesse, and I look up at Luca with sadness in my eyes. Because I'm starting to put it together now - that Bruce did this without Luca's permission.
But still. Luca is the one reaping all the benefits, isn't he?
How much did he sell it for? I whisper, directly into Luca's mind.
Luca shifts his eyes to me, his face grim.
Tell me, I command.
Luca drops his eyes. There was a bidding war, he says, his voice echoing in my mind as Jesse and Bruce start to go at it, shouting at each other.
And? I ask, prodding him to continue.
And the final sum was...north of 1.5 million, Luca says, a sigh slipping through his lips.
My eyes flare wide because...because that is one hell of a sum. And while I very much want Luca to have it - especially considering that I have never once in my life wanted for money-
But...his uncle made that money selling a story about me, didn't he? And now it's all in Luca's pocket.
God, this is complicated. More complicated than I ever thought it would be.
Honestly, I didn't know that a story about who I'm mated to could be worth so much - but I should have had a say in it. That money - it could have gone to aid something, done something that Luca and I agreed on together.
But now it's just...his. His uncle took that opportunity from us and seized it all for him.
And the realization that Luca pays his uncle's salary does not pass me by either.
"You can expect a lawsuit from this," Rafe says, drawing my attention back to the room as he speaks for the first time. Gran has loosened herself from his waist now and is wiping at her face, bustling around the room and straightening pillows before dashing back to the kitchen, probably getting more refreshments.
Chapter 0317
Passively, some part of me is very grateful that Gran speaks a different language from us - I want her to remember this as a nice day, not as the horrible afternoon it already is.
"You can bring along any lawsuit you want," Bruce says, giving a casual shrug as he meets Rafe's eye. "I didn't do anything illegal. Can't sue me for libel, I didn't say anything that wasn't true."
"You sold a story that wasn't yours," Rafe points out, taking an aggressive step towards him.
"Luca's story too, not just your girl's, just because she's high class -"
"Watch yourself," Jesse snaps, stepping forward to glare at Bruce.
"All right," Grant says, slowly raising his hands and silently admitting that he's crossed a line. "You got me there, that was a step too far towards disrespect. But Luca passed me power of attorney for all decisions regarding his public image years ago," he says, gesturing over at his nephew.
Luca's face goes a bit pale as he realizes that this is true, his mouth falling open.
"And," Grant says, "all I said was that Luca was mated to Princess Ariel. It was a story about him, about his life. I have every right to do that."
Rafe takes a deep breath and I see the thoughts passing over his face. He frowns because he's a bit out of his league here when it comes to these sorts of laws. "I'm not sure we're too worried about the specifics," Rafe says evenly, dismissing Bruce's point. " What it comes down to, sir, is that you made an enemy of a very powerful man today, not to mention his entire family. I'm not sure you'll find moving in this world very easy while Dominic Sinclair looks at you with disapproval."
"Well," Bruce says with a sigh, lifting his chin a bit while he meets Rafe's gaze, clearly holding his stance. "I've operated long enough in this world without Dominic Sinclair looking my way at all. So, we'll have to see how the future goes, whether or not the King approves of me." Bruce shifts his eyes to Luca now, who is still looking at him, devastated. "I did what I did for my boy here. And if I go down having put a significant sum in his pocket, and setting him on the right path for his future?" He nods once, steady. "I'll take it."
My heart hurts now, as I finally figure it out, as I look between Bruce and Luca and remember everything Bruce said last night about Luca having a short career, and needing to make what money he can now before someone younger and stronger comes to replace him.
And even though I wouldn't have done it myself...I get it.
Bruce Grant is a man who is fighting for his nephew, his family, to have everything in a new world in which their immigrant family has clearly struggled to build a life.
And even if I can dislike that I am the one at whose expense this was earned... I can't hate Bruce for it. Because I would fight just as hard for my family in his position.
"Why did you do it?" The words fall from my mouth before I can even think about whether it's wise for me to ask them.
Everyone in the room turns towards me, and everyone looks grim.
LL
"I did it," Grant says, holding my gaze, his voice gentler now, I think grateful to have the chance to spell out his reasonings. Because image-wise, Luca needs a boost. The boxing he's got - I'm not worried about that. But he's built too much of his public image up around being a git and a playboy party animal, womanizer, whatever you want to call it."
Bruce waves a dismissive hand and Luca hangs his head. I have to work very hard not to move to my mate's side right now, to comfort him when he hears the man he cares about so much say such nasty things about his image.
"So?" I ask, keeping my focus on him. "What does being mated to me have to do with that?"
"You, miss," Bruce says, leaning forward and staring directly into my eyes. "Are like buttermilk. Sweet, clean, and pure. And when the world sees the way he looks at you? How dedicated he is, how in love?" he shakes his head. "One single move, and this boy's image problems are fixed. You saved him."
Chapter 0318
"I didn't do anything," I correct, putting out a hand between us. "And it may be true that I'm good for Luca's image, but it should have been our choice to make this announcement. I'm part of this now, and even if you are in charge of Luca's public image, you're not in charge of mine."
Bruce holds my gaze, accepting what I say but still not backing down. And I see in him that he still believes he made the right choice for Luca and his family - and that I'm not nearly as included in that family as he'd have me think.
But also, in the same moment, I realize that it doesn't matter whether Bruce is sorry or regrets it or gives me an apology. Because it's done. And it's time to move on.
And besides, Rafe is right - my father will have his own response to this matter in time.
And when that comes, Bruce will have his own debts to pay.
"You know," I say softly, considering my words very carefully as I step to Luca's side. "Luca's bigger than just his boxing career. His worth is not measured alone by what he can earn in the ring, and through the media. IIe's doing beautifully at the Academy, which is a career path in itself. And he has people who believe in him, who will help him build the roads to whatever he wants to do once he's no longer boxing anymore."
I slip my hand into my mate's as I feel a rush of shock, and humility, and gratitude come flooding through our bond. And as I look up at Luca, I realize that no one's ever said that to him before - that they think he's bigger than just his boxing career. That he's worth something beyond it.
"I very much hope you're right, miss," Bruce says, his voice soft.
I snap my gaze back to Bruce.
"I am," I say, my voice firm.
And nobody says another damn thing, because we're all very aware that mine is the final word on the subject.
I let the silence ring for a moment before I look up at my mate, and tug on his hand. "Is there somewhere we can go?" I ask quietly. "I want a private word with you."
Luca stares at me for a second before he clears his throat and nods. "My room," he murmurs, lifting his chin back towards foyer in front of the main door, beyond which is a staircase. "We can talk there."
I turn towards Rafe and then Jesse. "You'll be all right here?"
"Sure," Rafe says, nodding easily to me as Bruce sighs and walks out of the room, heading into the kitchen at the same moment that Gran comes out, carrying a heaping tray full of plates. Rafe smiles softly. "I think we'll be... kept busy down here. Take your time, Ariel."
As Luca and I set off for the stairs, I see Rafe and Jesse sit down on the couch with Linda as Gran happily sets the tray down on the coffee table.
"Who..." Gran says, straightening up and putting her hands on her hips, looking curiously at Jesse. "Who....are you?"
Jesse's jaw drops. "You don't know who I am!?"
She just leans closer, like studying him will help her figure it out.
But Jesse just sighs, a tiny bit devastated, as he reaches for a slice of cake. "I'm the Duke."
"The best Duke," Rafe says, grinning at our cousin and patting him on the back as Gran presses a plate of cake into her favorite's hand.
I smile a little, but then we're too far up the steps to see any more of the action below, and the smile falls from my face as I follow Luca into his room.
He doesn't say anything as he holds open his door, letting me slip inside. A grin creeps over my face as I move to Luca's little twin bed and sit down on it, curling my legs up beneath me, because the room is just so boyish. There are boxing posters all over the wall, and old sets of gloves heaped in a corner, and a desk where I can imagine him immediately abandoning his homework as a kid. There's even still a cup with all of his pencils in the corner, a few of them broken and haphazardly shoved away.
Honestly, it's charming as hell. But Luca clearly isn't thinking about how cute his room is as he shuts his door and leans back against it, staring at the floor. "I am so sorry, Ariel," he sighs, his voice low with shame.
Chapter 0319
"Luca," I say, putting out my hands towards him.
He lifts his eyes a little to meet mine, but he doesn't move.
I just raise my eyebrows, a demand in them, and he sighs and presses up off the door, coming to take my hands and sit by my side. "Your room is so cute," I whisper.
He laughs, though his heart isn't in it. "Mom keeps it like a shrine to my childhood," he murmurs. "I had an apartment, obviously, in the city. But I sold it when I decided to run off to the Academy. Put the profits into the gym."
"Yeah, why didn't you tell me about the gym?" I ask, turning towards him and scooting closer, reaching out a hand to softly stroke his cheek. "It sounds amazing, what you're doing for those boys."
"Because...." he says, hesitating and leaning into my hand, "I don't know, Ariel, I mean who knows how long it will last. I don't want to tell you about a project that might fail in a few months when we can no longer afford to fund it."
"Well, you've got millions now," I say, my voice a little dry.
He looks up at me now. "No, I don't," he murmurs, his hands tightening on mine. "I'm giving you that money, obviously." "Okay," I say, a little too cheerful. His eyes widen in surprise - I don't think he thought I'd actually take it. "Except, I want my half donated anonymously to your gym. As long as the profits go to scholarships for the boys. I don't want to pay your uncle's salary,"
Luca huffs a laugh, but when he sees that I'm serious his face falls. "Ariel," he says, shaking his head like it's ridiculous.
"Luca," I say, mimicking the sound of his voice, because he's the one being ridiculous now. "I believe in you. If this is something you care about, then it's something I care about too. I think it's amazing. You should have told me about it sooner - you know that the rest of us would want to help. My mom is going to love it - she loves anything that helps kids who need a little boost in life." "I can't just...take your parents' money."
"Okay," I say, understanding. Money is easy for me, but I understand that it's not that way for everyone. "Then we'll help in other ways."
I smile, but Luca drops his head again, shaking it. "I'm so sorry, Ariel," he repeats, still stuck on it. "You're making this too easy. It never should have happened. My uncle - he crossed a line - and I'm so pissed at him - he's got way too much control of my life, and I think that he hates that I have a royal connection now, that someone else - especially a little blonde girl - might influence me more than he does -"
"Luca," I murmur, moving closer so that my side is pressed to his, sensing that he's on the edge of a rant that's going to take him deeper and deeper into a spiral of worry and sorrow and grief. I press his cheeks between my palms and force him to look at me. "I forgive you, all right? If there's anything to forgive - which I'm not sure there is - I forgive you."
He stares at me, a little baffled. And we stay like that for a long moment before he raises one hand, covering one of my own, still pressed to his cheek. "You're too good," he murmurs. "I don't deserve you."
"The Goddess doesn't make mistakes," I say with a happy little sigh, lifting my chin and pressing a kiss to his mouth. Luca takes a moment to respond, but then his eyes drift shut, and he wraps his arms around me and kisses me back, kisses me like I'm precious, and wonderful, and like he's terrified to lose me.
When we break apart a moment later, I know that we're all right. And that even if the situation isn't right yet - that he and I? We're good. We'll see it through.
"I'm going to go now," I whisper, staring straight into his brown eyes, my voice steady and warm. His eyes widen, worried, but I shush him softly, lifting my face a little to press a kiss to his cheek. "Not because I want to, or because I'm mad - but because you need to get your head back on your fight."
Luca just blinks at me like he forgot all about that.
And I laugh - because he probably did.
Chapter 0320
After a moment Luca starts to laugh with me before he takes a deep breath and nods. "Fucking fight," he murmurs, running an anxious hand through his hair. "I have so much to do."
"I know," I say, resting my head on his shoulder. "But I don't want your mind on me at all, okay? Put all of this out of your head and concentrate on what you have to do. I'll be there, tonight, in the box. Just like I promised."
"Are you sure?" he asks, tentative - because he knows that there will be eyes on me now that this article is out - way more than there were before.
"Royal box," I whisper. "Dead center. I'll be right there, nowhere else."
"You're not just saying that you're not mad so that I won't worry about it?" He whispers, and I grin at him, shaking my head a little because he's overthinking it.
"You didn't do anything bad to me, Luc," I say, pressing another kiss to his mouth. "So, I've got nothing to be mad about. We're good. You just concentrate on the fight - bring me home a pretty new belt to add to my accessories."
Luca laughs and then kisses me, swift and passionate, sending a great flood of love and gratitude and something very close to reverence down the bond. And I kiss him back for a good long time, not letting my own emotions travel to him, because I'm still mad as hell at his uncle and frankly a little sorry for Luca. And he doesn't need to know that right now.
Luca - he's so brash, and brave, and funny and charming and charismatic. But he's had someone behind him controlling a great deal of his life, hasn't he? And every part of me can see how a teenage Luca - so angry, so driven by his emotions - needed that control. Bruce and Luca - there's a great deal of love in their relationship, but also some condescension I'm not sure I can forgive.
No, I'm not sure I can countenance at all a man who has told his nephew that his only worth is in his ability to get into a ring and beat the tar out of other boys. I'm not sure I'm going to stand for that at all.
But... that's something Luca and I can talk about later. There's plenty of time for that.
"Okay," I say, laughing a little and breaking our kiss, running my fingers through his hair slightly. "I'm going to go. You have to concentrate."
"No," he mutters, bringing his face back to mine, "five more minutes
"Luca!" I laugh, pulling away.
"Two!"
CC
But when I laugh harder he does too, and holds me tight for a second before letting me go. Luca stands with me, walking me to the door, and we kiss one last time before I leave him there and hop cheerfully down the stairs. He sends a warm pulse of affection after me, and I send it right back, along with a great deal of assurance.
When I get to the ground floor and peek into the living room, I grin to see that basically all the cake has been eaten, and that Jesse and Gran are looking together at a photograph of the entire royal family that she's taken down from the wall.
"That's me!" Jesse says, pointing at his image insistently. "Duke Jesse! Me!"
A little dubious, Gran looks between him and the picture. "Duchessa Cora?" she asks, hesitant, pointing to Aunt Cora in the picture.
"That's my mom!" Jesse exclaims, throwing out an eager hand. Gran grimaces, staring at him like that can't possibly be true and making Rafe laugh.
Linda stands and comes over to me, slipping an arm around my shoulders. "She knows who he is, she figured it out ages ago," she whispers in my ear. "She's just messing with him now." I look at Linda in shock and then burst out laughing. Jesse and Rafe turn my way, Rafe getting to his feet.
"All good?" he asks, hesitant. I look to Linda, seeing the same question in her eyes.
"All good," I say, nodding around to everyone. "Luca and I are fine." I look up at Linda again. "We'll see you at the fight tonight? Would you like to come and sit in our box? You'd be more than welcome."