HisPrinceSubmits Read online

  The three men followed Alexander back to his study as he tried, and failed, to calm his pounding heart and slow his jumbled thoughts.

  * * * *

  Mountain Brook, Alabama

  Two Weeks Later

  Sebastian tried to focus on the words in his textbook, but he felt pretty sure that three of the four other men sitting on the patio of the cafe were watching him. Two of them appeared to be close to his age, but the one in the corner was probably about thirty. Sebastian cleared his throat and ran his napkin over his face as he glanced down at his shirt to see if he’d spilled something. The one sitting the closest to him had a great body and bright blue eyes, and he’d smiled at Sebastian briefly a few minutes ago.

  Throwing a glance at the other two guys again, Sebastian debated what to do. Was the guy interested in him? What about the other two guys? And if there was something that interesting about him, why wasn’t the fourth guy paying any attention to him? He closed his book and went to the bathroom, carefully inspecting his appearance. Not a single hair was out of place. He sighed and washed his hands. Maybe it was just a coincidence. There might be something behind him or across the street that the three men kept looking at.

  There’s one way to find out. He exited the bathroom and gathered his things, taking his check inside to pay. When he came back outside to leave, the fourth guy passed him to go inside and pay his own bill. Sebastian held the door for him and then looked around the patio. The hot guy smiled at him again, so Sebastian went over to him.

  “Hi. I’m Sebastian.”

  The guy looked briefly stunned, which made no sense given the way he’d been staring. But then he smiled and nodded in greeting. “I’m Stefan.”

  Sebastian adjusted his backpack and asked, “Would you like to get a drink later?”

  Now, the guy’s eyes widened, a look of pure panic coming to his face. He cleared his throat and put his napkin on the table, grabbing for his check. “Uh, actually, I have to go meet my … girlfriend.” He stood, his eyes darting around in seeming embarrassment. “Excuse me.” He moved past Sebastian quickly.

  Once again, Sebastian could feel eyes on him. The other two men both averted their gazes when he turned around, but they had obviously witnessed the awkward exchange. He headed for the patio exit, ignoring the younger guy, who had buried his face in a novel. The older man sat right by the exit to the parking lot, and he looked up at Sebastian with an almost sad expression on his face, which puzzled Sebastian.

  Sebastian nodded, trying to be polite even though he wondered why the guy had been staring at him. “Not the first time I’ve been shot down,” Sebastian said softly as he passed the man.

  “No accounting for taste,” the man said.

  Sebastian stopped. “Or people not knowing what they want.” He nodded back toward the now empty table. “That guy kept staring at me, then ran away when I talked to him. Said he had a girlfriend. Not sure if he was lying or not.” He paused. “Sorry. I’m rambling.”

  “Quite all right. And you’re not rambling.” He stood up, and Sebastian had to tilt his head back to look up into his eyes. The man tossed down a twenty, even though he’d only had a coffee and a slice of pie, and clasped his hands together in front of him. “If you’re still free for a drink later, I’d love to buy you one.”

  The guy was handsome—tall and muscular with short, wavy dark hair and light green eyes—but Sebastian’s attraction to older men had never worked out in the past. The last one had given him grief for his fake ID, even though Sebastian would be twenty-one in just a few weeks. “Actually, I probably need to study. Thanks, though.” Sebastian smiled and hurried away. As he got into his car, he turned and saw that the man he’d been talking to hadn’t moved. He stood there, just staring down at the multi-colored bricks that made up the patio floor. Sebastian put his backpack on the seat beside him and pulled his phone out, checking his calendar. He didn’t have any exams for over a week. What harm could a few drinks do? He slipped his phone into his pocket and opened his car door again, but as he straightened up, he saw that the patio was completely empty. He scanned the parking lot but didn’t see anybody. Both men had simply vanished.

  After a brief hesitation, he moved to go back inside. The money was still on the table, so the man hadn’t taken his bill inside, but maybe he’d gone to the bathroom. Sebastian went in to look for the man, but the cafe was almost empty since it was mid-afternoon. Sebastian checked the bathroom as well, and the hostess looked at him when he came out.

  “Everything all right, sir?” she asked.

  “Fine. I was just looking for the man from the patio. Very tall with black hair. He was sitting right by the parking lot, in the corner.”

  She shook her head. “He didn’t come in, sir. I’m sorry.”

  “Thanks.” Sebastian looked around as he returned to his car, not sure why he cared. He laughed at himself. Should’ve said yes when I had the chance. He hopped in his car and went home, feeling cheered by the sight of his new place. The white-columned antebellum house had been split into apartments, but many of its unique details had still been beautifully restored. Right now, there was only one other resident, and she was very quiet. It had proven a wonderful retreat from the chaos of dorm life. He thought of the last couple of parties he’d been to and how he’d made no progress with any of the guys he’d met either time.

  “Nothing wrong with a night in,” he said to himself as he mounted the thirty-two steps that wound up the hill and took him to the beautiful porch that stretched along the entire front of the house. He put his backpack on the porch swing and pulled out his book again, trying to get lost in the French Revolution and forget about the handsome man he could’ve been spending this evening with.

  * * * *

  The Veiled Court

  Alexander burst into his father’s chambers without knocking. When he didn’t see him in the outer room, he went to the bedroom next. It was also empty, so he crossed the room and threw open the study doors. His father sat at his desk staring down at some papers. He looked incredibly tired as he lifted his gaze, but Alexander didn’t care.

  “Do you know what I spent my afternoon doing, father?” Alexander asked.

  Grayden sat back. “I’m certain you’re about to tell me.”

  “I just had to endure watching my cariad make eyes at one of my guards. He even asked Stefan to go for a drink.”

  “I see. Is Stefan dead?”

  “No! Of course not!” Alexander advanced and leaned over his father’s desk. “I’m not like you and grandfather. I don’t punish people because something doesn’t go my way. I am trying to talk to you about what you’ve done to me. What your actions have brought about.”

  Grayden huffed at him and crossed his arms. “Go on then.”

  “Stefan turned him down, of course. There was nothing else for him to do. I was lucky enough that Sebastian spoke to me as he was leaving the cafe. When I asked him for a drink, he turned me down. And do you know why?”

  “I dare not venture a guess.”

  Alexander clenched his jaw at the sarcastic tone, staring at his father’s face and noting how cold it was, how dead and emotionless his eyes were. “Because he has no idea who he is. Who I am. No idea that I am his prince and that he is meant to be with me. I could feel his attraction to me, but he lives in the human world. Things are different there these days. I’m twelve fucking years older than him, and that’s screwing up my chances. Now, approaching him again is going to seem weird. He’ll recognize me and think I’m stalking him.”

  “You are.”

  “Because you sent him away! Hiding his identity wasn’t enough—you had to actually banish him and take his memories. I have no other way of learning about him. I can’t just walk up to him and put my hand on his forehead and begin restoring his memories. He’ll yank away from me and call the police.” He straightened, trying to stay in control of his temper. “Did you not think of how hard this would be for me?” He felt sure his father ha
d a reason for sending Sebastian to the human world, but he couldn’t figure out what it might be.

  “I never planned on you finding out.” Grayden stood up. “But I let something slip. Then your mother told her lover.” He shook his head. “I’d get rid of Edmund if I could. But he’s too good at his job. And his family far too great.”

  “Get rid of him?” Alexander said softly, not wanting to believe his father could mean that.

  Grayden waved his hand dismissively. “I don’t mean kill him. Just replace him. He’s too highhanded.”

  “Highhanded? How dare you!”

  Grayden rounded on his son. “Excuse me?”

  “He cares more about this kingdom and your people than you do. He cares more about your queen’s happiness, which is why she turned to him in the first place. And he cares about your children more than you ever have! He is far more of a father to all four of us than you have ever been.”

  “Might not want to say that too loudly. We’re lucky no one has ever questioned any of your parentage.”

  “What?” Alexander stared but then shook his head. “Edmund has only been your adviser for fifteen years. It’s not possible for him to have fathered any of us.”

  “Not him, no. But…” He shrugged. “Perhaps you should forget about your cariad, if it’s too much of a challenge. Being fated to one another certainly didn’t do anything for me and your mother. It’s only a damned legend. Why should the seers dictate our lives to us?”

  “What other purpose could the visions serve?”

  “We can’t answer that since we aren’t the ones who see them. Ever think of that?”

  “Yes, but I’m not here to debate mysticism.”

  “I’m just saying your mother and I never loved each other. Were never happy.”

  “That was your fault. You treated her like a broodmare. Never considered her feelings. You were pleased when she decided she wanted rooms separate from yours.”

  “Yes. Gave us both more privacy to live our own lives.”

  “I refuse to be like you!” The entire room shook as Alexander’s power rose for a moment. He tried to push it back down, not wanting to physically fight with his father, even if he did despise the man half the time.

  Grayden laughed. “No danger of that ever happening.”

  Alexander clenched his fists, furious that his father could laugh at him so easily. There were so many cruel things he could say, but what did it matter? His father felt nothing. He would probably only laugh again, see his son as weak because of his emotions. Steeling himself against the reaction he knew he’d get, Alexander said, “I will never give up. No matter what I have to do, I am going to win my cariad’s heart and bring him home. One day, he will rule at my side as I try to undo all the harm you have done!” He turned on his heel and exited the study.

  His father made no reply and let him leave. Alexander stopped a few feet down the hall, feeling mystified by the fact that his father’s silence hurt as much as his unfeeling words had. He returned to his rooms, running into Edmund just as he reached the door.

  “Your Highness, I’ve taken the liberty of looking into something. If you can juggle your responsibilities, it might be the right solution.”

  He gestured to the door. “Come in and tell me.”

  “Thank you,” Edmund said.

  They sat in the receiving room, Alexander on the edge of his seat. “What is it?”

  “You went by Sebastian’s apartment, right? The old mansion that’s been converted.”

  “Yes. It’s very beautiful.”

  “There are four apartments. Two are vacant, including the one right across from his.”

  Alexander’s breath caught in his throat. Why hadn’t he thought of it? “What must we do? Can we secure it?”

  “Yes, I’m already working on it. I had to fabricate some documents. I’ll get you copies. You’ll have to memorize some things. But I think we can do this without magic.”

  “We’ll use magic if we must. If anyone objects or says I’m abusing my power, I have a fine defense, I think.”

  “I’ll continue working on it then. Let you know when you need to take action. They’ll want an interview if your application is approved. The owner is very selective. The house is beautiful and has been restored with loving care.”

  “I’d live anywhere to be close to Sebastian. I’m sure I can make myself seem like a desirable tenant.” He sighed and bent to rest his head in his hands. “It may be awkward, but perhaps I could use it to my advantage.” He looked up. “He noticed me staring at him today, when I went to that cafe he always goes to after class. Perhaps I could say I saw him while I was checking out the apartment and couldn’t place him. Make me seem less odd.” He shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I’ll have to wait and see how he reacts.”

  “Once you restore his memories, none of that will matter.”

  “But he has to trust me. It’ll take several minutes to unlock his memories. And I’ll have to tell him something first. I can’t just grab him and tell him to hold still while I do something to his brain.” He stood up. “I have so much to think about. So much to plan.”

  Edmund stood as well. “Go rest. Let me handle this part. You’ve hardly slept these last two weeks. Once you’re there with him every day, I’d bet you won’t have any trouble winning him over.”

  Alexander nodded and went to his bedroom, wanting to be equally optimistic but unable to think of anything but Sebastian’s rejection a few hours ago.

  Chapter Two

  Mountain Brook, Alabama

  Three Days Later

  Sebastian heard a truck pull up outside, and he set his coffee down and moved to look out the window facing the street. Wayne, his landlord, had called him last night and said a new tenant would be moving in across the hall from him today. He’d been hoping for a nice, quiet Sunday, but he remembered what it had been like going up and down those steps alone dozens of times. His adoptive parents were in their seventies, and he hadn’t had the heart to tell them he didn’t really have many friends on campus, so he’d wound up moving everything from his dorm room by himself. He’d never have gotten his bed and desk in if Wayne hadn’t helped him. He could spare an hour or two helping this guy get some of his stuff inside. At least the moving truck wasn’t too big.

  Sebastian took another sip of his coffee and checked the parking spaces in front of building. Elizabeth wasn’t home right now, and Wayne had said he wouldn’t have time to stop by, so it was up to Sebastian to greet this guy. As he set his cup down again, he stopped. The man opening the back of the moving truck looked very familiar. When he turned and gazed up at the house, it hit Sebastian.

  It was the guy from Thursday afternoon, the one he’d turned down and then kept thinking about all night. He actually blinked, wondering if he was imagining it. The guy was hundreds of feet away after all, and the sun was pretty bright today. Sebastian moved away from the window so he wouldn’t be caught staring and exited his own apartment to open the front door and prop it open. It took him a minute to find the doorstop, which had somehow gotten kicked into the corner. As Sebastian straightened up and checked the door, the man looked up and waved, and Sebastian returned the wave as he made his way down the steps.

  “Hi. I’m Sebastian,” he said, extending his hand and looking into the man’s green eyes. “And I think we’ve met before, though I didn’t get your name.”

  The man smiled. “I’m Alexander. And yes, we met the other day. You know, I was sort of staring, to be honest. I thought you looked familiar. I guess I saw you when I was looking at the apartment.” Alexander’s words came out in a bit of a rush, as if he was nervous.

  Sebastian didn’t remember Wayne showing the place to anyone recently, but it wasn’t impossible. “Yeah. Maybe. But I go to Palermo’s every day after class. Maybe you’ve seen me there when it was busier or something. I’m usually reading and don’t really notice who’s around me.” He felt like he was rambling again and said, “And here
I thought you were staring because you thought I was hot.”

  “Oh, that was an additional motivation, but you turned me down, remember?”

  “Hey, no accounting for taste, like you said.” He shifted his weight. “I actually turned around after I got to my car to say I’d changed my mind.”

  Alexander blinked at him, his mouth falling open. After a moment, he said, “Oh. Guess I should’ve stuck around.”

  “Yeah, you vanished.” Alexander was probably way too old for him, but he seemed really nice. Sebastian took a chance and said, “But looks like we’re getting another chance. I know where to find you now. Right across the hall.”

  “Yes. Maybe fate’s trying to tell us something.” Alexander seemed like he was about to say something else, but he turned back to the truck and eyed his boxes.

  Sebastian looked into the truck. “You don’t have much stuff. We can get it all inside in no time.”

  “Yes, I sold most of my furniture. This is mostly clothes and books. I’ll probably be having a few things delivered during the week. Hopefully it won’t bother you too much.”

  “I’m not home much during the day.” He took a box and began walking up the stairs. When they reached the porch, he asked, “Do you have a sleeping bag or something? I didn’t see a bed. I have a blowup mattress you could borrow until your bed and mattress arrive.”

  “That’s very kind, but I have one. I knew I wouldn’t have a bed when I got here.” Alexander put his box down and fished out the keys. He dropped them as he fumbled with the lock, some color coming to his cheeks. He quickly shoved the door open and gestured for Sebastian to go in first.