Page 67 of Cross Me

The bedroom, as it turned out, was the least stressful place on the planet. Belle had decorated in cool shades of white and pale wood tones that practically glowed in the light of late morning. It felt like stepping into a luxury spa, but I really didn’t feel relaxed until I joined her on the bed.

“Is this an actual cloud?” I asked, sinking into the layers of fluffy down. I felt like I was in heaven.

“This is my sanctuary,” she confessed. “I’m totally at peace here.”

I could see why. “I’m not sure Alexander would go in for this. Our bedroom isn’t very…peaceful.”

“I used to share a wall with you. I know,” she reminded me. “Believe me, I don’t mean peaceful in that way, either, although I do find sex very relaxing.”

I raised an eyebrow. We clearly had very different taste in men. There was nothing relaxing about being with Alexander. He was a force of nature in the bedroom, and I wouldn’t have it any other way—even when I was angry with him.

“Spill,” Belle ordered, and I realized I’d been silent for far too long.

“Alexander has a secret brother,” I blurted out. I’d been trying to think of the most delicate, mature way to tell her so that she would understand why this was a secret. I had clearly failed to deliver on that goal.

“A what?” she repeated. “Did you say secret brother?”

“Christ, it sounds even more clandestine coming from you,” I said, rubbing my temples as a sudden headache began to form. “Yes, he found out a few weeks ago that his dad had a son with someone after Elizabeta died. Basically, he paid for the woman to go away.”

I was oversimplifying the situation. Now that I knew the truth, I couldn’t help but wonder if that was the real reason Rachel Stone had wanted me to leave Silverstone. Was she worried I would discover her secret? She knew Anders was Alexander’s brother—but did he?

“When did he tell you?” Belle asked shrewdly, twisting a blonde lock around her finger as she considered my story. She may have pushed me toward Alexander in the beginning, but she’d had her reservations about our relationship ever since.

“Right away,” I said, “kinda.”

She gave me a that’s-what-I-thought look.

“He told me about the brother, but he didn’t have a name at the time.”

“And when he did?”

“Belle, it’s Anderson Stone.”

Her mouth fell open. She didn’t even try to shut it.

“Surprise,” I add weakly.

“Anderson Stone is Alexander’s illegitimate brother?” She seemed to be having trouble processing this information. “And you didn’t know?”

“Not until yesterday,” I grumbled.

That was what was eating away at me. The whole time, Alexander had known Anders was his brother. He’d admitted as much. Instead of telling me, he’d allowed me to go and make friends with him. I couldn’t figure out why.

“I don’t understand it,” I confessed to Belle. “Why wouldn’t Alexander have told me as soon as he found out that I’d met him?”

For once, she wasn’t spitting with rage over his actions. Instead, she pursed her lips. “Does Anders know?”

“Not yet.”

“So if you had known, you would have had to keep that secret from Anders or decide to tell him that he was dumped as a baby by the Royal family,” she pointed out.

A lightbulb went off in my head, care of Belle’s astute observation. “Oh.”

“You know I’m not always Alexander’s biggest fan, but I think he did it for you. I mean, what would you have done if you’d known?”

Acted strangely? Pretended not to know? No, there would have been only one course of action. “I would have handed the games over to someone else.”

“There you have it. I think he was actually trying to do something right,” she said softly. “It pains me to admit it.”