58.3
This is not a time for being calm. This is time for freaking the fuck out.
The fact that he tells me to relax makes me do exactly the opposite of relax. I can feel myself spinning up, my anxiety spiraling out of control. I'm about to be publicly humiliated. We're about to be publicly humiliated.
"Don't tell me to relax," I say, positively seething with anger and panic. "Do you just love being the butt of jokes in the headlines?"
An odd expression crosses his face, and I think I might have hurt him. "Calm down, luv," he says, his voice clipped. "This will stay our filthy little secret. No one's going to know you fucked Prince Kevin."
"Kev, I didn't mean –" I start, but he interrupts me, putting his hand up.
"You need to get out of here," he says. "Obviously we don't need to be seen leaving this room together."
"What if they search you?"
Kev laughs now, not even bothering to try to be quiet. I'm going to smack him. So help me, I'm about to smack the Crown Prince of Venici.
Then the door opens. I stand there like a deer in the headlights.
Shit.
"Oh. Prince Kevin. Miss Kensington," Nathaniel says.
"I've been taking Miss Kensington on a tour of the palace," Kev says, suddenly business-like, a paragon of sophistication. "Can you believe she hasn't seen all of the important rooms?"
"Yes," I say. "A tour."
I don't look at Nathaniel. I avoid making eye contact, because surely it's written all over my face. Hell, it's probably hanging in the air in the throne room – the smell of sex. And I have no idea what he did with the condom.
Don't panic. Don't panic.
Breathe.
Nathaniel speaks into a microphone on his wrist. "Throne room is clear. I've accounted for the Prince and Miss Kensington."
Out in the hallway, Kev speaks to Nathaniel. "About that remote…"
My heart sinks. Surely Kev isn't this reckless. I think I might faint.
"I know it was your sister who reported the remote, sir," he says. "But we still need to follow protocol. Of course we're keeping everything quiet, under the circumstances, since it's your father's engagement party."
I swallow hard. "Do my mother and the King know about the…bomb scare?"
"Of course," Nathaniel says. "They've been apprised of the situation. If we think the threat is legitimate, we'll initiate the Chess Protocol."
"I'm afraid to ask what that means."
"Protect the King," Kev says. "In the event of an emergency."
Of course. They'll initiate the Chess Protocol.
To protect the royal family from the security risk associated with my renegade vibrator.
It would almost be funny, if this scenario didn't involve my imminent public humiliation.
"About that remote…" Kev says.
Don't vomit, I tell myself.
Nathaniel sighs. "If you're about to tell me this was you, Kev…"
Kev shrugs. "I'd rather not say, with her here."
"What?" I squeak. "What aren't you going to say in front of me?"
"It's personal," Kev says, raising his eyebrows and giving me a look. "And my personal life really isn't any of your business, don't you think?"
"I see," I say, not seeing at all. I wouldn't put it past Kev to brag to Nathaniel about hooking up with me. Who knows how close the two of them really are? Maybe Kev brags about all of his exploits. The thought makes me dizzy. "Am I free to go, then?"
"Of course," Nathaniel says. "But stay in the wing near the ballroom, please. We haven't swept the residences yet."
I dart into the closest bathroom I can find to clean myself up, certain that my indiscretion is written all over my face. But instead, when I look in the mirror I see a slight hint of pink on my cheeks. The flush makes me look well rested, which is better than looking well fucked, I supposed.
And I was fucked well, wasn't I?
My fingers linger on my lips, the sensation of his bruising kisses still there even now. I can still feel him throbbing between my legs, sense his hands on my breasts.
I need to get out of here before my mind lingers too long on things it shouldn't.
I open the door and walk straight into her.
Kev's ex-girlfriend.
"Well, now," she says, her perfectly pouty lips curling up into a snide smile. "I don't believe we've had the pleasure of being introduced."
"Isabella Kensington."
"Erin Matheson," she says with a sniff, her eyes traveling up the length of my body as she clearly judges me. "So you're the new stepsister."
If I didn't hate her before, I hate her now, as she looks at me with disdain.
"Yes," I say. "Forgive me. How do you know the royal family?" I blink innocently, pretending to have no idea who she is.
She smiles, the expression cold. "Kevin and I will be having one of these parties in the not-too-distant future," she says.
Maybe the ex-girlfriend isn't so much an ex, after all. The thought makes me feel queasy. Did I just help Kev cheat on his fiancé?
"Oh." I force out the word. "Are you and the Prince engaged?"
"Not yet," she says, examining her perfectly manicured hand like she isn't sure whether or not she's wearing an engagement ring. "But we will be. It's a foregone conclusion."
"I see," I say.
I need to get out of here.
But my feet seem to be rooted in the ground, held there by an invisible force. I scan the hallway, looking for someone to rescue me from this conversation I don't want to have.
My mother is the one who does the rescuing, accompanied by two ladies-in-waiting. Those are their actual titles, too. They're really personal assistants, but retain the ridiculous antiquated titles, for no other reason than that it's apparently what tradition dictates.
"Mother," I say brightly, breathing a sigh of relief. "You know Erin Matheson."
"I do," she says. "You're Prince Kevin's girlfriend, aren't you?"
Girlfriend. Not ex-girlfriend.
"Of course," Erin says, smiling warmly at my mother.
Now I really hate her.
And Kev. Let's not forget about him. I definitely hate Kev, who seems to have forgotten to mention that Erin is still under the impression they're dating.
I glare at Erin and she apparently takes the hint. "It was lovely speaking with you, Isabella but I really should be going."
"Miss Matheson?" my mother asks. "Please consider my invitation open-ended. You're obviously important to the Prince."
"Thank you," she says, smiling smugly. "I will certainly consider it."
"What invitation?" I hiss at my mother as soon as Erin is gone.
"Oh, I invited her to the summer home when we were talking earlier this evening," Sofia says, waving dismissively. "After the incident tonight, I thought it better to keep her and the Prince under close watch, if there's something going on there. Minimize the possibility of scandal before the wedding."
"What incident?" I ask. My chest feels tight. I swear that my lungs have suddenly decreased in capacity. I can't seem to take in enough air.
My mother leans close, speaking softly. "The bomb scare earlier this evening," she whispers. "There was no bomb. The remote was apparently a…ahem…device that was used by the Prince and a romantic paramour."
A romantic paramour.
That would be me.
"What does that have to do with Erin?" I ask stupidly.
My mother looks at me, her head cocked to the side. "Don't be obtuse, Isabella," she says. "Erin was obviously personally involved. Now, I must get back to guests. Go lie down. You're looking a little peaked."
