Chapter 31 - Don’t tempt me

EMMA

The restaurant is starting to fill up. A few tables here and there are occupied by regulars who live around the neighborhood. Gaius had to entertain the other guests. I take another sip of my drink and the red liquid trickles down my chin. This is my third drink or maybe it’s my fourth. I don’t really remember and I don’t want to either. The drinks give me a light buzz and make me forget things I don’t want to remember. Like how many drinks I had.

Paulina takes a seat in front of me and blocks my view of the rest of the restaurant. There is a frown on her face. “Princess, we should go back to the palace. The prince—“

I hold up my hand and Paulina stops talking. “Why won’t you call me Emma?” I stumble a little over my own name. I frown at the treacherous liquid residing in the porcelain cup.

“Princess Emma—

I look up and shake my head and my vision follows in slow motion. “Emma, not princess, just Emma.”

Paulina bites her lip and twists her fingers on the table. “That wouldn’t be appropriate, princess.”

“That wouldn’t be appropriate, *Emma*.” I correct and twirl one finger in her direction.

She gives me a confused look and I sigh. I push the porcelain cup away from me. I think this is having its effect a little too good. “Please. I don’t have many people here. Only Cecile treats me like a normal person. I want us to be friends.”

Paulina looks at the entrance for a second, before turning her gaze back to me.

“I didn’t grow up as a princess. Far from it. I just want to be me every once in a while.” I confess.

“Okay, I’ll try.” She says and swallows. She squares her shoulders and gives me a pointed look. “Emma, we really need to go back to the palace.”

I raise my eyebrows. *Wow, that went easy*.

The sound of a roaring engine and the slipping of tires clamors through the restaurant and overshadows the chatter of the guests. The smell of burned rubber travels into the small space and I get up from the table to see what’s going on outside.

A sleek black SUV appears on the square and comes to a screeching stop in front of the restaurant. Prince Hadrian steps out of the car and slams the door shut. The sound makes me wince and dispels the buzz I had. It disappears like snow in the sun. There is a thunderous scowl on his face and his eyes meet mine. Fire burns bright in his whiskey-colored eyes.

*Oh shit.*

I take a step back and turn back into the restaurant and pass the table where Paulina is sitting. I continue to the back where the restrooms are.

I know why the prince is here and I’m not ready to face him. I’ve ignored the multiple calls from Miles and Paulina. I reach for the door handle and open the door. I only get to about five inches, when a big hand wraps around my wrist and spins me around. His other hand closes the door behind me and I stand face to face with Hadrian.

“You cannot run, little mate. I’ll tear that door off, if I have to.”

His voice, his presence, his heat. Everything about him tempts me to get closer. I grit my teeth and replace those feelings with anger. I ignore what his scent does to my body.

“What are you doing? Let go of me.” I shout and try to pull my arm away as hard as I can.

“No, you’re coming with me to the palace.”

“No, I won’t.”

I struggle harder, but he just presses his body against me. The wall of his muscular body traps me between him and the door. His weight and warmth, heats up my body. It swirls low in my stomach and I grit my teeth harder.

He inhales and his nose lowers to below my ear. A low grumble moves in his chest. His lips grace the shell of my ear. “If you want it, you only need to ask. But right now, I need your ass in the car.”

I bite the inside of my cheek, to hold in any sounds. “I don’t want anything from you.” I grit out. I don’t understand why my body reacts to him this way. I don’t want what he’s offering.

“If you don’t go willingly, I will carry you over my shoulder.” His hand moves to my hip and his lips trace over the mark. “Don’t tempt me.”

Blood flushes to my cheeks and he pulls back a little so that there is space between our bodies.

I feel like I can breathe again without a cloud fogging my brain. “I don’t want to go back yet.”

He scoffs. “I know you don’t want to.” His eyes are piercing and there is understanding in them and I wonder if he feels the same sometimes, if not all the time.

He grits his teeth and his jaw locks. “You can do whatever you want on any other day of the week, but today we have to attend a formal function in an hour.” He explains.

I purse my lips. He makes me feel like the bad guy again and I cross my arms to create a barrier between us. “Well, how was I supposed to know that?”

He takes a breath and I can see anger swirl in his eyes. “You’re infuriating. You know that?” He moves away and walks into the restaurant.

For a second I stand still where I am. I debate if I could stay hidden here, but then I follow him back into the restaurant.

All the eyes of the customers are turned my way, except for Cecile. She has a smirk on her face and I know everyone must have heard everything. The flush in my face resurfaces and I quicken my step and walk out of the restaurant.

Hadrian holds the passenger door open. His face and body are strained and he exudes tension. Something about him seems more on edge than I’ve seen before.

I step into the car and it’s cool inside and it smells like new leather. Hadrian steps behind the wheel and I’m a little surprised that he doesn’t have a driver. The door behind me opens and Paulina steps in behind Hadrian and Cecile stumbles in on the other side. I guess I’m not the only one who had a glass too many. When the door closes, Hadrian takes off with a speed that has my back sink into the leather seats.

His grip around the steering wheel is hard and the small muscles of his hands and wrist are wired taut. The same goes for the muscles in his neck and jaw. His eyes are focused on the road as he quickly maneuvers through the streets of the city.

————

I look at myself through the mirror of the vanity. Paulina has put some make-up on my face. The mascara makes my eyes look bigger and the blush gives my skin a healthy glow. It looks nice, but I guess I have to get used to it. The dressing room is split in two sides. On one half are all my new clothes and a vanity. And on the other side are all Hadrian’s clothes.

Through the mirror of the vanity I can see Hadrian changing his shirt and I catch a glimpse of the scars on his back. They run all the way from his shoulders to his lower back. I try to fit them in the picture of the Prince of a kingdom full of werewolves and I can’t seem to do it. When he was severely injured, he completely healed the next day. The three deep gashes didn’t even leave a scar then.

Hadrian struggles with his tie in the full-length mirror opposite to the vanity and he catches me looking.

I quickly turn my gaze away and focus back on my own reflection. I am wearing a simple mint green dress and Paulina is touching up my hair. She’s careful not to touch my necklace again. I catch her looking at Hadrian through the mirror and her cheeks flush a little.

Something hot and dangerous flows through my veins and I have an urge to growl at her. *Strange*.

“That’s fine, Paulina.” I tell her with an annoyed edge in my voice.

Her eyes widen when she finds me looking at her and steps back with a bow. I feel petty for sending her away like that, that’s not something I would normally do. I look in the mirror at Hadrian again and his eyes connect with mine. The hot intensity of his eyes has me in a chokehold.