by J. S. Cooper
“Submit.” He growled as he leaned toward me. “All you have to do is submit.” He grabbed my wrists and pulled them up above my head. My heart beat fast as his fingers dug into my skin. I could feel my chest rising and I watched him staring at the exposed parts of my breasts.
I swallowed hard as I stared at his handsome, brooding face, and I knew exactly what my answer was going to be. I knew exactly what my answer had to be if I wanted to find out all of his secrets and how far this game was going to go. I wished that I could speak to Xavier. I wished that I could find out what he wanted from me. “So what do you say, Lola?” He dropped my hands and stepped back. “Will you spend the next seven nights with me?”
I nodded slowly and I watched as a wide smile spread across his face. He looked away as a flash of excitement and power invaded his soul. I looked down and tried to hide my smile. I had him where I wanted him. Prince Stephan actually believed that this was the beginning of his wicked week with me. He actually believed that he was going to succeed where Casper had failed. He believed that I was going to capitulate to him and forget Xavier. He believed that his sex appeal meant more to me than my love for Xavier. He had no idea that I had other plans. He had no idea that he was the one who was going to get played. I just hoped that whatever games Xavier had planned wouldn’t extend past the night. I knew that Xavier had to have known that I would be tested. And I knew that he had faith in me. I was going to play along for now. I was going to see what happened next.
“Let’s leave now, then,” he said abruptly, and my heart stopped. This was not what I’d expected. There was no way I was going to leave with him now. This was not what was supposed to happen next. All of a sudden I felt like a little kid, and panic and anxiety filled me. I wished more than ever that Anna were here with me.
“I’m here with someone. I can’t just leave now.” It was true. He knew I was here with Xavier.
“That someone is not a threat to me.” He smiled and I stared at his perfect white teeth. This man was gorgeous and fearless, and my heart thudded as he looked me over admiringly.
“A threat?” I frowned. What did he mean by that?
“I’m not worried about any other men in your life.”
“Excuse me? There are not multiple other men in my life.” I bit my lower lip as he leaned closer to me. Was he going to kiss me again? I knew that he was an asshole and that I couldn’t let him kiss me again. I could see in his eyes that he just wanted to have sex with me. I didn’t like his assumption that he could just kiss me again as he pleased, and I was worried that he might try to do something else.
“That’s why I said I’m not worried about any other men.” He stopped moving when his lips were a mere inch away from mine. I could feel his breath on my face and my lips trembled slightly at his proximity. “Xavier is not a threat to me.”
“Stephan, no,” I said, annoyed as he made to kiss me again. I didn’t want him to have the upper hand already. I was already failing Xavier by allowing him to kiss me and lose my head.
“No?”
“That’s what I said,” I snapped.
“Feisty. I like that.” He grinned at me and I watched as he ran his hands through his dark, silky hair. He looked at me thoughtfully. “You’re different from the others.”
“The others?” I took a step back from him and frowned. How many others had there been?
“They don’t matter.” He shook his head. “I want you to do me a favor.”
“A favor? How?” I ran my hands down my side, wondering what he was going to ask me.
“Dance with me.”
“Dance with you?” I said in surprise.
“Yes, unless your boyfriend would have a problem with it.”
“He’s my fiancé and he would have a huge problem with it.”
“We both know he’s not really your fiancé.” Stephan scoffed. “Why did he leave—”
“Lola, there you are.” Xavier pushed open the door. “I’ve been looking for you.” He strode into the room, worry on his face, and he looked at my red face with a disapproving look.
“Hello, Xavier.” Stephan smiled at Xavier wildly and then looked at me. “Like I said, he’s not a threat. Lola, shall we leave now?” He chuckled and I could feel my face burning with shame and embarrassment. I avoided his gaze and looked at Xavier, who was scowling. I had no idea why he’d come up here or what he expected from me. My heart beat with love as I looked at his face. He looked jealous, worried and concerned and I could see the love in his eyes as he stared at me. It was hard to believe that he loved me too. He was too handsome and too rich to be interested in someone like me. I felt confused and out of my comfort zone with all these handsome princes trying to woo me and bed me. Men like them didn’t approach me, and I was glad for it now. I was glad that I hadn’t had to deal with situations like these all my life. I wouldn’t have known how to handle dating men like these when I was younger. Not that I thought that Stephan wanted to date me. Oh no. I knew from the look in his eyes that dating was the last thing he wanted to do. He wanted to take me to bed. Or rather, he wanted to fuck me. I looked at Stephan and the primal look on his face, and I knew ‘fuck’ was the operative word. He was not a man who made love. He didn’t want to kiss and caress me and ensure that I had an orgasm every single time. He wanted to fuck me. Hard and deep.And take what he wanted. He wanted to dominate in every sense of the word. And a part of me—a part I didn’t even know existed—was secretly thrilled by that fact. A part of me wondered what it would be like to be taken wildly and with abandon. I stared at Xavier then and I knew that I was going to tell him my thoughts. I was going to tell him that I wanted to explore and experiment. I wanted to be taken on a journey of desire, as Stephan had said. Only I didn’t want Stephan to be the one taking me there. I wanted it to be Xavier.
“Shall we leave, Lola?” Stephan said again. “Are your lips aching to be kissed by mine once more?”
I looked down in shame as Xavier glared at me, his eyes narrowing. “Lola’s not going anywhere.” Xavier’s voice was harsh as he spoke to Stephan. “You, of all people, know how this works, Stephan.”
“I know how it works,” Stephan said lightly and then looked at me. “I just don’t think that she knows or is prepared for what comes next.”
“What comes next?” I asked, my eyes wide as I looked to Xavier’s face. His expression was unreadable and I could tell that he was still angry with me. I wanted to explain to him that I hadn’t wanted Stephan to kiss me. I wanted to explain to him that I’d been in a haze and that I loved him. There was no one I wanted more than him.
“Next is the Touch of a Kiss competition.” Stephan’s words sounded lyrical. “I wasn’t going to subject you to it, but I think that Xavier has other plans.”
“Xavier? What is the Touch of a Kiss competition?” My voice sounded shaky as I spoke to him.
“It’s the first step of the games.” Xavier’s voice was bleak. “It’s where you decide whose touch turns you on the most.”
“What?” My eyes bulged as I gazed at him. “What?”
“It’s the first game to reach the inner circle.” Xavier’s eyes stared into mine. “And you won’t be touched by any hands.”
“What do you mean?” I said, frowning, not understanding.
“He means that Xavier’s fate is in your hands, Lola.” Stephan smiled and walked toward the door. “What you decide tonight will determine how far Xavier gets in the Society of Brothers.”
“Xavier?” I asked him softly. “What is he talking about?”
“Tonight we find out if it is really me you want, or if you crave another.” Xavier’s eyes looked at my lips and he turned away from me and sighed. “We see if you pass the test.”
“What is the test?”
“Let’s go now, and you’ll find out,” Stephan said from his spot by the door. “Unless you want to back out now, Xavier?”
“No,” Xavier said firmly as he looked back at me. “I want to know exactly
who Lola wants and who she’s going to choose.” He looked at me again and then walked to the door. I followed behind both of them, my heart racing. I didn’t know what was going to happen next and for some strange reason that didn’t scare me. For once in my life, I was going to ride out the wave and let it take me where it wanted to. I didn’t even feel guilty. Xavier was the one who had put me in this position. Xavier was the one who wanted us to continue. At this point, it was out of my hands. He’d taken me into his world and I was about to find out just how deep and dark it could get.
Chapter Nine
Xavier
I could still see Lola’s lipstick on Stephan’s lips. Bright red and smudged. My blood was boiling and I was mad at Lola and myself for what had happened. I should have known that Stephan would want to take part this year. He always had something to prove. He always needed to be number one. He always had to prove that he was the man. He wanted to be the King of kings. The Prince of princes. The one we all looked up to. He wanted to prove that he was capable of taking over the society. He wanted to be in the inner circle as badly as I did. And I knew he was willing to do everything that he could to end up as the final winner. I’d known that Stephan would want it badly, but I hadn’t thought he’d seen me as his biggest competition. I had known as soon as he’d focused on Lola, though, that I was the one to beat. I was the target. This wasn’t between Casper and me. This was between Stephan and me. And that made me uncomfortable. I knew that Stephan had charms that Casper couldn’t even dream about. And I knew that he had a way of luring women into his web. He was the pied piper of women and I needed to make sure that he didn’t have Lola following behind him. I needed to make sure that I was the one she chose. Not only because that was what I needed to make it to the inner circle, but also because my heart would never be the same if she chose someone else.
Chapter Ten
Lola
Xavier, Stephan and I walked in silence down the long corridor and down a flight of steps. The walls were adorned with paintings and as I looked at them I realized they were likely portraits of Stephan's ancestors.
"That's my great-great grandfather, Wilhelm, and next to him is his father, Frederick." Stephan smiled at me as he caught me staring at the paintings.
"They look so serious," I said simply and then paused. "Is there a reason why they all had those beards?"
"You don't like the unkempt look?" Stephan winked at me as he teased me and I could see Xavier tensing as he walked beside us.
"I've just never seen any royals look so..." I paused as I tried to find the way to voice my thoughts diplomatically.
"Common?" Stephan asked and his blue eyes laughed as I nodded, feeling embarrassed. I'd been about to say that they reminded me of hillbillies that I'd seen on Duck Dynasty, but I was glad I'd kept my mouth shut. He most probably didn't even know what Duck Dynasty was and it was likely that he and Xavier would just think I was some American hick; which, to be quite honest, I was. And proud to be. Kinda.
"Are you feeling okay, Lola?" Xavier abruptly changed the subject and looked at me.
"I'm fine." I nodded, but in reality I was far from fine. In reality I was over my head. "I don't suppose I can make a quick phone call, can I?"
"Phone call?" Xavier looked perplexed and I could understand why. This was neither the time nor place for me to be asking to make a call.
"Is there some sort of emergency?" Stephan looked concerned and it struck me that it was odd that he was the one who cared more about me or was at least acting like he did.
"No." I shook my head. "I'm just worried that my best friend, Anna, has wondered what happened to me as I haven't spoken to her in a while."
"Then you must call her now." Stephan stopped. "It will have to be quick because they are waiting for us in the main room downstairs."
"Oh, I don't have to call if people are waiting for us." I looked at Xavier then, to figure out what he wanted me to do.
"Call." His eyes pierced into mine and he nodded slightly. "Nothing is so important that you can't call your best friend to let her know you're okay."
"My, my, you must be a magic woman." Stephan grinned at me. "Nothing would have stopped Xavier last time he was in this position."
"Last time?" I said as my stomach dropped, though I already knew what Stephan was going to say.
"Yes, when he was here with Violeta." Stephan said her name distastefully. "Why, that was the most drama we'd ever had at one of these balls."
"Why was that?" I asked, not able to look at Xavier.
"It's not really my place to say." He looked at Xavier's scowling face. "I assume that it still hurts."
"Hurts?" Xavier looked amused. "No, it doesn't hurt."
"I suppose it's more a pride thing." Stephan nodded. "I know if my date fucked my cousin at an event I'd taken her to and let everyone watch, I'd be pretty sore myself."
"Violeta did what she had to do." Xavier shrugged. "I don't fault her."
"Hopefully it doesn't happen again this year," Stephan said casually. "That would really burn."
"I'm not worried." Xavier's voice was harsh and he leaned forward and grabbed Stephan's shirt and whispered harshly, "There’d better be no game-playing with Lola. Everyone had better stick to the rules or heads are going to roll."
"I always stick to the rules." Stephan shook him off and smiled. "I'm not Casper. I don't need to break them."
"What rules? What are you guys talking about?"
"Xavier hasn't told you about the test?" Stephan sounded surprised, but I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was faking it. He was a good actor, though. I could almost believe that he cared about me and what I was going through. Almost, but not quite. The simple fact was that he had no reason to care about me. He didn't know me. The fact that he'd kissed me showed me that he was going full force. He was trying to woo me hard. I just didn't really understand why. Was this really just a macho thing?
"Test?" I glanced at Xavier and he pulled out his phone instead of answering me. "Call Anna and talk to her," he said. "Then come back and tell me if you want to stay."
"What's the test, Xavier?" I asked him, but he remained stoic.
"It's a test of passion and desire," Stephan said. "It's a test of lust and want."
"Oh?" My eyes searched Xavier's, but still he didn't speak.
"It's a test to see if Xavier is really the man to turn up your fires." Stephan's eyes burned into mine. "Or perhaps he was just the man you met first. Perhaps you are more suited to someone else. Perhaps your sexual journey will take a different turn." He licked his lips deliberately as he spoke and I turned away hurriedly and walked a few yards away to make my call. I listened to the phone ringing and ringing and I was so scared that Anna wasn't going to answer.
"Hello," she said sleepily and I almost fainted in relief because I was so happy to hear her voice.
"Anna, it's me, Lola."
"Lola," she almost screamed. "Where are you?"
"I'm in some palace in Germany, I think," I whispered into the phone. "I'm not sure what I've gotten myself into."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I think these rich people are freaks. They have sex games and sex clubs and women seem to be disposable to them."
"What are you talking about, Lola? Is Xavier there?"
"Yes and he's wonderful, Anna. He told me he loves me. He told me that he thinks that I'm the only woman he's ever loved."
"So why don't you sound happy?" Anna said softly. "Shouldn't you be jumping for joy now that you have your Prince Charming?"
"There's more," I sighed. "He doesn't believe in true,everlasting love and—well, there's someone else."
"Someone else? Not that guy, Casper?" Anna gasped. "Sebastian told me about him."
"No, not Casper." I peeked over my shoulder and saw that Xavier and Stephan were both staring at me.
"Did you see Sebastian, by the way?" Anna asked. "I think he was flying over today."
"No," I said quickly.
"Look, Anna, I can't talk long, but I'm confused. I think I might be attracted to this other prince."
"Another one?"
"He's German and captivating and he kissed me and I hated it and loved it at the same time."
"I thought you loved Xavier?"
"I do," I breathed out, my heart racing just thinking about him. "I love him deeply, but there's something about Stephan that appeals to my primal side."
"You want to fuck him?" Anna said crudely and I blushed.
"No, of course not," I said quickly and honestly. However, that was only a partial truth. It was true that I didn't want to sleep with him, but a part of me that I hadn't known existed until tonight thought that it could be wild and exciting to just think about the possibilities of what could happen.
"So what's the problem, then?"
"I think I'm caught up in some sort of sexual maze and erotic mastery, Anna. I think I'm caught up in some sort of late night almost erotic kinky shit and it's scaring the hell out of me."
"What scares you the most?" she asked me softly and I sighed as I answered her.
"I'm scared by the fact that I'm as turned on as I am appalled. Does that make me a crazy person?"
"No." Her voice was warm. "That makes you human. That makes you real. That makes you as complicated and fucked up as everyone else on the planet. Listen to me, Lola. Think of this as your own personal sexual revolution. I know you're feeling guilty because you have the hots for another guy, even though you love Xavier. But Xavier has been an asshole to you in the past, Lola. If he truly loves you, then he'll have to understand whatever is going on."
"I'm scared, Anna. I wish you were here."
"I wish I was there as well. I want to meet the man that can tempt you away from Xavier."
"He's not tempting me away, Anna. He's just making it hard for me to think straight."
