by Tee, Marian
“No.” And then he was walking away, and for one moment, all she could do was stare at him, unable to believe that he would end their discussion just like that.
When he was halfway to the door, Fawn finally got herself to move and running to catch after him, she said fiercely, “I don’t believe you. This obviously has to do with last night’s call.” She reached for his arm—-
He wrenched himself out of her hold hard, like her touch burned him, and shoved her away in the process.
A stunned Fawn staggered a step back, and Grant said brokenly, “I’m sorry.” This time, he was the one who reached for her—-
“No.” She backed away from him. Her eyes were burning, but she would die before she’d let the tears fall. She didn’t even know why she felt like crying, but one thing she did know was that someone like Grant Bennett—-
Or at least this Grant Bennett who had cheated on her—-
This Grant Bennett who no longer seemed to give a damn about shunning her, hurting her—-
That kind of man would never deserve again even a single drop of her tears.
Grant was gazing at her with painfully bleak eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“I k-know.” Her voice shook. But it wasn’t enough.
His desperate gaze clung to hers. “Forgive me.”
Ah. She wished she could ask him what he was apologizing for, but at that moment she just...couldn’t. She wanted to hate him, but the bitterness she felt on the day she saw him cheating on her seemed no longer within reach. It didn’t even feel that it still existed inside of her.
When she looked at Grant now, all her heart could do was ache—-
Like it was grieving over a broken piece that could never be a part of her heart again.
She stared at him, and the ache grew worse and worse.
“I have to go,” Fawn choked out.
As she spun away, she heard Grant whisper hoarsely, “Stay, luv.”
The tears started to fall.
Dump him. Take pity on him. Scream at him.
Hadn’t she just thought that their love wasn’t ever the two-way kind?
And yet here he was—-
“Please.”
She walked faster, and her tears fell faster as well.
I’m sorry, Grant.
He might need her now, but it was too late.
Someone else already owned her heart.
****
Fawn was driving back to the prince’s compound, with the prince’s bodyguards trailing behind her car, when her phone started to ring.
Again, the ringtone clued her in, and Fawn was all thumbs in her haste to answer it. After pressing the loudspeaker button, she answered breathlessly, “H-hello.”
“I’m sorry for breaking my promise this morning, parthena mou.”
Oh. Fawn swallowed hard, forcibly keeping down all the questions that wanted to rush out of her. You’re his lover, not his girlfriend, Fawn. Remember that.
“It’s o-okay.”
The prince leaned back against his chair at the overly bright tone of her voice. The hotel suite he was in was completely dark, with all the lights turned off and the blinds completely drawn.
Even so, he could see Fawn so clearly and vividly in front of him—-
It was almost like she was really there.
Almost like he missed her so damn much that he could no longer function properly without her.
All of these were true, and as soon as it became clear to him, the prince jerked in his seat, knowing that his time with Fawn was drawing to an end.
His grip tightened around his phone almost as if he needed to hold on to her, even if it was just the sound of her voice.
“Are you driving back home already?” It was the first thought that had come to his mind, and he didn’t hesitate to ask it. All he cared about was being able to keep hearing her voice...while he could.
“H-home?” Despite the prince’s abrupt tone, Fawn couldn’t stop a little spurt of hope from growing inside of her. The prince had just referred to his place as ‘home’ while talking to her.
She knew she was being silly, but even so—-
It was a good thing, wasn’t it?
“Fawn?”
Clearing her throat, she stammered, “Yes, sorry, I was thinking of something. I’m, umm, on my way...back.” She managed to catch herself from saying ‘home’ as well.
Silence.
Where are you? What are you doing? Why did you break your promise?
Those were the questions she wanted and needed to ask of him, but in the end, she couldn’t.
She had no right to.
And so she asked finally, “Is everything alright?” It was the safest question she could ask.
“Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that,” the prince murmured evenly, “since you were the one who met with Bennett today?”
Her brows furrowed. Was that why the prince seemed so distant? Was he wondering if something had happened between Grant and her? Or was he worried that she had confronted Grant and admitted the truth about them?
Her teeth sank in her lower lip. From the very start, the prince had told her he could only be Fawn’s lover behind Grant’s back. Did that mean if she were not—-
Don’t go there, Fawn.
“Is it that bad?” the prince demanded sharply when it took Fawn too long to answer.
“N-no,” Fawn forced herself to answer. “But things didn’t turn out the way I expected.” She paused then added lamely, “I also didn’t expect your bodyguards to be at the meeting, too.”
“Were they not enough to keep you from feeling alone?” the prince quizzed.
She almost took her gaze off the road to gape at her phone. She had not seen that coming at all, but now that she knew why the prince had all those bodyguards around –
It made perfect sense.
And it was another example of how easily – Holy sweet God, but he made her happy so, so easily.
“Should I have sent another dozen instead?” the prince was asking, prompting her to release a slightly stunned giggle when she realized that he was perfectly serious.
“Prince!” And just like that, she went from wanting to cry to wanting to laugh out loud. “Be serious.”
“Two dozen more then?” But this time, the prince’s smile was evident in his tone, and she relaxed even more at the sound of it, her tight grip on the steering wheel easing.
“They were more than enough,” she managed to say once she was sure she wasn’t going to cry. “They definitely...helped.”
“I see.” The prince paused. “But they weren’t enough to keep you from hurting.”
Oh.
“Did Bennett or his slut do something to you?” the prince pressed.
“Grant s-seemed different,” she whispered painfully. “The other girl...she was shouting at him in front of everyone, humiliating him, and he didn’t do a thing. Today’s presentation should have been simple for him, and he m-messed it up. He wasn’t himself, and I just...”
She swallowed. “Do you think G-Grant knows?”
“If he does,” the prince countered calmly, “don’t you think he should be the one feeling guilty instead? He cheated on you first.”
“But he doesn’t know that I saw him—-”
“But he knows you,” the prince pointed out silkily. “If he suspects you of doing the same thing, he would know that you wouldn’t have become my lover without a valid reason.”
Even knowing that the prince’s words made perfect sense, she still couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was incredibly wrong with Grant—-
She remembered how weak he sounded, how lost—-
“Should I start feeling jealous, parthena mou?”
The unexpected question completely threw her off, and it was a good thing she had just driven past the automated gates of the prince’s compound or she might have ended up in an accident. “W-what are you talking about?”
“It almost seems like you miss Benn
ett’s attention,” the prince drawled.
She turned red. “I d-do not.”
“Then let’s stop talking about Bennett.”
She bit her lip, telling herself not to push it, but in the end she couldn’t help herself. “Are you jealous?”
“Extremely.”
Fawn made a face at the prince’s dead serious tone. “Yeah right.”
She shook her head at herself.
You’re so full of it, Fawn Cornwall, thinking that the prince could get so jealous over you.
“Ye of little faith,” the prince sighed out in mock hurt. “If only I had the time to go over there to show you just how possessive I am about you, I would have.”
The too-sweet words had Fawn sucking in a breath, and she desperately warned herself, Don’t do it, don’t do it—-
But her heart proved too stubborn, and it still ended up skipping a beat.
And another.
And another.
And another, again and again, until she had no choice but to temporarily pull over.
Fawn bowed her head, her temple bumping against the steering wheel.
He made her so, so happy.
If only she had the right to make him just as happy.
Out loud, she asked in a still-gruff voice, “What time are you coming back tonight?”
Ah. The prince’s face became expressionless, and so did his voice as he answered, “I don’t think I’ll be able to come back tonight.”
Fawn shot up straight. “O-oh?”
“After the kidnap attempt on Keanne, the others and I have decided that it’s even more important now to make Davos think everything’s still normal. So I’m going to throw an impromptu party at the Aehrenthal Hotel tonight.”
The prince’s coldly dulcet tones played inside the car like a beautiful melody that she couldn’t escape, and his words like invisible knives that she couldn’t stop from stabbing her.
He was throwing a party.
A party.
And she had been working for the prince long enough to know how that would go down.
Do you know what you’re saying, prince?
Do you know what you’re doing?
Do you know?
But the words remained trapped in her throat, and she heard herself ask, “W-why won’t you throw it here?”
Safe, Fawn chanted to herself desperately. She had to play it safe until she could figure things out.
“It would be too risky,” the prince answered briefly, “if we do it there since Beatrice Crichton’s still with us.”
“I see.” And she did see.
The prince stared at his phone.
Fawn had hung up on him.
He threw his phone against the wall.
This was the right thing to do.
The best thing to do.
The only thing to do when one was the Prince of Darkness.
****
It was midnight by the time Fawn made it to Aehrenthal Hotel, accompanied by Nathan Callis, Nick Christakos, and his lovely, soft-spoken fiancée Lilac York. As the limousine slowed down, Lilac put a pair of dark glasses on, making Fawn’s brows furrow.
“Do you have an eye condition?” she asked in concern.
Her question made Nathan smirk while Lilac blushed. Only Nick seemed unaffected.
“Not e-exactly,” Lilac stammered. She started to take her sunglasses off—-
Fawn saw Nick look at Lilac, blue eyes glinting.
With a sigh, Lilac pushed her shades back into place.
Fawn blinked. That didn’t make sense at all.
Seeing Fawn’s confusion, Nick explained easily, “Her eyes are too dazzling for mortals to see.”
Lilac’s cheeks turned rosier. “N-Nick!”
Oh! Fawn started to laugh, but then she saw the look on Nick’s face and realized in horror that the Greek scion wasn’t joking at all. Hastily rearranging her face into a serious look, she said hastily, “That’s right. I totally believe that. Like seriously.”
Nick slowly turned to look at her.
Fawn gulped, wondering if she was about to die.
Brilliant blue eyes laughed at her.
Oh thank God!
“What he basically means,” Nathan interrupted mildly, “is that he’s an extremely jealous man, and anyone staring into Lilac’s eyes tends to make him feel, err, violent.”
As the four of them came out of the limousine, the paparazzi surged forward, taking photos and throwing questions a dozen a minute. Nick and Lilac were asked about their marriage plans while Nathan and Fawn—-
Is this girl the reason you quit modeling?
What’s her name?
Who is she to you?
The former model didn’t say anything, but the mysterious smile playing on his lips had everyone’s imagination running wild.
As they started to walk down the red carpet, with Fawn holding on to the prince’s friend nervously, Nathan bent his head to her, murmuring under his breath, “I hope you understand it’s important they think you’re my date.”
“I do,” she said between her teeth. She was smiling so hard her jaw was beginning to ache. The amount of attention the prince’s friends were drawing was insane, and yet this was also the same world that the prince lived in.
Looking down, she frowned hard, thinking, I have to get used to this, too.
Ahead of Nathan and Fawn, Nick glanced down at his fiancée, his lips curving in amusement as he silently communicated his thoughts to Lilac. Is she not everything I told you she was?
Lilac beamed at him. She is. She’s perfect for Reid!
His arm tightened around her waist, his fingers gently squeezing her hip. And that’s why I told you there’s nothing to worry about. Chalkias may blow a fuse at this stunt – and even now, I highly doubt that would happen. But even if he did, I know he’ll thank me in the end.
Lilac bit her lip. As long as you’re sure.
Nick nodded.
Lilac glanced at him with a worried sigh. I just can’t help worrying. You know how serious he was when he told us at the hospital that he’s going to leave her for good.
Pulling her closer, Nick pressed a reassuring kiss on her forehead. Remember how I used to say stupid things when I didn’t know I was in love with you?
His fingers threaded through her hair. That’s how Reid is now.
Lilac’s lips slowly curved into a smile. I get it now.
Around them, the large crowd of paparazzi was snapping photos like crazy, having gone wild the moment they saw the exchange of sweet and tender gestures between the famous couple.
Upon reaching the end of the red carpet, the four of them momentarily posed against the photo wall and Fawn had to consciously dig her feet into the ground so she wouldn’t be tempted to run away.
Oh, the things I do to make you happy, prince.
The noise of the crowd was effectively muted when they finally made it inside the hotel’s palatial lobby, and Fawn breathed a sigh of relief.
Lilac squeezed her arm, saying reassuringly, “You’ll g-get used to it sooner or later.”
“I really hope so,” Fawn said feelingly. Because right now, that walk on the red carpet felt very much like the green mile to her.
Getting into the elevator that would take them to the ballroom, Fawn found her nervousness returning and she fought against the urge to start biting her nails. In an effort to distract herself, she blurted out, “You guys are so awesomely good at the silent communication thing.”
“I can’t explain it actually,” Nathan remarked thoughtfully. “But the more time you spend with them, the noisier their non-verbal thing gets.”
Despite herself, Fawn couldn’t help smiling at Nathan’s insightful words, saying, “I kinda get what you mean.” When she saw the couple looking at each other, her smile widened. “And they’re doing it again—-”
Fawn’s words had Lilac letting out a dismayed gasp, and her cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink as she stammered, “S-sorry.�
�
“Oh, no, it’s okay,” Fawn protested hastily. “I wasn’t complaining or anything—-”
“I was,” Nathan inserted.
“We don’t care,” Nick retorted.
“It’s actually quite fun,” Fawn continued earnestly, “trying to guess what you guys were talking about.”
Nathan raised a brow. “Eavesdropping on a silent conversation?”
Nick coughed to cover his amusement while Lilac cleared her throat.
Fawn made a face. “I can see you guys don’t believe me, but I really think I had the conversation figured out.”
“Let us hear it then,” Nick invited.
Nick’s lips curve in amusement. They can’t get enough of us, can they?
Lilac beams. I know, right? What do you think about starting a reality TV show?
Nick’s arms tighten around her waist. That idea has merit, but you know how competitive I get, don’t you? If we push through with it, I want it to be #1.
Lilac bites her lip. Are you saying you want to go against the Kardashians?
Nick nods. Hell yeah. I’ll even get the other guys to do it with us, so we get to offer multiple storylines.
Lilac sighs worriedly. And do you think that’s going to be enough? I don’t want you to be disappointed if it doesn’t work.
Pulling her closer, Nick places a kiss on her forehead. Have a bit more faith in us, sweetheart. We’re all a hot commodity. His fingers thread through her hair. I can see it now, making it to number one.
Lilac finally smiles. You’re right. There’s nothing to worry about, and I even have the name for it.
“The show would be named Greeking it Up with the Billionaire Barbarians,” Fawn finished triumphantly.
As Nick and Lilac slowly looked at each other, Nathan said dryly, “Even I can read what Nick and Lilac’s thinking now.”
“The last one’s purely just to rhyme with Kardashian,” Fawn was saying at the same time, “but it can be—-” She broke off at the former supermodel’s words. “What?”
The prince’s friends burst into laughter.
Her face fell. “So I got it wrong?”
“Completely,” Nick confirmed bluntly.
“What? But I was so sure—-” Fawn’s voice trailed off as the elevator chimed upon reaching its destination. The doors slowly slid open, revealing a ballroom decorated in crystals and black silk.
