Heart of a Liar

by Ella Miles

  I shouldn’t complain. The last three hours for me really haven’t been that bad. I got a haircut, so I look more like a prince and less like a beach bum or lawyer from the US. I showered and got dressed in a new tux. And I spent most of the time with Murray, discussing how things have been going since I left. Discussing what my life is going to be like in the coming months as I start taking over a lot of Murray’s responsibilities, which he is no longer physically capable of doing because of his health. I had a rather relaxing afternoon. Whereas Ivy has been thrown into a world she never thought actually existed with Margaret scolding her, I’m sure, the whole time.

  I can’t wait any longer, but I know Margaret will kill me if I see Ivy before she’s completely ready and before Margaret is through with setting up whatever test she has for her now. It doesn’t matter what her test is. Whatever it is, I’m not leaving Ivy’s side again tonight. And, by the end of the night, Ivy will know everything. If she’s smart, she’ll make the decision to go back home and forget that any of us ever existed.

  I knock on the door, growing impatient. “Almost ready?” I ask.

  “Patience is a virtue, my son,” I hear Margaret’s voice ring out.

  I frown and walk away from the door, clenching my fists and then unclenching them over and over, and then my heart stops when I hear the door opening.

  “Don’t turn around just yet,” Margaret says.

  I hear her walking toward me. I look at her, a bit confused. She gets to the staircase, and then she quietly nods to me. She makes her way downstairs to go change into her own ballgown before dinner and the ball tonight.

  It’s moments like these when I love Margaret. She might be the strictest mother on the planet, but she also knows well enough when to leave us alone and let us have our own moment.

  I take one more breath before I slowly turn around and see Ivy standing in the doorway with a large smile on her face. I pause for a second, not doing anything, as I look at her and take in all of her beauty. For a woman who is used to wearing scrubs every day, she sure knows how to wear a ballgown. The light color of the dress complements her dark skin well, and the gown pushes her breasts up, making me want to devour them. Her hair is done up with curls framing her face, and she’s wearing a tiara, like the princess that she is.

  I suck in a breath, suddenly realizing that I haven’t breathed since I saw her. “You look beautiful, but then you always do.”

  “You look handsome as well. You really clean up well.” Her eyes soak up every inch of my body.

  I walk toward her and hold out my arms, which she takes. Then, I start guiding her down the stairs, trying my best to remember to breathe. But all I can think about is that this is the dress she’s going to be wearing when both of our lives change forever. I just don’t know if it’ll be for better or for worse.

  “I’m a bit nervous. Margaret explained a lot of things to me, but she didn’t explain what’s expected of me at the ball. Am I expected to dance? Because you know I’m horrible at that,” she says.

  I laugh. “Of course you’re expected to dance. But you’ll be dancing primarily with me, and it’s pretty simple. You’ll catch on easily.”

  “Do people think you and I are going to get married, and that’s why I’m attending the ball now instead of at some point in the last three years?” she asks.

  I stop. “Margaret told you about what we have to pretend tonight then?”

  “You mean, the lies.”

  I nod. “Yes, the lies. Just do this for me, and I promise, when tonight is over, I’ll explain everything.”

  She takes a deep breath. “Let’s get this over with then,” she says.

  I smile and then firmly kiss her on the lips. “You know, most women would be excited about attending a ball, being the princess, having all the attention on them.”

  “Yeah, but I’m not just like any other woman.”

  “That, you aren’t.” You’re my woman, I want to say.

  I guide her to the back entrance of the ballroom where we will be introduced in just a minute.

  “They’re going to introduce us to the world. And then there will be some dancing and some eating and then more dancing. But, unfortunately, there won’t be enough eating. But don’t worry; I’ll have the cook make us a burger or something later after everyone has gone home. And, to answer your earlier question, yes, everyone thinks I’m introducing you because we are about to get engaged.”

  “Oh. So, no pressure, right?” she says with a worried smile.

  I kiss her again. “No pressure. Remember, these people have already seen you shirtless. Tonight’s going to be easy compared to that.”

  “Thanks for reminding me,” she says sarcastically.

  Thomas comes to the door and asks, “Ready, Your Highness?”

  “Yes.” I nod.

  He speaks into his headset, and then the double doors are opened as we are announced as a couple to the world.

  We walk into the room, both with fake smiles plastered on our faces. I guide her out to the center of the dance floor as music starts up. I take her hand and look her in the eyes, and then right on cue, I move. She moves, too, but it’s more of a stumble than a glide.

  I try to hold back a laugh. “You’ve got this. Just dance with me like it’s just the two of us.”

  She starts moving with me and quickly catches on to the simple rhythm.

  “Why didn’t you tell me we would be the only two people dancing and that everyone’s eyes would be on me?” she hisses through clenched teeth.

  I laugh. “Because it wouldn’t have helped anything. There wasn’t enough time to teach you how to dance, and we would’ve still had to do it anyway. It would have just made you more nervous at the beginning,” I say. “Don’t worry; my parents are going to be introduced. Then, the party will really start.”

  Just as I finish speaking, my parents are introduced. They don’t dance, but everyone else finally joins us on the dance floor.

  Several more songs pass with us dancing the whole time. Ivy slowly gains more and more confidence with every song that passes.

  “How much longer do we have to dance? My feet are killing me in these heels.”

  I laugh. “We can stop anytime. But, when we do, that’s when the questions will start.”

  She plasters a fake terrified expression on her face that just makes me laugh more.

  “God, I hope you say yes,” I say.

  She pauses at my words. “What? Are you going to propose tonight?” Ivy asks.

  “No. That would be too much of a perfect fairy tale. No, I have a far more important question to ask you.”

  “What could be a more important question than asking me to marry you?”

  “I guess you’ll have to wait and see,” I say with a grin that I know she wants to smack off my face for torturing her with that info.

  I slow our movements until we are barely dancing, seeing someone approaching us.

  “Hello, Luca. It’s been a long time since you’ve been to one of these balls,” Jennifer, my ex, says from behind me.

  I wrap my arm around Ivy’s waist and then turn to face Jennifer. “Hi, Jennifer. I’d like to introduce you to my girlfriend, Ivy. Ivy, this is Jennifer. We used to date in high school,” I say, introducing them, being as honest as I can to try to make Ivy comfortable.

  Ivy holds her hand out to Jennifer. “It’s nice to meet a friend of Luca’s,” Ivy says.

  Jennifer shakes Ivy’s hand, sizing her up and down, looking at how much she doesn’t fit into our world. I know her dark skin is different, that she is an American. She didn’t grow up here; she’s never even been here before, making her look like an outsider. When I compare Ivy to Jennifer, Ivy looks like a total outcast while Jennifer could easily hold her own as my wife.

  “Do you mind if I have the next dance?” Jennifer asks, pushing her luck too far.

  “Ivy and I were about to go get some food actually.”

  I lean over and firmly kiss I
vy on the lips. I can feel Ivy’s hesitation as I kiss her while Jennifer’s and everyone else’s eyes are on us, but I couldn’t care less. I need everyone to know without a shadow of a doubt that I’m with Ivy, not anyone else.

  “And I’ll actually be dancing all my dances with Ivy for the rest of the night and my life, if I get to be so lucky.”

  23

  Ivy

  I am amazed by the way Luca handled his ex. He treated me like I was the only woman in his world while still telling me the truth about who Jennifer was. To be honest, I think the Luca here is far more of a gentleman than the man back in the States. It’s something I’m not quite used to, coming from him. But he’s been that way the entire night so far. Only having eyes for me. Only dancing with me. Waiting on me hand and foot, making sure that I’m completely comfortable, basically treating me like a princess.

  And, boy, have I felt like a princess tonight. Everyone’s eyes have been on me the entire night. My glass of champagne has never been empty; a staff member comes to fill it up every few minutes. Everyone curtsies and smiles before coming to talk to us.

  It’s a strange feeling being pampered. Something that I might have a hard time getting used to.

  Could I get used to it for Luca?

  Could I give up my entire world to live in his and be waited on hand and foot?

  It doesn’t take me long to answer the question. I would do almost anything for this man. Because I’ve fallen much harder than I thought I would ever fall for a man.

  “I’ve got to get off my feet. They’re killing me. I don’t know how your mother or any of the other women here are doing it.”

  Luca laughs. “None of them have any feeling left in their feet after doing this for years.”

  “That must be the case,” I say, laughing, too.

  “You can have a seat at our table over here. I need to go speak with Thomas. He’s been eyeing me all night, trying to get me to come talk with him.”

  I nod. “You can do that as long as you sneak off to the bathroom or coat closet with me when you get back.”

  Luca kisses me hard on the lips, slipping his tongue into my mouth, making me want him even more. I’ve wanted him since the second I saw him in his tux-like outfit.

  “Deal,” he says before walking away.

  I sink back into my chair, lifting my feet on the chair across from me, not caring if it’s not ladylike and that Margaret will probably scold me later. I just need a few minutes with my feet up while Luca’s gone, and then I need a few minutes with my feet up in the air while I’m lying flat on my back as he fucks me, so I can get through the rest of this night.

  Of course, as soon as I sit down, I see Jennifer and a couple of other girls walking toward me. I try to smile as the girls all sit down at my table without asking me for permission first, something I know they would never do if Luca were sitting here, based on my experience so far by how everyone treats him.

  “I wanted to introduce you to a few more of Luca’s friends,” Jennifer says.

  “That’s nice of you, but I’m sure Luca would’ve gotten around to it if he had wanted me to meet you all,” I say a bit snarky.

  I know girls like this. They play games. They throw shade and start fights without actually throwing any real punches. That’s how they attack and hurt and get what they want, and I’m not going to let them do it to me.

  “Well, since I’m Luca’s closest friend, I know him better than most. I know he would like me to introduce you to his other friends here. You need to get to know them all if you have a chance at making this work,” Jennifer says.

  I slowly stand so that I’m higher than all the women now sitting at my table.

  “I know Luca better than all of you, and I know that he’d rather introduce me to all of you himself, if at all, so I ask that you show some respect and wait to introduce yourself until Luca returns.”

  Jennifer rolls her eyes. “This is Samantha and Catherine. Ladies, this is Luca’s new bitch for the moment. What was your name again? I can’t quite remember,” Jennifer says, smiling.

  “You know damn well what my name is. It’s Ivy Lane. You’d better get used to it because I’m not going anywhere. I would recommend staying far, far away from me for the rest of the night if you know what’s good for you and if you want to remain in Luca’s life.”

  I storm off from the table. I’d hoped that Luca had dated better women, but I guess not.

  I search the room, looking for Luca, when I see Margaret eyeing me from two tables over. Shit. She’s probably upset with me because I spoke so poorly to those women. She will probably scold me later. I don’t care. They deserved it, and it was worth whatever scolding’s coming my way later.

  I see Luca on the outskirts of the ballroom. He smiles when we lock eyes and then nods, signaling that he is ducking out the door and that I should follow him. I walk quickly across the floor and run over to where he stood before slipping out the door. When I’m out in the hallway, I don’t see him anywhere.

  I start walking forward as I whisper, “Luca?”

  I walk a few feet further before Luca pops out of a door and pulls me inside. It’s pitch-black in here.

  “Where are we?” I ask.

  “A coat closet,” Luca answers as he backs me up against the wall before his lips claim mine.

  “I think I made a mistake,” I say between kisses.

  “Not possible.”

  “No, really—”

  Luca kisses me again, and I forget what I wanted to tell him. All I think about is his lips on mine and the liquid that is drenching my panties.

  “I don’t know how I’m going to fuck you in this dress,” Luca says suddenly.

  And then we both laugh.

  I stare down at the fabric covering my body and say, “I don’t think it’s possible without removing it.”

  “If I remove it, we’re never gonna be able to get it back on,” Luca growls.

  “I really hate balls,” I say.

  “Well, we can’t have that.”

  Before I know what’s happening, my arms are thrust over my head, and something soft, like silk, is being tied around them. I gently pull on them. I can’t move them off the rod in the closet above my head.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Making you like balls more.”

  And then I feel him under my dress, his lips and breath over my panties.

  “You have to be quiet, princess, or I’ll stop. Do you understand me?”

  “Yes,” I whisper, showing him that I can be quiet.

  His fingers plunge inside me as his tongue goes over the piercing on my clit. His fingers taunt me while his tongue builds me, but it’s not enough. It’s not what I want. And he knows it. Within seconds, his touch disappears. I take several deep breaths while trying to be patient to see if he’s going to come up with any solution. I feel my dress being lifted but nothing else. He doesn’t touch me, and I begin to lose faith that he ever will until long after the ball is over.

  “Luca, I need you,” I let out in a whimper. His cock slides inside me as I say the last word. I try to scream out, but his hand covers my mouth, as he anticipated that I would scream.

  His cock thrusts easily in and out, turning me on more and more. All my senses are heightened. My hands are tied up, and my sight is gone. My inability to make a sound makes it so that all I can do is feel him. I feel his cock, feel his touch, feel him fucking me. I moan into his hand seconds later as he makes me calm, and I feel him calm inside me.

  “I love you, princess,” he whispers into my ear.

  “I love you, too.”

  Luca slowly removes the tie around my wrist, and I immediately collapse to the floor.

  “Sex with you is exhausting,” I say.

  “We’ll just have to build up your stamina then, so I can fuck you more.”

  I bite my lip at the thought of that. At the thought of more. At the thought of being able to do this anytime of any day.

  “
I’ll step outside first, and then you can follow a few seconds later in case anyone sees us. They won’t know if it’s a coat closet or a bathroom.”

  I nod. His lips land back on mine one last time, and then he’s gone. And I don’t ever want to leave this coat closet again. I just want to stay here where I can think of how perfect and simple our life could be if he weren’t a prince.

  24

  Luca

  I step back into the ballroom, trying my best to pretend like nothing just happened. It’s going to be impossible to hide how good I feel right now. Everyone’s eyes are on me, as usual. But, this time, I feel like they can peer into my soul. Like they know exactly what dirty, filthy things Ivy and I were just doing in a coat closet.

  Several people pass me, intently staring at me, and I nod and smile at them, but I get a strange feeling about it all. I see Thomas running over to me with a worried expression on his face. And that combined with all the awkward stares I’ve been getting makes me worried that something happened when I was gone.

  “What happened?” I ask Thomas when he gets close.

  Thomas tries to catch his breath. “I…” He sucks in a breath. “Don’t know how…” He takes another breath. “But they found out Ivy’s real last name.”

  “Shit,” I curse. I must say it far too loudly because a couple of the women standing nearest glance up at me with a disgusted look, like I shouldn’t use such a disgusting word.

  “What have they found out?” I ask.

  Thomas nervously looks at me. And then he pulls out a phone and hands it to me. I type in her name to see what all the news outlets are saying about her.

  “Shit. They’ve found out everything.”

  Thomas nods.

  “Does Margaret know?” I ask.

  Thomas doesn’t have to say a word. I already know from the expression on his face that she does know.