The Proposal Problem: A Billionaire Royal Hangover Romance

by Natalie Knight

  I stay at the luxe lounge for two more drinks and then make my very public walk to the penthouse elevator. Everyone who didn't witness our breakup knows about it now. The news has traveled like wildfire. My phone is pinging as concerned friends hear of the news. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s trending on social media. We probably have our own fucking hashtag.

  I go into the elevator and loosen my tie. I'm ready to be with Sienna without pretenses and without the charade. I want things to work out between us. I know this now. I'm ready to just be and to stop pretending.

  A little while more, I tell myself. At least it's guaranteed that she'll be with me for a few more days yet, until we have this under control.

  I go inside the penthouse and can't wait to find her. She's waiting for me by the window and we both burst out laughing at our pretend fight.

  "You did really good down there," she says. "I'd hate to break up with you for real."

  "Yes," I agree. "My suit is still wet. You didn't tell me you were going to do that."

  She grins "Oh well, when the bartender delivered that water, I thought it'd be a nice touch."

  Her eyes are mischievous. "Hey, at least it wasn't wine."

  "Is that so?"

  Her playful mood deserves my full attention. I make sure the doors are locked and then I show her just how she’s going to pay for that splash of water.

  25

  Sienna

  I can't believe I'm back on Roger's arm. After spending so much time with Leo lately, I'd nearly forgotten about what my real life was like when I was an actual, not just to him. Now every man pales in comparison to Leo.

  As much as I've tried to resist getting emotional about anything that's transpired between us, I find myself constantly thinking of him. It feels like a betrayal somehow to even be on another man's arm, even though I know it's all part of a broader scheme. And even though Leo and I haven’t actually talked about what’s going on between us.

  Roger thinks I'm here to work. As far as he's concerned, I've been paid by Leo and now he can keep the money and still sell me to other men. It's a money game, and I know Roger wouldn't bother to help us if he knew that ultimately we’re trying to bring down the informants that are trying to get to us. My boss certainly doesn't have a very good scouting system if he's been letting me be sold to men who are working undercover.

  He's pretty well respected in this town though, and Roger's known for only having the best girls. Which is why I went to work for him in the first place. I would never work for some low-end escort service, but after this entire fiasco, I’m rethinking my job of choice.

  A man approaches us almost immediately after entering the Inner Sanctum. Things move fast in this business, especially under Roger. He murmurs about the exchange and then it's done and I'm shifted subtly to the arms of the new businessman that has paid for my services.

  "Well, hello there," I flirt as I take his proffered arm.

  He's an average looking guy. His suit is of moderate quality. He looks like every other middle-income businessman in town.

  I'm looking around for Leo. He's supposed to be watching me but at a safe distance. I don't feel right about any of this but I know I have to do what's required. It’s all part of the plan. All I can do is hope that Leo has eyes on me from somewhere.

  "What's your name?" I ask him.

  "I'm William, at your service."

  "Okay, William, well I'm Sienna. And shouldn’t I be the one at your service?" I tease, though the words nearly stick in my throat.

  Leo told me I’m not supposed to use my real name in this business, even though Roger did at first, but it's the only way to catch an informant. They're looking for me, and the more obvious I can make it the better. Luckily he reveals himself a little too soon.

  He says, "I know."

  That little tidbit of information gives me everything I need to know. He's got to be an informant. Especially with how quickly he approached me. Our plan should work perfectly.

  He tries to cover his tracks. "I mean, Roger there told me your name."

  I know it's not true because I was standing right there. This guy is working undercover and he's not very good at it. At all.

  "Do you wanna go to the bar over there? The Zen Lounge I think it's called."

  "Sure that would be great."

  I squeeze his arm and plaster on a big fake smile. I'm trying to not be obvious but I'm looking for Leo everywhere.

  We enter the lounge and take a seat at a private little table partly shrouded in curtains. The waiter comes over and thinks we're just another couple in town. There's nothing extraordinary about our coupling except for the fact that I'm dressed better than him. Maybe I should've played it down a little bit and not worn Gucci. But the men who can afford escorts like me typically dress better. Yet another clue that this is my guy.

  "I'll have a glass of pinot," I say when the bartender approaches.

  "And the gentleman?"

  "Martini, neat, no olives."

  "Coming right up."

  I wish I'd ordered something stronger. I'll need it to get through this night. The bartender comes back quickly with our drinks, and I see over his shoulder Leo is tucked away at the back of the bar. Thank god.

  His eyes meet mine and I see a fury within them. He's jealous, I realize, though I don't know why. It's not like I want to be with this guy. It's all part of the plan. The plan he came up with!

  I try to remind him of that by giving him the signal that I'm with an informant. I flip my hair to the right so he can see, and he acknowledges the movement with a slight nod.

  I turn back to my date. "So are you in town for long?"

  "Just a few nights. What do you say we scoot these chairs a little closer together so I can really get to know you?"

  He moves his chair next to me before I even have a chance to protest. Yuck. I wrinkle my nose in spite of myself. I don't want this guy's paws all over me and yet I know that's what's about to happen.

  He's got the ick factor for sure, and I’ll have to sit here and endure it, even pretend that I like it. He puts his arm around my shoulders and I try to smother the cringe that I feel. It’s becoming more and more obvious that I’m not cut out for this escort gig.

  I see Leo about to get up. He's pissed that the man is touching me. That's not part of the escort contract, but for some reason, they all think they can do it. I'm supposed to be seen with them and to provide entertainment, not be groped and handled like this. It's really a dangerous position to put women in, and again and I'm wondering why I signed up for this job in the first place.

  I really thought it was going to be a glamorous adventure with some of Vegas's richest bachelors. Instead, it's been nothing but a creep fest, and I can’t wait to get out of it. Leo was right. Even though I’m not required to have a physical relationship with the men, it’s still expected by most of the clients.

  I toss Leo a pleading glance, and he sits back down.

  The man notices my wandering eyes and he's a real asshole about it.

  "Hey, honey, how about you focus on one man at a time?"

  Thankfully he doesn't see Leo, because that would be a dead giveaway, but I have to take his comment in stride, and that’s really fucking hard. I turn up the charm and start to flirt to distract him. I need him to not notice Leo or that will blow up all our carefully laid plans. I also make sure to play my part.

  "William," I give him my full attention, "no one could distract me from you. You have no idea how glad I am that you're my client. They're not all as hot as you are."

  I'm playing it up big time, totally fucking lying through my teeth.

  He grabs my head and pulls me toward him so he can whisper in my ear.

  "I want to get you back to my hotel room and show you what a real man can do."

  Normally I’d resist such a line but I have to pretend that I'm cool with everything. I turn my head so I can see Leo's angry eyes without William noticing.

  Though Leo'
s so pissed, it makes me feel better to know that he has me covered. Otherwise, with the advances my date is making, I'd be feeling really unsafe by now.

  "Come on," William says. "Let me get you out of here."

  "Don't you want another drink?" I'm trying to stall. "Please, I'd love to have what you're having."

  It works, and William is satisfied for now. I talk with him and try to extend the evening as much as possible. I emphasize the fact that I'm working for money and I like it. Normally I wouldn't talk about any of this, but to trap an informant I'll do anything.

  I see Leo every now and then when I can sneak a glance. I see the possessiveness written all over his face. It turns me on to think of him wanting to kill any man who touches me.

  My feelings for Leo are becoming harder and harder to ignore. I feel the intensity of our growing connection all the time.

  Even though he broke my heart when we were younger and I had no idea why—still have no idea—I'm finding that those old feelings are not forgotten. I was in love with him then and I think I am now.

  Maybe it was always him that I was waiting for. Maybe some secret part of my heart was always hoping that he'd find me, that his abandonment was all a mistake, and that he'd be the one after all.

  I'm worried, though, that loving Leo again will leave me broken. He did it once and I might just be a fool to expect things to be different now. He's the ultimate playboy billionaire. I don't see him changing that lifestyle for me anytime soon. Yet his eyes are crazed with jealousy and I desperately want to know what that means for us.

  William is becoming more and more insistent that I leave with him. It's time to deflect and to put an end to the night.

  "You know what, William? If you meet me right here tomorrow night, I promise that I will spend the night with you. Okay? You see, I have another booking tonight that I have to get to."

  He seems appeased for now, and we make the agreement. Thank God I can get away from him now. That was pure torture.

  26

  Leo

  I'm going fucking ballistic watching Sienna on the arm of that average joe. How did he even get a date? Don't her clients have to at least be multi-millionaires? I know he's an informant so that's probably why he doesn't look worth a dime, but even if the guy had money, I'd still be going out of my fucking mind with jealousy.

  I try not to get jealous and I usually don't. No woman has ever been worth it. No woman provokes that primal feeling of passion inside me.

  Usually, I'm not into anything deep, but with Sienna, it's getting deeper every day. And watching her right now is making me want to throat punch that bastard.

  I order tequila. It might not help, but there's a good chance it will. The fiery liquid goes down hot, just the way I like it. It's something to distract me from the repulsive scene I see before me.

  That motherfucker’s hands are all over my woman and it's all I can do to stand back. I take another shot and then sit bleakly watching the scene unfold.

  I know it's all for a purpose. I know we have a plan. But I wasn't expecting that watching her with someone else would awaken such powerful emotions in me.

  I feel like taking her upstairs and fucking her brains out just to be sure that I'm still the only one she craves. Maybe her feelings go beyond that now? Do I dare hope?

  I know I'm deep in the trenches of feeling something real for her, but she has no idea, and I can't tell if she returns the feelings. It's probably just lust that she has for me, like every other woman. But then we have this past...

  She gets up to leave, and I'm glad that it looks like the date is over. She's played her part and it's finished. If he makes one more move towards her now, he'll be fucking done for. If he violates her space for one second after she's ended it for the night, I'll be right there to save her.

  Thankfully he never saw me. The man's apparently too fucking stupid to know when he's being set up. He goes his way and she smartly avoids my gaze before gathering her things to leave.

  I scribble out a note that says, "Meet me in the penthouse in thirty minutes."

  Then I have the waiter deliver it to her. She takes it without looking up and reads it and then leaves the lounge.

  I want to follow her and to see every step that she takes but it'd be impossible. I'll blow my cover. So as much as I don't want to, I return to the penthouse by myself, taking a different route. The casino's so massive it takes an eternity to get anywhere.

  As I walk across the slick marble floors I think about how I can't take this anymore. By now, I know that my feelings for Sienna are real, they never went away. And yet I'm confronted with the fact that she doesn't know yet.

  And we're involved in this high-stakes charade. If we don't play this right, she'll lose her reputation, I might go to jail, and her brother, though I couldn’t care less about him, will be ruined.

  I wish this was all over but until then I’ll bide my time patiently. Seeing her tonight with that other guy made it all the more evident that I want her for myself. The minute we're done with this stupid scheme, I'll tell her everything.

  I'll admit that I loved her then, ten years ago, and that I love her now. My feelings for her never went anywhere and that's why I cast aside every other woman who tried to make an imprint in my life, to take Sienna's place. I've been devoid of emotion only because my heart has all along belonged to her.

  As I take some lesser-known routes through the casino, avoiding the crowds, a man shoves past my shoulder as he walks by me near a corner stairwell.

  He's dressed all in black with a hat on and everything. No joke, he looks like a mobster out of crime novel.

  All he says as he walks past is, "You have more at stake than you realize."

  What the fuck? A cryptic message to say the least. Could this be any more surreal? I wonder about what it means and who exactly delivered it.

  I'm anxious as all hell to get back to the penthouse and to ensure that Sienna's safe. I never should've left her alone even for half an hour. What was I thinking?

  I get upstairs at last and make a very strong margarita. I might as well stick to the same poison. I wait in the darkness for her and the minutes feel like hours.

  Where the fuck is she? Did something happen? I’m pacing the room so much that I’m going to wear a fucking hole in the carpet. If she doesn't knock on that door in ten minutes, I'm going to go check all the security footage and find her.

  Finally, after I've finished my drink, I hear her soft knock. I race to the door and open it. She looks like a fucking goddess. Her dress is cinched tightly to her body, her hair cascades over her back. I take her by the hand and pull her inside, relieved to have her back in my arms.

  "Get in here, now. You won't believe what just happened."

  I pour her a drink then relay all the details of my mysterious run in. She's shocked and a little scared.

  "It's okay, baby, I promise. I'll find whoever’s behind this. It won't be a big deal."

  "I'm just so tired of all of this. I feel like we're constantly running from some unknown monster. I should've known I couldn't go unnoticed being an escort. And Leo, tonight I wanted it to be you at my table, not that creep. You had to have known that."

  Her words are like music to my ears. It offers a hint of what she may be feeling. There's no way her devotion could match my own, though. I broke her heart years ago. How can she forgive me for that? And my playboy reputation isn't helping my cause.

  I watch her sip demurely on her drink and decide that tonight has to be the night when I lay it all out on the table. She has to know how I feel about her, whether she feels the same way or not. She deserves to know the truth.

  And then, as I watch her delicately take off her jewelry for the night and lay them out on the dresser as though she's lived here forever, I allow myself to dream the impossible and be optimistic for just a second.

  There is a chance she feels this heat, this connection. I may not be alone on an island out here with my feelings. There's
the slightest chance this may be real, that she can forgive the past, and tonight I want to hedge my bets on that.

  I have to set the scene and get my thoughts in order. I'm so happy to have her home that it's overwhelming. I set the terrace lights on low, I play some music, and then I even go so far as to light a few candles before grabbing her hand and pulling her outside.

  "Those wicks are fresh," she says. "You've never lit a candle out here before, have you?"

  She's caught me but I won't admit it.

  "Hey, I could just buy a lot of new candles. Maybe I light them so much that I always need new ones." I can’t keep the grin off my face, though. She brings out a lighter side in me, a side I thought was dead.

  "Yeah right!" She gently swats my arm then takes her place on the couch.

  I start a fire in the brick outdoor fireplace, and the mood is set. She probably thinks I'm trying to seduce her, but little does she know that I have much more in store for her than that.

  I'm about to bare my soul to this girl and it makes me nervous as fuck. There's an unease in the pit of my stomach—like this might be the beginning of the rest of my life or it could literally be the end. If she leaves me hanging, it will be the first time a woman's ever refused my affections and it will hurt like hell.

  No matter what, though, I'm determined to do it.

  27

  Sienna

  I felt pretty shaken up as I headed back to Leo's place. Having to spend the evening with that guy William was terrible. I know I had to do it but I feel like taking several showers to remove the creepy sensation of his hands on me that still lingers.

  When I left the lounge after receiving Leo's note, I saw William kind of hovering to see what I'd do. I had to pretend to be waiting for another date at a different bar in the hotel. With the way he was touching me and how he asked for me to go back to his room with him, well, it was all too much.