The Prince’s Game_A Mershano Empire Novel

by Lexi C. Foss

  “I’m asking her to give up a lot to stay on and refuse me in the end. She could stay and accept.”

  “So you draw up the prenuptial agreement, knock her up like your parents want, have the kid, get divorced, and go back to your life. Not hard.”

  My frown went to full-on scowl at the lawyer’s callous words.

  “You’re hot when you’re pissed, you know that?” Evan said to me as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “And, Garrett, I’m really looking forward to you meeting Sarah. I’m guessing she’ll be introducing you to her fist, or worse.”

  “Worse,” I told him.

  Garrett’s laugh came through the line. “Damn, you’re already in bed with her? A warning would have been appreciated, but also, well done.”

  “Definitely worse.”

  “Calm down, sweetheart. I don’t mean any harm. Well, not much anyway.” Garrett’s smooth tones were no doubt perfected over years of turning women down after one-night stands. “Call me back when you’re done bedding her. We’re going to need a provision about mixing business with pleasure.” The line went dead, and Evan slid the phone into his pocket.

  “You remember my issue with the word ‘ass’? Well, your lawyer is an ass.”

  “You have no idea.” He grinned. “But he makes a fine lawyer and best friend.”

  “That’s your best friend? A man who suggests you marry me, knock me up, have a kid with me, and then divorce me? How charming.”

  “He’ll grow on you.” He pulled me down for a kiss that seared my insides. “Remind me never to make you angry. As hot as it is, I don’t want to be on the receiving end of that death glare.”

  “A good choice.” I didn’t lose my temper easily, but when I did, it wasn’t a pretty picture. I could paint a room red.

  “I need to call him back and finish the conversation. Anything monetary requires approval and vetting, so it’s going to be a long night.”

  “I’d apologize, but it’s a necessary provision.” Even though I didn’t think about it. Thank you, Rachel.

  “It’s smart. I get it; I just need to see if I agree to the terms.” He stood up and stretched. Those dark eyes went to my breasts before my lips. “It’ll be worth it to see you looking like that every night.”

  “So this will be our nightly routine?”

  “Oh, I hope so.” He pulled on his jacket and folded the tie into his pocket. The shoes were next. I dragged myself out of the comfortable pillows when he was ready to leave so I could check the hallway. He caught me by the hip and placed one long, lingering kiss on my lips before I reached the door.

  There was no one in the hallway.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow night, Miss Summers.” He kissed me on the cheek before slipping out into the hallway.

  Two months of him joining me every night in bed for a make-out session? Yeah, I could handle that. I just had to keep my emotions in check.

  Easier said than done.

  14

  And Then There Were Fourteen

  I signed the contract Sunday night and gave my notice to Stern and Associates yesterday. Greg thought I was joking. It was a testament to how likely a candidate I was to join a reality show.

  Evan was out exploring the Louisiana bayous with six of the girls while the rest of us were forced to socialize in the hotel. Tiffany and Lily made for better company, but seeing Amber tromp around in the muck would have been entertaining. Watching her flirt with Evan, however, not so much.

  “Who do you think he’ll send home?” Lily asked. The three of us were sitting in the hot tub with a camera stuck in our faces. Joseph informed us this morning that this round would be different. Instead of an elimination ceremony, one woman would be sent home during each date instead. Of the six who followed Evan into the swamp today, five would return.

  “One of the brunettes,” I said, guessing. There were three of them.

  Lily snorted. “That’s cheating.”

  “Well, we know it won’t be Amber.” Tiffany’s blue eyes flashed as she mentioned the southern belle’s name. She and Georgiana weren’t popular amongst the girls. Then again, neither was I thanks to the infamous Bourbon Street kiss. “Hopefully it won’t be Patty. I like her.”

  “Me too, but it’s about who he likes.” Lily scrunched her nose. “Which I can’t seem to figure out at all. I don’t know why he’s kept me around when we’ve said all of ten words to each other.”

  Tiffany consoled her with a pat on the shoulder. “There are a lot of girls in the same boat. Maybe you’ll be part of the two-on-one date.”

  “Oh God, I hope not. That gives me a fifty percent chance of being sent home.”

  We didn’t know who was going on the yacht with Evan tomorrow. Process of elimination would tell us the names for the two-on-one date. Carrie held the cards that dictated our fate and wouldn’t read them out loud until the producers gave her the go-ahead. Despite my arrangement with the prince, I wasn’t sure what to expect next. We didn’t see each other after the ceremony last night thanks to post-elimination interviews for the episode.

  “I wouldn’t mind those odds if it meant I could get more alone time with him again.” Tiffany toyed with the strings of her blue bikini and frowned. “Amber monopolized our two-on-one.”

  “That doesn’t surprise me at all,” Lily muttered. “She kept pulling him away for one-on-one time during our group date. Sarah, I think you were the only one he spent any intimate time with besides her, but it was in front of everyone.”

  Her narrowed gaze made me grimace. He kissed me, and I didn’t regret kissing him back. I was embarrassed that I lost myself in the moment, but that was an internal issue. It implied deeper feelings that I wasn’t allowed to harbor for an unavailable man.

  “He’s a really good dancer?” I wasn’t sure what else to say.

  She scoffed at that. “Clearly.”

  “Ladies,” Carrie called. She was standing in the doorway that joined the outdoor swimming area to the indoor pool. Her floor-length ball gown did not fit the bikini theme. “Gather around.” She waved the infamous blue envelope with tomorrow’s plans and waggled her auburn brows at the camera.

  The three of us exited the hot tub and joined the other contestants as we formed a semicircle around our hostess. Goosebumps cascaded down my arms. A reaction to the chilly March air coupled with the anticipation. It was hard not to get caught up in the tense atmosphere. I wanted to know if I was going on the yacht tomorrow, because I wanted to see Evan again. I’m so screwed.

  “Okay, as you know, tomorrow Evan is taking six of you on a yacht. As for who . . .” She slipped her manicured nail through the envelope and pulled out a card. Her blue eyes danced over us, thickening the excitement. “Lily, Tiffany, Kristin, Kathy, Gretchen, and Jan.” She met each woman’s gaze as she read their names. “Leaving Leanne and Sarah as the two going on the two-on-one date. Congratulations, ladies. I look forward to seeing who comes back.” She gave the camera a simpering smile and left the pool area.

  Two-on-one date. I met Leanne’s gaze. Her grin wasn’t friendly. “I wonder where we’re going,” she said.

  “Hopefully not somewhere that involves dancing,” Kristin replied. “Or you’re going home.”

  She’s going home either way. “I doubt it’ll involve dancing.” Evan wouldn’t be that cruel. I went back to the hot tub and ignored the comments that followed me.

  The girls on the group date returned with stars in their eyes. Amber was among them, not that I was surprised. Despite Evan’s suspicion that his parents hired the woman, he seemed interested in her. The idea that he could feel something for her made my stomach hurt. I blamed the intense sexual attraction. All the heavy kissing, without much action besides the occasional grope, put my hormones on edge. We were going to have to negotiate the next level soon or cease the evening foreplay. The former appealed to me more.

  There was a text message waiting for me when I got back to my room. See you in an hour. It was time-stamped thirty mi
nutes ago. I showered and changed into shorts and a tank top. It was my signature evening wear, and I didn’t mind Evan seeing me in it. But he wasn’t the one sprawled out on my couch when I walked out of the bathroom.

  “Hello, Sarah.”

  “Uh, hey, Will.” How many skeleton keys exist in this hotel? And what was up with the men not knocking first? I sat on the bed and curled my legs beneath me. “A warning would have been nice.”

  “Sorry, I didn’t want to get caught lingering in the hallway. Evan turned off the security feeds to the floor, but you never know who might be wandering around.”

  “Oh.” I drummed my fingers against my thigh. “So, you came by to chat?”

  “Sure. Ellen and Jonah were giving me a headache, and I thought, ‘Why not visit Sarah?’ Evan’s always in a good mood after he sees you. Figured I’d come see what all the fun’s about.” His suggestive tone was belied by his grin. Tease.

  “I doubt he would appreciate me putting you in the same mood.” Not that Evan would really care. He was dating a dozen other girls. Who knew how many of them he was kissing on the side. My stomach revolted at the idea. It wasn’t my business what he did with the others, just as it wasn’t his business what I did. Not that I wanted anyone else right now. Tall, dark, and handsome was my current addiction.

  “Probably not, but I didn’t come here for whatever it is you two have been doing. I want to know more about that gorgeous friend of yours.”

  “Rachel?”

  “That would be the one.” The biceps under his snug grey shirt bulged as he tucked his arms behind his head on the armrest. His feet were kicked up on the other side. “She has spirit.”

  I rolled my eyes. “What is it with you men always going after the unattainable?”

  “I don’t know about the others, but I’ve always enjoyed a good challenge.”

  “I’m sure you do, but Rachel isn’t a challenge you’ll win. Ask all the guys who have come before you.”

  “Oh, sweetheart, you have no idea what I’m capable of doing to get what I want.”

  I didn’t doubt it. “She’ll give you the biggest fight of your life.”

  “I’m counting on it.”

  I grinned. He had no idea what he was getting himself into. If sex was what he wanted, he stood a chance. Anything beyond that was a lost cause. He was successful and came from old money. She’d never grant him access to her heart.

  “How did you convince her to let you stay over at her apartment?” I texted Rachel the same question. She replied, I don’t want to talk about it.

  “I can be very charming.” His smile edged on the devilish side more than the handsome side, reminding me of Evan.

  “I bet. Just like your cousin.” The two men were more like brothers than cousins. They grew up together after Will’s parents died, and I gathered they were close. That was why Evan trusted him with the contract in Chicago.

  “He likes you, you know. As I predicted he would. It’s why I chose you that first night despite him telling me to send you home. Now look at you two—signing contracts and going into business together.” Those blond eyebrows danced at me again. “You can thank me later.”

  He jumped off the couch at the knock on my door, motioning for me to stay put. I crawled on all fours to the edge of the bed to look around the corner as he opened it to let Evan inside. He paused upon seeing his cousin, indicating he was surprised to see him in my room. Spotting me in my usual tank top and shorts had him raising an eyebrow at his cousin.

  “Chill, E. I was asking her about Rachel.”

  “That better be all you were doing.” He folded his arms and leaned against the wall at the foot of the bed. I scooted back into the pillows and wrapped my arms around my knees.

  The blond rolled his eyes and went back to collapse on the couch. “Says the man dating fifteen, oh, excuse me, fourteen women.”

  “Not by choice.”

  “Yes, it’s a hardship. We get it.”

  “Fuck you, man. It’s not dating when there’s a camera crew following me around.”

  “Not stopping you from kissing all of them, though, is it?” Will’s carefree words pricked at my heart more than they should have. Not a good sign.

  “That was for the show and you know it.” Evan took off his leather jacket, laying it on the chair, and put his shoes beside Will’s before sitting on the bed. His fierce gaze met mine. “There’s only one girl I’m kissing off film.”

  I held up my hands. “Don’t look at me. I didn’t say anything.”

  “No, but I’m saying something. What I’m doing for the show has nothing to do with us.”

  “Except it has everything to do with us because the only reason I’m still here is to refuse your proposal. But, Evan, you can kiss whomever you want. That was never part of our contract, and I’m aware that we’re on a dating show that’s going to require certain things from you.” The words served as a reminder to myself more than to him. I needed to keep my emotions in check. Feeling nauseated at the mention of him kissing other women wasn’t a healthy starting point.

  His full lips curled down. “Will, can you—”

  “Yep.” He stood up before Evan finished talking, and put on his shoes. “Uh, yeah, good luck.”

  “You don’t have . . .” My voice trailed off as the door closed.

  15

  The Marriage Game

  “I’m not a philanderer, Sarah.”

  “Uh, okay.” Says the man on a dating show that started with thirty women. “I didn’t say you were.”

  “No, but Will just implied it. You need to understand that I don’t have sex or kiss women indiscriminately. This entire show is a fucking nightmare for me. I like to date one woman at a time, and I’m always up front about my feelings toward marriage. Long-term relationships might not be my preference, but neither is dating a dozen women at once.” His earnest expression coupled with the misery in his tone told he was telling the truth.

  “We don’t have to talk about this, Evan. I don’t have any expectations here.”

  “Maybe you don’t, but I do. You’re the only woman I’m kissing off camera. This is the only relationship, if it can be called that, that I’m in right now.” He ran a hand through his thick hair before letting his arms fall to his denim-clad legs.

  Relationship was a dangerous word. I preferred friends with benefits as a term to describe what we were doing here. If he wanted to be monogamous about whom he kissed off camera, that was fine, but I wouldn’t let myself look too deep into it. This arrangement was temporary.

  “Look, my father is not a good man or role model,” he continued. “He’s spent years tearing my mother down and blatantly cheating on her. That behavior is what I grew up watching—him screwing everything that walked while my mom cried behind closed doors. Then he had Wyatt with another woman, and my mom raised him as her own because that’s what Jonah Mershano expected.” He ran his hand over his face and shook his head. “I can’t believe I just told you that.”

  The news about Wyatt being an illegitimate child wasn’t something I read, but from the way he said that last statement, I gathered it wasn’t well known. “If he’s not really hers, how can he be next in line to take over the company?” I hadn’t meant to ask it, but the words slipped out.

  “Because my mother’s name is on the birth certificate, making him legitimate.”

  “Oh.” I didn’t know that was possible, but I supposed the saying was true. Money could buy anything. I shifted on the pillows and waited for him to continue.

  “My father loves reminding my little brother how lucky he is to be part of our family. He could have left him with nothing but chose to raise him as a Mershano. He doesn’t care that it hurts my mother. She’s mastered the fake grin for the media. She graces their presence whenever he needs her at his side, always putting on the charade of the perfect family for the cameras. Afterward, she retreats to her room for days.” His faraway stare made my heart ache. It cleared when he met my gaze
. “Look, I’m telling you this because I want you to know that I will never treat a woman like that. Ever. I’m not my father.”

  Interesting that Evan didn’t take after his dad and instead learned from watching his mother’s pain. It was no wonder he was anti marriage. If I grew up with parents like that, I would be, too.

  “Look, if you’re afraid of hurting me, don’t be. You won’t. Am I attracted to you? Yes, but I know it can’t go beyond that. I don’t expect anything from you other than what we’ve already discussed.” I went into this arrangement with my eyes wide open. If I ended up hurt in the end, I would only have myself to blame.

  He studied me for a long moment before giving a single nod. “Okay, as long as we understand each other.”

  “We do.”

  “Good.” He shifted to lie down at the foot of the bed and tilted his head toward me. “You know about our date this week, right?”

  “Uh, yeah. What about it?”

  “Nothing, I just wanted to make sure you knew.” He scrubbed his hand over his face. “God, it’s been a long day. My parents are driving me crazy. They are so pissed that I sent Allison home, because she was one of their picks.”

  I frowned. “Picks?”

  “Yeah. It’s what the producers haven’t told any of you. My parents pick half of everything. Tonight, for example, they picked Amber, Georgiana, and Allison for the date. I picked you for the two-on-one; they picked Leanne. You get the idea.”

  “That’s . . .” I couldn’t find the right words.

  “Fucked up?” he supplied. “Yes.”

  “Huh. And does Will get a say in who stays?”

  “No. He only picked one, you, the first night. I’ve picked you every other night. He’s actually going home tomorrow. Work and all that.”

  “So wait”—my brain was still processing everything—“when you get down to the top two, your parents . . . ?”