by Geneva Lee
“Chess with backstabbing and sex,” I said, my mouth twisting into a wry smile. The girl in the mirror did the same and I took a step back. Sarcasm looked different dressed like this. Instead of a simple defense mechanism, it was all condescension and judgment. Suddenly, I understood why Pepper always looked like she’d just walked out of the pages of Vogue. It was all part of her act. It was part of the girl she was pretending to be. Although it was possible that she’d been pretending so long that she had actually become the heartless bitch I knew and loathed.
“Exactly.” Edward dropped a kiss on my forehead. “Last piece of advice?”
“Yes.” I took a deep breath and nodded that I was ready for it.
“When you see them, when you walk by them, when they laugh behind your back—with every step you take, just think murder.”
My eyes widened with surprise and this time I choked back laughter. “Murder?”
“Trust me. Just the word—although if you have a particularly active imagination, I suppose you can imagine how you’d do them in,” he added, his mouth curving into a grin.
I raised my eyebrows devilishly. “It would be very royal of me.”
Edward’s eyes sparkled, watching me take my first few steps in the sky-high heels. They were a bit shaky, but I soon got my bearing.
“Do you run?” he asked as we entered the hall.
“I used to run every day at Oxford, but lately I’ve been getting other exercise,” I answered, blushing. “How did you know?”
“Believe me, anyone standing behind you can tell. If Pepper acts up, just kick her. I can’t imagine that waif could handle those legs.”
I blushed at his praise, peeking down to discover he was right. My legs didn’t just look long, they were shapely, and with the addition of my stilettos, I didn’t merely tower, I reigned. “I could kiss you, you know.”
“That’s likely to be the only action I get this weekend,” Edward said, straightening his jacket as we strolled, arm in arm, toward the formal dining room. I was pretty sure we were late, but at least I would be entering with a prince—and wouldn’t look like I’d just been rollicking in the countryside.
I hesitated to push for more information. How far could I press Edward before he closed himself off to me? But then I remembered that was how Alexander acted. The fact that Edward had brought it up meant he wanted to talk about it. Had I spent so much time with Alexander that I’d forgotten how normal people acted around each other? What it was like to confide in a friend? If so then I needed a dose of reality, stat. “Where’s David?”
“He headed home for the weekend. He couldn’t handle anymore after...”
“I shouldn’t have darted off last night,” I said, realizing it had been me that had sent him running for the hills.
“No!” Edward stopped me, a pained look flashing across his elegant features. “Believe me, we both knew you wouldn’t say anything. My father is another story. We’ve never come out to him, but he suspects and he managed to make his opinion known several times this weekend.”
“That’s unfair. Does he think all your male friends are your lovers?” I asked.
“Doesn’t your father think the same thing?” he asked pointedly.
“Touché.” I sighed, feeling a twinge of empathy. I knew what it was like to have parents butting into my love life. “It still doesn’t mean he should pry.”
“Father brought up the Defense of Marriage Act fights going on over in America. Let’s just say he made it clear where he stands on the issue.”
“That’s terrible.” Without thinking, I linked my hand with his and squeezed.
“You’re late,” a gruff voice interrupted us.
“Alexander.” Edward gave me a quick look before dropping my hand. “I was just escorting your lovely girlfriend to dinner.”
Suddenly, I was thankful the hall was dark, so that they couldn’t see me blush. As much as I’d hoped to hear someone call me that, I wasn’t sure how Alexander would respond to someone casually using the term.
“I can handle that.” Alexander offered his arm with a questioning tilt of his head, his eyes flickering between me and his brother. I rolled mine in response. The last person he needed to be jealous of was his brother. Edward nodded before continuing into the dining room. But when I took Alexander’s arm, he paused, his gaze raking over me. “In this light, you look naked.”
Despite the tension that still hung in the air, I giggled. More light wasn’t going to help with that. “We’re late for dinner, X.”
Alexander opened the door, sending a scrap of light into the hallway, and sucked in a breath when he saw me more clearly.
“What are you wearing?” he whispered, his voice a seductive mix of fury and lust.
Something about his reaction emboldened me further. It was what I’d hoped for—to show him that try as he might in the bedroom, he couldn’t tame me in public. I cupped his chin, realizing that in these shoes I could look directly into his face rather than up at him. “I wore something sexy for you.”
He hesitated as if he were trying to piece together what I was up to. “You always look sexy to me.”
I liked this newfound confidence, and I felt it slipping away with each questioning comment out of Alexander’s mouth. Before he could speak again, I planted a firm kiss on his lips. His hands on my ass informed me that I’d managed to distract him.
“Christ, this is short,” Alexander said, sliding under my silky hem to cup my bare cheeks. “Suddenly, I’m not hungry.”
I took a deep breath, willing myself not to fall under his spell. I wasn’t doing the walk of shame into that dinner, not after my run-in with Pepper this afternoon. “I’m ravenous.”
I swayed on my heels as I pulled away from him, and Alexander caught me, immediately drawing me back to him. His body pressed against mine, his erection nudging against me through his pants. I was tall enough in these that he could push me against that wall and take me with my feet still on the ground. A dozen exciting new possibilities flashed through my head as heat grew between my legs, but I shook them free, smiling at him in the dark, unsure if he could see. “Oh X, don’t you know that good things come to those who wait?”
“Screw waiting.” But I’d already wiggled free of his arms when his hands attempted to move under my skirt again.
“Delayed gratification, X.” I skidded a little as I sauntered back toward the dining room door. We were really late now, but I took my time, swinging my hips with each step. I didn’t let myself stop even when Alexander called out my name. Not when I reached the doors and he told me to wait. Instead I pushed them open and stepped into the light, never letting the smile fade from my lips.
The dining table stretched down the length of the cavernous room. Its occupants, clad in dinner attire, sat at formal place settings. The crystal sparkled, the silver was polished, and all eyes were on me. I stared over their heads, which wasn’t hard considering they were all seated, and made my way to the two seats vacant at the end of the table. Daring to look at the other dinner guests, I found Pepper glaring at me with cold rage frozen on her face, her blue eyes casting icy daggers. I raised one eyebrow at her as I passed.
Game on, Pepper Spray.
As I reached my seat, the low murmurings of the dinner party grew to a buzz. I chanced a glance around the entire table this time, unsurprised that a few people turned away from my direct gaze. Everyone except two. Jonathan Thompson’s cocky grin made him look as though he were in on some secret joke. I forced myself not to roll my eyes. And at the head of the table, Albert sat watching my late arrival with practiced stoicism.
I nodded my head in deference to him, feeling only slightly guilty for being tardy. Mostly because I would have been on time if it weren’t for his two sons. Not that I really had any regrets about how I’d spent my time this afternoon.
A server stepped forward to pull out my chair when the dining room doors burst open. Alexander strode quickly toward me, throwing a cursory nod t
oward his father’s place, but his eyes never left mine. I was dimly aware that the server was waiting for me to sit, but I couldn’t move. The whole room had faded except for Alexander. The suppressed fury on his face said it all. I was his, and he was reasserting his claim to me. He didn’t need to speak, I already knew his expectation, so I waited. He reached me, dismissing the server curtly. Taking his place behind the chair, he held it for me. “Clara.”
My name was sex on his lips, and in it I felt the cocktail of possessiveness and lust and confusion that he felt. I sunk into the chair as I sunk back under his command. Alexander hastily took the chair next to mine, and I reached out under the table to place a tentative hand on his knee, but he knocked it away.
“Nice of you to join us, Alexander,” Albert boomed.
Alexander’s gaze stayed glued to me as he replied, “I had no idea I was a necessary aspect of your meal. You certainly didn’t need to wait for me. I’m not a fork.”
I swallowed, realizing that Alexander’s need to exert his masculinity was no longer limited to me. It was as if my little show had augmented his craving for control. He was out to prove he was in command, which meant things might get ugly.
Albert’s jaw tightened. “If you’re finished with this display of machismo, I’d like to eat dinner.”
“So would I,” Alexander said, and I heard the words he didn’t say: I have somewhere to be.
I could see his need to fuck me reflecting in his eyes. But if Edward was right, his brother might need to hear the word no every once in a while. I wasn’t positive that Alexander wanted a real relationship, but he had brought me here. He had claimed me in front of his father and everyone else. That had to mean something. However, I also knew that he didn’t know the first thing about having a relationship. With my limited experience in this area, I was only certain of one thing. I had to prove to Alexander—and everyone else—that I wouldn’t tolerate games.
Peeling my eyes from Alexander, I turned toward my plate, suddenly grateful that the glass of wine at my place had already been filled. As I reached for it, I met Edward’s amused eyes watching me. I’d been too distracted by Alexander’s dramatic entrance to notice that I’d sat right across from his brother. At least I had an ally close by, especially with Pepper too close for comfort. She stared at Alexander expectantly as if she was trying to cast a spell over him, but his concentration couldn’t be broken.
“Doesn’t Clara look fabulous, Alexander?” Edward asked, steepling his fingers.
“She’s a bit overdressed for dinner, don’t you think?” Pepper said, butting in. The rest of the brat pack snickered around her on cue. “Or under-dressed, depending on how you look at it.”
“Jealousy doesn’t suit you.” Edward ignored the evil look she cast toward him and picked up a butter knife, which he twisted thoughtfully in his hands. “It makes your complexion look all green. Clashes with your dress.”
“We all know you’re an expert on the subject,” Pepper said, but she’d turned her angry face to me. “I saw that dress at Tamara’s. I had no idea you had even heard of her. I thought she was a bit more exclusive.”
“She can’t be terribly exclusive if you know who she is,” I said without missing a beat.
Alexander blinked beside me as though he was only now hearing the conversation between me and Pepper.
“I’ll have to speak to her,” she said.
“When you do, give her my love.” I had never heard of Tamara. I’d never met her. Annabelle had picked this dress out for me. It was purchased with my own money though, and I knew one thing. On Monday I would be in that boutique cleaning her out of every size six dress she had in stock. There was no way I’d let Pepper win, even if it was only at shopping.
“I will.” Pepper smiled sweetly, and I returned the gesture as the soup course was placed in front of us. It smelled delicious, all creamy with toasted croutons floating on top. I raised my soup spoon, reminding myself to be graceful even as my stomach growled. Across the table, Pepper pushed her bowl away with distaste. Despite my hatred of her, my stomach flopped at the gesture. I had no reason to suspect that Pepper shared that in common with me, but it was a warning sign. She reached for her water, laughing at a joke as she leaned closer to Jonathan. I slurped the soup from my spoon and continued to watch her as the conversation around me picked up. Everyone was chatting, except Alexander and me. Maybe I just wanted to distract myself from his coldness and that was why I was seeing behavioral patterns that weren’t really there. Maybe Pepper simply didn’t like soup.
I took a few more spoonfuls before I placed my napkin on the table to signal that I was finished with it. If it was anything like I expected, I’d be stuffed by the third course if I didn’t pace myself. But when I looked up, Pepper was watching me, a calculating look in her eyes. I turned toward Alexander, but he continued to eat.
Dropping my voice so we couldn’t be overheard, I said, “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” he asked stiffly.
“You seem upset.”
Alexander’s eyes flashed up to meet mine finally, a bemused smile on his face. “We still have a lot to learn about one another, Clara. I wasn’t upset—” his voice lowered “—I was turned on. I didn’t think I could stop myself from throwing you across the table and ripping off those shameless excuses for knickers you’re wearing if you touched me again.”
I blinked at this, my perception of the situation adjusting to this revelation. How hadn’t I seen that? He needed to reestablish dominance, which for Alexander meant sex. That’s what he had been thinking. Confidence ballooned in my chest at the thought. He wasn’t angry with me. He wanted me. Because I looked hot. Because I drove him crazy.
“Maybe you should,” I said, unable to stop myself. I wanted the delicious ache between my legs to grow, knowing that it would go unfulfilled for another hour or two, so that by the time we were alone once more, the moment he took me would be worth the build up.
“Don’t tempt me, Clara. A man only has so much restraint.” His lips twitched though, and I could see him imagining the scene: the reaction of the entire dinner party as he threw me across the linen—glasses shattering, forks clattering—and shoved his hot, thick cock inside me. I couldn’t help squirming at the thought. Alexander spotted my fidgeting and smiled wider. “Soon, poppet.”
I trembled at the thought, forcing myself to focus on the next course as it was served. But I could only pick at my salad, too distracted by Alexander’s gaze, which continued to burn through me. When the third course arrived—leg of lamb served medium rare—Alexander grinned as they placed my plate in front of me.
“Eat up, Clara,” he murmured. “You’ll need your strength tonight.”
My eyes closed, drinking in his words, my fork hovering over my meal. My mouth watered, but it had nothing to do with the heavenly scent wafting from the food in front of me. Alexander should be given a special commendation for building anticipation.
“I do hope you aren’t having an episode.” Pepper’s voice pulled me from my fantasy.
My eyes snapped open to find a shameless smirk on her face, her eyes gleaming with mischief that I knew was far from innocent. I took a bite, chewing it slowly and making an oh-my-god face as I swallowed. Pepper sighed disgustedly at my orgasmic performance.
“I was so surprised when I found out about your little problem,” she said in a voice that carried over the other conversations at the table. Inwardly I cringed, but I forced myself to keep my head held high. “Usually women with eating disorders are thinner.”
My mouth fell open, shocked that she’d not only bring this up at the dinner table in front of a huge group of people, but that she’d actually say something that heinous. If she had wanted attention, she now had it. Not surprisingly, Amelia and Priscilla tittered with nervous laughter at her little show. The King said nothing, but his mother dabbed at her mouth with a napkin, not concealing her disgust. But was that distaste leveled at the person who deserved it—or at
me for being flawed? I couldn’t be sure.
A few seats down, Edward folded his hands on the table. “Pepper, be careful. Your bitch is showing.”
“Edward,” his father admonished him.
“Oh, you aren’t deaf,” Edward replied, shooting his father a sharp look over his horn-rimmed glasses. “You’re just pretending to be oblivious to what’s right in front of your face.”
“Something you count on,” Pepper threw in, scathingly. The comment hit its mark, and Edward clamped his mouth shut.
My mind spun with so many things I would like to say to her that I couldn’t decide on one. I had expected her to attack me, but the heartless taunts directed at Edward pushed me over the edge. He’d called her out and she stepped over the line. Did she have any clue the damage she was doing to the fragile relationships he had with everyone at this table? My hands trembled with rage as I watched Edward pretend to ignore her. If anyone didn’t belong at this table, it was Pepper.
The table fell into a silence, and I finally dared to look at Alexander, who hadn’t spoken. As soon as I saw his face, I understood why he hadn’t come to our defense. Veins pulsed along his neck, his jaw tight, his lips thinned into a straight line, and his knuckles had gone white from clutching his silverware. He was employing his considerable self-control, and I wasn’t certain I wanted to see what would happen if it faltered.
Pepper obviously didn’t share my concern.
“You should probably get your girlfriend—” she spit the word out, making it clear what she thought of giving me this title “—some help before her eating disorder gets her on more tabloid covers.”
By now the shock had worn off, and I couldn’t hold back anymore. “Pepper, I can’t help noticing you haven’t touched your plate or your salad or your soup. The only thing you’ve had your mouth on is that rocks glass. I’m happy to lend you my doctor’s name after I finish eating.”
Beside her, Edward bit back a smile, but Albert threw down his napkin. “Enough of—”