by Madison Faye
“And another woman, an acquaintance of mine,” my father scowled. “The, uh, the wife of one of my advisors.”
“Dad, there’s no way any of that is tr—”
“Here.”
My dad grabbed an official looking manila folder from a pile next to his breakfast plate and slid it across the table to me.
“Again, I want to remind you that the investigative judge on this has a gag order on the whole thing. This will be conducted out of the spotlight until we can make our case and put this beast down.”
Slowly, like I was moving underwater, I reached out and thumbed open the folder. And right there, on official international royal committee letterhead paper, was the full story — Queen Jemma’s deposition to the court.
I wanted to cry.
There was the story of Cole letting himself into his neighbor’s vacation home, and finding Jemma swimming naked and alone. Apparently, there was a history of his being inappropriate to her and making advances. This time, the queen had been shocked when a naked Prince Cole had jumped into the pool with her and tried to force himself on her. It’d only been stopped when King Rodney had barged in, spotted him, and leveled a hunting rifle at him.
…These were sworn statements. Not tabloid fluff articles. A sharp coldness sliced through me.
“You met him once, yes?” My father spat. “Charming his way into your good graces?” he barked out a laugh. “Well, that’s what he does, Faith. The man is a con artist and a snake. I guarantee that the only reason he was speaking to you at the museum was to corrupt and sully you!”
My mother looked like she wanted to faint, and she reached over the grasp my hand in hers. “Thank God you were able to avoid him and his violence!” She gasped, gripping my hand tight. “Goodness knows what he might’ve tried if he’d gotten you alone!”
Except, I did know. Alone, he’d charm the hell out of me. Alone, we’d get drunk, get tattooed, and get married. Alone, I’d wake up naked in bed with him, and later, alone again, I’d let him back in to my bed.
Alone, I’d give him everything, like a completely naive idiot.
I didn’t want to believe a word of what I was hearing, but the facts were starting to stack. I wanted to say Cole was just a target for gossip and slander, but at what point did you realize that maybe that was for a reason? I mean there were dozens of stories about him being in the middle of one scandal or another, and usually involving women. And all of this new stuff? Well, it wasn’t tabloid rumor, this was actually being investigated by a judge, and there were actual sworn statements. This was real.
Something shriveled inside of me as I stared into my coffee.
…I’d fallen for it. He’d seen he naive inexperience in me, and he’d seen me out of my element, and he’d pounced. And like a total sucker, I’d swallowed every line and every move, until I’d let him slide right into my bed and take everything he wanted.
Except it was worse than that, even if I wasn’t even ready to admit it to myself. I hadn’t just let him into my bed, I’d let him into a part of me I’d never opened before. He’d somehow snuck and charmed his way into my heart, and something about that betrayal with this new information hurt worse.
I hated myself for falling for his bullshit. I hated myself for marrying him.
But mostly, I hated myself for falling for him.
I made the world’s weakest excuse about needing to check in with my friends about Callie’s wedding and rushed from the breakfast table as fast as I could, before the tears came.
Chapter 10
Cole
She was ignoring me, and avoiding calls.
Something had happened, and I was pretty sure I knew what it was. I knew being seen that morning leaving the castle had been a misstep. They hadn’t found me inside the palace walls, but when the gate guards saw me sweeping the branches off my motorcycle after hiding it the night before, they’d started asking questions. I’d just shrugged and said I was out for a drive, and of course, knowing who I was, they’d let it be.
But I knew King Alphonse had gotten wind of that. So that’s what this was. Even if he didn’t know the specifics — and he certainly didn’t know I’d spent the night and claimed Faith as my own — he knew I’d been around. And knowing that, with the plot he was apart of, I knew her radio silence meant that her father had poisoned her against me.
I didn’t know what exactly he’d told her, but I was sure it was cherry-picked highlights, and enough to convince her that I was some sort of monster. So that’s why she was avoiding me.
She couldn’t stay in that castle forever though…
It was on the outskirts of the farmer’s market in the old-city district in Luthane’s capital where I finally caught up with her. Yes, I’d tracked her whereabouts, goddamnit. She was mine, and this charade had gone on long enough.
Faith gasped as she stepped around the corner of a side street and almost crashed into me. She jumped about a foot back, and she almost lost her bag of veggies and fruit.
“What the hell are you—”
“Little warm for long sleeves, isn’t it, Princess?”
Her eyes narrowed at my grin, and she tugged on her sleeve. “I’m fine thank you very much.”
“Let me guess, you’ve called a hundred removal clinics, and they won’t do it until—”
“Can we please talk about something else?” she muttered.
“I’ve got a few questions about the size of some of those carrots and cucumbers in your bag there,” I grinned. “Feeling lonely without me?”
She blushed scarlet. “You are…ugh.”
“Irresistible?”
She did her damnedest to hide the smile, but it still peeked through a little as she looked away.
“I brought you something.”
I handed her the little black box I’d brought. Faith took it from my hand and then looked up at me skeptically.
“That’s this?”
“A present.”
“What is it, a sex toy or something?” she hissed.
I grinned. “No, but I do like where your head’s at.”
She blushed, trying to glare at me but failing.
“I won’t be bought, you— those things they say you did…”
“They’re all bullshit, Faith,” I growled, stepping closer to her. “Your father told you about Queen Jemma and the rest of those lies?”
She nodded, looking away. “Yeah, he told me alright,” she spat out.
“Do you want the real story?”
“Cole—”
“Well here it is. King Rodney let me use that pool. Rodney also apparently hasn’t been taking care of his wife, because she’s dropped not very subtle hints to me for quite a while. She found me in that pool that day—”
“I do not want to hear this!” she hissed, shaking her head.
“I don’t care, because you’re going to hear the truth, Faith,” I shot back. The fire blazed inside of me — not anger at her, but anger at those who’d poisoned her against me. Or tried to. “You’re going to know the truth even if it makes you hate me, because I’d rather you hate me for that than for the lies.”
She went silent, and slowly, she looked up at me and nodded.
“I was at the house alone, at Rodney’s invitation. She surprised me, and tried to put the moves on me when she found me in their pool. I pushed her away, and that’s when her husband walked in with a fucking hunting rifle. At that point and ever since, he won’t listen to me, and her word is law apparently.”
“And the others?” Faith spat. “Princess Kelly? My father’s advisors wife?”
I frowned. “Your father’s advisor’s wi—” I stopped and shook my head, snorting in disgust. “Well, I guess he wouldn’t tell you the full story there either, now would he?”
“He told me enough.” She glared at me.
“They’re all stories, Faith. There’s a conspiracy to take my crown, and they used Jemma’s refusal to just admit she was trying to step out on her h
usband as the fuel to light the whole thing. I’ve never even met Princess Kelly, and your father’s ‘advisor’s’ wife?” I leveled my eyes at her. “Yeah, well I’ve never met her for a few reasons.”
“Which are?”
“Your father has two advisors, Faith. One’s a widower, and one’s not married.”
Her mouth tightened. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means your father is lying to you.”
She snorted, looking away in anger. “Please, don’t twist this—”
“The third woman is your father’s mistress, Faith.”
I didn’t want to say it. I didn’t want to hurt her, even if her father was a scumbag. I didn’t want to be the bad guy with that, but it was unavoidable. This bullshit had to stop, and when it came to her, I’d do anything, even if it meant playing the bad guy.
Faith’s eyes went wild.
“What?”
“His mistress,” I said quietly. Look, it’s not for me to judge, but I will tell you the truth. And for the record, I’ve never met her either.”
“Why would they just make this up, hmm?”
“To slander me? To make it untenable for me to become King when my mother retires soon? To make my country unstable and ripe for taking over? Glis, Urun, and Devoney do all border Luthane. It’s a tempting target with the right instability.”
She shook her head, pushing her fingers through her hair.
“I know this sounds crazy, but ask yourself what you believe. Look me in the eyes and tell me you honestly think I’m the kind of piece of shit that would do anything they’re saying I did.”
Her gaze met mine, and I could see the battle raging there behind her eyes.
“I— I don’t know what to think,” she whispered.
“Well, take this,” I pressed the box into her hand. “And then you can go think about it.”
She opened the box, and her jaw dropped at the sight of the silver key-fob with the word “Ferrari” etched down the side.
“A car? Are you seriously trying to buy me with—”
“Come with me,” I growled, grabbing her arm and pulling her after me as I whirled. Enough of this shit. Enough of fighting against shadows that were using lies to fight me.
I pulled her into the side garage, where I’d parked the car I’d bought her, and when we stumbled in front of it, her jaw dropped.
…Yeah, I’d had a feeling it might. Even if you didn’t know cars and didn’t know the this one was a five-of-its kind Ferrari special edition custom built, the car was sexy as fuck. With sleek, red curves and a custom chrome detailing, the thing was sex on wheels.
Perfect for her.
“I— I can’t accept this.”
“It’s just a present, Faith,” I shrugged. “Go for a drive with the top down and let your mind think. It’s what works for me whenever I need to.”
“Why should I believe you, hmm? About all of these stories about you? I mean why should I believe a single thing you—”
“Because I’m fuckng crazy about you, that’s why,” I snapped.
Her eyes went wide, and she gasped as I moved into her, pushing her back against the Ferrari.
“Because you’re my wife, and that fucking means something to me, even if we did it in a silly, crazy way,” I growled as I pulled her close and she gasped again, my lips inches from hers.
“It means I’m not going to let you walk away from me without a fight, Princess. Take the car. Go think, and when you figure out that I’m the one telling the truth here, I’ll be waiting for you.”
She smiled quietly, her lip caught between her teeth. “I— I want to believe you.”
“Then do. Because you know me, Faith. Because there’s never been another woman anywhere close to you. I attract tabloid headlines because my face on them sells copies.”
“Oh so you just stumble into all of those terrible situations?”
“Yes,” I growled, gripping her tighter. “I’m not going to lie to you and tell you I’m a saint, but I am not the hell raiser they say I am. I seek out adventure, yes. I like a little edge to things, but I’m not that guy.”
“So the pictures of you all over the internet at wild parties—”
“Some of my best friends are internationally touring punk rockers, Faith. It doesn’t mean I’m drowning in groupies, I just go to their parties to see my friends.”
I moved closer, pressing her into the car. Her breath caught, and her eyes darted across mine.
“Look into my eyes, angel,” I purred. “You know I’m telling the truth. Just like you know you’re mine and I’m yours.”
And then I kissed her. Just like that, pressing her against the car right there in the parking garage. I, Prince of Luthane, kissed my wife.
She started to shove me away for a second, but then her hands suddenly tightened on my shirt, gripping me and yanking me into her as she moaned into my mouth. I growled, pushing her into the side of the car and molding my body to hers. She gasped into my lips, rocking her hips against me as my hand slid down her side. My blood roared as my fingers traced over the edge of her jeans, teasing across her belly. She moaned wildly, and when I popped the button and kissed her deeply as I slid my hand under, she whimpered in pleasure.
My fingers slid past the edge to her panties, teasing over her soft little mound before she suddenly shook her head and pushed me back.
“No, Cole.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “I know what you are.”
“You think you know what I am.”
“I know you’re filthy.”
“Maybe,” I growled, moving against her. “But only for you. And I think you love my filthy mouth on your sweet little pussy.”
My hand pushed back into her jeans, and this time, her hips raised into me. This time, she whimpered as my fingers slid under her wet little panties and teased down over her soft little cunt.
She moaned, her hands tightening on my wrist like she was pulling me closer — willing me to touch her more.
“So fucking wet,” I growled into her ear. “All that protest and look how fucking wet you are.”
She whimpered.
I slid her zipper down, shoving her jeans down over her hips as I kissed her slow and deep, my other hand still buried in her panties, rubbing her clit. Her jeans tangled around her knees, and she suddenly gasped as she pulled away.
“People might—”
“They won’t,” I growled. “Not if you come quick for me.”
She moaned as I slid her panties down her thighs, and when I dropped to my knees in front of her, the gasp caught in her throat as her face went red. I groaned as I moved into her, my hands pushing her thighs as wide as they could go with her jeans and panties at her knees. I leaned in, and when my tongue slowly dragged over her sweet pussy, she threw her head back and cried out in pleasure.
I growled, my hands tightening on her and my cock throbbing hard between my thighs as I teased my tongue up and down her slit. I swirled it over her clit, sucking gently on the little nub as she squealed and whimpered so sweetly for me. Her sticky, candy-sweet arousal coated my tongue, making my balls twitch with need as I tasted her deeply.
I slid my hands up her thighs, one slipping around to cup her ass and the other teasing her opening as I swirled my tongue over her clit. I eased a finger inside, stroking it against her g-spot as my tongue danced over her aching nub. My hand tightened on her ass, gripping her like she was mine as I teased her velvety little pussy to the breaking point.
“I— oh fuck, Cole,” she moaned deeply, her hips bucking against me. “I— I want to feel you again. I want you to take me like you did the other night.”
I paused, pulling away and letting my eyes drag up to hers.
“Tell me what you want, angel.”
“I want you to fuck me,” she whispered, her face bright red and her eyes wild with lust.
…Yeah, I didn’t need a second invitation. I growled as I stood, yanking at my belt. I grabbed her by the hips,
pushing her ass up onto the hood of the gleaming red Ferrari and shoving her jeans and panties off of her legs. She quickly wrapped them around my waist, and when she yanked me close, she kissed me hungrily, tasting herself on my lips and moaning so sweetly into me.
She tore at my shirt buttons as I teased the throbbing head of my cock against her tight little cunt. She whimpered into my lips as I stroked my cock against her, rubbing the fat, swollen head over her clit and letting my sticky precum leak all over that pretty little pussy, marking her.
“Take my cock, angel,” I groaned as I started to ease inside. My breath caught as her silky sweet pussy opened for me, soft little petals teasing around my thick head and sucking me inside. My balls throbbed, my cock aching to be buried all the way inside of her.
“Fuck, baby,” I groaned as she moaned so sweetly. “Fuck, you’re so damned tight. So fucking tight for my big cock. But I can feel that greedy little pussy pulling me inside, trying to swallow me up and milk the cum from my balls.”
“Oh fuck, Cole,” she gasped, clinging to me as her mouth hung open in pleasure.
I drove in another few inches, watching the pleasure just melt over her face. My hands tightened on her hips, and when I crushed my mouth to hers, I drove the rest of me deep inside of her. Faith screamed into my mouth, her legs tightening around me and her heavenly cunt rippling up and down my shaft. She rolled her hips, grinding herself on my cock.
I’d gone slow before. I’d taken my time in her bed, slowly filling her up and letting her get used to the size of me.
…This was going to be different. There, on the hood of the sports car in that dark parking lot, I was going to fuck her — hard, deep, and until she came like she’d never even dreamed of coming before. This was about leaving a mark, a sweet, aching mark. This was about making the world know she was taken, and claimed. I wanted any man who saw her after this to know just by the way she walked that another man had claimed her. I wanted them to know by the sway of her hips that she’d felt a real man fuck her silly.
I slid out, teasing her clit with my head until she was was whimpering and moaning and rocking her hips into me.