Corrupted by the Prince (A is for Alpha Book 5)
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Corrupted by the Prince
By
Shelli Stevens
Published by Shelli Stevens
Copyright © 2015 by Shelli Stevens
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the author at shelli@shellistevens.com
All characters in this book are fiction and figments of the author’s imagination. www.shellistevens.com
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Acknowledgments
Thank you to my beta readers Jo and Danielle, and to my fantastic editor/niece Megan. Also a big thanks to my parents and in-laws for helping babysit my newborn while I wrote this, and to my hubby and tween for your love and support too. And, as always, thank you to my amazing readers for picking up my books.
Chapter 1
Kostas stood on the shores of the Atlantic, his bare feet sinking into the soft, fine sand as he cast another glance at the woman reading a book a hundred feet or so away.
While she wasn’t the only woman on the beach, she was the only one he’d noticed. And maybe she truly stuck out because she seemed to be the only one who hadn’t noticed him.
She was different from the clusters of loud women in tiny bikinis scattered about the exclusive beach in the Hamptons.
This one sat alone, a one-piece swimsuit that was reminiscent of the pinup style from the 1950s clung to the subtle curves on her body. She wore a wide brim straw hat and large, oversized sunglasses.
As if sensing his gaze on her, she glanced his way. Her head ducked back down so fast the hat slid off, spilling the blondish-red hair that had once been pinned up about her shoulders.
Clearly flustered now, she set down her book and struggled to fix her hair under the hat again.
Amused, intrigued, and deciding he may as well give his two bodyguards a rest from nearly an hour of trailing him down the beach, Kostas made his way to her.
While she didn’t look his way again, clearly she saw him in her peripheral vision, because her mouth tightened and her movements became jerkier.
“Do you mind if I join you?” It wasn’t much of a request as Kostas sat down in the sand beside her.
With arms still raised, and fingered tangled in strands of hair, she stilled and kept her gaze straight ahead.
“Has the rest of the beach filled up?” The sarcasm was barely veiled.
“Unfortunately, it has.” He released a low, rumbling laugh and continued to watch her as she resumed fixing her hair.
The position of her arms plumped up pale breasts that peeked discreetly over the dark green material of her suit.
His blood pounded quicker and he experienced a twinge of annoyance. There were women on this beach showing far more flesh than this woman was, so it was a bit ridiculous to become excited from just a hint of soft cleavage from this one.
He averted his gaze and glanced back at the dark blue of the Atlantic instead.
While the beach was hardly empty, it was much quieter and less crowded than other beaches in the Hamptons. Then again, this one was more exclusive, where many of the residents were old money, or if not, the guests of them.
“Do you surf?” He observed some of the beach goers carrying boards, and then the handful that sat atop them in the waves.
“No.” The word was laced with annoyance and left no indication that she wished to continue the conversation.
He glanced back at her and found she’d finished putting her hair up. She held her book again, expertly blocking him from her gaze.
Being blatantly ignored was a rather unique experience for him. Instead of growing uncomfortable, though, he became more amused and intrigued.
“I’ve surfed once or twice,” he continued conversationally, leaning back in the sand, bracing his upper body on his elbows. “But I much prefer swimming than riding a board. I am not so, how do you say it, gifted with balance.”
When she didn’t reply he glanced over at her once more. Her gaze was focused on the book, but the way she stared at it, without blinking, he knew she didn’t see the print on the page.
Under his gaze, her cheeks grew pink and her fingers tightened around the novel. Finally she set it down in her lap and gave a heavy sigh. She lifted her chin and met his gaze head on.
“Why have you singled me out?”
“Pardon?” Momentarily thrown off balance by the rare color of her eyes, a mix of green and blue, he almost forgot what she’d asked him.
“There are hundreds of girls on this beach who would probably trip over themselves to talk to you. But let me assure you, I am not one of them.”
He couldn’t help but allow a slow smile.
Perhaps not yet. But she would be.
Chapter 2
Okay, maybe a little part of that last comment had been a lie. This man was deliciously handsome.
Despite that traitorous thought in her head, Eva made sure the expression on her face betrayed none of her emotions.
Tall. Dark. Handsome. He was a cliché to boot. Add in that accent—where on earth was it from?—and yes, he likely had women falling at his feet.
Why he’d chosen to hit on her was a bit of a mystery though. On a beach full of rich, perfect, bikini-flaunting socialites, she was pretty much invisible. Or at least she’d counted on that standard when she’d come down to read earlier.
“You’re quite lovely, to start. And there was something about you.”
His admission pulled her back from her thoughts, and as she cast a guarded glance his way she suspected he’d been torn on making that acknowledgment aloud.
A trio of women walked by, chatting and blatantly staring at the man next to her. One must’ve made eye contact because she gave a sultry smile and tossed her hair.
“There’s ‘something about’ a lot of the women on this beach.” Eva only issued the dry reply once the women were out of earshot.
“Perhaps. But after awhile, they all seem the same.” He shrugged and stared out at the water. “Forgive me, I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable. What is your name?”
She narrowed her eyes, wondering if he was serious and truly had no idea who she was, or if he was just riling her—as he seemed to have been doing from the moment he sat down.
“Eva.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Eva. I’m Kostas.”
Fortunately, there’d been no recognition in his eyes when she’d said her name, just curiosity. Thankfully she’d at least used her nickname instead of replying with her full name, Evelynn.
It wasn’t that she had a giant ego and thought the world should be aware that she was a Fairchild. She knew very well that being the middle child between her four beautiful sisters, meant she was the one who tended to be left in the shadows.
“It’s nice to meet you, Kostas.” Manners dictated she reply, though she’d ha
rdly call it a pleasure to meet his acquaintance.
Kostas.
Was it a Greek name? Something about him and the name sounded vaguely familiar. But then they were in the Hamptons and it wasn’t surprising to come across people with some sort of celebrity status or ties to old money.
“You look quite perturbed. I promise I haven’t sat down with the intent of luring you into bed or anything of the sorts. It’s just that I’ve been out walking for the past hour and wanted to sit for a moment.”
Luring her into bed? Was he trying to be funny? “And lucky me, you chose to sit here.”
He gave that slow smile again that revealed perfect, white teeth and had her pulse quickening.
“Yes. There was something about you.”
Was he really using that banal phrase again? “And what is that, Kostas? Because I’m not wearing a tiny bikini and I didn’t flirt with you on the beach?”
He laughed, and the sound was rich and deep and so wonderfully masculine. So self-assured.
“Yes, perhaps that is part of it. Though I don’t believe a bikini would’ve been anymore provocative than the swim costume you have on.”
Well she had to give him points for being honest, though she doubted his comment about her swim ‘costume’. She’d chosen it because it covered more skin than a bikini.
He nodded to her book. “What are you reading?”
Without glancing down, she gave him the title of the memoir about a famous refugee.
“Ah yes, quite powerful.”
“You’ve read it? Seriously?” She couldn’t hide the skepticism.
“Yes, soon after it was published.”
Thrown by the knowledge that he’d read it, and before she had, she rushed to add, “I would’ve read it earlier, but I was busy finishing up with school and the only books I was reading were…”
She trailed off at the amusement in his eyes, and felt the hot flush of embarrassment steal up her cheeks. Why did she feel the need to explain herself to him?
He was probably lying about having read it anyway. Perhaps she was guilty of stereotyping, but he hardly seemed the sort to pick up a book in his spare time.
Trying to sneak another glance at him, she trailed her gaze over broad shoulders and a well-defined naked chest. From the way he reclined, she could see his stomach was perfectly toned and flat, above the pair of white board shorts that highlighted his olive skin tone.
No, her impression had to be spot on. This man was easily the most handsome she’d ever met, and probably spent each night with a different woman, not a different book.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but we really must leave.”
Eva started and glanced behind her. She hadn’t even noticed the two men lurking nearby on the beach.
“So soon?” Kostas’s words were heavy with reluctance.
“Yes, Your Roy—,er, sir.”
Kostas sighed and stood up. “Then I suppose it’s time. I enjoyed chatting with you, Eva. I hope we’ll meet again.”
He caught her hand and brushed a kiss across her knuckles, his gaze on hers, but her heart was already pounding so hard she could barely reply.
“Yes, maybe,” she managed faintly.
“I wish you a pleasant afternoon.”
She watched him disappear and finally let out a groan of disbelief.
Of course this would happen to her. Only she would spend the last ten minutes insulting the prince of Mykorini.
Chapter 3
“Your Royal Highness, if I might remind you to please return the queen’s phone calls.”
Kostas swirled his gin and tonic, watching the ice spin in the nearly empty glass, and sighed. Though his assistant’s tone was pleasant, there was the unmistakable hint of pleading that hadn’t been there in the last four times he’d made the reminder.
“It’s late back home. I’m sure my mother has gone to bed by now—”
“She has assured me she will stay awake to await your call.”
Making a small grunt of acknowledgment, Kostas tossed back the rest of his drink and set the glass down on the coaster on the glass table.
There would be no getting around it then. He really should’ve been satisfied at having stayed under the radar for nearly the last month. He’d left Mykorini under scandal—which, unfortunately, was becoming more common—and made his escape to his vacation home in the Hamptons. Though the trip hadn’t been completely for pleasure: he’d also gone into Manhattan several times throughout the week to do business.
His mother had given him a few days space before the phone calls had begun.
“I will call her at once. Thank you, Dimitri.”
Naked relief flashed across his assistant’s face. He bowed and left the room. Dimitri was hardly the type to be intimidated, but even he had the sense to be nervous of the queen.
As Kostas placed the call to his mother a moment later, he couldn’t blame the man.
“Kostas.” His name fell heavy and icy from his mother’s lips. “I have been waiting for your call.”
Grimacing, he stood from his chair and walked to the window that overlooked the ocean. “Of course, Mama, and I apologize for not returning yours sooner.”
There was a harrumph of disbelief before she continued on in Greek.
“When are you coming home?”
He stared out at the dark blue of the Atlantic, so different from the turquoise waters surrounding the island of his Mykorini.
“I thought to spend another week or so here, Mama. I’m enjoying my vacation.”
“Your whole life is a vacation.”
Kostas almost flinched at the harsh words he could hardly deny.
“I thought it best to allow a few weeks for the current gossip to subside.”
“This one will not be so easily swept beneath the rug, Kostas.” There was wariness and disappointment in the queen’s words now. “Seducing the crown prince’s fiancée is not simply gossip.”
His jaw clenched as he took the invisible blow to the gut. He had not been the one to do the seducing, but it hardly seemed worth the argument right now. One night of bland sex had resulted in his biggest blunder yet.
“Perhaps not.” He forced his words to sound calm. “That’s why it’s best I stay away for several weeks and allow the situation—”
“There is no situation. The engagement has been called off.” His mother paused. “Have you even phoned your brother to apologize?”
Kostas stared unblinking at the Atlantic, ignoring the prickle of guilt. “I am quite certain Petros has no wish to speak with me at this time.”
Understandably.
“Come home, Kostas.”
It was a command, rather than a request from a mother who missed her son.
“Soon, Mama.” At least two more weeks. Not a day sooner.
“Your father is requesting your presence as well.”
His jaw began to ache from how tightly it was clenched. “The king desires to see me? That’s new.”
“You are his son. A prince of Mykorini—”
“I am the spare.” His chest tightened as he nearly spat the painful words. “Petros is the only prince that the world concerns themselves about.”
“So you would continue to thrive in this reputation you have built for yourself?” she scoffed. “Kostas the playboy and the partier. Kostas, the prince who befriends gangsters.”
There was enough truth in each of those labels that he saw no reason to protest.
“The end of August, and then I will return to Mykorini.” When his mother began to protest, he interrupted with a swift, “I love you, Mama. Give my regards to the king and prince.”
He ended the call, envisioning his mother and her simmering fury at the way he always reduced family to their royal standings.
It was hard not to, however. He’d been raised in a royal family, and realized quite young that he would never be as important as his sibling or parents. He was the insurance policy to the crown.
While his
brother lived a life that headed toward sainthood, Kostas had no such ambitions. He’d fallen into his media-driven role of scandalous, bad-boy prince all too easily.
A flash of green on the beach drew his attention and he narrowed his gaze on the familiar woman walking down the beach.
What was her name? Eva? Yes, that was it. The old-fashioned style swim costume had a sensuality to it. It had somehow both hidden and yet managed to reveal her subtle figure.
What would he find if he stripped her out of it? Would he discover more freckles, like the smattering of them on her cheeks and cleavage, hidden on her body beneath the green suit?
And even more important was how quickly he would be able to tame that sharp tongue that she’d attacked him with. How easy would it be to encourage her to make better use of it?
As he watched, she turned from the beach and made her way toward a group of homes. Soon she disappeared from view.
The idea of seeing her again had more appeal than it should’ve. He turned from the window and walked into the lavish kitchen where a black and gold glitter invitation from one of the well-known families in the Hamptons lay on the table.
Americans seemed to enjoy their costume parties.
While initially he’d intended to forgo the event, he was a bit more tempted now after that conversation with his mother.
A night of debauchery was such a there was no reason not to embrace it. Yes, he would make sure to attend this costume party once he figured out what to dress as.
He was unapologetic about his lifestyle, and had no intention of changing anytime soon.
Chapter 4
“You’re coming to the party tonight, right?”
Eva adjusted her glasses and didn’t glance up from the invoice she was reading. “I’ve yet to go to one of the costume parties, and have no intention of starting now.”
With her sister’s heavy sigh, Eva finally lifted her gaze to the woman standing just a few feet away.
Her younger sister was clearly ready for the party in a white bikini top that sparkled with a scattering of real diamonds, and a tiny white tutu that was so small it revealed the lower curves of her bottom. The extravagant wings that fastened on her back made Eva wonder just how many birds had been sacrificed for the creation.