“Men don’t wear masks?” I asked.
“We do.” He took a mask out of his pocket and put it over his eyes for me to see.
“You look good.”
“Thanks. So do you.” He eyed me up and down. “I see you decided to wear the wig.”
“It’s a bit uncomfortable.” I patted the top of my head. “But I think it’ll stay. Are you ready to go or do you have to wait for him?”
“We can go ahead. I’m off duty, remember?” He smiled, offering me his arm.
I gladly linked my arm through it, grateful that I had someone to keep me from falling. I didn’t wear heels often and even though these were comfortable, I wasn’t used to walking on small pebbles with them.
“Do they just have outfits for every theme readily available?” I asked as we walked.
“Pretty much. There’s this one. There’s a seventeen-hundreds theme where everyone looks like King Louis and Marie Antoinette. That’s my personal favorite.” He paused, pursing his lips. “I’m sure there are more.”
I filed away the seventeen-hundreds theme. It would be a good one for the Versailles event.
“Any excuse to have a party,” I said.
“Or any excuse to liven the party up,” Pierre responded. “He gets bored with all of this.”
“So why do it?”
“That’s a question you’d have to ask him. If you dare.”
“I dare, but I don’t care. It won’t make a difference in my life.”
We arrived at the villa and stood on the porch for a couple of minutes as we set our masks in place.
“Can you tell it’s me?”
“Not at all,” he said. “Can you tell it’s me?”
“Not really.” I looked at the man that walked outside as we stood there and noticed he was wearing the exact same outfit as Pierre. A woman walked out and she was wearing the exact same dress and mask as I was. “Are we all supposed to be wearing the same thing?”
“Everyone wears the same exact outfit. It makes things more interesting.” He offered me his arm again. “Let’s go get some drinks.”
Chapter 9
I didn’t drink much. Not because there wasn’t plenty to drink, and then some, but because people-watching was much more fun when you did it sober. When I was dating Thomas, I’d rubbed shoulders with world leaders and even some members of the royal family in London, but that didn’t make me any less intimidated to be at this party. I had no idea who was who beneath the masks and even though that was the beauty of it—we were all equal in here—it was still extremely jarring to think about.
“That right there is Benjamin Drake,” Pierre whispered beside me.
“What? Where?” I followed his finger to one of the men dancing on the dance floor. “How do you know?”
“I saw him without his mask earlier,” he said.
“You’re a real fan, eh?”
“Aren’t we all?” He grinned. “I’ve met him a few times. Nice bloke.”
“Well, that’s good to know. I would really hate to toss his jersey.”
Pierre laughed. “Hey, I’m going to get another drink. Want one?”
“No, thanks. I’m going to look for the toilets.” I hesitated. “Well, I know where everything is, so, yeah.”
He laughed again. The villa was the same layout as mine, so finding one wouldn’t be difficult. It was finding one that didn’t have people standing outside of it waiting that would prove to be a challenge. I glanced around the room. The longer the party went on, the more risqué people seemed to become. Apparently, inhibitions really did run wild when people had something to hide behind. I decided that going into one of the rooms may be the best option, so I tried the first one and found a couple making out on the bed. I shut it quickly. I moved on to the next room and found a group of men having a conversation. I shut that quickly as well. There was only one room left and it was the master downstairs. That level had a guest bathroom outside of the bedroom, so I could use it without going into his room. I headed toward the stairs and walked down there.
I felt uneasy. It was completely dark down here and I felt like I was trespassing. I had to pass his bedroom to reach the bathroom at the end of the hall, and my steps slowed as I walked past. I heard movement inside, the sounds of a conversation between a man and a woman. Was it the Princess of Austria? She’d been looking for him earlier. Was she the one he was to be engaged to? She was beautiful and royal and fit the bill. One thing I’d learned in boarding school was that all of those royals and billion-dollar heirs had flings with each other at one point or another. It was a cesspool of future monarchs and the outside world couldn’t begin to understand them, so it made sense. Still, for some reason, the thought didn’t sit well with me.
I went into the guest bathroom and locked the door. I stayed in there a little longer than necessary and re-did my wig and fixed my mask before walking out. The door to the bedroom opened as I stepped out of the guest bathroom and a woman walked out. She was fixing her dress and running a finger underneath her lip to fix her lipstick. She didn’t even glance my way as she walked down the hall and up the stairs. I didn’t even realize that I was frozen in place until he walked out of the room shortly afterward. He was wearing the exact same thing as everyone in the party, but there was absolutely no doubt that it was him. Unlike his companion, his head whipped in my direction and his eyes found mine.
Something about it propelled me to move forward. My heart pounded hard as I walked past him, and just when I thought I was going to leave him behind, he grabbed my arm and pulled me toward him. I stopped breathing. My heart was suddenly pumping in my ears, throbbing as relentlessly as the spot between my legs, because despite me thinking he was mean, there was no denying that I wanted him. My body wanted him. I pressed myself against him, taunting, tempting, and when he lowered his face to mine and bit my lower lip, I gasped into his mouth and threw my arms around him, deepening the kiss. It was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. The way my body moved into his hands as they explored my body was purely erotic. Purely carnal. The music stopped as it switched into another song, that started off low, and the sound of heavy footsteps rang out in the hall. It was then that I snapped out of it and pushed away from him, my chest heaving as I struggled to catch my breath. His hand held mine for a second, as if he didn’t want to let me go, but I tugged and walked away.
I walked by a man going the opposite direction, my face burning beneath my mask. I wondered if he’d seen anything and if so, how much. When I got upstairs, I idled around, watching the people on the dance floor having fun dancing while others started hooking up around them. I took that as my cue to leave. I made an effort to find Pierre to say goodbye, but it was no use. Everyone looked the same in there and the darkness wasn’t helping. I made my way to the door.
Once the door was shut behind me, I let out a long, deep breath. Normally, I liked parties because I felt like I could get lost in them. At a party, I could drink and dance and be wild without judgment. After the whole thing happened with Thomas, I was hesitant to let others see me like that. I didn’t want to be known as the wild child of London, despite the papers and their headlines. I chanced another glance inside, where the strobe lights were whirling and the people were whooping and laughing. Maybe I’d had my fill of parties after all. I started walking toward my villa, but upon hearing the waves crashing the rocks below, I decided to take the stairs between the villas and go down there. I hadn’t visited the water since I’d arrived and the ocean felt like it was calling me now.
I slipped off the mask on my face, and the wig, as well as my shoes as I reached the bottom of the stairs and walked on the lukewarm sand. It had been hot today, the sun blazing and seeping into the sand beneath me. I knew from experience that if I’d walked out here during the day, my feet would’ve burned. Now, with the cooler temperature, the warmth the sun left behind was a mere memory. I sat down and inhaled the calming scent of the ocean, closing my eyes as the first wave crashed. How m
any times had I sat out here and pretended I was a mermaid and my prince was going to come save me? This town had been entirely too small for me when we lived here. It had been my father’s way of ensuring I stayed humble during my teenage years, despite the boarding schools and trips around the world.
“Did my party bore you?”
My heart stopped beating as my eyes popped open. I turned my face and looked up. Prince Elias seemed impossibly tall from this angle, like a giant who could touch the sky. Maybe he could. He sat down beside me, slipping the mask from his face and tossing it on the sand. Glancing over my shoulder, I could see his security detail standing by the steps. Near, yet far enough to give him privacy. I wondered if he’d bring up what just happened inside. I wondered if I would. No. Forget about it. It was a mistake. A one-time thing that happened at a sexy party. Nothing else.
“Did it bore you?” I asked after a beat.
“I’m here, aren’t I?”
“You make it sound like this may not be that much better.” My lip tilted at that. “You really are an asshole, you know that?”
“So you’ve said.”
“I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s brought that to your attention.” I glanced at him. He had his long arms set on his knees, his hands dangling as he looked out into the ocean.
“Outside of my siblings and maybe a few cousins, you are the only one who’s said it to me.” He met my gaze after a moment. “To my face, anyway.”
“Interesting.”
“It is interesting.” He inched closer. “Do you know why they won’t say it to my face?”
“They’re afraid of the consequences?”
“I guess so. I could end them. Easily.”
“Perks of being the future king.”
“There aren’t many perks to that job.” He made a sound that sounded between a snort and a scoff as he looked away from me. I stared at his profile. He had pretty features. Rugged yet pretty.
“There might be if your family wasn’t dead set on keeping things so traditional.”
“You think I haven’t had this conversation countless times?” He looked at me again. “Do you think I haven’t tried to figure out ways to keep the Crown happy and the people happy? It’s not as simple as you may think it is.”
“You’re right. I don’t imagine it is.”
“It’s a lot of pressure. The king dying.”
“Your father, you mean.”
“My father, the king.” His eyes searched mine. “I don’t expect you see him as a father or a husband. Just as a strict ruler who wants the last say in everything and the reason a lot of people are suffering.”
This time, I glanced away and looked back at the ocean. The turmoil in it matched his eyes, and I couldn’t seem to find solace in it. He wasn’t wrong. A lot of people were waiting for his father’s demise. There were hungry people in the street. People losing their houses, their jobs, their families. It wasn’t something the king could possibly understand and up until tonight, something I didn’t think Prince Elias could understand either. Maybe I’d been wrong in my judgment. He seemed like a man who carried loss well, but felt the burden of it nonetheless. The sound of sand swishing behind us made us turn our heads as one of his security detail approached.
“The Princess of Austria is looking for you,” he said.
Prince Elias sighed heavily, throwing his head back as if to ask the universe for patience. It was yet another glimpse of the person he hid beneath his stoicism. He stood up slowly, the sand on his pants falling on the skirt of my dress with the movement. The security detail walked away and Prince Elias stood there for a long moment in silence, watching the ocean, with only the sound of the waves to disturb his thoughts.
“I’ll see you another time, Miss Adeline,” he said. “Thank you for indulging me and attending the party, as short-lived as it was.”
“Thank you for inviting me as a guest.” I smiled slightly, looking up at him. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry your father is dying.”
His smile was small and pained just before he turned around and walked away.
Chapter 10
I went to the second floor of my villa and sat out on the balcony with my coffee. The sun had risen an hour ago according to the weather forecast, and I was sad to have missed it. It was always the one thing that stood out about this place to me. The sunrise hadn’t been like this anywhere else I’d been. As I sat there, I noticed someone walking out of the ocean. A man. I was close enough to the water that I could make out his toned torso and that damn V that disappeared into his board shorts. His hair was covering his face, but he suddenly reached down, wet his hand, and combed it back with his fingers. My heart skipped a beat. Elias. Fuck. Of course. He was so damn gorgeous. He tilted his head up and I could swear his eyes met mine. My heart stopped beating entirely. I held my breath. Would he walk this way or disappear into his villa? My answer came when a man walked out and said something to him. I made the decision for him and stood and went back inside my own villa. The last thing I needed was to look for trouble right now and Prince Elias, soon to be King, would definitely be trouble.
* * *
I placed the wicker basket by the front door and turned to walk away. There was no guard here, so I assumed they were inside with Prince Elias. Just as I turned to leave, the front door opened. I braced myself, as I turned around, for Prince Elias himself, but it was Pierre I saw. He smiled as he walked out of the villa and closed the door behind him.
“They’re still picking up in there.”
“I can imagine. It was quite the fete.”
“You didn’t stay long.”
“I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather. I don’t think Mrs. Meyers’ chicken pot pie is agreeing with me.”
“Oh. Well, they seem to be agreeing with me.” He put a hand on his stomach and raised his eyebrows. I laughed.
“Hey, I meant to ask, what will you be doing on the eve of the big masquerade ball in Versailles?”
“You mean the night all of the aristocrats will show up with their daughters and try to hand them over to the prince?”
“Yeah.” I managed to smile throughout, though inside, I felt weird. Maybe the pot pie had gotten to me after all.
“I won’t be working that night. Do you want to reschedule our pub date till then?”
“Oh. No. Well, I sort of wondered if you’d like to go with me to the gala. I . . . my event business is putting it on and my mother said it would be good if I took someone and I thought of you.”
“I was your first choice when thinking of a date?” he asked.
“It’s kind of a work date. I don’t want you to think—”
“Oh.” He put up a hand. “I’m fine with it being a friendly non-date.”
Just as I laughed at his response, the door opened behind him and Prince Elias appeared. The man had impeccable timing. He looked cranky tonight. Again. He hadn’t been very cranky when we’d been alone on the beach.
“Planning another date together?” Prince Elias asked.
“Seems that way,” I said. “Do you need the time and date so you can crash again?”
“Sure. When is it?” He cocked his head as he looked at me, amusement clear in his eyes.
“The night of your gala. I guess you’ll be indisposed. Don’t worry, we’ll fill you in on all the details the next day.” I smiled.
“You’re assuming I won’t leave the gala and come find you.”
That gave me pause. I blinked and glanced at Pierre, whose eyebrows had reached a new height, and seemed to be taken aback by his words as well. I opened my mouth a couple of times to respond, but found nothing adequate to say.
“Don’t worry, Miss Adeline. I’m joking. I won’t intrude on your date,” Prince Elias said after a moment, though he seemed to be enjoying seeing me at a loss for words. He reached down, grabbed the basket, and began disappearing inside. “Pierre. A word, please.”
“Yes, sir.” Pierre glanced at me. “We’l
l talk soon.”
“Of course.”
This time, I walked away.
* * *
Friday arrived quickly and I was soon on a plane to visit Versailles with my mother and Joss. When I arrived, I parked in the designated space, where the caterers and staff left their cars, and rode the bus to the main property. My mother and Joss were already there, both looking at their phones as they waited outside the main entrance while tourists side-stepped them on their way inside. Joss spotted me first, her smile brightening her entire face as I walked over. She threw her arms around me when I reached them.
“I miss you so much.”
“I miss you too.” I squeezed her back, then pulled away before hugging my mother with the same vigor. “I miss both of you.”
“Just come back,” Joss suggested.
“Nonsense. My brother-in-law would kill me if I pulled her away this quickly,” Mother said. “Besides, some fresh air would be of great use to all of us.” She kept her attention on me. “Have you not been eating? How is the villa? Was everything as we left it?”
“The town seems to be just as we left it,” I said. “Though I haven’t really interacted much with anyone there.”
“Well, you were barely there when your father and I lived there, so I don’t expect you to remember much.”
“Prince Elias is there.”
Both my mother and Joss froze, their jaws dropping.
“And?” Joss asked.
“Tell me you haven’t spoken,” my mother said at the same time.
“We have spoken,” I said. “And he’s a jerk.”
Joss smiled.
“A jerk how?” Mom frowned. “He was always extremely charming.”
“I didn’t say he wasn’t charming. I said he was a jerk.”
“Why is he there?” Joss asked.
The Sinful King: By New York Times Bestselling Author Page 6