by Amy Marie
He gapes at me. “Did you really just ask me that?”
Is he joking right now? Of course I just asked that!
I twist out of his hold, knocking his hands from my face. “Why, Kellen?” I demand. “Why did you take me to the gala? Why introduce me as Lucydna Ellis to the reporters? What’s the goal here? Why me?”
His tan skin takes on a pale shade. “You think this is a game?”
“Is it?” I throw my arms out and accidentally hit a pedestrian trying to move around us. The touch dumps cold water on my ire, and I’m instantly remorseful again. “I’m sorry,” I tell the random guy, not that he’s listening. He’s already moved on while a sea of tourists seems to have decided our little spat on the street is more interesting than the buildings.
I pinch the bridge of my nose.
This is not the place for our conversation.
Nor do I know what I want to say to him. I’m not even sure what we’re arguing about. All I know is I hurt. A lot.
“I took you to the gala because I wanted the world to know Kellen Knight is taken. I introduced you as Lucynda Ellis because that’s your name. And my goal? My goal was to ask you to be exclusive. Because I’m not seeing anyone else. And why you? I’ve been asking myself that damn question since the moment I met you. I’ve stopped trying to figure it out. Because there isn’t anything to figure out. I want you. It’s as simple as that.”
All the air has left my lungs, his words nowhere close to what I anticipated hearing from him.
But they still didn’t explain the inheritance.
“Why did you dig into my background?”
“Because it didn’t make sense.” He palms the back of his neck and releases a long breath. “Look, I tasked my lawyers with digging into the issue before we even really started seeing each other. The file Sterling gave me painted a confusing picture.”
“Sterling?” I repeat on a squeak.
But he ignores me, the explanation continuing to spill from his lips.
“I kept wondering how the sole heiress to the Ellis family fortune ended up working for her stepsister and not the other way around. The answer became clear quickly, and so I asked my people to keep searching for the truth because I knew something was wrong with the filings. And as it turns out, my instincts were right. Your stepmother falsified documentation. She’s probably going to end up in prison for it.”
My head is spinning. “Wait… what?”
“Your father left everything to you, not to Lorraine or Kota, but you. She’s been stealing from you and your family estate for years. The courts won’t take kindly to that, not after my lawyers are done with her.”
“Okay, hold on. You’re… This is…” I swallow, taking a step back, and shake my head once more. “You can’t. This isn’t your battle to fight. It’s my life.”
He crowds me against the wall of a building, blocking my view of all the tourists surrounding us. Some are probably taking video. Or pictures. But I can’t bring myself to stop them. I’m too overwhelmed with all this information.
“Kellen,” I breathe, my heart thudding in my ears. “You’re… you’re Kellen Knight. You don’t… This isn’t… I don’t…” I can’t form a coherent thought, the chaos in my mind spiraling out of control. “We’re not even… What are we? We’re not… There’s no…” I close my eyes, grimacing at how insane I sound, but I can’t finish a single statement. It’s all too much. This is all too much.
My hands curl into fists at my sides.
I just want to disappear.
To vanish into thin air.
To wake up from this nightmare and fall back into the dream that was before the gala.
“I overstepped,” Kellen says quietly, his palm finding my cheek as his opposite hand grasps my hip. “And I should have told you. I planned to, but not like this. And I get that my words mean nothing right now, that expressing an intention doesn’t make up for what happened tonight. But all I wanted to do was help you.”
I nod, then shake my head, and then nod again. Tears are falling from my eyes. My throat is too tight for words.
“I’m falling in love with you, Cyn,” he whispers, his forehead lowering to mine. “Or I think that’s what this is.”
My heart stutters in my chest.
Love? Did Kellen just say love?
“God, I feel like such a sap, but I can’t get you out of my head.” He pushes away from me, his fingers dragging through his hair. “I dream of you. You’re on my mind all day and night, and even when you’re right beside me, I don’t feel like we’re close enough. I’m utterly consumed by you.”
There are sighs in the crowd.
I want to tell them all to move along and mind their own business.
I also want to reply to Kellen, but I can’t seem to speak.
“All I wanted was to tell the world you’re mine. That was why I asked you to accompany me to the gala. It all just went horribly wrong from there.” His hand falls from his head, his eyes taking on a vulnerable shimmer that hits me right in the chest. “Say something, Cyn. Please say something.”
This isn’t the Kellen I know at all. This passionate, powerless being before me has lost all his cocky swagger and confidence.
Because of me.
Because of my reaction at the gala.
“Please,” he whispers.
But I don’t know what to say. He’s left me speechless with his declarations. Never in a million years could I have predicted such a response from him. Yet it’s absolutely perfect in every way.
He’s just declared his love for me on a busy street in Manhattan.
In front of a crowd, without any care as to who is watching or listening or recording us.
It was unapologetic and real.
Raw and beautiful.
There is absolutely nothing I can say that will rival his fervent statements because I love you, too, feels inadequate somehow. Beneath us. Nowhere near the level he just took us to with his admissions. Anything I say now will ruin the heat growing between us.
What Kellen needs—what he deserves—are actions, not words.
I step into him, wrap my hand around the back of his neck, and pull him down for a kiss. And not just any kiss, but the kiss. I pour everything inside me into his mouth, all my emotions—good and bad—and all the replies I don’t know how to say.
He’s frozen for half a second before he responds, his fingers threading through my hair as he secures our embrace.
This isn’t about sex.
It’s about us.
This moment, our future, the budding of a romance most people only dream about. Only, we found it together through the craziest of fates.
Who knew taking a job for my stepsister would end like this? With me kissing my Prince Charming in the middle of New York City? It seems fairy tales do exist, and I just reached the happily-ever-after chapter of our lives.
It sounds corny even to me, but as Kellen’s tongue slips into my mouth, I stop analyzing the practicalities and allow myself to fall into the fantasy he provides. Because this feels right. We feel right.
A million more questions spin in my head, all involving tomorrow and various what-ifs.
But we’ll cross that bridge when we reach it.
Until then, I allow my prince to guide me toward the limo that’s miraculously appeared on the street. “You really are magical,” I breathe against his mouth, literally knocked off my feet by this enigma of a man.
He chuckles and shakes his head. “I could say the same about you, Cyn.” He removes the mask from my eyes, his dark irises brimming with adoration. “You’ve changed everything for me. In the best way.” He kisses me before helping me into the limo, his larger body sliding in after mine.
I stare at him as the door closes.
And he gazes back.
A million words are exchanged without ever uttering a sound.
He cups my cheek and I cup his.
Whatever is happening around us becomes a blur, our worl
ds blending together in this defining instance of our lives. “I’m sorry I ran,” I finally whisper.
He waits for more.
I swallow.
Then I unleash the explanation he deserves, the reason my emotions were a mess all night. How the Knight Gala was the last one I attended with my parents all those years ago, how every corner brought up an old memory, and how Kota’s words were just the final straw.
He listens without interrupting.
Doesn’t ask me to stop even as the limo slows near his building.
And waits until I’m finished before saying, “Sometimes we don’t realize how painful a loss is until we’re staring our history in the face.” He tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. “But those experiences are what make us stronger. So don’t ever apologize for it. Just learn from it and move forward.”
“What lesson would you have me learn from tonight?” I wonder out loud, genuinely curious.
“That you’re not alone,” he murmurs, taking my hand and squeezing it gently. “You have me, and while you might not approve of my high-handed behavior, it’s who I am. I protect those I care about, including you. Which is why I won’t apologize for having my lawyers dig into your past, but I am sorry for not telling you. I should have mentioned it earlier, not tonight like I did in front of half the world.”
I consider him while chewing my lip. Deep down, I believe he just wanted to help. It wasn’t about me being an heiress, or him finding me worthy as a result. Kellen Knight doesn’t need money or status; he already has it in spades.
He did this for me.
To help me.
It just came out in the worst possible way.
“I’m not mad,” I finally say, which earns me a soft smile from him. “I see now that you meant well, but I need to control my own life. Whatever your lawyers are doing, I need to be involved.”
“Of course.”
“And your people can’t just press charges against Lorraine. That’s not for you to decide.” Of course, if what he claimed is true, she’ll be facing legal ramifications regardless.
He nods. “All right.”
“I want to see everything your people found, including whatever Sterling dug up on me.”
His lips twitch at that, but again his chin dips. “Agreed.”
I narrow my eyes. “Are you just going to accept all my demands? Because if that’s the case, I may need to come up with a few more.”
“I’m all yours, Miss Ellis,” he says, lounging back on the bench of his limo, his arms spreading out along the back in an open gesture. “Fire away.”
“Okay, well, if you’re right about the whole inheritance thing, then I’m going back to school to finish my fashion degree.”
“Excellent. It’ll suit you when you take over your father’s legacy, assuming that’s what you decide.”
“I don’t know yet,” I admit.
“That’s fair. What else?”
I nibble on my cheek. Hmm… “I… I want to be exclusive. You and me.”
His irises positively smolder. “Good. Because you’re mine.”
I arch a brow. “I thought I was making the demands here.”
“Oh, you are. I’m just stating facts.”
“And that fact is you own me?”
“I do,” he says, his confidence back on full display. “And I’m yours. Any other details you’d like to clear up?”
“Actually, yeah.” I straddle his thighs and wrap my arms around his neck. “When are you going to let me be on top again?”
“How about now, Miss Ellis?”
I smile. “That, Mr. Knight, is the right answer.”
He grasps my nape, tugging me forward. “Then kiss me and take what you want.”
“But you already gave me everything,” I whisper, pressing my hand to his chest.
His mouth quirks upward against mine. “I’m pretty sure you stole that with our first kiss, because I haven’t been the same since.”
“Me either.”
“Maybe the Glass Sliver is magical after all,” he muses, his tongue skating along my bottom lip. “You know the marketing tagline for it, right?”
I pull back just enough to meet his gaze. “No, what is it?”
He smiles. “ ‘The Glass Sliver is the happily ever after of the future. Just ask Kellen Knight.’ ”
“You’re joking.”
He sobers just enough to deliver the words “I’m not.”
A laugh flies from my mouth, my amusement rivaled in his midnight eyes. “So, did you find your happily ever after, Mr. Knight?” I ask, unable to stop myself.
Wickedness kisses his features. “Almost every night for the last six weeks, yes.”
Leave it to my prince to turn an innocent question into something dirty. Or perhaps that’s the whole point of the campaign.
As Kellen once told me, sex sells.
And he’s right.
But so does romance and the love that comes with it.
I kiss him softly, telling him without words that I’ve found my “happy for now” in his arms.
To the future, I tell him with my tongue. May we find our happy ending together. Forever.
Epilogue
Cyn
One Year Later
Watching Kellen drop to one knee never gets old. I sip my cocktail, my mouth miming the words as he asks me to marry him for the thousandth time in our history.
Collective sighs light up the bar, and I suppress a giggle. If the women in this place found out the real way he proposed last month, they would probably go into heat.
Kellen Knight doesn’t do things halfway. That’s for sure.
My heart warms at the memory of him on his terrace, lowering to the ground as he produced a box similar to the one on the television. Only, the words weren’t the same at all. Romantic to a point and underlined in male confidence. He knew I would say yes even while I pretended to think it through. Then he destroyed me with his tongue.
I eye the ring on my finger, noting how much more me it is than the diamond on the screen. He didn’t purchase anything extravagant, just a princess-cut diamond framed by alexandrite stones. Kellen claimed their bluish tint beneath the sun reminded him of my eyes, while the way they turned darker when inside resembled his own irises.
Who knew he could pull the romance card?
Not me.
Especially right now as I sit here waiting twenty minutes past the start time of our date.
Taking another swallow of my strawberry drink, I watch the end of the commercial and snort at the tagline. He really wasn’t kidding about the happily ever after. And considering our relationship reads like a textbook fairy tale, I can’t poke too much fun at.
Kellen arrives just as I finish my last sip, his expression contrite. I lift my lips to receive his kiss before asking, “Everything okay?”
He nods. “Yeah. Sterling just dropped by for a surprise visit and wouldn’t shut up.” He glances at the host stand near the entrance. “Let’s grab our table.”
I close out my tab—something Kellen observes with a frown—and follow him to the male behind the stand.
“You realize I can afford a cocktail,” I murmur, walking beside him toward our intended table.
“I think you could afford the whole restaurant, darling,” he replies.
It’s true.
Now that I own my father’s estate, I have enough money for several lifetimes over. I’m still trying to figure out what to do with his company now that I’m the majority shareholder. It’s something I plan to determine once I finish school in two years. I’m on the fast-track program, which means a lot of extra classes, but it’s worth the work involved. And now that I don’t report to Kota, I have the time.
I haven’t spoken to her or Lorraine much since the gala. My lawyers—the ones Kellen hired—do most of the talking for me. I left them with the same monthly salary Kota bestowed upon me. It only seemed fair after everything we went through. Although, Kellen thinks I sh
ould cut them off completely. He may be right, but I’m doing this my way, which, fortunately, he respects.
He pulls out my chair while I sit, then takes the seat across from me. “Are you all packed?”
“Almost.” I still have a few boxes left in the kitchen to sort out. He offered to hire a moving company for me, but I insisted on doing it myself. Mostly because I don’t trust others handling my stuff. “So you still have time to change your mind,” I add, grinning impishly.
“Meaning I can move you tonight instead of next week? Done.”
I laugh and shake my head. “Nice try.”
“You practically live at my place already,” he points out.
It’s true. I do. “And I’ll permanently live there next week.”
His irises smolder. “I know. I’m already planning your welcome party in the bedroom.”
I shake my head again. “You’re incorrigible, Mr. Knight.”
“Only with you.”
“Uh-huh.” The waiter arrives for our orders, and I let Kellen take the lead. He’s learned what I prefer over the last year and proves that knowledge now when he orders me a pasta dish instead of overpriced beef.
After the server leaves, I fold my arms on the table and meet his gaze. “So what did Sterling want?”
“I’m going to need a stiff drink before I answer that.”
My eyebrows lift. “That bad, huh?”
“More like unbelievable and insane.” He plucks the water goblet off the table and downs half the contents before pinning me with a dark stare. “It’s about Avala.”
“The girl from the gala?”
He bobs his head in the affirmative. “Yeah. Apparently, a lot of shit has gone down this year, and she’s at the heart of it.”
“Now I’m intrigued.”
He leans forward as if he’s about to share a secret. “I hope that cocktail was strong, because the story I’m about to tell you isn’t for the faint of heart.”
“Stop teasing and get on with it, Kellen.”
He smirks and begins by saying, “Well, it all started back in college with a bet…”
Kellen and Cyn may have found their happily ever after, but what about Avala, Asher, and Sterling? Their dark tale begins with Avala, book one of the Violet Queen trilogy.