In Love with a Ruthless Man (Wrong for You)

9

Fawn bowed her head, her temple bumping against the steering wheel.

He made her so, so happy.

If only she had the right to make him just as happy.

Out loud, she asked in a still-gruff voice, “What time are you coming back tonight?”

Ah. The prince’s face became expressionless, and so did his voice as he answered, “I don’t think I’ll be able to come back tonight.”

Fawn shot up straight. “O-oh?”

“After the kidnap attempt on Keanne, the others and I have decided that it’s even more important now to make Davos think everything’s still normal. So I’m going to throw an impromptu party at the Aehrenthal Hotel tonight.”

The prince’s coldly dulcet tones played inside the car like a beautiful melody that she couldn’t escape, and his words like invisible knives that she couldn’t stop from stabbing her.

He was throwing a party.

A party.

And she had been working for the prince long enough to know how that would go down.

Do you know what you’re saying, prince?

Do you know what you’re doing?

Do you know?

But the words remained trapped in her throat, and she heard herself ask, “W-why won’t you throw it here?”

Safe, Fawn chanted to herself desperately. She had to play it safe until she could figure things out.

“It would be too risky,” the prince answered briefly, “if we do it there since Beatrice Crichton’s still with us.”

“I see.” And she did see.

The prince stared at his phone.

Fawn had hung up on him.

He threw his phone against the wall.

This was the right thing to do.

The best thing to do.

The only thing to do when one was the Prince of Darkness.

IT WAS MIDNIGHT BY the time Fawn made it to Aehrenthal Hotel, accompanied by Nathan Callis, Nick Christakos, and his lovely, soft-spoken fiancée Lilac York. As the limousine slowed down, Lilac put a pair of dark glasses on, making Fawn’s brows furrow.

“Do you have an eye condition?” she asked in concern.

Her question made Nathan smirk while Lilac blushed. Only Nick seemed unaffected.

“Not e-exactly,” Lilac stammered. She started to take her sunglasses off—-

Fawn saw Nick look at Lilac, blue eyes glinting.

With a sigh, Lilac pushed her shades back into place.

Fawn blinked. That didn’t make sense at all.

Seeing Fawn’s confusion, Nick explained easily, “Her eyes are too dazzling for mortals to see.”

Lilac’s cheeks turned rosier. “N-Nick!”

Oh! Fawn started to laugh, but then she saw the look on Nick’s face and realized in horror that the Greek scion wasn’t joking at all. Hastily rearranging her face into a serious look, she said hastily, “That’s right. I totally believe that. Like seriously.”

Nick slowly turned to look at her.

Fawn gulped, wondering if she was about to die.

Brilliant blue eyes laughed at her.

Oh thank God!

“What he basically means,” Nathan interrupted mildly, “is that he’s an extremely jealous man, and anyone staring into Lilac’s eyes tends to make him feel, err, violent .”

As the four of them came out of the limousine, the paparazzi surged forward, taking photos and throwing questions a dozen a minute. Nick and Lilac were asked about their marriage plans while Nathan and Fawn—-

Is this girl the reason you quit modeling?

What’s her name?

Who is she to you?

The former model didn’t say anything, but the mysterious smile playing on his lips had everyone’s imagination running wild.

As they started to walk down the red carpet, with Fawn holding on to the prince’s friend nervously, Nathan bent his head to her, murmuring under his breath, “I hope you understand it’s important they think you’re my date.”

“I do,” she said between her teeth. She was smiling so hard her jaw was beginning to ache. The amount of attention the prince’s friends were drawing was insane, and yet this was also the same world that the prince lived in.

Looking down, she frowned hard, thinking, I have to get used to this, too.

Ahead of Nathan and Fawn, Nick glanced down at his fiancée, his lips curving in amusement as he silently communicated his thoughts to Lilac. Is she not everything I told you she was?

Lilac beamed at him. She is. She’s perfect for Reid!

His arm tightened around her waist, his fingers gently squeezing her hip. And that’s why I told you there’s nothing to worry about. Chalkias may blow a fuse at this stunt – and even now, I highly doubt that would happen. But even if he did, I know he’ll thank me in the end.

Lilac bit her lip. As long as you’re sure.

Nick nodded.

Lilac glanced at him with a worried sigh. I just can’t help worrying. You know how serious he was when he told us at the hospital that he’s going to leave her for good.

Pulling her closer, Nick pressed a reassuring kiss on her forehead. Remember how I used to say stupid things when I didn’t know I was in love with you?

His fingers threaded through her hair. That’s how Reid is now.

Lilac’s lips slowly curved into a smile. I get it now.

Around them, the large crowd of paparazzi was snapping photos like crazy, having gone wild the moment they saw the exchange of sweet and tender gestures between the famous couple.

Upon reaching the end of the red carpet, the four of them momentarily posed against the photo wall and Fawn had to consciously dig her feet into the ground so she wouldn’t be tempted to run away.

Oh, the things I do to make you happy, prince.

The noise of the crowd was effectively muted when they finally made it inside the hotel’s palatial lobby, and Fawn breathed a sigh of relief.

Lilac squeezed her arm, saying reassuringly, “You’ll g-get used to it sooner or later.”

“I really hope so,” Fawn said feelingly. Because right now, that walk on the red carpet felt very much like the green mile to her.

Getting into the elevator that would take them to the ballroom, Fawn found her nervousness returning and she fought against the urge to start biting her nails. In an effort to distract herself, she blurted out, “You guys are so awesomely good at the silent communication thing.”

“I can’t explain it actually,” Nathan remarked thoughtfully. “But the more time you spend with them, the noisier their non-verbal thing gets.”

Despite herself, Fawn couldn’t help smiling at Nathan’s insightful words, saying, “I kinda get what you mean.” When she saw the couple looking at each other, her smile widened. “And they’re doing it again—-”

Fawn’s words had Lilac letting out a dismayed gasp, and her cheeks turned a pretty shade of pink as she stammered, “S-sorry.”

“Oh, no, it’s okay,” Fawn protested hastily. “I wasn’t complaining or anything—-”

“I was,” Nathan inserted.

“We don’t care,” Nick retorted.

“It’s actually quite fun,” Fawn continued earnestly, “trying to guess what you guys were talking about.”

Nathan raised a brow. “Eavesdropping on a silent conversation?”

Nick coughed to cover his amusement while Lilac cleared her throat.

Fawn made a face. “I can see you guys don’t believe me, but I really think I had the conversation figured out.”

“Let us hear it then,” Nick invited.

Nick’s lips curve in amusement. They can’t get enough of us, can they?

Lilac beams. I know, right? What do you think about starting a reality TV show?

Nick’s arms tighten around her waist. That idea has merit, but you know how competitive I get, don’t you? If we push through with it, I want it to be #1.

Lilac bites her lip. Are you saying you want to go against the Kardashians?

Nick nods. Hell yeah. I’ll even get the other guys to do it with us, so we get to offer multiple storylines.

Lilac sighs worriedly. And do you think that’s going to be enough? I don’t want you to be disappointed if it doesn’t work.

Pulling her closer, Nick places a kiss on her forehead. Have a bit more faith in us, sweetheart. We’re all a hot commodity. His fingers thread through her hair. I can see it now, making it to number one.

Lilac finally smiles. You’re right. There’s nothing to worry about, and I even have the name for it.

“The show would be named Greeking it Up with the Billionaire Barbarians, ” Fawn finished triumphantly.

As Nick and Lilac slowly looked at each other, Nathan said dryly, “Even I can read what Nick and Lilac’s thinking now.”

“The last one’s purely just to rhyme with Kardashian, ” Fawn was saying at the same time, “but it can be—-” She broke off at the former supermodel’s words. “What?”

The prince’s friends burst into laughter.

Her face fell. “So I got it wrong?”

“Completely,” Nick confirmed bluntly.

“What? But I was so sure—-” Fawn’s voice trailed off as the elevator chimed upon reaching its destination. The doors slowly slid open, revealing a ballroom decorated in crystals and black silk.

And just like that, she was back in the prince’s world.

Men, women, the guests, and even the servers – everyone around them glittered, their faces and bodies painted with golden streaks coming from the ballroom’s incandescent lighting. It was like the sun had been seduced into an evening of darkness, and of course the only one that could have made it happen was—-

Across a ballroom that had hundreds of people, what should have been impossible happened.

Brown eyes met green.

Her gaze swept over him in a rush, Fawn wanting to absorb every little thing about him. He looked so, so beautiful-—

Formal pants that hinted of the impressive strength of his long, muscular legs—-

The dress shirt that molded perfectly to his powerful chest—-

The black tux that accentuated the impressive breadth of his shoulders—-

The black silk bowtie that underlined his innate sophistication and grace—-

When her gaze met his again, she realized that he, too, had been studying her at the same time.

The prince’s jaw clenched at the effort it took to smile and converse with his guests while his chest threatened to explode. Too many goddamn emotions crowding a heart that was supposed to be empty and invincible—-

What the fuck was she doing here with his friends?

He didn’t want to stare at her but he couldn’t stop himself.

She might not be the most beautiful girl in the room, but for him -—

She was the only girl in the world that he could imagine staring at forever.

Studying her from bottom to top, he took note of her glittering heels and the way it made her look like Cinderella coming to the fucking ball—-

And it only got worse from there.

Her shimmering white gown fell just above her shapely ankles, proving that a girl could be sexy as hell without showing any skin, while the gown’s sweetheart neckline clung to her generous bosom and bared her creamy white shoulders to view.

This was the fucking worst, the prince thought grimly.

The kind of worst that made his cock throb in powerful need, forcing the prince to shift restlessly on his feet, hoping like hell that the enormous bulge behind his pants would pass unnoticed.

When their gazes met for the third time—-

Prince. She ached to call him. And she couldn’t help calling out to him, in her mind, the only way she was allowed to.

Prince.

The prince smiled, almost as if he had heard her, almost like he cared.

But then that was all he could give, and a second later, the prince was turning his back on her, his arm going around the waist of the woman beside him.

Fawn wanted to throw up.

“I n-need to go to the restroom,” she managed to say before turning around to run away.

Nathan’s face became grim. “I’ll go after her.”

Nick nodded, and having caught sight of Reid heading their way with a cold expression on his face, he murmured, “Lilac and I will handle Chalkias.”

THE PRINCE’S HOLD ON his wine glass tightened as he felt Fawn’s stricken look scorching his back like an unforgivable wound.

This is the right thing to do.

The best thing to do.

The only thing to do.

But even so, he found himself unable to resist the urge to look back.

And that was when he saw Fawn walking away, with Nathan Callis looking too damn gorgeous by her side, his hand on the small of her back.

He hailed a waiter in a brusque gesture to dispose of his wineglass, knowing that if he didn’t, he would end up snapping it in half.

This is the right thing to do.

The best thing to do.

The only thing to do.

But even so, he found himself making excuses to his guests before swinging away and heading to Nick and Lilac. On the other side of the ballroom, Fawn and Nathan remained close to each other, and the prince’s fists clenched.

Even though he was already retired, Nathan Callis was still considered the world’s most goddamn famous supermodel, a rare breed in the modeling industry because he was the complete fucking package. Stunning looks, lethal sex appeal, and an even more lethal amount of cunning—-

If he found out that Callis had made a move on Fawn—-

Upon reaching Nick and Lilac, the prince asked without preamble, “Where are they going?”

Lilac blinked in surprise, having never heard Reid speak with such cold fury when it came to any of his friends.

“Good evening to you, too.” Nick’s handsome face remained bland.

The prince’s face became flushed, but even so, he said tautly, “I’m not playing games.”

“Neither are we,” Nick answered, unperturbed.

When Reid’s green eyes narrowed, Lilac knew it was time to interfere, saying hastily, “She just went to the powder room, that’s all .”

Knowing that it was unlike Lilac to lie, the prince allowed himself to relax slightly. But when he glanced at Nick again, his green eyes remained hard. “Why did you have to bring her here, Christakos?”

“Because she asked for our help.” It was the truth. “And one look at her, and I knew she was in pain. Because of you—- ”

“You know why I have to end it between us,” the prince exploded under his breath. “It’s the only way to keep her safe—-”

“ Bullshit .” Grabbing Lilac’s hand, Nick squeezed it tightly as he muttered, “Don’t you think I would have done the same thing for Lilac if I thought it would keep her safe?” When Reid didn’t answer, he said flatly, “Life doesn’t work out that way. Isolating yourself from everyone is never the answer—-”

“It is for me.” The prince’s smile was self-mocking. “I’m the Prince of Darkness, after all.”

And because he was, the prince was destined to live alone.

For as long as he wanted the people who mattered to stay alive—-

He had to live alone.

There was no other choice.

“I’m not arguing about that. You are the Prince of Darkness, but goddammit—-” Nick waited for his friend to meet his gaze. “You’re also Reid Chalkias. You’re both, Chalkias, and it’s because you’re both that you need her—-” Nick broke off when he saw Fawn on her way back.

Lilac and the prince followed his gaze, and Fawn stumbled, a frozen expression arrested on her face upon realizing that Nick and Lilac had company.

Nathan, seeing the same thing happen, walked to Fawn’s side and gently cupped her elbow, bowing his head to murmur something under his breath to Fawn.

A fucking tender sight , the prince thought harshly, and he despised every second of it.

Fawn and Nathan started to walk towards them.

“That’s what’s going to happen if you don’t accept what I’m saying is true,” Nick said under his breath. “So take what’s yours before it’s too late.”

Fawn and Nathan reached them as Nick finished speaking, and the prince gestured subtly to his bodyguards. Half were in uniform, the other half dressed incognito, and all of them moved about in seeming randomness, repositioning themselves without drawing the attention of the other guests.

Even though it was a by-invitation party, the prince wasn’t taking any chances. He didn’t want anyone he didn’t know eavesdropping on them and by the time his security had completed rearranged their positions, they had the prince and his companions surrounded, their privacy secured.

“Great party as always, Reid,” Nathan remarked.

The prince didn’t answer, his eyes trained on Fawn. “The two of you appear remarkably close,” he drawled.

Fawn had trouble holding on to her smile, much less speaking. Nathan had warned her about this earlier, but even so she couldn’t believe that this was all the prince had to say.

When Fawn still didn’t say a thing, Nathan picked up the conversation, murmuring, “It is remarkable, isn’t it? Especially when one considers my stance on privacy—-”

Nick rolled his eyes. “An understatement, Callis.” Among his friends, Nathan had always been the most secretive.

“But Fawn’s different,” Nathan finished with a hooded glance directed at Fawn. “She’s surprisingly easy to get along with.”

“Umm.” Fawn couldn’t stop herself from turning red even though she was quite sure she had just been insulted.

Glaring at Fawn’s pink cheeks, the prince bit out, “I’m glad to hear that.”

The former supermodel only smiled, and the sight of his famous dimples showing up had most of the female guests around them swooning. And then he glanced down at Fawn, his gaze meaningful.

Fawn gulped, remembering what the prince’s friend had told her earlier.

When she still didn’t do anything, Nathan bent his head, close enough for his mouth to almost touch her ear—-

Lilac gasped.

Nick raised a brow.

“Trust me,” Nathan whispered low enough for only Fawn to hear. “It will work.”

The prince was grinning so hard it was a wonder his jaw didn’t snap as he asked, “Keeping secrets from us?”

Fawn took a deep breath and slowly raised her gaze to the prince’s. “I h-have something to say, prince.”

“Don’t fucking bother,” the prince snarled, thinking – no, knowing that it could only be about Nathan. And to think he had worried about hurting her—-

For one moment she could only look at him incredulously, unable to believe he had said such words. But then the next moment, it made her so furious, and as rage turned her vision red, it also made her forget all about her inhibitions, her doubts, and worries.

She took a step towards him, chin up, and the prince was almost surprised into stepping back. “Well, I’ll still bother to say it,” she whispered furiously, “and you will listen.” Taking another deep breath, she said, “I came here with an ultimatum to myself.”

The prince only continued to look at her, not saying a thing.

“And that’s—-if you don’t keep your promise to me tonight, I’m going to give it to Nathan instead.”

This time, the prince did react. “ What the fuck ?”

“What promise?” Nick was asking curiously.

Fawn forced herself to say the words out loud. “My virginity.”

Lilac’s jaw dropped. “O-oh. W-wow.”

Finally recovering from his shock, the prince grated out, “Are you crazy?”

“I had a f-feeling you were slowly pushing me away, and it w-was hurting me too much, so I t-thought a quick c-clean break would do it.” She blindly reached for Nathan’s hand, and warm strong fingers twined with hers. “So I told Nathan about it, and he offered to take the prince’s place.”

When the prince’s head snapped towards Nathan, his friend shrugged, saying evenly, “If you don’t want her then it shouldn’t bother you, should it?”

All eyes turned to the prince.

When too many moments passed without the prince saying anything, Fawn fought against the urge to cry and told herself that there still was hope. At Nathan’s imperceptible nod, she forced a smile, saying brightly, “That answers that.”

The prince whitened.

Nathan offered his hand. “Shall we?”

“You’re bluffing,” the prince suddenly said under his breath. “You’re goddamn bluffing.”

Nathan’s broad shoulders moved in a Gallic shrug. “Then if we are, there’s nothing to worry about, is there?”

Fawn placed her hand in Nathan’s. “That’s assuming he cares enough to worry, and well...” She knew she was supposed to sound tough, but right now all she could manage was to break down. She couldn’t stop her eyes from turning glassy with unshed tears, couldn’t stop her voice from wobbling as she said, “B-but he doesn’t. And I’m too tired to wait. I think with this, I’ll be finally over him.”

As Fawn started to turn, she heard the prince ask, “What about Bennett? Why not Bennett instead?”

Ah. She stilled, and her smile was wry as she answered softly, “Give me more credit than that, prince. He cheated on me, and maybe you’ve taken more virgins than you can count, but I only have one to offer, so...” She shrugged awkwardly. “I’d like to at least give it to someone who hadn’t cheated on me—-”

Her gaze strayed to the crowd behind them, where most women were on their toes, trying to peek at the prince and his friends.

“And for all I know,” she heard herself say, “you’re probably out of the running on that count, too.”

Tightening his hold on her hand, Nathan drew her away, murmuring in a voice that everyone could hear, “You don’t owe him any explanation.”

The prince jerked.

But even so, he only watched them leave, not making any move to stop them.

And just like that she was gone, in a whirl of shimmering skirts, her hand in someone else’s.

It was just a bluff, he told himself doggedly.

The moment the elevator doors closed in front of them, Fawn collapsed on the floor, breathing hard, and beside her, Nathan chuckled.

“That hard?” he commented.

“Yes.” She looked up at him suspiciously. “And you don’t sound bothered by it at all.”

“I’m not,” the ex-model confirmed cheerfully.

She made a face. Why was she even surprised?

“This plan is going to work, Fawn.” Taking her hand, he helped pull her up, saying reassuringly, “I’ve known Reid for years, and he’s a possessive son of a bitch.”

“But it seems so obvious . This is only my second time meeting you, and I’m giving you my virginity .” She cringed at the thought. “I’m not even sure if I’d feel happy if he does fall for it. Doesn’t that mean he thinks I’m that easy?”

But the ex-model only chuckled again. “That’s assuming his brain’s working right now, and it’s not .”

They reached his suite, and after unlocking it, he pointed towards the other door, saying, “That’s where you can go and prepare—-”

“ Please don’t finish that sentence, please,” she interrupted with a wince.

Nathan laughed.

As soon as the other door closed behind Fawn, Nathan walked towards the en-suite bar and sitting on the stool, he poured himself a shot and waited.

Only five minutes had passed when he heard the clicking sound of the door unlocking—-

The prince came stalking inside the suite, and Nathan drawled, “Should I be surprised you have a key to my suite?”

The prince’s gaze spared the entire suite a sweeping glance, and when he didn’t see Fawn anywhere, he bit out, “Where is she?”

Nathan pointed to the other door. “You can talk to her there.”

The prince didn’t move.

Nathan raised a brow. “You have something else to ask?”

“What the fuck is this all about, Callis?”

He sighed. “You’re too damn stubborn, Chalkias.” He gestured to the door again. “I’m not the one with the answers.”

With one last grim look, the prince turned towards the door and opening it, he saw that it led to an adjoining suite. Stepping inside, the prince found the room apparently empty as well, until he heard the sound of water running in the en-suite bathroom.

His heart began to beat hard like an adolescent boy—-

But the way his chest clenched hard was the kind of pain only an adult who had loved and lost could ever know.

The prince opened the door to the bathroom—-

Fawn stood in front of him behind a glass wall, water cascading down on her naked body from the water.

She asked breathlessly, “Are you here to k-keep your promise?”

Ah.

For one long moment he could only stare at her, and for once she didn’t shy away from his gaze. She stood in front of him, completely exposed, her lips trembling, her pink nipples pouting, and her sweet tender folds moist for another reason than water.

It was as if she was offering herself to him—-

Even if they both knew she had been right.

He had been pushing her away.

He had been trying to end things between them.

And yet—-

How...how the hell could he take her, knowing what it would mean for Fawn?

How, dammit, how?

What happened to Georgie could one day happen to her, too.

And if it did—-

In front of him, Fawn lifted her hand. “ P-prince .”

He jerked at the sight of Bennett’s engagement ring on her finger.

“I’m s-still with Grant, and probably after tonight...” She laughed nervously. “Some will also think I’m cheating on him with N-Nathan.”

“Probably.”

And yet the prince still didn’t move.

“Y-you know what that means, right?”

“That you’re a shameless woman in the guise of an angel?”

She choked back another nervous laugh. “P-prince.”

He could only stare at her, all the while his heart beating faster and faster while his chest kept aching like hell.

If only he weren’t the Prince of Darkness.

If only.

“Fawn—-”

The bleakness in his voice terrified her, and she knew if she let him finish speaking, it would be all over.

And she couldn’t let it happen.

Not when she had gone so far—-

She hadn’t come this far just to give him up without a fight.

“Take my virginity, prince.” It was her last gamble, and she was going to damn well take it. “Keep your word.” She stepped out of the shower with trembling legs.

“ Please .” Their gazes met.

She didn’t understand why he was pushing her away, but she only knew he was doing it, and that the prince had to be doing it for a reason.

He had to.

She couldn’t, wouldn’t accept the fact that he did it even knowing how much it would hurt her.

“Please.” She choked back a desperate sob at the sound of her voice.

It was almost like she was begging him, and wasn’t that so damn pathetic?

The prince was white-faced.

No. Goddamn it. No.

She sounded almost like the way Grant Bennett had pleaded with him—-

And it wasn’t right.

Bennett was a sinner, and so was he. Both of them had sins to pay for in hell.

But Fawn was different.

She was a living breathing angel, and it wasn’t goddamn right that the prince had reduced her to begging—-

“I’m sorry.” The words were torn out of the prince in a harsh groan, remorse burning him alive as he realized that he had practically forced her to suffer almost the same way Grant Bennett had suffered—-

It wasn’t goddamn right.

She didn’t deserve this.

“I’m sorry.” In the next second, the prince’s long-legged stride had him reaching her, and he swept her up in his arms.

“I’m sorry.”

And then he was carrying her to bed, laying her down, but when he started to pull away, her arms wound around him in sudden seeming desperation.

“No!”

He started, bemused. “Fawn—-”

Her arms tightened. “I d-don’t want you to go away.”

Ah. That she was still afraid even now killed him, and his voice was soft and tender as he asked, “Then how will I take off my clothes?”

Oh. She swallowed, and hiding her face in the crook of his neck, she whispered shakily, “Then you really are going to take my virginity now?”

When his lips moved to touch her cheek, the tears started to fall, and as the wetness reached down his neck, he knew that she already knew.

But even so, he answered her because she deserved to hear the words.

“You didn’t have to ask the second time, parthena mou .” He started to pull away, and this time her arms loosened enough for him to lift his head and their gazes to meet.

“I’ll take what’s mine—-”

A ragged sound escaped her.

“And I’ll make it impossible for you to forget a single second of it.”