2. Cataleya
“Goddamn it!”
I slam the phone down upon my desk and run a hand through my hair. Christian always turns up at the wrong time. Much worse, he thinks I’ll drop everything to cater to his needs.
Unfortunately for him, that’s not the case.
I have plans to go out tonight and the future King of Solvaria isn’t going to stop me. Reaching over my desk, I grab my purse from the chair and swing it over my shoulders. Then I straighten out my wrinkled pencil skirt before making my way out of my office.
“Jennette?” I call out, beckoning the attention of my paralegal. She perks up, pausing her keyboard typing. “Do you think you can clear out the rest of my schedule for today? I’ll be leaving earlier than usual.”
“Sure thing, Cataleya,” she replies. Then she hits me with a knowing look. “Have plans for tonight?”
I sigh, making my way over to her desk. “Oh, like you wouldn’t believe. Do you remember that prince I talked to you about? Christian Vanecourt?”
Jennette gasps, covering her mouth with a hand. Her brown eyes twinkle. “You’re going out with him?”
“God, no.” Grimacing, I shake my head. “But he still thinks he can mold me into an ideal Queen of Solvaria. I’m going to show him how wrong he is.”
“But…” Jennette frowns slightly. “Wouldn’t it be nice to be a queen?”
“I value my independence much more than that title,” I reply, tucking my hair strands behind my ear. “And I have a lot of clients here in New York. I can”t get up and leave them.”
“That’s a noble cause. Seriously,” she replies, raising her brows. “I mean, I’ve seen pictures of Christian. And hot damn…”
I fight the urge to roll my eyes. Sure, most ladies would love to get the chance to know him better. He’s a tall, white, blue-eyed prince with ash-blond hair and a jawline that could cut through marble. Most would kill for a chance to be by his side.
Unfortunately for me, I was betrothed to him against my own will. As a way to escape that awful predicament, I came to the United States to study in law school. And now, I’m an established lawyer with a party-girl image, but that’s only because I’m trying to make myself the worst candidate for Queen of Solvaria.
My true focus is on my career. I have ambitions to become one of the most well-respected lawyers in the state and I can’t let anyone, especially not Christian, stand in my way.
Still, he keeps trying. I can’t understand why.
Knowing him, he’s already on a jet to New York right now. He needs to know not to mess with me, and I’m going to serve him this lesson on a steaming hot platter tonight.
“So.” I fetch my phone from my purse, nodding towards Jennette. “Clear my schedule, please? I promise to finish up everything tomorrow before the weekend.”
“Don’t worry, I’m already on it,” Jennette says, resuming her quick typing. “Go have fun.”
Most certainly.
I dial up my friends, Tanya, Denise, and Rebecca. Originally, I told them that I wasn’t going to make it out to the bar tonight, but Christian has shifted my plans dramatically.
A mischievous thrill courses through me at the thought of angering him in such a public venue. He’ll be beside himself with anger. Making him furious is what entertains me most in this life. It’s what he gets for trying to tie me down with such a silly thing like marriage.
Humming a soft tune, I drive home in my luxury sedan, already imagining the outfits I could put together. By the time I park my car, I’ve already decided what I’m going to wear.
Yellow pairs well with my dark complexion, so I slip on a tight yellow minidress that hugs my curves nicely. I spend half an hour applying my makeup on and I leave my hair down to flow over my shoulders.
I’m putting the finishing touches on my look when Tanya lets me know that they’re downstairs, parked in front of my apartment building.
“I can’t wait to ruin your night, Christian Vanecourt,” I whisper to my mirror as I apply a coat of lipgloss.
Once I’m done, I hurry into the elevator that takes me downstairs. Tanya honks the horn of her black SUV as I get in the back seat with Denise.
“Cataleya!” Rebecca exclaims, eyeing my outfit with a smirk. “You finally decided to put us over your lawyer shit? And you look hot as hell. Are you lookin’ for a husband?”
I wave her off. “Forget about that for a minute, Becca, and just enjoy the night!”
Tanya blasts her music on the way to the bar. While on the outside I may look good, on the inside, I’m focused on ways to make Christian seethe. If he wants to talk to me, that’s fine. But it’ll have to be while I’m partying.
Once we get there, we’re quick to head to the bartender for some happy hour shots. I limit myself to just one for now. I want to be in full control of my senses once Christian arrives.
I know that he’s going to have one of his bodyguards figure out where I am. And I know that he’s going to head straight here once he knows my location. He’s a meticulous man, always vying for control.
That’s why I’ve never wanted to be his wife. He wants someone who submits to him, but I don’t submit to anybody.
“Cataleya, come on!” Denise yells over the thumping beat, all but dragging me to the dance floor.
For the first few hours at the bar, I let loose and have fun. I rarely have nights like these anymore. Usually, I’m the one who cancels plans with these girls because I’m too focused on my clients. I work myself to the bone as a way to make a name for myself, to distinguish myself from the rest.
Even still, I need some time for myself every now and then. For the first time in a long time, I shrug off all of my responsibilities and focus instead on the beat of the song playing. Denise holds my hand as we get lost in the sea of bodies, all moving and swaying to the rhythm.
“Oh, shit,” Denise whispers, pulling me close. Sweat pools on my skin and I’m struggling to catch my breath. “Isn’t that your man?”
“My what?”
“Your… Girl, you know what I mean!”
I do, in fact, know exactly what she means. There, standing near the entrance of the bar, stands Christian Vanecourt in all of his glory. He’s wearing a navy blue suit with a white button-up underneath. There’s a gold watch on his wrist. His piercing blue eyes scan the crowd until they land on mine.
And there’s a scowl on his face.
A triumphant smile graces my lips as I continue dancing to the music. This is one of my favorite songs, after all, and I’m not going to stop because some brooding prince is staring my way.
Only when I’m finished do I finally pay him a little bit of attention. I saunter over to where he stands. He stares at me with a blank expression while he leans an elbow on the bar counter.
“I’m glad you could make it,” I say playfully, leaning in close and catching a whiff of his expensive cologne. “But you’re going to have to wait until I’m done dancing.”
“Cataleya,” he snaps, gritting his teeth. “This is serious. I’m not going to play your stupid games.”
The smile never leaves my face. “You can’t come here and tell me what to do. This is America, remember? Not Solvaria.”
With that, I return to the dance floor. I feel how his blue eyes shoot daggers through my back as I walk away, which only amuses me more. I sway and dance and lose myself to the music, all while Christian watches me in the distance.
What more do I have to do to prove that I’m not meant to be a queen? Should I down a bottle of tequila in front of him? Fun idea, but I’m not excited about the sort of hangover that’ll come and claim me if I do that.
After a while of dancing, another hit song plays on the speakers that makes the bar start thumping. I laugh and dance, drunk off of the vibrant energy encapsulating me.
Knowing that Christian is pissed off feels better than any thrill alcohol can give me, to be honest.