Episode 17 Cursed with a Kiss #2
“Florence…” He trails off, those warm eyes of his sweeping over me again, like he can read all of my secrets in a single look.
I don’t know, maybe he can.
“Who hurt you, cor mea?” he asks, intently. “I want to know. I need to know.”
I frown. “Who says I’ve been hurt?”
“Florence.”
I glance away from him, folding my arms over my chest, hating that I’ve revealed too much. How much will the viewers at home see? How vulnerable will I be when I leave here, alone and heartbroken?
“Court said you asked him not to bark at you. Today’s challenge sent you into a panic attack. You avoided my entire pack at the beginning of the show.”
“Not your entire pack. Piers-”
“All of the alphas, then.” His knuckle under my chin turns me back to him. “So I’ll amend my question. What alpha hurt you, cor mea? Who made you so afraid?”
I stare up at him, wishing I could just tell him. Wishing he was a person who I felt safe enough to share, here without any cameras filming us. But he’s not. The echo of his voice demanding I stay away from Piers, that he doesn’t want to see either of our hearts break.
I don’t want that either.
I don’t.
The problem is, I’m already halfway there, halfway in love with him—with them—and that really doesn’t bode well for the state of my heart when this is over.
I can’t let myself be more vulnerable than I already am, give this alpha more of my soft spots and ammunition to use against me.
So I shake my head. “No one. I’m just… it takes me a while to get comfortable with people. I’m… shy?”
Half his mouth quirks up. “Is that a question, Florence? Because if it is, I would say, you are decidedly not shy. Quiet, maybe. Wary, definitely. But not shy.”
I sigh and shake my head. “Look, it's not really any of your business, is it? You have made it very clear that you want nothing to do with me. That I should keep my distance from you and your pack, emotionally and physically. I’m sorry that I made today hard on you, on your alphas. I know it's not easy when there’s an omega in distress in your vicinity. But… I can’t imagine there’s going to be another challenge like the one today, and so it shouldn’t be a problem going forward. ”
His jaw ticks. “Today was hard on all of us. I want to make sure nothing like that happens again. I have a list of the upcoming challenges waiting for my approval. If you don’t want to tell me about what happened in the past, would you consent to reviewing the challenges and telling me if there are any you have concerns about? ”
I blink at him in surprise, that’s a very diplomatic solution. But I suppose that is the nature of being a prince. Finding solutions that work for everyone.
I give a jerky nod and in an instant he’s pulled his phone out, found what he was looking for and hands it over to me.
I scan over the list, my eyes snagging on the kissing challenge, which I most certainly do have concerns about, but not because of my trauma.
I don’t know how I’m going to sit there and watch the pack kiss a bunch of other omegas.
But the other challenges—Capture the flag, Talent show, omega planned date night, scenting ceremony, alpha planned date night—those all seem doable.
I hand the phone back to him with a shake of my head. “I think those will be fine.”
He scans the list as well. “Capture the flag won’t be a problem?”
“No. Why would it?”
His brown eyes flick down my body, lingering on my knee in a way that makes me think he sees more than I want him to. I cut him off before he can say anything. “Trust that I know my own body’s capabilities, Your Highness.”
His lips press tight but he gives a tight nod.
“Fair enough, Florence. None of the others will result in something like what happened today?” He sounds…
concerned. Really concerned. And as though I just have to say the word and he’ll storm into the conference room where production has set up camp and demand that they change their entire filming schedule to accommodate me.
Part of me, that deep down, greedy little omega, wants to test that. Wants to tell him that the kissing challenge will be too hard to get through, just to see what he’ll do about it.
But the kissing challenge is a well-known, fan favorite in any Alpha Love Getaway season. Haven gets downright giddy when it finally comes up.
Besides, testing this alpha is a dangerous thing.
Having him act on my behalf, to protect me would be even worse.
I know I’m not for him.
I know he’s not for me.
“You shouldn’t even be here,” I say, rather than answering his question. “Why are you?”
He jerks like I startled him, but then his face folds into a scowl. “I told you, I wanted to see how you were after today’s challenge.”
“Right, but you also told me to keep my distance from Piers last night. I thought that extended to the rest of your pack as well.” I frown. “I thought that extended to you. So why are you here, Forsythe?”
His eyes flare when I use his given name, something hot burning in their depths.
“I-I honestly don’t know, cor mea. I know I need to keep away from you.
For all of our sakes. But seeing you today, feeling your panic, your fear?
I couldn’t fucking stay away. Do you understand?
There wasn’t a single ounce of a chance of that happening. ”
The words hang between us, heavy and dangerous.
My heart stutters. My omega lifts her head, hopeful in a way I hate. I don’t want to hope. Hope is what breaks you.
“Forsythe,” I say softly, shifting back just a touch to put distance between us.. “You’re not supposed to—”
“I know,” he cuts in, voice rough. His hand comes up like he’ll stop my retreat, but he doesn’t touch me. “I know exactly what I’m supposed to do.” He laughs once, under his breath, harsh and humorless. “I’ve known my whole life.”
The air feels charged, tight. Too small for the two of us. I’m acutely aware of the open door at my back, the cameras that aren’t here, the fact that for once this moment belongs only to us. And I can’t let it go any farther than this. He can’t let it go any farther than this. We can’t afford to.
“You should go,” I tell him. Not because I want him to. Because I don’t trust myself if he doesn’t.
A slow nod. “I should.” He doesn’t go anywhere. Just stays where he is as we stare at each other. Tension ratchets higher and higher, making my chest tight, and my stupid little omega heart hopes more and more. Until it pops and I fall back into the much more comfortable emotion of anger.
“Dammit, Forsythe!” I gasp out. It’s safer to fight.
To argue. “You can’t just do this. It's not fair! You can’t tell me to stay away from your pack.
You can’t tell me you don’t want to see anyone’s heart break—yours included—and then you show up at my door in the middle of the night acting like you care. ”
His jaw tightens. “I do care, Florence. Probably too much. Definitely too much.”
“Then stop pretending you don’t,” I fire back, even though if he does that, it’ll only be bad for me. I can’t handle having this man being anything but aloof with me.
The air between us goes taut.
“I don’t have the luxury,” he says mildly, which would be a relief if it didn’t hurt so much. “Everything I do is watched. Interpreted. Used. Including whatever this is.”
“Then why are you here?” I demand again. “If I’m such a liability, such a complication, why are you standing in my doorway instead of doing what you’re so good at—being distant and princely and untouchable?”
He exhales sharply through his nose. “I told you. Because you looked terrified today.”
“And?” My voice cracks despite my best effort. “So did half the omegas at one point or another. It's been made abundantly clear I’m not special.”
His eyes flash. “Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t minimize yourself like that,” he snaps, surging closer to me. Towering over me as his pretty honey brown eyes narrow into a glare. “Not when I couldn’t help you in the way you needed today. Not when my alpha nearly tore a door off its hinges because you were hurting.”
His alpha. Not him. I laugh, brittle. “Oh, so that’s what this is? Guilt and alpha instincts?”
“No,” he says immediately. Too quickly. A man coming undone. “It’s frustration. Pure fucking frustration.”
“Well congratulations,” I say, stepping closer despite myself, until we’re toe to toe, nose to nose. “You’re not the only one who's frustrated, Your Highness. What are you gonna do about it?”
His brow wrinkles at the question and something raw flickers in his gaze. “I can’t figure you out. You challenge me,” he says quietly, anger draining. “You question everything I’ve been taught to accept. You don’t bow the way you’re supposed to. You don’t want what you’re supposed to want.”
“Maybe because what you’re offering isn’t enough,” I shoot back.
That lands.
He stiffens, shoulders going rigid. “You have no idea what I’m offering.”
Which is a laugh because I do know. Everyone knows.
“Nothing. You’re offering me fucking nothing.
Why would I bow and scrape and be pleasant to you?
Why should I try to make you love me when I know it's never going to happen, Forsythe? And why do you care? Does it hurt your ego? To have an omega who doesn’t think the sun shines out of your ass?
Who doesn’t want to be your princess? Jesus,” I breathe out, suddenly exhausted and weary.
Today has been too much. “If you weren’t high handed and were at least a little nice, I might… ”
“Might what?”
I run a hand down my face, rub my eyes that are stinging for no reason. “I might want to be your friend. I might try to be at least. But you say stupid shit about my life and my place as an omega and warn me away from your pack like I’m some kind of dangerous creature intent on destroying you.”
Silence stretches.
His breath is uneven now. His control—so careful, so practiced—is fraying at the edges.
If this were any other alpha, any other situation, I might feel pride in that. That I can make this poised and polished man lose control.
“You are dangerous,” he mutters, eventually. “So fucking dangerous, cor mea.”
I lift my chin. “Well, I feel the same about you. About all of you.” He stares at me hard.
A crack forms. “Do you think it’s easy for me, for all of the omegas here, Forsythe?
Your entire pack is a danger to all of our hearts.
Not just mine. And you are basically the god of this entire situation.
Choosing who stays and who goes. Who has hope and whose heart gets broken.
You are far more dangerous than I could ever hope to be.
And what’s crazy is you don’t even seem to realize it. ”
Something in him breaks. “I don’t realize it!” He practically bellows. “I don’t realize it. Do you have any fucking clue what you do to us, cor mea? To me?”
I shrug. “Nope.” I make sure to pop the ‘p’ to really drive the point home.
He stares at me for one long drawn out moment.
“Fuck it,” he growls.
He closes the small distance remaining between us, one hand coming up to cradle my jaw, thumb brushing my cheek like he’s grounding himself. His mouth claims mine—not rough, not desperate, but full of restrained fury and want.
Like he’s been holding this back since the moment we met.
My fingers curl into his shirt before I can stop myself, tugging him closer, my other hand sliding to the back of his neck.
His tongue licks at me, his teeth nip, one large palm cradling my skull.
I gasp softly. He takes advantage and deepens the kiss until all I can taste is him and the bourbon he’d apparently drank before coming to see me. My omega lights up like she’s been waiting for this exact thing.
He groans and I moan in response. Pressing up to my toes to get closer. One hand slides down my back to my ass, pulling me tight to his body until I feel the hard ridge of his cock press into my stomach.
I whimper. He growls.
The kiss deepens for a heartbeat, and then he pulls away, breathing heavily.
His forehead rests against mine, eyes closed. When he opens them I see it. The regret, the guilt.
“That was a mistake,” I say before he can, before he has a chance to tear out a piece of my heart and step on it with his impeccable Tom Fords. My chest aches as I press my palms to his and push him away until I can breathe, creating the space we both need.
He swipes a hand over his mouth, and nods. “It was. But it’s not one I’ll apologize for.”
I scoff. “Of course not. Can’t admit fault, can you?”
“Florence.”
“Forsythe.”
He sighs and paces a few steps away from me before he comes back, eyes blazing.
“I can’t give you what you deserve, cor mea.
I’m trying not to destroy you. To destroy us.
Everything.” His voice roughens. “My pack. My family. You. I’m working so hard to keep everyone safe and happy and whole.
Surely you can see that. Tell me you can see that. ”
The words knock the breath from my lungs.
The problem is that I can see it. I know all his highhanded demands and orders are for a purpose, not because he enjoys being an asshole. He is genuinely trying to do right by everyone, and it's tearing him apart.
I nod. “I can see that, Your Highness.” The use of his title is purposeful. A promise to do my part. To keep my distance. He still flinches, shoulders going tight for a moment before he visibly forces them to relax, his mask slips back in place.
“If things were different,” he murmurs, eyes dark and shining, “there isn’t a force on this earth that would keep me from you.”
My breath catches, my heart thunders and hope, that damnable thing, swells, even though I know better.
I step backward into the open doorway of my cabana. “But they aren’t,” I whisper.
“No,” he says softly. “They aren’t.”
And then he turns away—leaving me with the echo of his mouth on mine, the certainty that I got under his skin just as deeply as he got under mine, and the devastating knowledge that he wanted me and chose duty anyway.