Chapter 18
SHEP
KING HAD NO idea the chaos he was inviting by making me Theo’s de facto babysitter. There wasn’t much I could do to get out of it, either, not without spilling a certain secret.
That would never happen.
As for me, it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary to be invited to a premiere, but King’s instructions had been absolute.
I was to stay in the shadows. To be Theo’s shadow.
And even though I was one of the most recognizable men in Manhattan, I knew how to stay under the radar.
Being one of Libertine’s leaders meant years figuring out how to navigate through the world without being seen when you didn’t want to be.
Theo’s surprise arrival on the red carpet sent the press into a frenzy, snapping photo after photo, calling out his name and yelling myriad questions.
The flashes were blinding, but Theo seemed to revel in it, that charming smile just the right side of sinful.
His reputation as one of the sexiest men in the world was well earned from the way he played to the cameras and gave his attention so intently to each person who wanted it.
Hell, I knew that from experience, having been on the other side of that attention.
It was strange to notice Theo like that now after all these years of being so platonically close, but it really was undeniable how attractive he was. It wasn’t exactly gonna be a hardship to watch him—I just needed to not think about him naked.
From where I stood, just part of the crowd, I tipped my hat lower over my forehead, and somehow that caught Theo’s attention.
We locked eyes, and a playful smirk curled his lips.
That look spelled trouble, the last thing we needed right now, but thankfully his gaze didn’t linger long on me before another reporter garnered his focus.
As he continued down the red carpet, I watched him, watched the crowd, watched for anyone who looked like they had ill intentions. No one would be getting their hands on Theo, but I had to make sure I was able to stay close enough, just in case.
Not that Theo couldn’t take care of himself, but the world didn’t need to know how good he was at taking a man down with his bare hands…as well as the many other tools he used for “fun.”
As Theo and the cast and crew made their way inside the new Galaway Theater, I did the same, producing a press badge so I could keep close to the man I was assigned to. My phone vibrated in my pants pocket—a message from Theo.
THEO:
How’s the view of my ass from back there?
I rolled my eyes and didn’t bother responding—or looking at said ass. He was only a few feet ahead of me, but it was too dark in the narrow hall to make out what I knew was an exquisitely plump ass, unfortunately covered by a tailored suit.
Gaining ground on him, I could make out the film’s director saying, “When we enter, give a wave to everyone in the crowd before taking your seats in the assigned private balconies. After the movie, we’ll all gather onstage in front of the screen for a short Q&A.”
Amaya had already coordinated our seating arrangements, giving me the private balcony directly beside and behind Theo’s, where I could be close but not obvious. I waited for him to enter his before I closed the curtain behind mine.
We had a full view of the packed crowd below, and Theo smiled and waved down at them before glancing over his shoulder at me. He unfastened the button of his jacket, shot me a wink, and then took his seat angled toward the screen.
THEO:
Still behind me… I think you definitely like the view.
Again I ignored his text, hoping he’d get the hint to pay attention and stop antagonizing me. But Theo, being Theo, wasn’t going to let me off that easy.
THEO:
After the movie, want to go get something to eat? And by that I mean, want to come taste me?
He wasn’t going to quit until I responded.
It’s rude to text during a movie. Turn off your phone.
THEO:
But what if I need you?
When I didn’t bother responding, he seemed to get a clue and put his phone away. That gave me a few minutes to scan the crowd as the movie was introduced. Theo’s guards might’ve been posted directly outside his curtain, but inside I was his first line of defense, and I took my job seriously.
I took in all the moviegoers and zeroed in on a few here and there whose curiosity had them looking up toward the box seats. I made sure to melt back into the shadows, whereas Theo did his princely duties and waved to his adoring fans.
He was good at his job, a professional charmer. Little did they know that in his spare time this particular prince could use the necktie he’d begrudgingly worn tonight as a noose if need be.
He was quite the paradox, the Prince of Monaco, and one I was growing increasingly aware of—despite my efforts not to.
I didn’t want to notice how thick his hair was. How good it had felt twisted in my fingers when his mouth was wrapped around my cock. But as my eyes traveled back to him, that was all I could think about.
Thank God that was when the lights faded and the movie started. Otherwise I might’ve been tempted to take Theo up on his taunt and come on over and taste him.
I was so fucking screwed.
THE MOVIE WAS over before I knew it, an action-packed blockbuster that not only highlighted Monaco, but also showed off the sheer horsepower of the race cars that competed on the narrow streets that ran through it.
It showcased the beauty, elegance, and luxury of the place while feeding all the adrenaline junkies that came to see how it might feel to be the driver of one of those badass machines.
Something myself and my fellow Kings had experienced firsthand, courtesy of the man who was now standing and applauding the movie as though he himself had directed, produced, and paid for it.
It seemed Theo had enjoyed himself too, and luckily for us, everyone—including him—had behaved. Nothing out of the ordinary had taken place, no obvious threat directed toward him. Now all we had to do was get through the Q&A section of the evening.
“Theo?” Amaya said as she pulled back the curtain. “If you’re ready, I’ll take you downstairs for the follow-up.”
Theo got to his feet, and I definitely had a good look at his ass in those fitted pants before he shrugged into his jacket and buttoned it.
As if he could feel my eyes on him, he glanced over his shoulder and said, “You coming?”
It was on the tip of my tongue to say, Not yet, but I wasn’t going to feed into his delusions that we’d be picking up our physical relations now that we were back in New York. That was a recipe for disaster, but I knew he’d jump into it headfirst if I gave him any kind of encouragement.
So I merely nodded, got to my feet, and waited for him to exit before following at a distance.
The theatre was packed, so the fact that Theo was about to stand on a stage in front of a bunch of moviegoers made me nervous. I moved into the wings and made sure to pull my hat down low. Theo took to the stage, and the crowd went crazy.
Jesus. You’d think he was about to sing a fucking song or something, and truth be told, I’d totally pay to see that. But for now I’d have to settle for listening to him answer questions from the excited crowd.
What’s your favorite part about living in Monaco? “I’m the prince?”
Have you ever driven a Formula 1 car? “Well, I own three, so it would be a shame if I hadn’t.”
Have you ever thought about being an actor? You’re handsome enough. “Merci. Oui, I’ve thought about it. There’s something extremely alluring about putting on a mask and becoming someone different. Maybe I should try that.”
Like Batman? “Oui, just like Batman.”
The crowd went wild at the idea. He glanced over at Amaya, then was sure to catch my eye too, waggling his brows.
Fucker knew exactly what he was doing, and if King searched any of this footage and saw that, he would definitely want to strangle Theo.
Always pushing. That was Theo’s problem. He was never happy to just be.
The questions then moved to the director and actors, and once they were finished, Theo was ushered off the stage, where Amaya handed him a glass of red wine and whispered something in his ear. His fingers tightened around the stem of his glass.
I wasn’t close enough to catch her exact words, but if I were a betting man, I would guess she’d told him to go and mingle. Something Theo was more than ready to be done with, judging by his reaction.
It was subtle, but when you were watching him as closely as I was, you caught it.
He was over this. But knowing it was his family’s name on the line, he made the rounds, shaking hands with the producer and lead actor as I tracked his movements from the shadows of the theatre.
As the night wore on, I noticed his smile starting to slip, until he turned to talk to a VIP fan and his eyes caught on me.
Like a switch had been flipped, Theo’s entire demeanor seemed to brighten, and the fact my presence did that to him from across the room had my dick feeling all kinds of things.
But playing his part like the professional he was, Theo turned that charm on the woman standing directly in front of him and spent the next five minutes answering every question she fired at him.
When she finally took her leave, Theo turned his back on me and began to make his way back toward Amaya at the front of the room. I slinked through the shadows at the edges, blending into the rest of security like I was one of them.
That was when my phone vibrated. I pulled it out of my pocket thinking it might be King checking in, until I saw—
THEO:
I’m bored.
I immediately snapped my head up to see him standing with his back to me, a fresh glass of red in his hand. When the hell had he texted that? And how? He was too damn quick with those hands.
Nope. Don’t even think about that.
So? What do you want me to do about it?
THEO:
Make an excuse for me to leave.
I’m not here to entertain or remove you from your duties. I’m a ghost, remember?
THEO:
A really fucking hot ghost, and last time I checked, you were here to make sure I’m safe.
I glanced up from my phone to where Theo had turned to face me as he casually sipped his wine.
You’re at a movie premiere. You have security.
THEO:
And you. So make an excuse for me.
No.
THEO:
Give me an excuse to come to you.
Definitely no.
THEO:
What about ON you?
He was fucking insane. Was he really asking if he could come on me surrounded by an entire room of people? He was in public, for fuck’s sake. Every person had a camera phone, and yet here he was, sexting me.
It was kind of hot, actually.
King would never have been so obvious, so public in his desire. But as I dared a look in Theo’s direction, that ballsy fucker was licking his lips like he wanted to lick my dick.
Stop texting me. You’re supposed to be paying attention, acting like you’re thrilled about your family’s involvement in the movie. Ties to America. Diplomatic relations and all that.
THEO:
Me on my knees for the former US president’s son promotes healthy diplomatic relations, don’t you think?
Christ he was persistent. The fact that his words also made my dick hard was something I was choosing to ignore at this very moment, though, because really? Here, of all places?
I’m not answering you anymore. FOCUS.
THEO:
Why? Are your hands too busy?
Hello? Shep?
Make an excuse for me to leave or I will.
I’m serious. You’re not gonna like what I do.
Okay, then. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
I watched as Theo pocketed his phone, arched a brow at me, and then dangled the wine glass between his fingertips dangerously.
No, he wouldn’t. He would not make a scene in front of all these people.
But as he lifted his glass to his lips and I watched the wine tip too far to the side, I was beginning to realize there wasn’t much Theo wouldn’t do to get what he wanted.
And right now, he wanted me.