Chapter 20 Theo
THEO
“IHAVE SEEN a lot of men in a lot of different tuxedos, but I have to say that you, Shepard Winchester, wear one better than anyone I have ever seen before.”
Shep smirked, fastening his cuff links as I moved in behind him, inspecting his tall frame in the full-length mirror. The classic black tux had been made for him—literally, was custom-made for him by a preeminent designer—and it molded to his fit body so perfectly he made my mouth water.
“You’ve got a bit of drool just there,” he said, pointing to the side of his mouth as he winked at me in the mirror.
“Have you seen you? It’s a goddamn miracle I haven’t come in my fucking pants.”
“The night’s still young.”
“Don’t issue a challenge and think I won’t follow through with it,” I teased, nipping at the lobe of his ear. “I have no shame making a scene if that means I get you.”
His grin widened as he turned around and gripped the lapels of my jacket. “You already have me.”
“Not naked and begging for my cock tonight, I don’t.”
He brushed his mouth over mine, just lightly grazing but not yet wanting to pull back, and that was when I felt it—his tension rising.
“Stop worrying,” I murmured before capturing his lips again, distracting him with my tongue. For a long moment, he let me, kissing me back until we were both breathless.
Leave it to his driver buzzing the intercom to ruin a moment, and Shep pulled back reluctantly and sighed. He didn’t go anywhere yet, though, wrapping his arms around me tightly instead.
I tried to lighten the mood I could feel getting heavier. “You can’t admire my ass if you don’t let me go.”
“I’ll never let you go.”
I swallowed hard at the emotion in his tone, so much more behind it than a simple moment between us.
Shep was worried. He didn’t like the plan, and it was happening anyway, but he was overreacting. Everything was going to go accordingly, and we were going to catch this motherfucker, have fun with him for a few hours.
And then we’d be right back here, basking in our shared relief and ripping each other’s custom tuxes off.
The intercom buzzed again, and when Shep didn’t let go, just as he said he wouldn’t, I reached behind me for his hands and linked our fingers.
“Hey? We’ve got this. That asshole has no idea what’s coming for him, and tonight it’s a whole lot of pain.”
Shep arched his brow dubiously, and I brought our joined hands up to my lips and kissed his knuckles.
“You really should be more excited. I might even let you help me play with him if you manage a smile tonight.”
His scowl somehow made him even more attractive, as fucked up as that was. “I want to torture him.”
“Play, torture—same thing, handsome.” I grinned and then the intercom buzzed yet again, and I tugged Shep toward the elevator.
We’d gotten ready together, but we’d be riding to and arriving at King’s gala separately.
Neither one of us wanted to hide the other in the shadows anymore, but tonight wasn’t the night to call attention to our relationship.
Not yet. Once Ari was out of the picture, though, it was game on.
I wouldn’t hesitate to grab Shep’s hand and never let go in front of any and everyone.
“You’re right,” he said as the elevator doors closed. “Your ass looks phenomenal in those pants.”
I grinned. “Fucking told you.”
The trip down felt like it took only seconds, but just as the doors began to open, Shep hit a button to keep them closed.
“Keep your eyes open tonight. Promise?”
“I promise I’ll try not to stare at you all night, yes.”
“I mean it, Theo. Stay alert until we grab this guy.”
I moved in close and reached up to smooth the deep line between his eyebrows.
“Don’t worry about me. Just keep yourself safe.
” When his frown only deepened, I shook my head.
“Shep, please. Nothing’s going to happen, but if, God forbid, something does, don’t try to be a hero. You’ve already saved me once—”
“And I’d do it again.”
“You’re not gonna have to do it again. The plan is perfect. You and I will do the red carpet thing, give a little wave, and then meet back up inside.”
Shep lifted his hand like he wanted to cup my face but then brushed his thumb over my lips instead. “You covered the last of your bruises well.”
“Thank fuck for concealer.”
“Yeah, that would’ve invited a few questions.”
He gave me a half-hearted smile before dropping his hand, but I wasn’t letting him get away that easily.
I gripped him by the neck and brought his mouth down on mine, and the second our lips touched, his parted easily.
He kissed me like he was hungry for me—or like it was the last time he’d ever get to.
The intensity made me dizzy, but I held on to him tightly, devouring that exquisite mouth until there was no doubt how I felt about him.
Until it washed away any doubt he had about tonight.
That was the hope, at least, as the elevator made a warning sound and Shep reluctantly let go of both me and the button he’d been holding down.
The door opened and we made our way outside to the separate limos we’d be taking.
The event King had thrown together for Libertine wasn’t just a members-only gala, but would have some of the biggest names in Hollywood also walking the red carpet.
Archer Carrington, Benoit’s bestie and one of our members, had stepped up tonight to run the event that was being touted publicly as a fundraiser—and while it was, that wasn’t the whole story.
We just needed a reason to get Ari right where we wanted him and have the opportunity to slip away to take care of business without anyone missing us.
And since the motherfucker had already RSVP’d, we knew he’d be there.
The driver opened my door and stood to the side as I made my approach, and just before I slipped inside I glanced back to see that Shep was waiting by his door looking over at me.
I raised a hand and gave a quick wave, and he responded with a small smile and a clipped nod. That was when I knew he wouldn’t get in his car until he knew I was safely tucked away in mine. So after a final once-over, I climbed inside the vehicle and buckled in.
From the moment we’d found out about Ari and set this plan into action, I’d been low-key vibrating with bottled-up energy. I wanted to catch this asshole and finally put to bed this nightmare he’d unleashed on me over the past month. Tonight was just one more step in that direction.
It was time to draw this fucker out into the open. Draw him out and put an end to his miserable fucking life.
The limo pulled away from Shep’s place, entering the evening traffic like a well-choreographed dance.
I checked my watch to see we were keeping perfect time.
We’d arrive at the gala, walk the red carpet, give the paparazzi a chance to take our photos and rub it in Ari’s face that I was alive and not about to be run out of town.
He might want to fracture us, but tonight I planned to show him that I was back in Libertine’s orbit, and we were all tighter than ever.
If I’d had my way, I would’ve flaunted mine and Shep’s relationship and how he’d brought us particularly close.
But everyone else seemed to think that might have him switching focus early.
It was better to stick with his pattern. Let him think he was still in control of this situation.
Little did he know…
I reached for the earpiece Alessio had given us all the other night when we’d been hatching this plan and put it in.
Seconds later I heard over the com, “Everyone on air?”
The responses came in quick.
“Lucien, over.”
“King, over.”
“Benoit, over.”
The three who would be accompanying us on the red carpet, and were already in their cars, answered first, and a sigh of relief washed over me. The reminder that my brothers had my back tonight was exactly what I needed to calm the nerves that had been just beneath the surface.
“Lachlan here. Just arrived. Moving up to position now. Over.” He sounded as though he were taking the stairs two at a time, which he likely was. When we’d picked tonight’s venue we’d made a strategic move, making sure to choose a space that had a vacant building opposite the red carpet walkway.
We wanted to have a vantage point. We wanted Lachlan’s eyes and gun trained on whoever might show up, just in case Ari was that fucking stupid.
Then I heard the one voice that could make my body both relax and sit up and take notice at the same time.
“Shep, over.”
I closed my eyes and imagined him sitting beside me in the car, his warm, strong hand in mine, and couldn’t help my smile.
I couldn’t wait until we could arrive at one of these functions together.
To show the world who had finally snagged the most eligible bachelor in America.
But tonight I had to play the game. I had to act the friend to the sexiest man alive, and I wasn’t sure I could pull it off.
Here Shep was all worried about Ari and what he had in store for us tonight, and one of my main concerns was that I wouldn’t be able to keep shit professional.
It wasn’t like a royal could just announce a relationship without looping people in. Putain, my family would have my ass. If they found out about our relationship through sources other than me, they would be horrified. Mother would claim a diplomatic disaster, even if she loved Shep.
There was a way to do things, proper protocol to follow, and for the first time in my life I found myself wanting to do it right.
I loved Shep. I wanted this—whatever this was—between us to have every opportunity to succeed. So I would do my best to behave tonight, which would be a monumentally difficult task, given how phenomenal he looked in that tuxedo.
“Theo, you there? Over.” Alessio’s voice came through the com a little firmer than before, letting me know I’d missed my check-in while busy daydreaming.
“Theo here, over.”
The limo made a turn one block from the event, moving closer to the drop-off point.
“Okay,” Alessio said, “Lachlan’s got eyes on you all from above. I’m in position across the street and we have each of you walking in one after the other. Theo, you’re up first, then Shep, King, Lucien, and Benoit.”
We all confirmed, and as the limo drew to a crawl and then finally stopped at the exit point where crowds of paparazzi and onlookers had gathered, I took in a deep breath and let it out.
This was it. This was our chance to get this fucker, and as my door was pulled open and the cool night air rushed in, my pulse began to race.
“Okay, let’s do this,” I said, and climbed out of the limo. The second my foot touched the sidewalk, camera flashes went off in a frenzy of bright lights and my eyes shifted to where Shep was exiting his vehicle, his smile in place, gaze sweeping the crowd and finally zeroing in on me.
I gave a cordial nod and smile as though we were two friends who hadn’t known the other was coming tonight, instead of two men who would be going home to make each other come tonight. Then I headed toward the red carpet for my first stop in the step-and-repeat lines.
“Who are you wearing tonight, Prince Rinaldi?”
“Prince Rinaldi, are you happy to be back in the U.S. again?”
“Now that your brother’s married, are you next?”
My eyes caught and held on the lady who’d just asked about my marital plans, and I couldn’t help my smirk, my years of charming the press kicking into full gear.
“I’d need a boyfriend first, don’t you think?”
She smiled at me, pleased I’d engaged with her. “So you’re single, then?”
It took everything I had not to look at the gorgeous man who’d just stepped onto the red carpet behind me to a roar of questions and flashing cameras.
Instead, I winked at the woman and threw her a quote she could run on. “I didn’t say that.”
Before she could get out a follow-up, I slipped my hands into my pockets and moved along, careful to scan the crowd, looking for anything and anyone out of place.
“Over here, Prince Rinaldi.”
“Prince Rinaldi, how long are you staying in the States this time?”
That answer was easy enough—as long as Shep would have me.
Not that I would tell any of them that.
I stopped at the next group of reporters and moved into position for the photographers, looking down the line to where Shep was smiling and answering questions.
King stood solo and serious as always, Lucien was charming everyone like the handsome devil he was, and Benoit was flirting his way through the crowds.
We made quite the carpet. Each of us were acquaintances, as far as the public was aware: King, the billionaire businessman and head of TerraKohr; Shepard O’Neil Winchester the third, son of former President Winchester; Lucien, the owner of the most exclusive adult clubs in the world; Benoit, the son of one of the wealthiest families in Europe—and me, the Prince of Monaco.
Little did they know we were so much more to each other.
Tonight we were putting on a show no one had been able to refuse, and as I moved to the end of the step-and-repeat, it seemed the guest of honor had finally decided to show up. Turned out Ari Moreau was fucking stupid.
Something he announced loud and clear, as a hail of gunfire broke out and chaos ensued.