Chapter 5 #2
“Turn around and walk away or I’ll remove you myself,” I said firmly, crossing my arms across my chest and flexing slightly.
“Hey!” He poked his finger in the middle of my chest. “I’d like to see you fry…I mean try!”
The guy could barely make eye contact through his hooded eyes. I grabbed him under the arm and turned around to find his partner in crime, but he was already gone. I started walking the bloody-nosed guy toward the door.
One of Oliver’s security guards approached and looked at the guy I had by the arm.
“Everything good?”
“Get this guy out here. His evening is over.”
“Got it.” The guard took him by the collar and escorted him out of the building.
I turned back to the dance floor to find Birdie, wanting to make sure she was okay, and spotted her dancing with Oliver to a remix of “Shivers” by Ed Sheeran.
Of course, I thought. Now that she knew he wasn’t engaged or had a girlfriend, of course she would want to go for him.
That’s how it always went. And I couldn’t blame her.
Oliver was an amazing guy—he was funny, charismatic, and handsome.
Women always flocked to him, and he was smooth with them.
Our few minutes in the closet back at the hotel had been a game, nothing more.
I went back to my seat in our corner of the club and grabbed a bottle of Maker’s from the table, opened it, and downed two huge swigs, letting the burn coat my throat.
I knew in a ritzy club like this I could order just about any top-shelf bourbon, but in that moment, I merely needed something stronger than beer to take the edge off.
I faced the dance floor and took in Birdie dancing with—and on—Oliver.
I couldn’t look away. I thought watching her wind and grind her body up and down my best friend’s would take the sting out of this blow, but it just made the jealousy roll through every limb of my body.
“Oi! They look like they’re getting on pretty well.” Vince hit my knee and pointed to Oliver and Birdie on the dance floor.
I didn’t answer. I just took another taste of the liquor, hoping it would start to numb my envy.
Vince nestled into a conversation with Sam, and I looked back to see Oliver skim his hands up Birdie’s legs and run one hand along the hem of her short dress.
She rubbed her ass against his front and then shimmied down and popped back up.
I couldn’t help but think of earlier that evening and how her eyes glistened when she looked up at me before I kissed her.
And the sounds that she made when I sucked her bottom lip and ran my hands over her plump ass.
Thankfully, the song ended, and I was put out of the misery of watching them dance as Oliver guided her back toward our group.
“I’ll be back in a moment, I need to locate the loo,” Oliver excused himself.
“Sorry to interrupt, but I need to sit down for a minute,” Birdie said, settling in next to Sam and Vince.
“Not a problem. Are you having fun? You and Prince Oliver looked like you were having a good chat earlier,” Sam said as she nudged Birdie’s shoulder with hers.
“Yeah, he was just explaining the contest he’s headed back to.”
“Vince was telling me the same thing.”
“Yeah, I thought so. What the hell are you two up to?” she asked, eyeing them suspiciously.
“We have a proposition for you.” Vince smiled. “Let me start by saying that I’ve never seen Ollie look at someone the way he looks at you.”
What the fuck? I hadn’t noticed Oliver looking at Birdie at all, but then again, I’d been wrapped up in making sure I wasn’t getting caught up with her and making sure everything went according to plan while we were here.
Vince continued. “Come to Wexstone with us. Let my family sponsor you.”
I nearly dropped the liquor bottle.
Birdie choked. “You’re kidding me, right? No way.”
“We actually think this would be perfect for you,” Sam interjected.
“We? Wait, was this your idea? Samantha Grace Rickett, you have lost your damn mind.”
“It was a joint idea,” Vince laughed, throwing his arm casually around Sam’s shoulder. My blood boiled and I wanted to punch him for how laid back he seemed about this.
Sam put her hand on Birdie’s knee. “Look, you know you haven’t been very open to love lately. And you do need a place to live for a bit. Go to Wexstone, do the contest, give love a chance.”
“I can’t just pick up and move to another country for a few months. I have a job!”
Sam looked at her pointedly. “I’m pretty sure the bar will still be here in a few months.” Her voice was firm.
“Well, what about my stuff? And Connor would freak out if I missed Thanksgiving and Christmas. You know how he is about the holidays. I can’t just jump on a plane and leave.”
“You wouldn’t need to fly out until next week. You could take the week to get your affairs in order,” Vince said.
“I barely know Prince Oliver. I don’t know anything about your country.
I definitely don’t know the first thing about being noble or royalty or a socialite.
I’m just a girl from the Midwest who swears like a sailor and would rather wear jeans than dresses.
There’s no way the prince would want me, he’s way out of my league.
” He wasn’t; if anything, she was out of all of our leagues.
“I think you’re just what he’s looking for.
” Vince smiled reassuringly, winking at me.
A dimple appeared in his left cheek. “My family has been waiting to announce who we are sponsoring until we found just the right woman, and Birdie, it’s you.
” Damn him, he always knew how to turn on the charm. For once, I hated him for it.
“What are you guys talking about?” Oliver asked as he walked up and took a seat next to me.
“I want to sponsor Birdie for the contest!” Vince said with so much excitement he could barely contain it.
Oliver looked between Vince and Birdie and then over to me like he was considering it.
“Does Ms. Birdie want to come?”
Her face flushed as she grabbed her beer and took a large gulp from it. I felt my focus narrow, my heart racing as I waited to hear what she’d say.
“I am homeless in two weeks,” she laughed nervously. “And it would be fun to hang out with you guys some more.” I could tell she was more than a little tipsy by her slightly too-loud voice.
I stood up fast and strode to the bathrooms, passing a smiling Tej on the way. I needed to remove myself from the conversation so I could process my thoughts.
I had too many emotions and too much alcohol flooding my system. Oliver needed to find a wife so he could take the throne; I wanted that for him. But I didn’t want it to be Birdie.
I didn’t have a good reason for my jealousy—I had met her less than thirty-six hours ago and had no claim on her whatsoever.
But what if you want to claim her? a voice whispered in the back of my head. I would certainly like to claim her mouth again and again like I had a few hours before, or even her whole body—the way it felt against mine was heavenly.
I shook my head, trying to dispel the mental image of our entwined bodies. Get it together, Knox.
When I stepped out of the bathroom, Oliver was leaning against the wall waiting for me.
“Hey,” he said nonchalantly.
“Hey.”
“Are you good if Birdie comes to Wexstone?”
Not really.
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” I avoided making eye contact with him. I didn’t want to have this conversation. Birdie could do whatever she wanted. What I wanted didn’t matter here.
“Well, it looked like you guys were hitting it off.”
Yeah, I thought we were, too.
“So did you guys,” I quipped back. “There’s nothing going on between us; I don’t care if she comes. Do you like her?” His answer was important; if he genuinely liked her, I would tamp down my own feelings and let him have his chance at happiness with her.
“I wouldn’t mind getting to know her a little better. It would be fun to have someone else who we don’t know. Maybe it would be a good idea to have someone from America in the contest. Maybe that's what the country needs?”
I thought she might be what I needed.
“Great. Then it sounds like she’s coming to Wexstone,” I said coolly.
I turned and stalked back to the group, eyeing Birdie and Sam, their heads together as they whispered to each other excitedly.
I reminded myself to push my feelings down.
Protecting and supporting my future king was more important; it was what I would always do.