Chapter 22
“How are things?” I ask Ricco, who brought his girlfriend, Luna Cox, to my party.
It suddenly feels like everyone is in a serious relationship, as if wedding season has officially opened.
Yours will be next, a voice warns, like some kind of bad omen.
Irritated doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt after Athol informed me he had invited both women.
It was a horrible idea to put Jazmina in the same environment as them, because now there’s a clear line, just a few steps away from me, separating what I want and what I can have.
I barely greeted them. I don’t want them here, nor do I want to think that soon I’ll need to choose one of them to share my title and my last name.
There’s nothing physically wrong with either of them.
They’re flawless, which is exactly the problem.
Perfect to a degree I find irritating. Not a single hair out of place, unlike the sexy, wild way my ward carries herself.
After walking away from me earlier, she seems to be having the time of her life.
Ever since Athol showed up, Jazmina hasn’t spoken to me again. I’d even bet she’s avoiding me, dancing with Josephine and Luna, or chatting with every male on this damn yacht.
About half an hour ago, I tried to take her temperature, getting close, but she didn’t give me any room.
She said something about whether I planned to kidnap her again, like the first time we met.
She also said this constant surveillance from me and Kaled was torture, that I was killing her dreams .
. . so I realized we’re back to our previous “enemies” setting.
What the hell changed?
“I’m fine,” he finally replies.
“You look better than fine, actually.”
Ricco went through a brutal phase, one so dark we honestly thought he might never recover. Seeing him living again is a fucking relief.
“Yeah.”
“She’s gorgeous,” I say, nodding toward the fairy-like girl.
“No, she’s more than gorgeous. She’s perfect.”
That’s far beyond anything I’ve ever heard him say about any woman. There’s no simple desire in his voice; it’s something close to worship.
“You two seem happy together,” I press, testing the waters.
Before he can answer, a loud laugh cuts through the air. I look over his shoulder and feel my jaw tighten. Ricco turns to see who I’m staring at.
Jazmina is surrounded by half a dozen guys, all hypnotized as she tells them a story.
She looks completely at ease, which drives me insane.
“I didn’t know you two were friends,” he says, probably puzzled by her presence here.
“We’re not. She’s uncontrollable, and Kaled asked me to keep an eye on her since of all his friends, I’m the one who lives closest to her,” I say, giving him the short version of what my role really is.
“You’re a babysitter?”
“Something like that. She calls me a torturer, actually. Dream-killer, too. The kid has a very creative mind. She’s grounded today—that’s why I brought her,” I lie, even though I know damn well that’s not the reason the princess is here.
He shakes his head, amused.
I know why.
My bad mood is legendary; nobody would ever picture me looking after a girl. And not just any girl—a princess and our friend’s little sister.
“Congrats, your party is amazing,” I hear someone say behind me.
When I turn, it’s his girlfriend. I notice Ricco’s possessiveness as he slips an arm around the blonde’s waist.
“Thanks, but I haven’t seen you try the whisky,” I say.
“I’m not very good with alcohol. Ask Ricco,” she laughs. “The first time we were together, I literally almost fainted at his feet.”
“And that’s how you caught him? I need to learn some seduction tricks,” Jazmina says.
I didn’t even notice she had come closer.
Seduction tricks for what? All she has to do is breathe to be sexy.
And then another thought hits me: who the hell does she want to be sexy for?
“I don’t know—did I?” Luna asks, smiling at her boyfriend.
“What do you need seduction tricks for?” I cut in, my mood tanking again.
“You never know. Maybe I’m trying to become a conqueror. Although,” she says, glancing from Ricco to Luna, “the soldiers are being taken down fast. Kaled and Abdar married. Ricco in a serious relationship . . . but look at you, still single, Rodrick.”
I hear Luna smother a laugh, but I don’t see anything funny in that shit.
“You don’t need to learn how to seduce anyone, princess,” I shoot back, pissed as hell. “When the time comes for you to get married, it’ll be to someone chosen by your father.”
I know that isn’t entirely true. Even though there’s a huge chance her marriage will involve political alliances, I doubt ex-Sheikh Kamran or Kaled would force her to marry someone she doesn’t want.
Whoever the lucky bastard ends up being, I’m sure she’ll have the final word, even if the candidates come pre-selected by the men in her family.
“I’m never getting married,” she says, practically daring me.
“Well, I will someday, and I’ll wear a wedding dress so long the train will reach the moon,” Ricco’s girlfriend adds, apparently trying to defuse the tension, but instead it creates an awkward silence.
She doesn’t seem to notice and extends her hand toward Jazmina. “Now, come dance with me? I’m dying to.”
And just like that, they walk away while I follow her with my eyes, since I can’t follow her physically. Judging by the way she looked at me, I’m probably the last person she wants around.
After a few more minutes with Ricco, I decide to move around.
I spot Vicenzzo off to the side, talking to Josephine. I didn’t even know they knew each other, but it doesn’t seem like a friendship—they both look pretty heated.
I take a few more steps and there she is. It’s like life is mocking me, waving the woman I want right in front of me while the ones I’m supposed to be interested in, even on a purely strategic level, stir absolutely nothing in me.
For the first time since the party started, Jazmina is alone again, staring out at the sea, and I’d give a chunk of my fortune to know what she’s thinking.
I walk toward her, and as if sensing me, she turns at that exact moment.
We stare at each other from about fifteen feet away, and maybe because I caught her off-guard, there’s no anger in her expression, but rather, something I can’t name.
We both begin to move closer, but someone steps between us.
Davina Gordon.
For fuck’s sake.
“Rodrick, we’ve barely spoken tonight.”
That’s because I didn’t invite you, miss.
I’ve just decided both women are off the list. Athol will have to start from scratch.
Besides, right now? I want that whole damn list to go to hell, along with the dukedom title.
“Excuse me,” I say, swallowing down my irritation.
“Oh, don’t go yet,” she says, placing her hand on my chest to stop me.
“Was there anything in the contract my lawyer gave you that said you’re allowed to touch me?”
“No, but . . . I . . .”
I don’t even wait for her to finish. I walk off to find Jazmina, who’s disappeared, looking like she was ready to murder someone.