Chapter 25 #2
Coming to a stop in front of the door, I give myself a two second pep talk about not losing my head. But that all goes out the window, as soon as I push the door open and see the prick prince running a finger down her cheek, as Anais laughs softly.
“Ah, I was wondering where our food was...” the prick drawls in his thick Dutch accent, only to pause when his gaze lands on me. He blinks, confusion flashing in his eyes. “Mr. Maxwell?” he questions.
That’s when her lilac eyes finally snap to me. She blinks. Then blinks again. And again. That’s right, Brat. Your man is here. I pause. The fuck? Where the hell did that even come from?
“Evan?” she gasps.
My lips curl into a snarl as I will myself to calm the hell down. “Date’s over,” I snap, moving toward her. “It’s time to go.”
“Now wait just a second.” The prick stands, then takes a protective stance in front of her. My jaw clenches, and I have to ball my fists to stop myself from hitting him. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
I move around him, reaching out and wrapping my fingers around Anais’s delicate wrist. A jolt of electricity shoots through me, and I know she feels it, too, by the gasp that falls from her lips.
I gently tug her to a stand, inwardly groaning when my eyes take in the dress that clings to every inch of her body.
A dress she wore for him. What the fuck was she thinking?
“Let’s go,” I demand.
Anais glares at me, yanking her wrist out of my hold. “I don’t think so.” She shakes her head as those lilac eyes shoot fire at me. “What the hell are you doing, Evan? I’m on a date.”
“Not anymore, you’re not. You have two choices. Leave with me now.” I turn my glower on the prick. “Or he leaves.”
“Evan,” she growls, just as the prince pipes up.
“I think you should leave,” he growls, eyes narrowing as he stares at me.
I glare at him, hissing out. “And I think you should keep your nose out of my business.”
“Anais is here with me. Therefore, she is my business.” The fucker who seems to want me to punch him shoots back, not missing a beat.
I smile but it’s not a nice look. “She’ll never be your business. Now back the fuck off.” I look at the pain in my ass, arching a brow. “Make your choice.”
Her eyes narrow, as she crosses her arms over her chest. “I choose to continue my date with Freddy,” she hisses defiantly.
I smirk. “As you wish.”
Without another thought, I close the space between us, dipping as I wrap my arms around her thighs and toss her over my shoulder. Anais gasps, just as the prince steps toward us.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Fredrik growls, trying to sound threatening but the prick comes across more like a cute puppy than a dominant lion.
Anais beats her small fists on my back, but I ignore her, focusing all my attention on the man in front of me.
The one that just might die if he doesn’t get the hell out of my way.
Baring my teeth, my voice is low and lethal when I speak.
“If you don’t get the fuck out of my way, your family’s going to need a new heir to the throne. ”
“Evan,” the brat over my shoulder hisses. “Just put me down. I’ll come with you. Willingly,” she adds, begrudgingly.
I slap her ass. “You had your chance.”
She growls, but obviously accepts her fate, because her voice is filled with apology when she speaks to the prince. “It’s okay, Freddy.” I positively fucking despise that she calls him something so intimate. “I’m fine–”
“You don’t look fine to me,” he shoots back, staring me down.
Anais sighs. “I’m sorry about all this. But I need to talk to Evan.”
The asshole’s mouth drops open in shock. “You’re leaving with him?” he squeaks out incredulously.
“Put me down, Evan.” Anais demands and this time I give in, placing her down gently on her feet. She glares up at me with narrowed eyes, her features filled with exasperation. “You’re an asshole.”
I shrug. “Never claimed to not be one.”
She shakes her head, turning her attention back to the prick. His eyes soften as he stares at her like she hung the damn moon and stars. I ball my fists, chanting in my head. You can’t hit him. You can’t hit him. You can’t hit him. You can’t–
“I’ll call you.”
“You will not,” I roar, my body vibrating with anger as I step forward to lay the prince out. I don’t know why I’m behaving like this, but since that kiss, I feel like I have some sort of claim on her. And that means she doesn’t get to go on dates with suave, smooth talking, European princes.
Ignoring me, Anais speaks to Freddy again. “I’ll call you,” she repeats, reaching out and grabbing my balled fist. The contact makes me pause. And I take a breath, trying to center myself.
Fredrik’s shoulders sag, and he exhales a breath, shaking his head. “It’s a good job I like you, Anais. I don’t think there’s another woman I’d give a second chance to after this disaster.”
Anais chuckles, as I narrow my eyes. Second chance? Yeah, no. That will never happen.
Gently clasping her wrist before she can say more, I drag her from the room, through the empty restaurant and into my town car waiting outside. Once inside, I settle against the leather seat, closing my eyes and trying to calm my temper before I speak to the bristling woman beside me.
“What the hell was that all about?” she demands, prodding my bicep with her finger.
Rolling my head on the seat, I open my eyes, meeting her stare. “Funny. That’s exactly what I was going to ask you,” I hiss.
Her eyes narrow. “Come on, Evan.” She sighs. “What are you doing? Last night you kissed me, then pretend I don’t exist. And tonight, you’re storming my date. You’re giving me whiplash with this back and forth.”
“It wasn’t a God Damn date,” I snap before inhaling a calming breath. “You shouldn’t have been there, Anais.”
“And why is that?” she challenges, her perfectly shaped brow arching.
“Because…” I trail off, trying to gather my thoughts. “It’s…” Fuck me, I can’t find the words. For the first time in my life, I don’t know what I’m trying to say. I just know I needed to get her out of there and away from that prick. “Fuck,” I run a frustrated hand through my hair.
“Because. It’s. Fuck? That doesn’t answer my question. Why–”
All I can focus on are her pouty lips, the way they move with every word…
My hand darts up, wrapping gently around the back of her neck, and I pull her in slowly, slamming my lips onto hers, cutting her off.
Her breath hitches but it doesn’t take long for the shock to wear off.
In seconds her tongue tangles with mine and she’s scrambling into my lap, pulling me closer.
I groan, the feel of her on top of me more than I can bear.
My cock hardens in my pants, begging me to remove my clothing and bury myself inside her.
She grinds in my lap, and I thrust up into her.
Her kisses falter and I swallow the moan that falls from her lips.
Fuck me. I should put a stop to this. Remove her from my lap. But I just can’t seem to stop.
I don’t know how long we kiss and dry hump on the backseat like horny teenagers, but when her soft voice gasps my name it’s like a bucket of ice-cold water being thrown over me. “Evan,”
I freeze and, sensing my retreat, Anais grinds into me harder, fusing her lips to mine as she kisses me fiercely. With a strength I didn’t know I possessed, I pull away, very aware of the fact that, once again, I am kissing Harrison’s little sister.
Anais stares at me in a trance, her eyes glazed with pure lust. Fuck me. I’ve never seen anything more beautiful. Snapping out of her haze, she searches my eyes. Her face falls, and I hate the look staring back at me. Lifting her from my lap, I place her in the seat next to mine.
“That shouldn’t have happened,” I mumble.
She scoffs like a brat. “And yet, it has. Twice.” She reminds me as if I could ever forget.
I run a hand down my face, groaning, just as the car pulls to a stop. Glancing out the window, I see we’ve arrived at Anais’s building. “You should go inside,” I mutter.
She laughs, but its humorless. “Yeah, I should. Thanks for ruining my night, asshole.” Snatching up her purse, she climbs out of the vehicle as soon as my driver opens the door.
I think that’s the end of it, but then she pops her head back in.
“You really need to decide what you want and stop fucking with my feelings. It’s a dick move, and not fair.
” And with that, she slams the door closed, leaving me on my own.
Frustration builds inside of me.
I know I should leave her to get on with her life, but for some unknown, very disturbing reason, I lose all sense when it comes to Anais Lauder.
I know I can’t have her.
But I’ll be damned if I allow the prince prick, or any other man for that matter, to have her.
I’m aware of how fucked up that is.
But while she works for me…
Anais will stay single.