Forbidden Fate (Crowne Point 3)

“It’s her,” someone said, more loudly.

“Definitely her.”

The cameras kept clicking, and I could tell some were videoing. Her? What did they mean by that?

I knew Grayson and I were already a rumor.

The servants had made that clear by excommunicating me. While the Crownes had stopped the rumor at their gates, and the du Lacs had cut it off at the press, it was still out there. In blurry photos. If we weren’t careful, others would get wind of me, and I wouldn’t be able to live my life.

Hidden. Unseen. The way I’d always been.

I cautiously looked away from the crowd.

“I apologize, Mr. Grayson,” I said quietly, tension threading my words as paparazzi snapped my photo. “I didn’t mean to pick someone over a…Crowne.”

I chose my words like I was picking the best, most precious jewels. It wasn’t that Grayson was jealous; he was furious at me, an untrained servant. “I understand Crownes always come first.”

Grayson snatched a champagne glass and downed it in one gulp, as if what I’d said just drove him to it.

“That’s not what I fucking mean—”

“We always value our guests,” Tansy said, cutting him off. “You’ve done well. Grayson is just tired from giving all of his attention to his newlywed. You know, boys will be boys!”

She finished with a dismissive laugh, but I heard the tension in her words. What she wouldn’t say to a room full of paparazzi.

Silence descended once more.

“What’s your name?” someone yelled, breaking it.

“How did you meet Grayson?”

“When did you fall in love?”

Fear strangled my spine.

I couldn’t speak. Staring into a thousand lenses and phones. How did they know? How could they possibly know?

“Come on,” West said, lifting me off the floor. “I think we should go.” His tux was wrinkled, his fluffy curls in disarray, but he acted like it was nothing.

“I’m supposed to be helping you,” I replied numbly. He shot me a smirk with his now-bloody plump lips.

Tansy immediately launched into damage control, but Beryl stared at me.

Icy.

As did Grayson.

Grayson watched me, Lottie watched me, Beryl watched me. So did a few reporters, even as Tansy played damage control.

We exited under the gold leaf banner that read Couple of the Century.

GRAY

* * *

I itched to throw another punch when West put his arm around her like he was an injured deer or something.

It was one fucking punch.