The Prince and the Player

“That’s bullshit!” she shouts, and I feel my jaw hit the floor.

“Ava!” I’ve never heard her lose it this way.

“I’m not going to let you sit here and say these things. You’re happy here. It’s not just me!”

“You’d have to be an idiot not to be happy here! Of course I’m happy here, but that’s not the point!”

“Then what is the point?”

Clearing my throat, I walk over to the wet bar for a bottle of water. “The point is I took this job. I sat on that boat and shook hands with the devil. You’re here because I never leave you behind.”

She’s listening, but her dark brows are pulled together. She’s looking for any chance to argue with me on this, but I won’t let her. I twist the top off the water bottle and take a sip, calming my thoughts as well as my voice.

“I’m going to find out what Reggie’s up to,” I continue. “I’m going to see if there’s any way to redeem what I’ve done. There probably isn’t. I’m going to have to be the villain in this story.”

“You’re not!” Her voice breaks, and unshed tears are in her eyes.

“I am, Ava-bug. I agreed to come here and lie to Rowan. I didn’t expect to meet Cal, but I definitely came here intending to hurt Rowan.”

She’s off the sofa now, crossing the room to stand in front of me. “From the start, we said we would stop it, we’d walk away if we found out Reggie was tricking us. We can just walk away!”

“Yes, but walking away means walking all the way away—all the way back to Florida.” Her chin drops, and I know her heart is breaking. My heart is breaking for both of us. “I’ll walk away,” I say. “I’m doing my best to find any way for you to stay.”

Her face snaps up, and again her forehead is lined. “What are you saying?”

“I’m going to figure out what Reggie wants. I’m convinced he’s here to finish what he started when Rowan kicked him out…”

“And?”

“And if I can beat him to it, whatever it is—if I can warn Cal or Rowan, maybe they’ll feel… A little less like punishing and more like forgiving.”

Her breathing picks up, and I can see that tiny glimmer of hope growing in her eyes. She’ll always trust me, and I take that responsibility very seriously.

“Then we can stay?” she whispers.

“I hope so.” I nod as I start to pace again, thinking. “I hope Rowan will believe me when I tell him you had nothing to do with this scheme. You were only here because I wouldn’t leave you behind.”

“I’m sure he will—he’ll forgive you. Rowan is really kind and gentle.”

Glancing up at her, I can’t help a skeptical grin. “Rowan is not kind and gentle. He’s powerful and tough, and from what I’ve heard, he’s pretty ruthless when it comes to handling people who cross him.”

She frowns as if I’m describing someone she doesn’t know. “He’s focused, and he takes his position very seriously, but he’s not ruthless.”

Walking back to her, I put an arm around her shoulders. “That right there is why I’m doing this. If that man is so sweet to you that you don’t even notice what a badass he is, I’m going to find a way for you to stay together. I promise I will.”

Her shoulders fall, and she lets out a slow exhale. “I can’t argue with you anymore. I’m too tired.”

I laugh and give her side a little poke. “Somebody’s been having sex all evening.”

“Shut up. I’m going to take a shower.”

“No more gushing about having sex with a king?”

“Goodnight, Zelda!” she calls waving over her shoulder at me.

“That’s a switch!” I call after her. My phone buzzes on the counter, and I laugh as I walk over to pick it up.

Wish you were here. No one to criticize the horrifying movie choices I’m making.