The Initiation (Filthy Rich Americans 1)

Other parts of my body were still pink and raw from wax as well, but they were hidden beneath my lace skirt.

I couldn’t tell from his expression if he liked my new look, or if his smile was fiction. “You look nice,” he said simply.

“Thank you,” I parroted back. “You too.”

He had on a navy sport coat and a check-patterned shirt over his blue jeans. Business up top and casual below, but at the same time, he looked like he could exist in both worlds without any effort. Maybe Alice had helped him find his day-to-evening look too.

Every pair of eyes in the restaurant was on us as we were led to our table for dinner. Probably not every pair, but God, it felt that way.

“Is it just me,” I asked over the top of my menu, “or is everyone staring at us?”

Royce was indifferent. “They’re staring at you.”

His statement rattled me. “Why?”

“Because you’re here with me.” His gaze never lifted to mine, like he couldn’t be bothered. “Or more likely, because you’re fucking gorgeous. Who knows?”

Breath halted in my lungs. “You can’t just say shit like that.”

The leather-bound menu holder dropped onto the table with a thud, and I was met with the full power of Royce’s irritated stare. “That you’re beautiful? You are. Get over it.”

Dismay twisted my lips into a frown. “Please, don’t. I don’t need bullshit lines from someone like you.”

“It’s not a line, and . . . someone like me?” More annoyance darted through his eyes, but intrigue too. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

How was I going to put it into words? “You’re a ‘haver.’ I mean, you could have any woman in this room if you wanted, and probably some of the guys too. You’re young, hot, and filthy rich.”

His irritation vanished. It was replaced with an arrogant expression that said none of this was news to him. I pushed forward, gathering steam.

“Me?” I said. “I’m a ‘have-not.’ I’m sure you didn’t intend for it to happen, but when you said I was a nobody, you made it true. No one will touch me.”

“I touched you.”

He was immune to my scorching glare. “You wanted to know why I was still a virgin last year. Well, there’s your answer. You’re the reason, Royce. Nobody would be caught dead with me.”

He considered the accusation I’d lobbed at him. “You’re wrong,” he said finally. “I was aware what was going to happen. It’s exactly why I said it.”

My head turned into a void. “What?”

He leaned over the table to ensure he had my full attention. “I saw you at the bar with your sister that night. You were swaying to the music, all happy, and pretty, and it pissed me off. My father had already laid out plans for me. I was supposed to be with Emily, but that wasn’t what I wanted.”

I clenched the menu in my hands. I sensed where he was going, but I couldn’t wrap my head around it. My heart chugged along, thumping loudly in my ears.

“So, yeah. I knew you were behind me when I called you a nobody. I did it on purpose, because I couldn’t stand you with anyone else. I wanted you for myself.”

“Oh, my God.” My body flushed hot, although I didn’t know if it was with anger or excitement, or a deadly combination of the two.

“I’d tell you I’m sorry if that was hard for you, but honestly?” He tossed a hand up. “I’m not. I take my victories where I can get them, and I don’t regret what I had to do to earn it. It’s win-at-all-costs in the Hale family. You’ll learn that soon enough.”

Catching my breath was impossible. “You’re making this up.”

He looked dubious. “Seriously? Why would I? I went out with Emily once. Did she tell you about it?”

“She said,” I swallowed thickly, “you were a jerk.”

“Is that it?”

When I didn’t answer, he sat back in his chair and crossed his arms, looking at me like I’d just proved his point.

“I wasn’t aware that was something you could turn on or off.” My tone was dry. “I thought it was a default setting for you.”

He chuckled. “See? You’re like me. You say what you’re thinking, and no one talks to me like that. It’s one of the reasons I like you. Everyone else has their nose so far up my family’s ass it’s uncomfortable.”

One of the reasons. What were the others? “She also said you had zero chemistry.”

The corner of his mouth quirked. “That should have been a dead giveaway. Because you and me, Marist? There’s no fucking issue of chemistry. I still remember what you taste like.”

Oh, Lord.

I put my hands on the linen tablecloth because the world was spinning too fast and threatened to hurl me off. The naïve part of me wanted to believe everything he’d said, but my brain didn’t trust him. He was a master manipulator.