Enchanting Sebastian (Big Sky Royal 1)

“We promised no love,” I reply carefully. “No L word. You know that’s not part of the deal.”

He shakes his head and turns away to get dressed. He’s not speaking to me, but his actions are quick, clearly signaling that he’s angry.

“Why are you mad?” I demand as he ties his shoes. “You know how I feel, Sebastian.”

I pull his robe around me so I’m not standing there naked as the day I was born.

“Remind me not to be nice to you the next time you’ve been drinking.” He grips my shoulders to move me out of his way and stomps through the apartment to the front door. “Because you turn into a raging bitch.”

And with that, he walks out, slamming the door behind him.

I sigh, rub my forehead, and immediately regret everything I just said. He’s right, I was acting like a bitch.

I warned him that I could be one.

But he didn’t deserve that.

I need to apologize.

I hurry to the door, not giving two shits that I’m only dressed in a robe and last night’s makeup. I see Sebastian at the end of the hallway.

“Sebastian!”

But he doesn’t turn around.

Nick, along with two other men I don’t know, are in the hall and look my way. Nick frowns.

“Miss—”

“I have this handled,” Mary says as she comes up behind me. “Come along, Miss Nina, we have plenty to do to get ready for today.”

She pulls me into the apartment and shuts the door firmly, then turns to me with a clenched jaw and her hands folded at her waist.

“What were you thinking?” she hisses.

“Sebastian and I had a fight. I needed to apologize.”

“Not like that.” She shakes her head. “You never make it look like he left a room because you had a row and he’s mad at you. You discuss things privately. Even though every royal employee signs a non-disclosure agreement, people talk. You just fueled the fire of a scandal, dear, and you of all people should know better.”

I swallow hard, feeling the blood drain from my face.

“Oh, God.”

I run to the bathroom to be sick again, but it has nothing to do with champagne, and everything to do with how I just left things with Sebastian.

“There’s no time for that,” Mary says. “You have a bridal shower to get ready for. Now, pull it together, and set it aside until tonight when you and His Royal Highness can make it right.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“Yes. It is. You’re a member of this household now, and I’m telling you what’s expected of you. Now stop this nonsense and get ready for your party.”

I brush my teeth and then shuffle to my dressing room.

For the first time since I met her, I don’t like Mary all that much.

Even though she’s absolutely right.

Chapter Nine

Nina

“LADY CAMILLA SPEARS.”

Camilla nods and smiles, but the expression is as fake as her eyelashes. Just like every other smile sent my way by the dozens of British women I don’t know who have been invited to my shower today.

“Hello,” I say and then smile at the young woman in charge of making introductions, whose name I don’t remember. “I’m going to get some punch.”

I slip away, walking to the table set with punch and finger foods. I don’t want to see alcohol ever again.

As I sip my drink, I can hear every word being spoken at the table next to me.

“Goodness, the palace is being overrun by Americans.”

“It’s a pity,” someone replies. I don’t know any of their names, but I’ve been introduced to all of them. It’s been two hours of faces and names. Fake smiles and lots of side-eye.

In fact, the amount of side-eye being flung around this party is legendary.

I move away, enjoying my moment alone with a refreshing drink, when I hear someone else say, “I give it a year.”

My feet stop moving.

“Are you kidding? It won’t last three months. She’s a commoner from the States. She may be related to Christian Wolfe, but she’s a nobody.”

They see me. I don’t move.

“Please,” someone else replies. “I’ll have Sebastian back in my bed before it’s time for him to walk down the aisle.”

I wonder if it would be frowned upon to pull the girl’s weave out of her head.

I glance around and find Nick watching me, the way he always does. He narrows his eyes as if he can read my thoughts.

“You said that about Frederick, too,” another woman says. “And he seems pretty happy to me. I don’t believe he’s come knocking at your door even once.”

I smirk and keep moving.

The women in Hollywood can be ruthless, but it seems these noble women are just plain savage.

The mean-girl syndrome spans the globe.

Good to know.

“You don’t look okay,” Fallon says when she finds me. She looks fantastic in a green dress that fits her like a glove and falls just past her knees. Her dark hair is down, framing her pretty face. Why doesn’t she look hungover? “And the energy in this place is not friendly.”