One last time, he promised himself doggedly, and then he would really stay away from her for good, let her live in peace without murderous threats hanging over her head for each and every damn day of her life.
One last time.
The prince was about to turn away when he saw Fawn slowly but steadily walk down the building’s front steps, leaving the roofed area.
Rain slashed down on her, and still she continued to walk.
What the hell?
She began walking away, heading to where he knew her dorm building was, and for one moment the prince could only stare in complete incomprehension.
Did she fucking plan to walk all the way to her place in the rain?
When it looked like she was going to do just that, the prince didn’t even think—-
He broke into a run, and even with water splashing under his pounding footsteps, Fawn didn’t look up, and her pace didn’t falter.
The prince reached her, blocking her way, and as he held his umbrella over her, he demanded furiously, “Are you an idiot?” He watched Fawn lift her head ever so slowly.
Oh God.
Brown eyes made dull by too much pain gazed up at him.
“Prince?”
He whitened.
“Is it r-really you?”
Her voice broke, and so did he.
The umbrella fell to the ground as the prince hauled her into his arms.
She started to cry. “I knew you’d come back.”
“You’re an idiot, a goddamn idiot.” But his voice shook, and he couldn’t stop himself from tightening his arms around her. “Forget me, angel, please.”
She cried harder, sobbing, “My n-new name.”
Ah.
He knew exactly what she meant.
“You r-remember?”
In the aftermath of making love, Fawn, lying on top of him, had whispered sleepily, “You need to give me another name.”
“Another name?” He had been bemused.
“Because I’m not a virgin anymore.”
Ah. He had kissed the top of her head, murmuring, “I’ll need time to think about it.”
Her head had jerked up, and she had looked wide-awake when she echoed him. “Time?”
Frowning at her reaction, he had said warily, “Yes, I need time.”
“Even though it’s a simple thing?”
“It’s not a simple thing,” he had rejected, his frown darkening.
Her lips had formed a bright smile. “Then it means Igor was right.”
“About what?”
“That I’m your special lady.”
His eyes squeezed shut.
He remembered.
He remembered like it happened a fucking second ago.
Because he remembered everything about them.
When he opened his eyes, he saw her staring up at him with terrified brown eyes, and it was so damn obvious that he only had to say one cruel word and she would shatter.
Because he mattered that much to her, and she wasn’t even pretending it wasn’t true.
“You’re really an idiot,” he said tightly.
Didn’t she know pretensions were what made the world go round?
She raised her hand up. “Do you see?”
He shook his head.
“T-the ring.”
Ah.
Her voice rose a little. “I’m s-still engaged. Grant s-said it’s okay. I’m still w-with him, so please, please take me back—-”
Rain mingled with the tears that fell on her face.
“Please, baby—-”
God.
He cupped her face, saying hoarsely, “Angel—-”
She shook her head wildly. “Please—-”
Unable to bear the torment on her face, the prince covered her mouth with his.
From a distance, high-powered lens zoomed in, and a photo was taken, capturing the moment of bleakness that crossed the prince’s face just before he kissed Fawn for the first time.
****
When the kiss ended, Fawn’s knees gave out, and the prince swept her up in his arms. She clung to him, teeth chattering as rain continued to ravage their surroundings. Inside the limousine, she only waited for the door to close before reaching for his pants—-
“Angel—-”
She shook her head while frantically fumbling with the zipper. No words. Words only always got in the way between them. When she managed to free his cock from its confines, the prince groaned—-
She straddled him.
His hands clutched her waist. “Angel—-”
“Please,” she begged him.
He started to push her away.
Out of desperation, she fused her mouth with his.
The prince shuddered under her.
She kissed him harder, her tongue mating with his, and she felt his hands start to move.
A sound ripped in the air as the prince tore her panties away, and she muffled a cry of relief against his lips.
He took over then, and she was glad to let him, her body molding to his command.
The prince lifted her up, moved her dress out of the way, and then pulled her back down, impaling her with his cock.
A cry escaped her at the bittersweet beauty of his possession, and then they were rocking against each other, the prince thrusting hard in and out of her. They made furious love with each other, over and over, and when they reached the prince’s home, she could no longer keep her eyes open, exhaustion and sleepless nights finally catching up with her.
But when she woke up, the prince still wasn’t beside her.
A sign of heartbreak that was to come—-