The Royal Arrangement: Prequel to The Rebel Queen Read online

“You know I can’t.” The slightest of smiles twitch her lips. She likes me. I can see it in the way her body gravitates toward mine. My skin heats in anticipation. I want her in my bed, but there’s so much more behind the attraction.

  “But you want to.” A thrill rushes through me. Victory hovers on the horizon. My mind races with plans. I need to call my personal assistant, Shasta, and have her make the necessary arrangements to add this lovely ginger girl to my roster of playmates.

  “I’m not the kind of girl to ditch her date for a stranger.” The rejection doesn’t faze my ego. “Or have you forgotten?”

  Ah, yes. The wanker. Apparently, she has no idea that I saw them in the dungeon together. I shove my hands into my pockets, wondering if I should tell her or not. After a quick internal debate, I decide to stay mum. Knowledge is power, two things I crave like an addict. “And he left you alone? Here? If you were mine, I wouldn’t let you out of my sight.”

  “I don’t need protection. I’m perfectly capable on my own.” The sincerity in her voice rattles my first impressions. She seems like a genuinely lovely person, not one of Nicky’s typical party girls. I don’t usually go for sweet. This abrupt change in taste baffles me. What is it about her that heats my blood?

  We navigate through a small crowd while I formulate a response. I can’t resist touching the small of her back, guiding her through the people. Desire surges through me, the irresistible need to dominate and control the rest of her body. “And do you trust him? Your date?”

  “I want to.” Her answer holds a thousand clues to their relationship. Deep down, she questions Nicky’s loyalty, as she should. She peers up at me. The dimple in her chin, the mole on her cheek, they sing a siren’s song, luring me in, seducing me.

  “But you don’t?”

  “Trust doesn’t come easily for me.” A thousand sad stories lurk behind her soft words. I want to wring the neck of every man who hurt her. She bites her lower lip. We stare at each other for a moment. Her glance drops to the floor. “And he has a reputation.”

  “Then you aren’t serious? Please say no.” In business, the best approach is often the most direct.

  When she laughs, her head tips back to reveal the slender column of her throat. The delightful sound rings in my ears. “Not yet, but I’m optimistic.” My hopes climb. Maybe I have a chance at stealing her for my own. The way she tucks her hair behind her ear draws my attention to her hand. Her fingers are delicate, graceful, tipped with clear nail polish, minus jewelry.

  “I hope he deserves you.” We start walking again. “Can I give you some advice?” I shine my best golden-boy smile. She nods. “Go with your gut instinct. It’s usually right. Take me, for instance. I can tell if a person is trustworthy within five minutes of meeting them.”

  “Oh, really?” The bright, sunny smile returns to her face. I stare a few seconds too long, committing it to memory. “And what does your gut say about me? Am I trustworthy?”

  “Are you sure you want to know?” A reluctant bob of her head persuades me to continue. “All right then.” I sweep a lingering glance over the flesh revealed by the plunging neckline of her gown, the narrow nip of her waist, her flat stomach, and the slit up to her thigh. “I think you’re dangerous.”

  “What? Not me.” She bats her sooty eyelashes, pressing a hand to her heart in a comical yet seductive impression of a southern belle. “Surely, you’re mistaken, sir.”

  “I would trust you with my car keys but never my heart.” Her mouth drops open to speak. I lift a hand to silence her. “That’s not an insult. It’s a compliment. I’m just saying I have a feeling you could get under a man’s skin and stay there.”

  “Am I getting under yours?” The mischief returns to her grin. She cocks a slender eyebrow, daring me to answer. My heart skips a beat.

  “Are you flirting with me, angel?” I block her path through the next doorway with my shoulders. It’s a subtle form of domination, one I can’t help. The longer I’m around her, the more I want to back her up against the wall, pin her arms over her head, and make her beg me to fuck her.

  “Of course not.” Dimples deepen alongside her lips. “And I’m not an angel. Not even close.”

  “You wouldn’t lie to me, would you?”

  “Never.”

  Our gazes catch for a handful of seconds. I blow out a heavy breath, aware of my cock straining against my trousers, tempted to find the nearest restroom and jack off to relieve the throbbing pressure. If I were a cautious man, I’d walk away. Lucky for her, I’ve never been able to ignore a challenge. Her denial makes me want her even more. “I understand why you won’t give me your number, but can I give you mine? In case you decide to dump your boyfriend?” As a royal, this violates every rule of protocol, but for her, I’m willing to make an exception.

  3

  EVERLY

  The enigmatic gentleman withdraws an ink pen from the inside pocket of his tuxedo and writes his phone number on my palm in neat, square numbers. His fingers are warm and commanding and linger on my skin before pulling away. I can’t help imagining how his touch would feel on my breasts.

  “Did you like it?” He nods toward the red marks left on my wrists by the shackles. A touch of gravel roughens the haughtiness of his accent. It’s the kind of voice that could charm the panties off a woman—this woman. At a different time, under different circumstances, I could fall head over heels for this guy.

  “It was unique. In a good way, I guess.” I shift my stance and fight the urge to hide my hands behind my back. The sensation of helplessness, the weight of the restraints, and the chill of steel against my skin awakened something dark inside my soul. Rourke, my best friend, says I need to push my boundaries more often. I stifle a giggle. I don’t think she meant this. Or maybe she did. After all, her husband created this club.

  “Restraints can be liberating when used properly.” He brushes a thumb over the underside of my wrist; reverent and gentle. Goosebumps ripple up my forearm.

  “Liberating? Isn’t that defeating the purpose?”

  “Not at all.” His touch eases from my skin. “If you don’t feel empowered by the exchange, your partner isn’t doing it right.”

  Fantasies of being tied up and ravished by this man clutter my thoughts. The moisture evaporates from my mouth. Although my experience with Nicky was novel, it left me unsated. Like one bite of a decadent dessert leaves me hungering for more. Before I can give voice to my feelings, a group filters into the hall with us. It’s just as well. I don’t need to confide my sexual dissatisfaction to a complete stranger. To give the newcomers room, I step to the side. One of the passing men bumps my shoulder. The accidental contact pushes me into the stranger. My palms splay on his chest for a second time.

  “Careful.” Tanned skin contrasts with the starched front of his white silk shirt. My gaze continues to his neat goatee and square jaw. He’s hot, in a James Bond meets David Beckham kind of way. Heaven knows I’ve always been a sucker for a blond.

  “I’m so sorry. Again…” My voice trails off. I drop my hands to my sides, curling my fingers into fists against the lingering heat of his body. Is it normal for a man to be that warm? I bite my lower lip, choking back the urge to babble excuses for touching him twice.

  “The pleasure is all mine.” The way his voice draws out the final word, like he’s thinking naughty things, stirs butterflies in my stomach. From behind the mask, his gaze makes a slow perusal of my body. Heat climbs up my neck and settles in my face. “I’m happy to be of service.”

  Although I’m wearing a floor-length gown, I feel naked. My nipples poke through the clingy silk of the dress. Thank goodness I have the mask to protect my identity. I lift a hand to touch the ribbon holding it in place; his intense stare seems to burn through it.

  “I really should find my date.” With every passing second, my heart rate escalates. What is it about this man that puts me on edge? What if he knows me? Or even worse—my father? My palms begin to sweat. Coming here was such a
bad idea. If someone recognizes me, the damage to the McElroy name would be irreparable. Then again, most of the people here are famous. A breach of confidentiality would be damaging for everyone.

  “His loss is my gain, it seems.” The stranger paces at my side. We make small talk as we wander through the labyrinth of hallways. He pauses to open a door for me. I pass by, ignoring the flip of my stomach at the nearness of his body to mine, because I’m here with Nicky. Nicky, who sprinted out of the dungeon after sex tonight like his tail was on fire. Nicky, who never answers my calls or texts. Nicky, who’s coming out of a playroom with another woman, tie askew, shirt untucked, hair ruffled, looking guilty as sin.

  HENRY

  “Ah, there you are.” Nicky exits the playroom, twitches the knot of his tie, and extends his hands toward my companion. The years haven’t changed him. Same cover model features. Same athletic build. Same dickish expression. A young woman slides out the door behind him, tugging down her skirt, hustling out of sight. Same cheating bastard. My heart breaks for the beauty at my side.

  The smile drops from her face. “I’ve been waiting for you to come back for, like, forty-five minutes.” Uncertainty in her voice stirs my compassion. Her boyfriend likes to play games, to find a person’s most significant weakness then use it against them. No one knows that better than me.

  “I told you to meet me in reception.” Even though Nicky’s an American citizen, a hint of Russian accents his speech, a remnant of his teen years in Prague. His gaze flits from her to me. An arrogant smirk curls one side of his mouth as he recognizes me. He drops a hand to cup her ass, a blatant gesture meant to show his claim on her. I bite the inside of my cheek, fighting the urge to punch him in the nose.

  “No. You said to wait.” Her brow furrows. “I’m sure of it.”

  I jump into the discussion. Despite his hand on her ass. Despite the fact that he was inside her less than an hour ago. Despite the voice in my head warning me not to get involved. “It’s my fault. I was lost. She helped me find the way.” I keep my gaze leveled on Nicky. He knows it’s me behind the mask. In the back of my head, I scroll through all the numerous ways to punish him for hurting this woman, for ruining my engagement to Kitty, destroying our friendship, humiliating me. My list of grievances is a mile long. Now, however, isn’t the time to let emotions rule my actions. Revenge requires thoughtful planning and cool diligence, skills imparted on me since birth. “She’s been excellent company.”

  “Has she?” Nicky’s jaw tightens.

  “Absolutely.” I should feel guilty, but I don’t. Fuck him. He doesn’t deserve a beauty like her.

  “That’s because she’s an amazing woman.” At least he recognizes her worth. He bends to place a kiss on her temple, drawing her tighter into his side. His words are directed to her, but his gaze remains locked with mine. “Please forgive me. What about you, darling? Where have you been? It doesn’t take forty-five minutes to find me.”

  “I came straight here, even though Achilles sent me in the wrong direction. I think he was trying to distract me from finding you.” The flush of anger brightens her cheeks. She squirms out of his grasp. “Who was that girl?”

  From the glare on Nicky’s face and the furrow of the redhead’s brow, an argument is about to erupt. My respect for her climbs a notch. At least she calls him out on his bad behavior. I try to hold back my grin of satisfaction at the signs of unrest in their relationship. Rousting Nicky from her life might be easier than anticipated. Not too easy, I hope. He needs to suffer.

  A panel in the wall slides open, revealing a secret corridor. A club employee steps into the hall and gestures for me to follow him. “Pardon me, sir. The Grand Master is ready to see you. Both of you.” He nods toward Nicky.

  “We’ll discuss this later, darling.” Nicky nudges his date toward the exit. “I’ll get a car for you.”

  Her eyebrows lower until they reach the edge of her mask. “Don’t bother.” The wavy ends of her hair bounce as she tries to go around him. How is it possible for her to be lovelier in anger than during sex? The combination of the two would be the culmination of all my darkest fantasies. Her wrath orchestrated by my whim. Fire eddies in my veins at the thought.

  “No need. I have a car waiting.” Seizing the opportunity to make Nicky look bad, I step between them. “My driver can take you anywhere you need to go.”

  4

  EVERLY

  The stranger is clean, crisp and provocative, from the top of his spiky blond hair to the tips of his glossy black shoes. Behind the mask, his eyes glitter, taunting and tempting me. I want to rip off the strip of leather to see the unobstructed perfection of his face. He watches in silence as I struggle with the war between my head and heart.

  “I’ll walk you outside.” Nicky herds me away from the stranger.

  “Not until you tell me the truth.” I plant my feet. My heart wants to believe the best of him, but his track record suggests otherwise. As the stranger noted earlier, I need to follow my gut instincts, and my gut suspects the worst.

  Nicky grips my elbow, steering me toward the exit, but I can’t leave. Not until I have answers. “Don’t make a scene. People are staring.” He deflects the blame to me, something my ex-husband used to do when he had been caught in the wrong.

  “I don’t care.” No one is staring but the golden mystery man. His quiet gaze is more unnerving than Nicky’s philandering. I smooth my hair away from my face, trying to remain calm. My temper, however, has always been a challenge to control. “Let them look.”

  “Not now.” The harshness in Nicky’s voice causes me to flinch. “I can’t talk to you when you’re like this.”

  “You’re mad? At me?” My skin heats as Nicky’s gray eyes bounce from me to the stranger and back again. Incredulity bubbles in my chest. “I haven’t done anything wrong.”

  “I didn’t say you had.” His tone is bored, almost cruel.

  “You’re acting like an ass.”

  “That’s because I am an ass, darling.”

  “I’m not your darling.” An hour ago, my feelings for Nicky bordered on adoration, but now that the glow of sex has faded, in the face of his unfaithfulness, I know better. I know better, but I need to hear him admit his infidelity. He pauses to examine his reflection in the glass of the framed print next to the door. My temperature climbs, along with the volume of my voice. “Don’t patronize me.”

  “Calm down, sweets.” He stares at me like I’m out of my mind. In truth, I feel crazy. Crazy for putting up with his bullshit.

  “You have her lipstick on your mouth.” He drags a thumb over his lips to remove the evidence of kisses from another woman. I storm past him, throw open the exit door. It clangs against the wall and bounces back, almost hitting me in the nose. The whole time, the stranger’s stare bores into me. He follows us outside, moving to speak with his driver while I glare at my date.

  “Hey, hey.” In the damp alley, Nicky grabs my biceps, the same way the stranger had done to keep us from crashing into each other. I have a quick, inappropriate memory of how hard and warm the stranger is. His touch had been comforting, reassuring, while Nicky’s grasp fuels my temper.

  “Let go.” I yank my arms free of his hold.

  His hands fall to his sides. The tone of his voice softens. “I don’t want to fight with you.” With a gentle touch, he smooths my hair over my shoulder. “You have nothing to worry about. If anyone should be upset, it’s me. That man—” His chin jerks in the direction of the stranger. “He’s morally bankrupt.” His fingers glide along my back. Sweet, charming Nicky returns. Only this time, I see through his pretty words.

  “Don’t.” I exhale, eager for privacy in the interior of the Maybach. No man is worth this kind of trouble.

  “I’m not. I’m just saying that you should stay away from him. We have a history. I don’t like to talk about it, but he fucked me over once.” He pulls me back into his embrace, placing his lips next to my ear. “You know I’m falling for you, right? I co
uld be in love with you so easily.”

  More than anything, I want to believe a man can love me, that I have value to someone. My ex-husband betrayed me in the worst way and chose his mistress over our marriage. I can’t go through that again. Nicky wraps an arm around my waist. I lean into his chest. He kisses me, flicking his tongue between my lips. I close my eyes, thinking of the stranger, wondering how he tastes. Like mint? Or with a hint of scotch?

  When I open my eyes, he’s staring at us from the opened door of his limousine. Butterflies twitter in my stomach. For the stranger. Not for Nicky. How is that possible? How can I have feelings for Nicky one minute then feel such a strong attraction to a man I don’t even know? Each passing second with Nicky reinforces the answer. I’m not ready for a relationship. Not with a man known for breaking hearts. Not with him. Maybe not with anyone.

  “We’re both on edge tonight.” Nicky’s eyes follow mine and narrow when he sees the blond staring back at me. “Go home. Get some rest. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

  “Thank you for the lift,” I smile at the stranger, ignoring Nicky, and slide into the cool interior of the car.

  “It’s my pleasure.” The man nudges Nicky aside then bends down like he’s going to kiss me. He’s close enough to smell the clean scent of his shampoo. My heart races around my chest, pinging off my ribs. He flicks the hem of my dress inside the Maybach. “Give your address to the driver.” He straightens and shuts the door, enveloping me in a cloud of quiet luxury.

  “Where to, madam?” The masked driver addresses my reflection in his rearview mirror.

  “Wait.” I shift to the edge of the soft leather seat. “How do I know you won’t tell anyone where I live?”

  “My employer would never allow such a breach of confidentiality,” the driver says, his gaze averted from my masked face.

  “Can you tell me his name?”