Mallory. I’m willing to overlook it if you promise me you’re not marrying Bowie. Don’t get me wrong. I like the guy, but you’ve always been mine, and I always get what I want—eventually. I can make you a queen and give you riches your trust fund can only dream of.”
“You certainly know how to sweep a girl off her feet, too,” Mallory teased. Then she grew serious. “Your parents will never allow you to marry me. You know that. I know that. A prince is not going to marry an American heiress. He’s going to marry another royal.”
“My father will be dead soon, and then I will be king. Things are going to change. I will have so much power I can do, or marry, whoever I want. And if they try to stop me, they’ll find out how strong I am becoming in my own right. Stromia is not a weak, defenseless country anymore. We will have weapons . . .” Liam stopped and then smiled. “We also have jewels for me to shower you with. Imagine being naked with only a sapphire the size of your fist around your neck and a diamond tiara on your head as I make love to you.”
Mallory smiled slowly. She wouldn’t say anything about the weapons, but Liam had always had a weakness for trying to impress. This was what she came for. The CIA was right to worry. “You have one night, Liam. One night to prove I should pick you.”
“Then we don’t have a moment to lose. Let’s dance, my princess.”
“From a queen to a princess so fast,” Mallory tsk-tsked. “What will I be by midnight, a pumpkin?”
“You’ll be mine.”
Mallory fought the urge to roll her eyes as he led her back into the ballroom and onto the dance floor.
* * *
Reid tossed back another drink and watched Mallory dance with a prince who was no better than a slug. He would treat her well enough until he had her on his mantel, and then he’d start working on his next trophy. He was sure her father was happy about it, though.
Senator Westin and that prick Ambrose Childs had entered the ballroom ten minutes earlier. Her father stood watching Mallory with a slight smile on his face. Too bad for Ambrose, Mallory had found someone even better than a vice president.
The dance came to an end, and Reid watched Bowie lead a simpering blond aristocrat off the dance floor and over to the bar. Reid felt his blood boil as he watched Bowie slide his hand around her waist and lean in toward her. He smiled down at her and whispered something in her ear; she turned pink as she giggled.
Before he knew it, Reid grabbed Bowie by the back of his neck and steered him into the kitchen. “You share her bed and then have the audacity to try to pick up someone else while you are at the event with Mallory?”
Bowie held up his hands. “Hey, man. It’s not like that. It’s an open relationship. Besides, she’s out dancing with Liam, and we all know what he wants. Not that I can say I blame him. Mallory is . . .”
Reid didn’t let him finish. His fist cracked Bowie’s flapping jaw. “Mallory is a woman who deserves respect, not some tawdry bit to be passed around and joked about with your buddies.” Reid dropped his hold on Bowie and slammed his hands into the black swinging kitchen door.
“If you love her so much, you should have fought for her when you had your chance. Don’t hate me for being able to finish what you were too cowardly to start.”
Reid had his hand around Bowie’s throat so fast, Bowie blinked in surprise. “What do you know about it? What did Mallory tell you?”
“Nothing, just that you two were once a thing,” Bowie choked through his smug smile.
“Then don’t call me a coward when you don’t know a thing about it.” Reid let go of him and let him scamper from the room. He took a deep breath and headed up the staff elevator to the control room. He couldn’t stand to be near her. His heart ached in recognition of the soul mate he’d never have. It’s why he’d had to stay away from his own family for so long. He couldn’t
“You certainly know how to sweep a girl off her feet, too,” Mallory teased. Then she grew serious. “Your parents will never allow you to marry me. You know that. I know that. A prince is not going to marry an American heiress. He’s going to marry another royal.”
“My father will be dead soon, and then I will be king. Things are going to change. I will have so much power I can do, or marry, whoever I want. And if they try to stop me, they’ll find out how strong I am becoming in my own right. Stromia is not a weak, defenseless country anymore. We will have weapons . . .” Liam stopped and then smiled. “We also have jewels for me to shower you with. Imagine being naked with only a sapphire the size of your fist around your neck and a diamond tiara on your head as I make love to you.”
Mallory smiled slowly. She wouldn’t say anything about the weapons, but Liam had always had a weakness for trying to impress. This was what she came for. The CIA was right to worry. “You have one night, Liam. One night to prove I should pick you.”
“Then we don’t have a moment to lose. Let’s dance, my princess.”
“From a queen to a princess so fast,” Mallory tsk-tsked. “What will I be by midnight, a pumpkin?”
“You’ll be mine.”
Mallory fought the urge to roll her eyes as he led her back into the ballroom and onto the dance floor.
* * *
Reid tossed back another drink and watched Mallory dance with a prince who was no better than a slug. He would treat her well enough until he had her on his mantel, and then he’d start working on his next trophy. He was sure her father was happy about it, though.
Senator Westin and that prick Ambrose Childs had entered the ballroom ten minutes earlier. Her father stood watching Mallory with a slight smile on his face. Too bad for Ambrose, Mallory had found someone even better than a vice president.
The dance came to an end, and Reid watched Bowie lead a simpering blond aristocrat off the dance floor and over to the bar. Reid felt his blood boil as he watched Bowie slide his hand around her waist and lean in toward her. He smiled down at her and whispered something in her ear; she turned pink as she giggled.
Before he knew it, Reid grabbed Bowie by the back of his neck and steered him into the kitchen. “You share her bed and then have the audacity to try to pick up someone else while you are at the event with Mallory?”
Bowie held up his hands. “Hey, man. It’s not like that. It’s an open relationship. Besides, she’s out dancing with Liam, and we all know what he wants. Not that I can say I blame him. Mallory is . . .”
Reid didn’t let him finish. His fist cracked Bowie’s flapping jaw. “Mallory is a woman who deserves respect, not some tawdry bit to be passed around and joked about with your buddies.” Reid dropped his hold on Bowie and slammed his hands into the black swinging kitchen door.
“If you love her so much, you should have fought for her when you had your chance. Don’t hate me for being able to finish what you were too cowardly to start.”
Reid had his hand around Bowie’s throat so fast, Bowie blinked in surprise. “What do you know about it? What did Mallory tell you?”
“Nothing, just that you two were once a thing,” Bowie choked through his smug smile.
“Then don’t call me a coward when you don’t know a thing about it.” Reid let go of him and let him scamper from the room. He took a deep breath and headed up the staff elevator to the control room. He couldn’t stand to be near her. His heart ached in recognition of the soul mate he’d never have. It’s why he’d had to stay away from his own family for so long. He couldn’t
Similar Books
