“It’s easy for you to ignore it. You’re a prince. People will say stuff about you, but they won’t make derogatory or inflammatory remarks about you.”
“Did you forget that somebody tried to kill me and me and my entire family three months ago?”
She finished blotting her lipstick and gave him a small smile. “Of course not, but those were terrorists. Totally different from pompous, misogynist, potentially racist, and xenophobic pricks online.” She started speaking as if those pricks were in the car with them. “I was born in Valleria, you cocksucking cunts. Even if I hadn’t been, there’s no reason to be jealous of me because of my gorgeous Spanish heritage.”
He laughed. God, he loved her mouth, for a variety of reasons, but her linguistic prowess for curse words was definitely one of them. “That’s a point. So, what’s the plan for tonight?”
She finished powdering her face and went all business. “Well, it’s our first big event together, on our own anyway. We went to that event with your parents a week ago, but this is different. It’s our debut as a couple. Not only that, but members of Envision should be here. This is a big, splashy movie premiere, after all. The latestJasper Bestspy thriller calls for a royal premiere, doesn’t it?”
He smiled wickedly and curled up close to her, wanting to ruffle her up again now that she was presentable and provocative once more.
“You should play one of Jasper’s women in the next movie.”
She gave him an ‘are you fucking kidding me?’ look. “I’m not going to play Jasper’s latest piece. Ever. If I’m in that movie, it’s going to be as the lead.”
“Should we call her ‘Jane Best’?”
“Hardly. We’ll call her ‘Anda Best’, spy extraordinaire. Think I could pull it off?”
“You already do.” He kissed her neck just as they pulled up to the premiere.
After security gave him the all-clear, he stepped out of the car and gave the crowd an easy smile and a wave. He also took the opportunity to scan the crowds and protective detail surrounding them himself. This was their first royal public appearance on their own, and he wasn’t going to let anything happen to them.
Ethan held his hand out, Anda slipping hers into it as she stepped out. Her dress was a knockout silver number splashed with Vallerian purple. It was soft and not really puffy, but it had a fuller skirt that hid the fact she wasn’t wearing panties.
Those were in his pocket.
The skirt also hid the garter and gun strapped to her thigh, not to mention a few other choice weapons hidden in the lining of the dress and on her person. He was hiding a few himself, as a matter of fact.
It always paid to be prepared.
Anda slid up next to him smiling, and waved to the cheering crowds. He couldn’t help but be taken in by her just like everyone else. She was dazzling, distracting, and delightful.
She was his.
He smiled softly, genuinely, as she situated herself on his arm. That was the photo everyone would see the next day: the two of them gazing lovingly at each other.
Yet, it wasn’t fake. It wasn’t posed.
It was just real.
It was just them.
* * *
Anda had stayed close to Ethan most of the premiere until the end, when she’d been pulled away to discuss a role by a big name producer who’d refused to see her in years past. Apparently, there were extremes when dating a prince—those who absolutely hated her and those who wanted to kiss her ass to get favors. Fuck that. She’d never use Ethan or his family.
So, when fellow actress Belinda James approached her on her way across the reception space, she assumed it would be another ass-kissing attempt.
“Anda, darling!” She gave her a kiss on each cheek. “You look marvelously recovered. One would never guess an entire stage practically fell on you.”
Anda merely smiled. They’d told the public that her injuries had been the result of the bomb underneath the stage. Since no one had effectively seen her in the last few months, the rumor mill had run rampant that her injuries were more severe than originally thought. They had been, but not because of falling through the stage.
“And now you’re with the prince! Darling, how did you keep that a secret?”
Another question she’d gotten repeatedly all night in those rare moments when she’d been alone. No one dared approach when she was with Ethan. Even now, a security agent was nearby. She didn’t need them, but kept up the pretense for appearances. If something did happen, kicking someone’s ass herself would lead to questions she didn’t want to answer, so an agent would always remain near her at public events.
Anda gave Belinda a calm smile. “He is actually waiting for me, so I do need to get going. Were you just stopping by to say hello and check on me? That’s so sweet.”
