“Not what I think? It wasn’t enough to be an asshole to me or drive Jade away, now you had to take away the only person who’s nice to me?”
He stared at me, looking stupidly pathetic.
“I fucking hate you!” I hissed and pushed past him, not looking back as I left him behind.
FIFTY
THE DUCHESS
I straightened my back and summoned a smile to my face before I stepped into the Gardenside Pavillion. It was lunchtime, and the Crimson Palace’s most popular restaurant was packed. I made it about ten steps inside before the whispering started. People tugged on their companions, phones made an appearance, and wide eyes followed me as the Crimson Duchess made a public appearance.
The bolder ones approached me before I was halfway across the floor. I simpered and signed napkins, slowly edging myself toward the balcony where my father waited.
It took me a few minutes to extract myself and step outside. This restaurant had multiple balconies, and I faltered for a second when I saw Finch seated at the next one over, half hidden by the decorative plants. He didn’t look at me as he set his coffee down and typed something on his laptop, though I felt a flicker of irritation through the bond.
My father was already seated at a private table in the sunshine. My heart sank as I saw who he was sitting with;Prince, Dax, and Madison leered at me. Next to them were all four of Prince’s pack parents and both of Prince’s older brothers, Romeo and Felix. My aunt Ophelia and her two harpy daughters, Vivienne and Elizabeth, rounded out our happy family meal.
The empty seat was between my father and Prince, and I sank into it gracefully as I greeted them. Finch wasn’t visible from this angle, though he was close enough to hear us. My blood still boiled as I heard Kaos’s scathing words when I’d offered to bug their phones.
“Laurel,” my father said, his eyes flicking to the restaurant. “I keep telling you, you should have a bodyguard. It’d let you get around much more easily.”
“I don’t mind, Father,” I replied, smoothing my napkin on my lap.
Large glass windows and doors were between us and the public, and people were trying to be subtle as they stopped and took pictures of our lunch through the window.
My food was placed in front of me, chosen for me before my arrival. It was a light seafood pasta, and I took a bite, hiding my grimace. The only seafood I liked—barely—was fish, and these slimy scallops were hard to choke down.
“We have some exciting news,” Prince said, resting his hand on mine.
I tilted my head in interest.
Oh, I highly doubted that.
Still, it was a good opportunity, and I used the change in attention to slide his phone off the table. I smiled up at Prince as I plugged in Kaos’s burner phone.
Ha.
Eat that, Kaos.
Madison was sawing at his steak, but his eyes flicked up to mine for a second. Dax had a small smile playing on his face.
“Well, your father has given his blessing,” Prince continued, moving out his chair to face me.
The whole table had quieted, looking over at us. I slipped the phones into my purse, suddenly extremely aware that the way the table was angled meant everyone inside had a full view of Prince as he sank down to one knee on the floor.
Shit, was all I could think as he smiled up at me.
His eyes danced with victory. “Laurel, my pack will be honoured to court, mate, and marry you,” he said, flipping open a small box with a glittering ring inside.
My hands flew to my mouth in horror.
For a moment, I couldn’t think.
Just feel.
The sunlight, a little too hot on my shoulders, caused sweat to bead on my back. The unpleasant lingering taste of shellfish and the prickling on my skin as I looked into Prince’s beautiful, soulless eyes. The pinch of my heels on my toes and the movement in the background as the window behind us erupted into a flurry of movement, people pressing close to capture this moment. And above it all, the surge of emotions from Finch—anger, resentment, outrage.
“Oh,” I said, because he hadn’t even asked me anything. “What wonderful news!”
