“I said, get out!” I repeated. “Take your little fucking bag, and your bony little ass, and get the fuck out of my home!”Not my home.My voice was rising now, my breath coming sharply. She stared into my eyes for a second, and I was almost convinced she was going to laugh again, but she must have seen something in my expression that changed her mind, because she took a step back. I advanced, and she retreated further, plastering a phony smile onto her lips.
“Don’t think this is over, Sasha,” she said softly. “I won’t go down without a fight.” Though her next retreating step gave lie to her words. “You’ll see soon enough. You’ll be out on the street.”
“Get! Out!” It was little more than a growl now. She backed up several more steps before regaining her composure.
“I’ll see myself to the door, Sasha. But you haven’t seen the last of me.”
I gave a shout of pure rage, and she laughed with delight as she stepped through the doorway. “Sayonara,slut!” she called gaily as she slammed the door behind her. I stood in silent fury for a second, chest heaving as I stared after her.
And then my knees buckled, and I sank to the floor, gathering the sheet up around me. I bowed my head, covered my face with my hands and wept.
Chapter 2
Prince Walker
Islumped back into the seat of the limo and rubbed my face as Horatio discretely shut the door beside me. I was exhausted. Back-to-back meetings since the start of the day, and now as I took refuge in the plush interior, my phone was ringing again. I glanced at the screen and scowled.
“What do you want, Dad?” I replied, trying not to snap. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be facing this whole damn mess my life had become.
“What, no small-talk, son? Not interested in how your old man’s doing today?” Drew Walker may have been my father, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t a dick of monumental proportions. Frankly, he was probably more of a dick to me than anyone else. And I didn’t have patience to deal with another one of his fucking games. I was tired, I’d been running on full-steam all day, and I wanted to get home to my—
To Sasha.
I heaved a sigh. “How are you, Dad?” I asked, knowing it would be easier not to rise to the bait.
“I’d be better if I knew what was going on in my fucking son’s life, that’s how I am, Prince,” he replied. “What’s this about an engagement?”
“I’m getting married. I’ll be sure to send you an invite,” I answered, staring out of the window as Horatio pulled into the afternoon traffic. Even on a Saturday, it was going to be a nightmare to get home at this hour, and I braced myself for a long ride.
“Who is this girl, kid? You didn’t think to run it by me before you jumped into the deep-end?”
Run it by him?What the fuck?
“Oh geez, Dad, I’m really sorry. What did you need to know? Her family history?” I put a sneer into my reply now, although as I said the words, it occurred to me that I’d never met her family myself. But why should the old bastard care either way? After all, he was the one who forced me into this position. “Or maybe her bra size?” I added.
“Oh, Prince…Why would you say such a thing?” he tutted. He knew exactly why. My dear father had bedded half my girlfriends before I’d hit my prime. Though it had given me incentive to keep in top shape – and now that he’d seen the wrong side of 50, I knew I had our ridiculous rivalry under control.
I reined in my annoyance and started again. “I’m sorry,” I said. I wasn’t, but it was better to play nice. “Shall we get together for dinner? I can introduce her to you.”
“Well, it’s a bit fucking late for that, don’t you think? Might as well shut the damn door after the horse has bolted,” he snapped.
“Look, Dad, you gave me an ultimatum and I’ve done something about it. Now do you want to keep playing this goddamn game, or would you like to meet the woman I plan to marry?”
I heard him huff and mutter a curse beneath his breath. I’m pretty sure I blindsided him with this move, but that suited me just fine. Keeping him on the back foot was just the way I liked it. And it made a refreshing change, considering he’d been the one throwing curveballs for the past few weeks.
“Fine,” he puffed out eventually. “But only because your mother will never let me hear the end of it if I don’t.” I could hear him shuffling papers. “Come around this weekend. Friday evening. 6 p.m.”
“Good,” I replied, not letting it bother me that he hadn’t asked if that time would suit me. I wasn’t playing that game either. Best to get it over with and move forward. I had other things to worry about.
“And, son,” he went on, “try not to upset your mother, alright? Don’t surprise us with one of your usual tramps. That last one was half-decent – what was her name? Angelique? I don’t know why you couldn’t make that work.”
I felt my jaw clench. “She’s engaged to Dmitri Sysenov, Dad. You remember? The man whose company just screwed us out of a billion dollars?”
I heard him exhale sharply. “Don’t remind me, Prince. I don’t need to think about how you fucked that up for us.” There was no point in trying to explain it wasn’t my fault. But he was still talking, “Frankly, it doesn’t surprise me that you couldn’t keep her happy either. Jesus, some days I can’t understand how I managed to raise such a loser.”
“Wow, thanks, Dad,” I replied, stifling the annoyance. I didn’t need his approval anymore. And after the day’s meetings, pretty soon I wouldn’t need anything from him at all.
“You know, I—” he began, but I didn’t want to hear it.
