Destiny’s mood brightened as they exchanged contact information, only for it to be immediately dampened by the unwelcome presence of Prince Alexander. He’d slowed his pace until he was at their side and was smiling his arrogant smile as if he expected Destiny to be happy to see him. His scent wafted toward her, stirring her anger into a soup of complicated emotions Destiny had no desire to parse. She glared at him before turning her attention determinedly toward Mina, who was describing the history of the grand room the group had just entered.
Genesis looked between the prince and Destiny curiously, giving Destiny the impression that the reporter didn’t miss much. Her big brown eyes held a shrewd intelligence that paired well with her disarming beauty. It probably made her very good at her job.
“I’ll catch you after your performance, Miss Duvalle,” Genesis said, smirking. “I’d better listen to the tour guide to get some good filler for my story.”
Before Destiny could protest, Genesis winked and slipped away, joining the front cluster of their tour group. Aside from a huddle of reporters who’d fallen behind, Destiny and Prince Alexander were relatively alone. She clenched her jaw, concentrating on sending outgo awayvibes and not breathing in the prince’s sweet, cozy scent.
“I believe I owe you an apology, Miss Duvalle,” the prince said, surprising Destiny into looking at him. “I’ve come to understand that I gave you a rather undignified welcome last night. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”
He sounded sincere, which caught Destiny completely off guard. She hadn’t been prepared for him to own up to his behavior so quickly. She relaxed infinitesimally. Maybe he wasn’t quite as horrible as he seemed.
“Thanks for saying that,” she replied stiffly, resisting the urge to lean toward the pull of his woodsy scent and electric eyes. “It was quite the surprise, but I’ve seen worse drunken shenanigans, I suppose.”
“I’ll bet you have,” Prince Alexander replied, chuckling. “I’ve seen your picture in plenty of tabloids. I know you have a wild streak.”
Destiny stiffened again. She’d been in the public eye for too damn long. The tabloids had done what they did best, twisting her image and sensationalizing her private life to get more clicks and engagement. Time and again, young Destiny’s mistakes had been plastered all over their websites, the details embellished or completely fabricated. She’d had to develop a thick skin.
“Don’t believe everything you’ve read about me, and I’ll try not to believe everything I’ve read about you,” she shot back, fixing him with a cold stare. “Although, you’ve already shown me thatthe stories are at least partly true whereas I’ve done nothing but try to sleep in a room reeking of your vomit.”
The prince’s eyes flashed. “Someone’s awfully sensitive. Maybe Prince Ammar dodged a bullet with you.”
Destiny wished she had her stun gun. This was her second conversation with this man, and she’d already contemplated his bodily harm multiple times. How could anyone be this annoying?
“Prince Alexander, I’ve been looking for you.” A velvety voice with an elegant British accent interrupted her murderous plotting. “This was not the next item on your itinerary today, might I add.”
Destiny turned away from the prince and locked eyes with the most beautiful man she’d ever seen. Again. Yes, he was the most beautiful man she’d ever seen and so was Prince Alexander and so was Hunter Li and it was completely illogical. Her brain might’ve been short circuiting. Her body most certainly was.
The prince’s chief advisor was tall with broad shoulders and an upright posture that demanded your attention. His close-cropped dark curls, thick eyebrows, and perfectly sculpted goatee contrasted beautifully with his golden-brown skin. His mouth was full and sensuous and filled Destiny’s imagination with all manner of primal, needy fantasies that gave her an unfamiliar thrill deep in her belly. His appearance was comprised of a catalogue of traits that should’ve been compiled into a book calledHow to Seduce Destiny Duvalle on First Sight.
And his scent.
God, it was incredible! Sexy and inviting, like long winter nights intertwined beneath a warm blanket. Greyson smelled sweet and earthy, like pomegranate and cypress. It brushed over Destiny’s skin, bringing a gentle calm followed by a rush of heat.
Desire. Desire like nothing Destiny had ever known. The kind of desire she thought was beyond her, broken as she was.
Greyson was watching her with an intensity that set her insides ablaze. His brown eyes were hot, pupils dilated, and nostrils flared as if he’d caught her scent as well. Destiny realized she was trembling and that she hadn’t moved for several long moments. She licked her lips nervously, watching as his eyes followed the movement. The corresponding increase in the heat of his gaze warmed her skin, making her stomach flutter wildly. She leaned toward him almost involuntarily.
Prince Alexander growled, startling Destiny from her daze. Reluctantly, she pulled her eyes away from Greyson, only to find the prince staring at them with a furrowed brow and forbidding expression. She glared at him, and he glared right back as if he wasn’t the most irritating man in history.
The nerve. Could he seriously not handle not being the center of attention for one second? She was about to make a cutting remark, when his packmate cleared his throat, drawing her attention back to his beautiful face. Destiny’s glare softened immediately.
“Miss Duvalle, forgive me. I’m a bit starstruck. My name is Greyson Valentine. I am Prince Alexander’s packmate and chief advisor.” He took her hand, sending an electric current through her body. When he pressed his lips to her knuckles, dark eyes holding hers with undisguised interest, Destiny thought her knees might buckle.
“Pleased to meet you, Mr. Valentine,” she managed to choke out. “You flatter me. I’m sure you often meet people with much more star power.”
Greyson smiled, his full lips parting to reveal a grin that practically incinerated her panties. “I assure you, we’ve never met anyone like you, star or otherwise.”
Destiny felt herself blushing. It was patently ridiculous for her to be blushing. She was used to being flattered, but there was something in Greyson’s gaze that made his praise feel real. She scrambled for an appropriate response.
“You were looking for me and you’ve found me, Valentine,” Prince Alexander snapped, ungraciously interrupting the moment with ill-tempered authority. “Let’s get on with it.”
Greyson lifted an eyebrow, inclining his head slightly. “Of course, your highness.”
Destiny was grateful for the prince’s rudeness, as it provided an excuse to escape the maddening combination of the two alphas’ appealing and frustrating qualities. She remembered to bow her head at the prince before hurrying away to join the rest of the group.
It was suddenly very clear that she should keep her distance from the men of Pack Stepanov.
Chapter four
