“I have to go,” I say. The disappointment in my voice is evident.
“I heard.” She glances down at the obvious situation in my pants and pouts. “Palace business is the biggest cockblock.”
I laugh and pull her into my arms, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” She tilts her face up to kiss me. “I want a rain check on this.”
“Fuck yes, please and thank you.” I slide my mouth across hers, and we almost get lost again.
“You have to go,” she says, pushing me away. “We have no control when we’re together.”
“I know, but I don’t want to leave. I’ve been waiting all day to spend time with you alone,” I admit. “Fuck, I want to escape, only the two of us.”
“You do each time we’re together,” she says, sliding her shirt over her head.
I move to the kitchen to grab my phone as I slide on my shoes. There are notifications of several texts from Delphine.
Delphine
Have you seen this???
Delphine
It’s trending. #FreedomForLouis
I stare at the screenshot. It’s a blind item from a gossip site.
The playboy crown prince is being paraded around like a show pony. The courtship of seven eligible princesses has nothing to do with love and everything to do with trade alliances. The future king apparently has zero say in who he marries, with the king and queen more concerned about diplomatic relationships than their heir’s happiness. Inside the palace, Prince Charming is miserable, and everyone knows it. No one cares. This might as well be a conservatorship.
The phone nearly slips from my hand.
“Fuck.”
Addison is beside me instantly. “Is everything okay?”
I show her my phone.
She reads it several times, and I watch her face go pale.
“This is not good,” she whispers.
“It’s trending. There’s a hashtag. But it could be worse,” I tell her, glad that she hasn’t been hinted at in any of this. A blind item like this, I can work with and use to my advantage, even though I know my parents are probably spiraling.
“Do you think this is what your father wants to discuss?” she asks.
“Most likely,” I tell her.
We stand there in my loft, stunned, horny, and staring at the screen.
“Go find out,” she tells me. “I’ll let myself out after you’re gone.”
I slide another kiss against her lips. “See you soon.”
I leave my loft with my heart fluttering, knowing the world will know the truth. I only hope this is the end of this charade. But with my luck? It will only be the beginning.
16
ADDISON
