“What are you doing?” My voice is ice.
“What does it look like?” She presses her mouth to mine.
I don’t kiss her back. I sit perfectly still, hands on the armrests, waiting for her to realize how badly this is failing. Her lips move against mine, searching for any response. When she doesn’t get one, she tries something else, her mouth trailing down my jaw to my neck, her hips grinding against me.
After a moment, she pulls back, confusion clouding her face. Her hand slides between us, pressing against my crotch.
“You’re not hard.” She stares at me. “Do you have a problem?”
I laugh. The audacity of this woman.
“My cock works perfectly fine when it’s intrigued.” I hold her gaze. “You’re not intriguing.”
Her cheeks go red. “I don’t understand. I’m offering you everything. I’m?—”
“Nothing I want.” I keep my voice pleasant, almost bored. “You’re beautiful, Tatiana. I’m sure plenty of men would be thrilled to have you throw yourself at them. I’m not one of them.”
“Is there someone else?” Her eyes narrow. “You’re already fucking one of the other princesses?”
“My personal life is none of your concern.”
“It is if I’m going to be your wife.”
“You’re not going to be my wife.”
The words land hard. Her mask cracks, revealing wounded pride underneath. Fury.
“You don’t get to decide that.” Her voice turns venomous. “The council wants this alliance. Your parents want this alliance. You think you can?—”
My office door swings open.
Addison stands in the doorway, holding a folded piece of paper.
For a moment, no one moves. Her eyes find mine first, taking in the scene. Tatiana straddling my lap, dress hiked up, lipstick smeared on my neck. Then her gaze shifts to Tatiana, traveling slowly down and back up with complete disinterest.
Her expression doesn’t change. Not a flicker.
She walks to my desk with measured steps, unhurried, her eyesholding mine the entire time. Then she glances at Tatiana once before setting the paper beside my elbow.
“Your mother asked me to deliver this.”
Her voice is steady. Professional. Like she’s witnessed nothing more interesting than paperwork.
She turns and walks out without another word.
I shove Tatiana off my lap so hard that she stumbles, catching herself on the desk. I’m on my feet before she’s regained her balance.
“Get out.”
She straightens her dress, and her face twists with humiliation. “You’re making a mistake. I’m the best option you?—”
“You assaulted me.” I step toward her, and she backs away. “Entered, uninvited. Climbed on me, uninvited. Kissed me, uninvited. That’s not seduction. It’s pathetic.”
Her face goes white.
“If you ever try this again, you’ll be on a plane back to Belcova before dinner. I’ll tell your father exactly what happened. And I’ll make sure every royal family in Europe knows that Princess Tatiana throws herself at men who don’t want her.” I lean closer. “Understand?”
She nods, eyes wide.
