Page 16 of Royal Cocktail

She shook her head. She should pull open the door and bolt, but somehow, she was frozen to the spot, her body hot, her pulse pounding, her head humming.

Was this a panic attack? This might be a panic attack.

When they were together in the past, she’d always been so at ease. Those had been the best days of her life. She hadn’t worried about what he thought or the way she sounded. But she was worrying about it now.

Because she wanted him to hear very clearly how much she wanted him gone.

Bolstering her courage, she drew in a breath and turned back to meet his eyes dead on. She forced herself to speak slowly even though she wanted to blurt out the words. She wanted him to understand every damn syllable. The words came in bursts and slightly slurred. But at least they came.

“My father is ambitious for me. But once I tell him that you’re a lying man-whore who used and dumped me, I promise he will kick you out of this office and get the press involved. Whatever low-key visit to Austin that you wanted will be shot in the foot right then.”

“You wouldn’t do that.”

“Try me. He doesn’t know about us. Nobody does. I never told anybody that I dated a prince who used me, and I ripped that stupid picture of you off the board at The Fix. I erased you, Leo. Scrubbed you from my life.”

“Did you?” His voice was oddly gentle. “Is that why you wrote that law review article? Because you’d put me behind you?”

Ice cold anger burned inside her, along with mortification that he saw her so clearly. “I will tell my father and the press everything if that’s what it takes to get you out of this office.”

He took a step toward her. She put a hand up, tilting her head and glaring at him. He froze.

“Skye—”

“Just go.”

“What will you tell your father? He’s going to wonder why I walked out of here.”

“I’ll just tell him the truth. That you realized I wasn’t even close to good enough for you, and so you decided to just walk away.”

Chapter Nine

Two Years Ago

“Leo!”

Skye’s voice hit him the moment he and Jürgen stepped through the door at The Fix on Sixth. He searched the room, quickly finding her by the dartboard with Hannah and Griffin. She grinned and waved. Best of all, she didn’t appear the least bit self-conscious about shouting his name.

He blew her a kiss and pointed to a booth. She nodded, then hugged her friends before hurrying toward him while Jürgen—an excellent bodyguard and an even better friend—made himself scarce.

As she got closer, her smile widened, her brown eyes glittering with joy as she threw herself into his arms, her legs locking around his upper thighs so that he was forced to palm her ass to hold her up. Which wasn’t a bad thing at all.

“Guess what?”

“I’m going out on a limb and saying that it’s good news.”

“They posted grades.” She spoke slowly, her breathing steady despite her obvious excitement. “Now guess which girl got all A’s—including the high-A in antitrust law.”

“Um, Ellie?” Skye’s law school bestie was a charming woman, but she was also barely skating by.

“She managed a C-minus, and she’s thrilled.”

He bounced her in his arms. “Then I’m guessing you’re the girl who got all A’s.”

She nodded happily. “And I managed that despite … spending far too much time with this cute guy I’ve … been hanging around with.”

“Perhaps that guy is your good luck charm.”

She leaned forward and kissed him, soft and sweet. “Maybe he is.”