What the fuck was she doing here with his friends?
He didn’t want to stare at her but he couldn’t stop himself.
She might not be the most beautiful girl in the room, but for him -—
She was the only girl in the world that he could imagine staring at forever.
Studying her from bottom to top, he took note of her glittering heels and the way it made her look like Cinderella coming to the fucking ball—-
And it only got worse from there.
Her shimmering white gown fell just above her shapely ankles, proving that a girl could be sexy as hell without showing any skin, while the gown’s sweetheart neckline clung to her generous bosom and bared her creamy white shoulders to view.
This was the fucking worst, the prince thought grimly.
The kind of worst that made his cock throb in powerful need, forcing the prince to shift restlessly on his feet, hoping like hell that the enormous bulge behind his pants would pass unnoticed.
When their gazes met for the third time—-
Prince. She ached to call him. And she couldn’t help calling out to him, in her mind, the only way she was allowed to.
Prince.
The prince smiled, almost as if he had heard her, almost like he cared.
But then that was all he could give, and a second later, the prince was turning his back on her, his arm going around the waist of the woman beside him.
Fawn wanted to throw up.
“I n-need to go to the restroom,” she managed to say before turning around to run away.
Nathan’s face became grim. “I’ll go after her.”
Nick nodded, and having caught sight of Reid heading their way with a cold expression on his face, he murmured, “Lilac and I will handle Chalkias.”
****
The prince’s hold on his wine glass tightened as he felt Fawn’s stricken look scorching his back like an unforgivable wound.
This is the right thing to do.
The best thing to do.
The only thing to do.
But even so, he found himself unable to resist the urge to look back.
And that was when he saw Fawn walking away, with Nathan Callis looking too damn gorgeous by her side, his hand on the small of her back.
He hailed a waiter in a brusque gesture to dispose of his wineglass, knowing that if he didn’t, he would end up snapping it in half.
This is the right thing to do.
The best thing to do.
The only thing to do.
But even so, he found himself making excuses to his guests before swinging away and heading to Nick and Lilac. On the other side of the ballroom, Fawn and Nathan remained close to each other, and the prince’s fists clenched.
Even though he was already retired, Nathan Callis was still considered the world’s most goddamn famous supermodel, a rare breed in the modeling industry because he was the complete fucking package. Stunning looks, lethal sex appeal, and an even more lethal amount of cunning—-
If he found out that Callis had made a move on Fawn—-
Upon reaching Nick and Lilac, the prince asked without preamble, “Where are they going?”
Lilac blinked in surprise, having never heard Reid speak with such cold fury when it came to any of his friends.
“Good evening to you, too.” Nick’s handsome face remained bland.
The prince’s face became flushed, but even so, he said tautly, “I’m not playing games.”
“Neither are we,” Nick answered, unperturbed.
When Reid’s green eyes narrowed, Lilac knew it was time to interfere, saying hastily, “She just went to the powder room, that’s all.”
Knowing that it was unlike Lilac to lie, the prince allowed himself to relax slightly. But when he glanced at Nick again, his green eyes remained hard. “Why did you have to bring her here, Christakos?”
“Because she asked for our help.” It was the truth. “And one look at her, and I knew she was in pain. Because of you—-”
“You know why I have to end it between us,” the prince exploded under his breath. “It’s the only way to keep her safe—-”
“Bullshit.” Grabbing Lilac’s hand, Nick squeezed it tightly as he muttered, “Don’t you think I would have done the same thing for Lilac if I thought it would keep her safe?” When Reid didn’t answer, he said flatly, “Life doesn’t work out that way. Isolating yourself from everyone is never the answer—-”
“It is for me.” The prince’s smile was self-mocking. “I’m the Prince of Darkness, after all.”
And because he was, the prince was destined to live alone.
For as long as he wanted the people who mattered to stay alive—-
He had to live alone.
There was no other choice.
“I’m not arguing about that. You are the Prince of Darkness, but goddammit—-” Nick waited for his friend to meet his gaze. “You’re also Reid Chalkias. You’re both, Chalkias, and it’s because you’re both that you need her—-” Nick broke off when he saw Fawn on her way back.
Lilac and the prince followed his gaze, and Fawn stumbled, a frozen expression arrested on her face upon realizing that Nick and Lilac had company.
Nathan, seeing the same thing happen, walked to Fawn’s side and gently cupped her elbow, bowing his head to murmur something under his breath to Fawn.
A fucking tender sight, the prince thought harshly, and he despised every second of it.
Fawn and Nathan started to walk towards them.
“That’s what’s going to happen if you don’t accept what I’m saying is true,” Nick said under his breath. “So take what’s yours before it’s too late.”
Fawn and Nathan reached them as Nick finished speaking, and the prince gestured subtly to his bodyguards. Half were in uniform, the other half dressed incognito, and all of them moved about in seeming randomness, repositioning themselves without drawing the attention of the other guests.
Even though it was a by-invitation party, the prince wasn’t taking any chances. He didn’t want anyone he didn’t know eavesdropping on them and by the time his security had completed rearranged their positions, they had the prince and his companions surrounded, their privacy secured.
“Great party as always, Reid,”
