“Presentable?” He scoffs. “There won’t be a better dressed, better looking person in the ballroom.”
I like how he orders it: dressed first as that is what he is responsible for and then my looks second. Zero’s straight face cracks a tiny bit. He’s amused by Parker as well. Before I leave, I turn to Josh. “If you can’t get your head out of your shorts, this might not be the right assignment.”
He stammers out an apology, but I’m not in the mood to listen to it. As I’m closing the door, I can hear Parker laying into him.
“I think you’ll have a new valet tomorrow,” Zero observes.
“Yes, I think you’re right.” I tug at the tight collar wishing I didn’t have to go down there dressed in my military finery and dance with women I’m not interested in and make small talk with people I don’t care about.
“Ready?” Zero points toward the elevator, where two of my men are waiting.
“And if I said I was not?”
He shrugs because I am the prince, but I also have obligations as the prince, which means I always have to be ready. The celebration is in full swing when we arrive. The crowd parts as I step into the ballroom. It always does. It may have something to do with the four bodyguards I have surrounding me or Zero, who towers over everyone here. At least the music doesn’t come to a stop as it did at the one state function in Monaco. That was unnerving. I scan the room. It’s full of Vieth Orphans and their marks. I suppose some of the marks are Aidon’s people as he has a mostly male crew. How the mighty have fallen.
A ball of yellow sunshine sparkles by in the arms of one of Aidon’s men. My eyes fall and catch on the stones molded around her tits. Her golden hair, half brown, half blond, all of it sun-kissed, is piled high on her neck. She’s laughing as she spins and dips and twirls. I recognize the thug as one of Aidon’s inner circle. The girl I don’t know, but I will by the end of the song.
“Find out who that is,” I direct Zero.
His eyes widen in alarm, but before he can stop me, I step in the path of the dancing couple. The girl pulls up sharply, and the man frowns.
“Golden girl, I’m sorry I’m late.” I pull her out of the man’s arms. “Thank you for entertaining my girl, but I’m here now. You can go.” With that dismissal, I whisk my golden girl across the dance floor to a dark alcove, where a Vieth Orphan is feeling up one of her victims. “Leave.”
The two take off immediately.
“That’s impressive,” says the girl. “Do you know them?”
“No.” I peer down at the ray of light standing before me, her head tilted, her lips curved into a questioning half smile. “Years of experience.” I’m used to ordering people around and having those orders followed.
“Nice. I wish I could have that superpower.”
I lean forward, blocking out her view of the rest of the room. “Is that all you wish?”
She peers up at me through her lashes. “Are you a genie granting them? If so, how many do I get?”
“It’s endless if you wish for the right thing.”
“What if I wished to go back to dancing with Pole?”
“That would not be the right thing.” No other men for her. I don’t know why I feel this way, I just do. I’m a selfish creature, raised alone with all my whims catered to. I do not share. Once I see something that should be mine, that is the end of the story. It becomes mine. Forever and always.
Chapter Six
Mackenzie
I smile up at the charming handsome man. Paulina was right. The men have been all over me tonight. I guess yellow really is my color. First there was Pole and now Sov Charmont. Not to mention the two guys Pole stole me away from earlier.
Though Pole is only a friend, he’s my favorite out of Aidon’s men. He can always make us all laugh. A lot of the girls have a crush on him. I’m not so sure he’s their type, but I don’t want to kill their dreams, so I keep that to myself.
“You dance well. I suppose I can stick with you instead of Pole,” I point out. His hand that is holding on to one of mine tightens. He danced well, and in a short time he’d moved me across the room and into this corner.
I said the first thing that popped into my mind. Unlike the other Vieth girls, I have no real experience with having conversations with men that I’m attracted to. He stares down at me with the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen in my life. I don’t know what it is about this man, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel some sort of pull to him.