Corrupt Prince by Ivy Mason

Nineteen

I wokeup the next morning to a cold and empty bed.

I frowned. So, it was going to be like that, was it?

I threw off the covers, disappointment coiling in my chest and throat. When my feet hit the floor, I noticed a small box on it by the bed. Curious, I squat down and opened it to find lavender smelling sitz bath supplies, and a box of freshly plucked rose petals with a note on instructions for a bath. There was also a small box of Marisol’s cookies. Smiling, I grabbed one and bit into it, taking the box with me to the bathroom.

I spent all day switching from being annoyed that Coulter hadn’t showed up, to reliving one of the best nights of sex of my life. Four fucking orgasms in one night. Most men didn’t even know how to give one.

Later that night, after the sun had set, I heard the lock jingle. I ran towards it, a grin splitting my face.

I bent to leap through the air, planning on jumping on Coulter but, when the door opened, it revealed not Coulter, but Dante.

I stuttered to a stop, glad I hadn’t pounced yet. “Oh, it's you."

He was dressed in a bespoke suit, with a gold tie and a brush of lipstick on his cheek. Yes," he deadpanned. "It's me."

I wiped at his cheek, rubbing the lipstick off, and looked over his shoulder. "Where's Coulter?"

“Not here."

“Wow, you're smart.”

He grinned. “I know, right?” Without another word, he turned around, leaving the door open.

I stared at it in shock for a moment, then, not waiting for an invitation, grabbed my shoes, and ran after him.

The hallways were empty, the house still and quiet. Instead of going out the side door like usual, Dante led me to the front door, where there was a sexy matte black McLaren, with a soft gold trim and windows tinted so dark, you couldn’t see inside.

“This your car?”

Not answering, he opened the passenger door, then turned towards me and just stared at me, saying nothing.

“Oh, you’d like me to get inside? How nice of you to offer.” I stepped towards it, then hesitated. "Where are we going?"

He frowned. “Get in the car, Aster."

"Does Coulter know you're doing this?" I suddenly felt the need to question his intentions. The house was too quiet, and where were the guards that usually patrolled the front door? Everything was so perfectly laid out. Too perfectly laid out.

"Just trust me."

“Where are the guards, Dante? Did you kill them?"

He raised an eyebrow. "And if I had, would that bother you?"

"Maybe. Depends on why you did it."

"Just get in."

"I don't think so." I turned around to go back to my room, and Dante sighed, cursing.

"Here, Aster."

I paused, turning around to see what he would do. He put his phone to his ear, growling.

"Sorry to interrupt but she won't get in the car."

I heard the sound of Coulter’s low chuckle and I strode to Dante, grabbing the phone from his hands to yell into it. "Where the hell are you, Coulter? You fuck me then disappear?” Dante suddenly became really interested in the tires, “I haven't seen you all day. I thought you were a real man, but apparently you're not, because real men stick around the morning after. They don't run from their emotions. No, a man like you actually begins to feel something for someone, and," I gasped dramatically, "oh my gosh, we can't have that, can we? Is that how you want to play this, Coulter? Really? God, you're so immature."

I took a deep breath, ready to keep going when Coulter interrupted what was probably going to be the longest rant of my life.

"I sent Dante to take you to see Rose, but if you'd rather stay at the house, I'm sure Dante has other things he could be doing."

All of the anger fled me, immediately replaced with a gushing of emotion. I clutched the phone to me, turning away from Dante and lowering my voice. "If this is a trick to get me in the car, I will--"

"No trick, Aster. Now just go. I'm busy."

"Thank you Coulter," I gushed with so much emotion, I was going to start crying. “You’re going to get the best blow job of your life for this."

I was about to hang up but Coulter stopped me. "Aster, you're not letting your heart get involved, are you?"

I inhaled a breath, scowling, "I'm not the only one, buddy," then I did hang up and strode back to Dante, my head held high. "I think I will get in the car."

I slid inside while Dante chuckled, shaking his head as he closed the door with a smirk.

"Shut up, Dante."

He laughed louder as he walked around the door.

"I don't want to hear it," I said as he got inside, and he just put the car in drive.

The man at the gate didn't even look up as we drove through it, and it felt nice for once to not have to hide in the back.

I was jittery the whole way there, and by the time Dante brought me through the back door of a high end boutique, I was about to burst.

As soon as I walked through the short hallway and into a large grey room I heard a squeal.

Rose was standing on a platform, wearing a gorgeous cream wedding dress, and an elderly lady was kneeling at her feet, pinning the edges of it.

"Aster!" Rose jumped off the platform, ignoring the scowl of the elderly lady as she ran towards me.

Something loosened inside me. All of the fear and angst and anger I'd been feeling for the past few weeks bled away. And, as I ran towards her, a grin broke from my face and tears streamed down my face.

We collided in a mass of tears and laughing and squealing.

"You're finally here!"

"You're finally here!" I had my arms wrapped around her so tight, there were pins poking into my skin but I didn't care. I would let someone stick me with a thousand needles to touch my sister again.

The silver-haired lady who’d been pinning the dress walked out of the room, grumbling and shaking her head but I ignored her. I was with my sister!

Rose pulled back, cupping my face. "You're all grown up."

"So are you."

We were grinning like fools.

"I never thought I would see you again." Her eyes clouded over, "not after Lily, and then my dad sold me to Dimitri and I thought that was it for me."

“That bastard!" Indignation filled me. "I'm going to kill him for doing that."

She laughed, shaking her head and glancing to the side. It was only then that I saw Knight standing at the edge of the room, watching us. “I don't think we'll have to worry about him any longer."

I straightened, my eyes widening. "Rose, did you kill him?"

She laughed, “God no, do you think I would do that?"

I shook my head, sighing. "Honestly? I don't know what to expect anymore."

She took my hand, leading me to sit on a lavender colored velvet sofa. "I know what you mean. And I'm sorry I got you involved in all this." More tears began to drain down her face, and I could feel the infusion of guilt coming off her. At this, Knight made his way towards us, a deep scowl on his face.

"Aster, did you make her cry?" He sounded…not like himself. Protective, of Rose, like he was going to drag me out of here if I told him yes.

"I'm okay, Knight. She didn't do anything," Rose waved him off, but he grabbed a box of tissues lying on a side table and brought it to her, giving me a dirty look.

“I didn’t do anything.” Scowling, I shot him the bird. Rose laughed, grabbing my hands and pulling them to her chest.

"You always were a firecracker."

I ignored Knight, who was still hovering over her protectively.

"Tell me," I gripped her hands tight. "Are they forcing you to marry Coulter's brother?" I gave Knight a significant look. "Or are you really in love with someone else?"

"Oh my god, no," Rose shook her head, "Knight is just protective, that's all." Her face turned serious, "He helped me when I had no one else."

"You always had Bourbon," He flopped to the floor by our side, apparently inviting himself into our conversation.

"Yeah, but Bourbon wasn't communicating very well back then was he?"

Knight smirked, pulling out a joint and pressing it to his lips.

"Knight!" Rose gasped. “You can't smoke that in here!"

He eyed her lazily, pulling out his lighter but, at the serious look she gave him, he sighed, and stood up.

She pointed towards the back door where I'd entered. "Not even in the building. I don't want you ruining the other dresses."

He shrugged, but began to walk off. “Fine, but if anything happens to you while I'm smoking, Bourbon will take my nuts."

"I'll take your nuts if anything happens," Dante growled from the doorway.

Unlike Knight, he was staying out of ear shot, having the sense to give us our privacy.

Rose waited until Knight had disappeared and Dante was facing away from us to speak. "You're going to be at the wedding right?"

"I think so, but I’m not sure. They haven't told me anything."

"Of course not," she grunted, shaking her head in disappointment. "Heaven forbid men learn how to communicate. I've told Nero that I'm not showing up to the wedding if you can't be there--"

I leaned back, clutching her arms to whisper fiercely, "Rose, if they're forcing you to do this, I swear, I'll find a way to get you out of this. I will burn down the whole chapel if I have to."

She burst out laughing. "I would like to see that. Father Norris would probably call it an act of God."

"I'll do it," I promised fiercely.

She shook her head. "I actually want to marry him."

I narrowed my eyes skeptically. "Are you sure? You don't have to lie to me, Rose."

"No," her eyes were clear, "I swear to you, Aster. I love him. I really do." There was a happiness to her gaze that I'd never seen before.

Rose had always been amazing, but every time I'd ever seen her, she'd had this sadness about her. I assumed it was her asshole adoptive father.

But now, she had a calm assurance about her. A brightness. Honestly, she was radiant.

It was like she was glowing.

I inhaled a sharp breath. "Are you pregnant, Rose?"

Her eyes widened. “How did you know?"

I shook my head. "I didn't, except you…” I raised a shoulder, "I don't know, you just look like it. You really look like you're a glowing bubble.”

“Well," she bit down on her lower lip, "despite everything that's happened, I really am happy. I really do love Bourbon, and we're going to start a family together." Her cheeks were burning with a soft pinkish tone and her eyes were gleaming. She really was truly luminous.

She wasn't lying.

"But don't tell Coulter, or anyone," she glanced at Dante, who was still studiously ignoring us, "we haven't told anyone yet."

I made an 'x' over my heart with my finger, nodding. "I swear I won't tell."

She smiled, staring at me, and I couldn't help but smile back.

Her happiness was catching.

Then her smile softened. "Are you okay?"

I pulled in a deep breath. “I’m fine. Considering."

"How is Coulter treating you?"

"Well, he's an ass but what can I say?"

She rolled her eyes. "Of course he's an ass, but he's not hurting you, right?"

“Do you think he would?"

She shook her head, thinking. "No. I would say never, except..." she shook her head, thinking, "except he's different now. Than before.” She shook her head again, brushing off the thought. "Look, that doesn't matter, I have something to tell you."

She hesitated, glancing at the door. Then she leaned in, once again whispering against my ear. "Bourbon and I have arranged a way for you to escape from the wedding reception.”

I pulled back, my eyes wide, and whisper yelled, "What?"

She nodded. "But you can't tell anyone. Not Coulter, not Knight, no one."

"They don't know?"

She shook her head. "No one, except me, Bourbon, and a guy named Torian. During the reception, Torian's going to sneak you out."

"I'm not leaving you, Rose. Why can't you come with me?"

She laughed darkly. "Nero's eyes won't leave me for a minute. Plus, it's too public. But," she put her hand on my arm and squeezed it softly, "don't worry about me. I'm happy, I promise."

I met her eyes, knowing that she was speaking the truth. "Are you sure?"

She nodded, confident. "Yes. Really, Aster. I'm happy. And when this is all over, I'm going to come see you. I promise."

I inhaled a deep breath. "You swear it?"

"Of course," her face turned serious, "but you have to swear to me that you won't tell a soul."

"Not even Coulter?"

“Not even him. It won’t work if he knows, it has to be a surprise.”

Guilt strummed through me. I was willing to admit, only to myself, of course, that I was beginning to have an itsy, teensy, trickling, of feelings for him. Not enough, though, to not want to escape.

But, if things were different, if our worlds were different, things might could work between us.

I had to shut down those feelings.

There was no changing where Coulter came from, no fixing the differences between us.

And yet, still, for some dumb reason, I felt guilty for promising to keep this secret from him.

It was ridiculous. They were keeping me prisoner, for hells sake, but still.

"Aster, you have to swear to me." Rose’s eyes were so solemn, so serious, as she stared at me. "You can't tell."

I nodded, inhaling a deep breath. "I swear it."