As if daring me to choose, my phone starts ringing, and I know it’s Kaled.
I have no answers to give him right now. I ignore the call. “She wants fidelity.”
“And you wouldn’t be able to give her that? Set a time frame, if it’s so hard for you to stay with just one woman. The princess is a rare gem.”
“It’s not being unable to stay faithful to her what worries me; it’s the opposite. I want her. Emotions and feelings are not good ingredients to mix into a marriage of convenience.”
“She seemed quite determined to me. The girl wants to be free. You can give her that freedom in the future. You keep your title. You both win.”
“Uh . . .Mr. Rodrick,” my secretary says, poking her head into the room, “the princess’s security team is here. They say Her Highness can’t leave the building because there seem to be dozens of photographers and reporters trying to talk to her.”
“She hasn’t left yet. Life is giving you a chance to make the right decision,” Athol says, but I’m no longer listening.
Because I’m already running out the door to find her.
Chapter 29
What have I done to us?I ask myself, horrified, when I see the chaos on the street in front of Rodrick’s offices. They look like wild animals completely out of control.
Because of my impulsiveness, I’ve thrown both of us into the center of every gossip site. This fake engagement is probably being talked about all over the world.
The one thing Kaled begged me to avoid.
Not to mention how ridiculous I made myself look in there. How could I possibly imagine that a man like him would settle for a virgin with zero experience?
I feel physically sick, and an absolutely murderous jealousy hits me at the thought of a marriage where my husband—Rodrick—would sleep with other women.
I look out the building’s glass façade again. Reporters are everywhere. There’s no way I’ll get out of here without them tearing me apart with questions. Even if security pulls the car right up to the entrance, they won’t be close enough to shield me from the press.
A sharp throb blooms behind my eyes, and I prepare to head back toward the elevator.
I’ll need my fake fiancé’s help to get out of here. But before I can take even two steps, I hit a solid chest. Without even lifting my head, I know it’s him. I already know his scent, and when his hands slide around my waist, I let myself stay right there—nestled, protected—even knowing it won’t last.
“Come back to my office with me. We’re leaving by helicopter. I already called for it.”
“All right. I need to call my brother. He must be losing his mind over the mess I made.”
“We’ll deal with that, but first we need to get rid of the press.”
As we walk, he conceals my whole body—one arm around my shoulders, the other guiding my head against his chest, shielding me from the curious employees staring as we pass.
Rodrick is protective even when he doesn’t mean to be, and the fool inside me loves it.
Only the two of us step into the private elevator, and once I’m sure no one is watching anymore, I pull away and lean against the opposite wall.
To my surprise, he pulls a small key from his pocket and inserts it into the panel. Then he faces me, arms crossed over his chest. His posture is aggressive; if it were anyone else, I might be scared, but with Rodrick, it turns me on.
Yes, I’m an idiot. It hasn’t even been five minutes since he told me he wouldn’t be able to be faithful in a marriage.
“I didn’t intend to touch my wife,” he says. “When I told you about an open marriage, it didn’t mean sleeping in the same bed with my wife and also sleeping with dozens of others.”
“Oh.” I thought nothing else today could shock me, but that revelation might’ve just shot to the top of the list. “So if we . . .I mean . . .uh . . .It’s not going to happen, but ifwehypotheticallygot married, you wouldn’t . . .” Heat floods my skin so fast it’s almost dizzying, but curiosity wins. “You wouldn’t want to . . .”
He moves toward me. One hand on each side of the elevator wall, trapping me in.
I’m anxious and aroused. Breathing suddenly takes effort.
“No. If we get married, I want you naked in my bed every night. I want to teach you how to touch me, how to know my body. You’ll come screaming my name, Jazmina. Night after night, you’ll come on my cock screaming my name.”