Chapter 155
Keira arrived early the next morning, running on three hours of sleep and three coffees strong a pathetic one–to–one ratio considering the disaster control she’d done the night before.
She’d already checked to see if Prince Pain In Her Ass had done anything last night to cause any issues for her this morning. What no one seemed to get was her job wasn’t to walk behind him, shoveling the shit from his faux pas. But because she was good at it, everyone just left it to her.
Thankfully, this morning it all seemed to be quiet, and no one was ringing to demand statements.
That didn’t stop the messages from Alexei’s own people and higher–ups back in his home country. Why did they come to her and not him?
What she didn’t understand was the two faces of Alexei… In business, he was hard, controlled, and focused, but in his personal life, he was flaky, immature, and reckless. The media loved him because there was always a story.
Keira sighed and replied to the deputy foreign minister’s email, letting him know that everything was under control.
She had just pressed send when Prince Parties–Too–Hard. The bastard waltzed in at 7:48 AM with sunglasses, two buttons undone on his shirt, and that stupid, arrogant smirk he wore like a royal accessory.
No good morning.
No thank you.
Not even a damn nod.
He breezed past,her desk as if she were furniture. And not even the expensive kind–more like the uncomfortable waiting–room chair everyone avoids sitting in because it looks like it’ll squeak.
Fuck. What. An. Asshole.
Keira dropped her head onto her desk with a muffled groan.
She curled a fist toward her mouth and whispered, “Get up. Kill him. Screw the bodyguards. You could take them.” One sharp heel to the groin, a swing of her laptop bag, and she was golden. Prison time would be worth it.
The image of his smug face felt smugger than usual, if that were even possible and it looped in her brain like a personal torment reel.
Who had he shagged last night? Because he had that swagger in his walk that made her mentally groan. She really hoped that he had gotten the stupid dimwit to sign the NDA this time.
Was she a skinny blonde? Leggy brunette? Someone with Barbie cheekbones and the IQ of warm milk?
It wasn’t that she was being unfair to blondes. She was blonde and had blue eyes. So, if anyone was allowed to say anything about blondes, it was her. Not all blondes were stupid. Look at Sutton, her sister… Coder for Cyber10, head of the development team. She had designed Al
virus software that was out of this world.
But the blondes Prince Douchebag liked didn’t rank on the same IQ level as a pig… Now, to be fair, she could have said “ant,” but it was well
known that pigs had the IQ of a three–year–old child. So, compliment, right? Well, sort of, anyway.
God, she sounded jealous.
She wasn’t jealous because she didn’t want to be a notch on anyone’s bedpost. The problem was she scared most men.
Her eye twitched.
Keira sat up, forcing down the Irrational tangle of irritation and something far more traitorous.
No.
No–no–no.
She would rather chew glass than be jealous of anything Prince Alexei stuck his glorified scepter in.
Her boss. Her job. But that didn’t stop her from thinking about the last tell–all story she had to buy off that tabloid last month about Alexel’s exploits in the bedroom department. Keira was sure half of it was made up. Because sex was so that exciting.
But letting Alexei think he could sleep with her was one line she would not cross, and she had done a lot of stupid shit in her life. Being the youngest of three sisters allowed her to run off at the mouth and even egg a car or two. Hell, she had even punched her Uncle Peter in the face in front of FBI agents. But that was a different story.
She may find Alexei attractive, but she’d have to be fucking dead not to.
She’d written this rule in blood. Or possibly coffee grounds. Do not sleep with your boss because he is a slut. And you need to respect yourself in the morning.
Plus, half the time she wanted to kill him, not ride him, so she really didn’t think it would be a good idea. She was worried she might turn into one of those female praying mantises.
The phone on ber desk buzzed.
She snatched it up, fully expecting another media inquiry.
HRH Dumbass: Get in my office now.
Oh, for the love of–No, please come to my office… no, not for this asshole.
She stuffed her phone into her drawer before she could throw it at the stupid glass of his office window.
With great effort, Keira stood and marched toward his door. She knocked once and breezed in without waiting, because manners were wasted on men who pissed her off.
Alexei was behind his desk, working… focused.
It was like dealing with Jekyll and Hyde. Honestly, Keira was starting to think Prince Alexei had daddy issues.
Keira narrowed her eyes. “You’re actually… working today? So, no hangover then?”
He didn’t glance up. “Blown away, are you?”
“Honestly? A little.” She stomped closer, crossing her arms. “Are you balancing foreign trade shipments or texting Bubble Butt Barbie from last night?”
“Bubble Butt Barbie?” he repeated smoothly, only pausing long enough to lift his coffee and take a long drink.
“You act like a teenager after his first experience with sex.” Keira didn’t know why he let her get away with speaking to him like this, bu never, ever pulled her into line. She was also very careful not to talk to him like this in front of others.
Alexei smirked. “Are you sure you’re not a little possessive, Warner?”
I’m sure your ego’s allergic to being ignored”
He snorted, leaned back in his chair, arms folded leisurely like he wasn’t lobbing grenades under the guise of mockery, But she knew truth. He was watching her, Testing her. Always pushing right up to the line.
He liked dancing on that edge. And she hated that part of her… liked dancing there too.
“Why the text?” she asked finally. “You couldn’t walk ten meters and say it to my face? Or maybe open your door and ask me nicely to come into your office?”
“That would’ve required me to move.” Alexei grinned with zero remorse. “And since you said before that I’m an asshole, I thought I would prove to you that you’re right.”
Keira wasn’t shy about her name–calling. So it didn’t make her blush. Working for him and looking at his dick pics in the media, she was well past that. “At least you’re self–aware.”
He tilted his head. “I heard you saved my reputation again last night.”
“Cool. Then you heard right.” She spun her notepad in her hand, all tight control and clipped tone. “But no one should have to put out PR fires because you felt like some public nudity.”
“I want to let you know it wasn’t deliberate.”
“Sure. And the sun rises by accident too.”
He chuckled.
And it was the worst thing. Because beneath all the brooding aristocratic arrogance, Alexei had this damn smile that ruined everything. It curved into one dimple. Just one. Right cheek.
She hated him.
She wasn’t jealous. Definitely not.
He hadn’t denied texting Bubble Butt Barbie. Another press–worthy blonde who probably couldn’t spell “embargo.”
“What, that’s the best you can do?” he said, softer now. Still cocky but a little more serious.
She shrugged, like daggers weren’t prickling under her skin. “I’m a little tired after saving the public image of a grown man who acts like a frat boy in Versace.”
He tilted his head again, eyes flickering with something… unreadable.
“Keira.”
The way he said her name froze her thoughts for half a second. Too calm. Too sharp. Had she pushed a little too hard this time?
“I may party a little too hard. Sometimes.”
“A little… Bullshit.” Keira couldn’t stop the words from leaving her mouth. When was she going to learn to have a filter?
“I do.” His voice dropped an octave, and suddenly it was the businessman sitting behind that desk, not the party prince. “I work h
than
everyone assumes. I’m building wealth, assets, trade deals. Keeping my country profitable so I don’t have to beg for aid. My country is where it is today because of this.”
Her chest tightened, just for a second.
Because–yeah. That was the other face. The one she almost respected when he wasn’t being a walking sexual health hazardfathđơn had made sure no child was homeless in Wystovia. Alexel cared about his people.
“You still don’t get to be reckless with your image,” she said finally, more measured. “Especially not when your father’s already breathing down your neck about succession.” She worked beside him and heard a lot.
That hit.
Keira blinked. “Let me guess. You’re rebelling, so you create
Alexei looked at her again. “I don’t want to be married like it’s
He leaned back, jaw tight for half a moment.
“I know. Believe me.” He looked away now, toward the window. “He’s all but engraving the royal marriage invitations in gold ink. Niko and Amelia haven’t produced an heir, and I’m second in line with a big problem…
headlines.”
J
I’m not.
crown–mandated performance. I want to be free. But unfortunately, I’m not
God, she was now feeling sorry for him.
“…Then maybe stop acting like the cover of Royal Playboy Monthly,” Keira offered, trying to lighten the moment.
“Mmm.” His smirk returned, lighter this time. “Am I on the front cover?”
“Don’t flatter yourself.” She leaned over his desk and handed him today’s diary. “If there is nothing else?”
When he didn’t say anything, she turned to leave.
“Warner,” he called after her.
She paused but didn’t turn.
“Thank you.”
–
