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“We both know it’s deeper than that.” He leans in a bit, like he’s about to let me in on a secret. “I’ll only say this once: if you ever hurt my sister, I will ruin you without a second thought.”
It’s not just a threat; it’s a promise. And I believe him.
“Let me assure you, what’s going on between Billie and me is just business.”
“For now.” His smile disappears, replaced by a hard look. “There will come a time when you’ll have to make a choice that could either break my sister or make her the happiest person alive. Choose wisely.”
I loosen my tie. “Are you drunk?”
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” he says, , suddenly making everything feel very real.
“Do you trust me?” I ask, searching his eyes for a sign.
“For some reason, I do. But please don’t make me regret it. I’m the only one on your side.” Weston glares at me before heading to the door.
“Did you know Josh wants her back?” The words spill out, tumbling from my lips in a rush. “This whole plan is to win your sister back.” My voice shakes a little.
Weston spins around with his jaw locked. “That can never happen. He was awful for her. Plus, she’s officially dating Prince Louis. This is much bigger than Lustre. The world is watching,Asher. You wanted a stage. Now you’ve got one. What role will you play?” His is urgent.
Weston leaves me to myself.
I glance at Billie, still in Louis’s arms.
Tonight was a trap, and I walked right into it, completely unaware of the disaster waiting to unfold. I finish drying off, knowing I cannot stay at this party soaked.
I don’t care that everyone is sneaking glances between Billie and me while she lets the prince charm her.
If she wants to play games, let’s fucking play.
11
BILLIE
The room is quiet, and all eyes are on me as Louis dries me off. Most guests whisper among themselves while sipping their Revenge cocktails.
“What happened?” Louis asks quietly, just as the quartet kicks off another song, this one more up-tempo, instantly changing the room’s vibe.
“Karma,” I reply loud enough for the eavesdroppers.
I can’t pinpoint why I feel guilty. Maybe Weston is right; I just don’t have the cutthroat edge needed for this. The pianist’s notes drown out the murmurs spreading through the crowd.
I glance past Louis, locking eyes with Banks. He’s still out on the patio, his face illuminated by the blue glow of the pool lights. His soaked coat is draped over a chair as he unbuttons his shirt and towels himself off, revealing more tattoos than I remember. When he looks up, his brown eyes seem to pierce right through me.
Louis snugly wraps the towel around me. “Are you good?”
“Of course,” I reply, my gaze drifting back to the patio, where Banks stands shirtless.
Over the years, I’ve left countless parties because of him and his cocky attitude. I usually leave to dodge an argument, knowing hethrives on getting under my skin and getting me so flustered that I can barely speak.
Another reason I can’t stand him? He makes me lose control.
“Stay focused on me,” the prince murmurs in his charming British accent, pulling my attention back to him. “He’s testing you.”
“You’re right. Thanks for the reminder.” I smile, grateful that Louis knows how to help me shift my focus away from Banks.
My publicist believes that having a royal by my side will help redirect the rumors swirling online about me and Banks. Many think we had a fling—even Easton is convinced we did. But we definitely did not.
It was awkward as hell as I explained that Iwouldhelp further humanity if Banks and I were the last two people on earth, but it would only be for the love of humankind. Weston jokingly dubbed us Adam and Eve.