Total pages in book: 192
Estimated words: 192810 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 964(@200wpm)___ 771(@250wpm)___ 643(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 192810 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 964(@200wpm)___ 771(@250wpm)___ 643(@300wpm)
But right then, with his expression, I was glad I was wearing my flamingo-pink satin, to-the-toes gown that was cut on the bias, had a halter-neck, zero back, clung to my curves and showed side boob.
I wore nothing else but the little diamond studs I’d bought myself after my first lead costume designer gig, and the diamond bracelet Mr. and Mrs. Truelock bought me when I graduated from the Royal College of Art and Design.
Oh, and a single silver sandal.
My mane-mate had put my hair into a messy, side pony.
I sensed (mightily) that Aleksei approved.
“I’ll have my suppliers propel three cases, chilled,” Sirk was saying, so I turned back to him. “You’ll have them in less than an hour.”
“Oh my gods,” Cat repeated. “I love you.”
Sirk grunted and tossed my Palm to me.
I caught it and aimed the display at my face. “You good?”
“Get here, I need you. I’m glad the prince made it. I can already tell you look amazing. And I love you. Byeeeeeeee.”
My display went blank.
I pivoted my head between the two gorgeous males in my presence and stated, “We best get going.”
“I think you best find your other shoe first, bissi,” Aleksei suggested on an amused half-grin.
“Oh! Farg!” I exclaimed, and totter-ran to my closet.
I eventually had to run through a third of my shoe display program before I found, for some unhinged reason, I’d shoved the other sandal in with a pair of foam kicks that I’d bought because I thought I could pull them off, but I wasn’t a foam (or a kicks) type of female.
And after successfully rejoining the males, fully shod, I had to dash back to the closet to grab a handheld lint vac.
But I finally got Nova’s fur off Aleksei, and I was on his arm as he escorted me down in the lift.
He went out first and got in his JetPanther.
Sirk and I exited five minutes later, and he situated me beside him in his awesome, sporty bright red BratShot 250.
And off we went for Aleksei and my first officially unofficial appearance in the same public space being mates.
Color me crazy, me, Ms. Homebody, was looking forward to it.
But mostly, I was glad he was back.
“Okay,” I whispered, sitting beside Sirk, five crafts back on hover over the street, waiting for our turn for the VIP valet to let us onto the deep-purple carpet outside Cat’s gallery, Tempera.
I was watching Aleksei stride purposefully through the lightning storm of the flashing cams to the front doors.
“That was terrifying,” I finished when he disappeared inside.
Sirk had told me Aleece wasn’t coming, and I was kind of glad, because the frenzy I just witnessed had me inwardly quailing, and she might have made it worse.
I’d seen it happen to him and other famous people.
But knowing him, him meaning something to me, and witnessing it in person, I was struggling with a mixture of outrage, revulsion and fear.
The first two I felt for him because this was his life, and I knew he didn’t like it.
The last was for me.
“It’s all he knows,” Sirk replied. “Sure, sometimes he finds it mildly annoying, but he’s learned to play the game, and when he needs his space, he knows how to get it.”
“Right,” I mumbled.
“Laura, this is his life,” Sirk said low what I’d just thought.
Left unsaid, And it’s going to be yours too, so buck up, buttercup.
I turned his way. “There could be a half a dozen crazies on that pavement.”
“Considering no one knew he’d be here, if they were Lex’s personal crazies, they’re slavering over social tape, hoping for a lock on his position. But his team is second to none. The king made the decision to shift the brightest in Royal Service to Aleksei when his general popularity outdistanced the king’s. Part of that team has been here, scouring every inch of this block for the last few hours. He’s covered. And I know you are too.”
“But no one knows who I am.”
“It won’t matter to him. We have someone following us. And you’ll have someone with eyes on you outside as we go in, and someone waiting on you to arrive inside. He or she will then shadow you, doing it without anyone knowing they are. These will be different beings than those assigned to Aleksei.” His tone changed to guarded. “Hasn’t he shared this with you?”
“He did, I just…I’ve never seen the frenzy in action, and I have to admit, it spooked me.”
He touched my forearm so briefly, I wondered if Aleksei already marked me, or if that was just a show of respect to a male of his clan.
“Just know, the vast majority…and you know this, Laura, that vast is vast…utterly adore him. They wouldn’t harm him in any way, and some would lay down their lives at just the threat that someone else might. And when they find out you two are fated, they’re gonna lose their minds at the romance and destiny of it all, and they’ll love you too. That’s all good. And if I know Lex, he’ll break his back to keep your focus on the good. He’ll deal with the bad.”