Royal Chase

I entered the mansion through the front door and grabbed the first passing PA. “Have you seen Dante?”

“I think he was out back,” he said.

Right. The gazebo. I’d been so excited I’d forgotten he’d already told me where he’d be. I ran through the foyer and into the family room. Abigail lounged on the couch, reading one of the old magazines. Her eyes flicked up to me. “Have you seen . . . ?”

“He went upstairs.” She didn’t let me finish and sounded extremely bored. I was so happy I considered actually hugging her for a moment. Love really did make you crazy.

Turning, I headed for the staircase. I heard a loud commotion behind me, and it sounded like it was coming from the production room. People were yelling, but I didn’t care about whatever technical issue they were having. I needed to see him. I didn’t want to wait.

I got to the third floor, and I knocked on the door before throwing it open. “Dante, I wanted to tell you . . .”

The words died in my mouth.

Dante was shirtless, sitting on his bed with Genesis. And they were making out. They broke apart when they saw me.

A weight pressed down on my chest, suffocating me. My stomach felt like it had been hollowed out. I was raw. Empty.

I didn’t know this kind of pain was possible. Like getting hit by a bus, having my limbs ripped off by wild dogs, or being cut a million times by tiny sharp knives kind of pain.

“This is not . . . you can’t be . . . not happening,” was all I could say, as I tried to drag air into my lungs. The edges of my vision blurred and my knees buckled. I had to lean against the door to stay upright.

“Lemon?” He had the nerve to sound surprised. Like he hadn’t set this whole thing up just to humiliate me.

Now I was breathing hard, volcanic rage surging through me. Blood pounded in my ears, and the anger gave me strength. I grabbed a nearby vase and threw it at his head. He ducked and I missed, making the vase shatter against the wall.

“You filthy, no good, lying, cheating, miserable . . .” I probably could have gone all night, but now he yelled at me.

“What are you doing?”

“What am I doing? What are you doing? I guess I don’t have to ask. You’re doing Genesis. I can’t believe you! ‘Haven’t noticed another woman since we met?’ You may not have noticed her, but you’re not having any problems sticking your tongue down her throat!”

He looked at Genesis, then back at me. “Wait, I think . . .”

“And you!” I pointed at her. “You were my friend. How could you?” If I’d been even a little bit rational, I would have realized that I’d never told her that I was in love with him. But in that moment, I didn’t care. To think I’d been so worried about her feelings, and she betrayed me! She looked stricken, and that was at least somewhat satisfying. But not enough.

He walked toward me, holding his hands out in a placating position, like I was a rabid animal. “Let me explain . . .”

“Explain?” I scoffed. “No, you can’t. There is no explanation other than I am so stupid. So, so stupid. I can’t believe I trusted you.”

I couldn’t stand there for another minute. I didn’t want to hear his lies. I was going home. I never wanted to see stupid Dante and his stupid lying face ever again.

Running down the stairs, I went into my room and grabbed my half-full suitcase and threw it on the bed. I picked up my purse and strapped it across my chest. I started throwing my clothes and shoes into my case. Of all the stupid things I had ever done, this was by far the stupidest. I knew the right choice to make. To marry Sterling and live happily ever after. Dante had promised he wouldn’t hurt me. Promised he’d keep my heart safe. Then he arranged that lovely little scene for me to find.

Why? Why would he work so hard to make me fall in love with him just to throw it back in my face? Was this some kind of revenge? Because I wouldn’t sleep with him in Monterra? I was probably the only woman who had ever told him no. So what, this had just been some elaborate scheme this entire time to break my heart in the worst way imaginable and punish me for bruising his ego?