Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 44113 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 221(@200wpm)___ 176(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44113 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 221(@200wpm)___ 176(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
But I knew King Alphonse had gotten wind of that. So that’s what this was. Even if he didn’t know the specifics — and he certainly didn’t know I’d spent the night and claimed Faith as my own — he knew I’d been around. And knowing that, with the plot he was apart of, I knew her radio silence meant that her father had poisoned her against me.
I didn’t know what exactly he’d told her, but I was sure it was cherry-picked highlights, and enough to convince her that I was some sort of monster. So that’s why she was avoiding me.
She couldn’t stay in that castle forever though…
It was on the outskirts of the farmer’s market in the old-city district in Luthane’s capital where I finally caught up with her. Yes, I’d tracked her whereabouts, goddamnit. She was mine, and this charade had gone on long enough.
Faith gasped as she stepped around the corner of a side street and almost crashed into me. She jumped about a foot back, and she almost lost her bag of veggies and fruit.
“What the hell are you—”
“Little warm for long sleeves, isn’t it, Princess?”
Her eyes narrowed at my grin, and she tugged on her sleeve. “I’m fine thank you very much.”
“Let me guess, you’ve called a hundred removal clinics, and they won’t do it until—”
“Can we please talk about something else?” she muttered.
“I’ve got a few questions about the size of some of those carrots and cucumbers in your bag there,” I grinned. “Feeling lonely without me?”
She blushed scarlet. “You are…ugh.”
“Irresistible?”
She did her damnedest to hide the smile, but it still peeked through a little as she looked away.
“I brought you something.”
I handed her the little black box I’d brought. Faith took it from my hand and then looked up at me skeptically.
“That’s this?”
“A present.”
“What is it, a sex toy or something?” she hissed.
I grinned. “No, but I do like where your head’s at.”
She blushed, trying to glare at me but failing.
“I won’t be bought, you— those things they say you did…”
“They’re all bullshit, Faith,” I growled, stepping closer to her. “Your father told you about Queen Jemma and the rest of those lies?”
She nodded, looking away. “Yeah, he told me alright,” she spat out.
“Do you want the real story?”
“Cole—”
“Well here it is. King Rodney let me use that pool. Rodney also apparently hasn’t been taking care of his wife, because she’s dropped not very subtle hints to me for quite a while. She found me in that pool that day—”
“I do not want to hear this!” she hissed, shaking her head.
“I don’t care, because you’re going to hear the truth, Faith,” I shot back. The fire blazed inside of me — not anger at her, but anger at those who’d poisoned her against me. Or tried to. “You’re going to know the truth even if it makes you hate me, because I’d rather you hate me for that than for the lies.”
She went silent, and slowly, she looked up at me and nodded.
“I was at the house alone, at Rodney’s invitation. She surprised me, and tried to put the moves on me when she found me in their pool. I pushed her away, and that’s when her husband walked in with a fucking hunting rifle. At that point and ever since, he won’t listen to me, and her word is law apparently.”
“And the others?” Faith spat. “Princess Kelly? My father’s advisors wife?”
I frowned. “Your father’s advisor’s wi—” I stopped and shook my head, snorting in disgust. “Well, I guess he wouldn’t tell you the full story there either, now would he?”
“He told me enough.” She glared at me.
“They’re all stories, Faith. There’s a conspiracy to take my crown, and they used Jemma’s refusal to just admit she was trying to step out on her husband as the fuel to light the whole thing. I’ve never even met Princess Kelly, and your father’s ‘advisor’s’ wife?” I leveled my eyes at her. “Yeah, well I’ve never met her for a few reasons.”
“Which are?”
“Your father has two advisors, Faith. One’s a widower, and one’s not married.”
Her mouth tightened. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means your father is lying to you.”
She snorted, looking away in anger. “Please, don’t twist this—”
“The third woman is your father’s mistress, Faith.”
I didn’t want to say it. I didn’t want to hurt her, even if her father was a scumbag. I didn’t want to be the bad guy with that, but it was unavoidable. This bullshit had to stop, and when it came to her, I’d do anything, even if it meant playing the bad guy.
Faith’s eyes went wild.
“What?”
“His mistress,” I said quietly. Look, it’s not for me to judge, but I will tell you the truth. And for the record, I’ve never met her either.”
“Why would they just make this up, hmm?”