Page 97 of My Five Daddies

I sigh and cross my arms. I hate the formality of this place. I can’t imagine living here all the time, let alone raising a child here. Hell, I can’t imagine being a child and living in this place. What sort of life would thatbe?

The door opens a moment later, and Nolan looksout.

“Sir, you have a visitor,” the stewardsays.

“Come in, Hazel.” Nolan smirks at me and stepsaside.

The steward gestures for me to enter, as if I didn’t just hear what the prince said. I walk past him and he closes the door behindme.

I walk right into the living room, my heart hammering in my chest. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing here. I’m actually afraid, genuinely afraid, like I’ve never been before. I backpacked around Europe all alone for the last few months and got myself into some pretty weird situations. I was even robbed not too long ago and left without money in a strange country, but this is the most nervous I’ve everbeen.

Nolan stands in the doorway and faces me, a handsome smile curling his perfect lips. His muscles bulge under his t-shirt and my breath catches in my throat as I look at him. I can’t help but picture him as I first saw him, half naked and totallyglorious.

I know it would feel good. It would feel really, really good, and oh my god, my heart is hammering so fast, and I’m dripping wet. This isn’t supposed to be my reaction. I’m supposed to be more reserved, a little more formal, maybe even detached. This should be a logical decision. I should be doing this for the rightreasons.

“Okay,” I say to him. “I’ll do it. I’ll marryyou.”

And as the words leave my mouth, I know it’s for the wrong reasons. I know it’s because I want him, this dirty, filthy player prince, this handsome man that makes me feel something exciting. I know it’s just because I want to enjoy him, and maybe that’s wrong, but I don’t care. I’m not thinking about the future, and that’s probably irresponsible, but I can’t help it. When I’m around him, I don’t feel in control of myself, and I likeit.

“Good,” he says, smiling. “Took you longenough.”

He walks over and takes my hand, and I think I practicallymelt.

9

Nolan

IleadHazel out into the hallway. “We have some paperwork to fill out,” I say to her. “You know, to make itofficial.”

“Right, of course,” she says, smiling. “I need to fill out paperwork to marry theprince.”

I grin at her. “It’s more of a business deal than anything else.” I grip her hand and pull her along behind me. I wave off the steward as he tries to followus.

“Right, a business deal that ends with me getting pregnant,” shesays.

I laugh and shrug. “Not a normal one, but still.” I hesitate for a second. “Do you know what’s happening here, in thecastle?”

“I’ve seen the news,” she says. “I think I know why you’reback.”

“So you totally understand why we’re doingthis?”

She nods slowly. “You want to be seen as more…serious.”

I cock my head at her, a little surprised. “That’s a very good way of puttingit.”

She blushes. “Thanks.”

“That’s exactly it. You’re going to make me look more serious. That’s how I’ll gain favor with myfather.”

She nods but doesn’t say anything, and I can tell she has a million questions. I’m grateful that she doesn’t ask them, at least not yet. I’d like to sign the paperwork and make this official before we dive into my complicatedrelationships.

We walk to Andrew’s office, mostly in silence, and stop outside of his door. She looks nervous again, and I can’t blame her. She doesn’t know me, and has no clue what she’s getting into. Court politics can be incredibly intense and difficult, and she has no concept of any ofit.

On the flip side, I don’t know her at all. Of course, I had my steward look into her. Hazel’s background is all clear, and she seems to come from a decent family, although it appears as though their relationship is strained. She didn’t grow up rich, but she wasn’t dirt-poor, either. She was lower middle class, and maybe that’s even worse forher.

As far as I know, she has no family history of mental disease, no family history of chronic illness, and she looks healthy as fuck. I’m fairly sure I’m getting a damn good wife out of this deal, but I can’t ever say for certain until I’ve gotten to know her better. Anything can happen, and that actually excitesme.

Men like Julian want to remove all the joy from the world. They want things in their little boxes, all lined up in neat orderly rows, but I like things messy. I want to get dirty and broken and to enjoy what time I have on this planet. And I’m not going to let him take that joy away from my entirecountry.

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