Page 44 of Heir of the Beast

Crash and burn.

Someone calls for Apollo, making him loosen his grip on me. I yank my wrist free and speed away, face hot as lava, extremely bothered. I almost trip, but right as I raise my eyes, they clash with Laura’s.

She saw the whole conversation with Apollo and me.

Laura raises a brow and sips her wine, smiling into it. I don’t like that look, and I lower my head and keep going.

Somehow, I make it to the bottom and stand in line with the others, waiting for anyone who needs a refill.

I think I black out, actually, because an hour passes that feels like a minute. Voices sound far away.

Apollo wants me.

Like, bad.

The amount of desire in his gaze scares me. It is exhilarating.

Mort is suddenly beside me, jabbing me in the side. “This is not good.”

I shake my head and look up with a frown. The King of Galleon, my fairytale father, is toasting to Laura, who is standing, and Apollo, who is also standing. I’m confused.

The King speaks, and I try to follow the conversation.

An engagement announcement.

I frown in confusion.

Apollo just offered to do very bad things to me, knowing he is to be engaged tonight? Pain erupts through me, confirming my worst fears.

I am nothing more than a sex object to him. Slam bam, thank you mam! I’m nothing more than a whore to him, a slave he can have fun with until he is married to Laura.

Laura wins. Fairy Godmother wins. I should just back down and let it happen.

I swallow the lump in my throat and will the tears away. I’m such a silly girl. “Does that mean Fairy Godmother wins?”

Mort barely looks at me. “If it’s true love.”

“She wins,” I murmur.

“That’s noble of you, but he does not look at her like he does you.”

I nod. “That’s only because he wants to sleep with me, then leave me.”

I look up and see them seated together now, Laura whispering something in his ear. Probably loving the way he smells, and the rock-hard arm she is hanging onto.

Apollo is looking down and nodding at something she is saying, with an expression that is hard to read. He looks up then, and his gaze finds mine.

I would like to think the glare I gave him yells a thousand words at him.

~I hate you. You prick. I am not a whore. How dare you tell me those things when you’re engaged? I am declining your invitation for tonight, you arrogant ass.~

But now that I think about it, I still need to expose Queen Irena, or I fear the evil will not heal like it should. Laura, the spoiled brat, can still have Apollo because he is dead to me, even if my lady parts disagree.

It’s not up to them anyway.

Laura spills her wine glass, making a loud shattering sound. She looks shocked, then points to me, as if it is a random selection, to clean it. I feel my back being nudged, and I walk forward feeling humiliated.

I keep my head down as I stand before them both, kneeling before them to clean up the mess. It looks innocent enough, but Laura just started something with me that she will regret.

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