Page 28 of Lily and the Billionaire Prince

“You,” he breathed, low and intoxicating. “You are enchanting.”

Her hand stilled in her lap. She didn’t dare meet his eyes in the darkness. Turning her head would put her face much too close to his.

“Thank you,” she managed. Ethan prattled on about being head of security so this was his second time attending Hawk Danielson’s annual Christmas ball as a guest, but Lily couldn’t concentrate. He had been dating Charlotte since last year, and Lily was glad to finally meet the woman her brother loved. She wondered if their parents had met and approved of Charlotte the way they hadn’t approved of Damon.

She couldn’t blame Mom and Dad, and now she wished she’d listened. She knew Ethan had tried talking to them on her behalf, but they hadn’t been willing to talk to him much either. Would they ever open up to either of them again?

* * *

The ballroom wasan explosion of red. Red tulle bunched in corners flowed along the ceiling as if being poured from above. The tufted fabric coordinated perfectly with the scarlet décor collecting on Christmas trees in every corner.

Lily was aware of Henrik no matter where he was in the room. It was as though he were a part of her orbit. No matter which way she turned, she knew where he stood, felt his gaze on the side of her face or the back of her neck.

He was in no want for attention. Women flocked around him, eager for a selfie with the Prince of Einvar. The sight enraged Lily, though she did her best to brush off her irritation. Her annoyance made no sense. The attention of women was why he’d come to the States, after all, despite his attempts at staying incognito. And she was simply keeping up her end of the bargain, providing the interaction.

Ethan and Charlotte moseyed their way through the throng, and Lily turned to her brother, grateful for the distraction. He was joined by a handsome blonde man in a tux with a pretty brunette on his arm. She wore a stunning black gown covered in sequins.

“Hey, sis,” Ethan said. “I want you to meet my boss. This is Hawk Danielson and his wife, Ella.”

Lily smiled, grateful for someone to talk to. “Hello,” Lily said. “Ethan told me all about your proposal at this very ball last year.”

Ella dipped her head down with a coy smile. “It was pretty romantic of him,” she said, sliding an adoring gaze at her husband.

“Char and Ella are sisters,” Ethan added.

Lily perked up at this. “Oh? I never would have guessed.”

“Stepsisters,” Ella interjected with another becoming blush, “though sometimes it feels more like the real thing than anything else.”

Ella’s smile was contagious. “I get that,” Lily said, “though all I’ve got is this big lug for a brother.”

“You’re extremely lucky.” Hawk remained poised and serious, though his eyes twinkled, indicating how much he meant the words. “Ethan is the best there is.”

“I can’t argue with that,” Lily said.

“So you live in Florida?” Ella asked kindly.

“I do. I just came home for Christmas.”

“You couldn’t have picked a better time,” Hawk said. “I hope you enjoy the evening.”

Hawk and Ella left to mingle with Ella’s cousin, Adelie Hatter and her husband, Maddox, who Lily discovered owned Wonderland theme park. Lily moved her attention away from the good-looking billionaire and his pretty, petite, blonde wife who were lost together in a slow dance. Something from their adoring expressions told Lily they weren’t paying any attention to the music at all.

“Where’s your date?” Ethan asked.

“Soaking in as much attention as he can.” Lily didn’t mean to sound so derisive, but she’d momentarily forgotten her irritation with the Prince while meeting Ethan’s friends. Having the reminder that her date was off flirting with other women riled her all over again.

“I thought he was here with you,” Ethan said with a scowl, mimicking her thoughts.

Before she could respond, Lily’s phone pinged. She checked it to find a text from Henrik.

Rescue me,was all it said.

She fought the urge to roll her eyes and made her way through the crowded ballroom. At least three women had Henrik surrounded, fawning over him. The thinnest woman, with pasty pale skin and jet straight black hair, toyed with his lapel. The blonde, just as viper-like in her hungry eyes, toyed with the sleeve of his jacket, and the third kept batting her eyelashes at him more than seemed humanly possible.

He was engaged in conversation with the Morticia Addams wannabe, but he kept shrinking away from her touch in such an obvious way Lily was baffled these women were so bad at reading body language.

“There you are!” Lily exclaimed, pushing her way through to take Henrik’s outstretched hand.

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