Page 16 of Ruthless Prince

“You should probably go back to your side of the house now,” I say, my voice breathless.

“Probably. And where are you heading?”

“My bedroom.” The moment I say it, I regret it. I shouldn’t be talking about my bedroom with Vincent. I shouldn’t be talking to Vincent at all.

“Nice. Well, I’ll see you tomorrow, Ellie.” The way he says my name so softly, it’s almost … intimate.

“You, too,” I stutter and run for my bedroom. It’s only when I’m under the covers with my door locked I start to feel somewhat sane again.

Why do I get the feeling Vincent is going to be trouble?

Chapter

Five

ELLIE

Vincent is back to punching the workout bag like he has a personal vendetta against it.

“Careful or you’re going to get hurt,” I comment from the entrance of the home gym, carrying my yoga mat under one arm.

He glances over at me, and the way his eyes linger on my body makes me blush. I’m in my usual yoga outfit—a close-to-the-body crop top and high-waisted yoga pants. Before Vincent, I never would have seen anything scandalous about my outfit, but the way he looks me over makes me think I should have worn something else.

“I just needed to get some steam out. I promise I won’t hurt the punching bag.”

I give him a smile and set my yoga mat down. “How much longer will you be?”

“You can work out. It’s fine.”

“I know it’s fine, Vincent. But I’m about to do yoga, and I don’t think my father would appreciate you in the room as I do it.”

He steps toward me, and yet it feels like we’re toe-to-toe even though he’s across the room. “Yoga isn’t inappropriate.”

“I know.”But it is when you watch me do it.

Vincent chuckles, shaking his head. “Your father really doesn’t want me around you, does he?”

“He’s just trying to protect my virtue.”

“Is that what you have? Virtue?”

My cheeks turn hot again. “I was raised to be a good girl. Were you raised to be a good man?”

He keeps his eyes locked on mine in an intense gaze. “Not in the slightest.”

I gulp. “That’s sad, isn’t it?” I ask, sitting down on my mat for something to do.

“My father raised me to be a fighter. That’s all I’ve ever known.”

“Did he show you love, at least? I hope so.”

Vincent snorts. “Not at all. Igor wanted me to be a fighter, so a fighter I became. And look at me now. I just lost two fights in a row. I lost in the first round, and now, I’ll never get the chance to get close enough to Nico to ask him if he killed my father.”

“I could introduce you, remember?”

“And I said I didn’t want you involved.”

“Why not? Why do you care if I’m involved or not? We barely know each other, Vincent.”

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