Page 11 of His Beloved Princess
My jaw fell agape in surprise, and her grin widened. She took a glass of champagne from the tray while waiting for me to regain my composure. I'd never felt so exposed. No one knew about my special relationship with Bastian. Well, no one except this unknown woman.
"Are you a member?" I asked when I finally found my voice. I didn't want to continue that conversation.
"Aren't we all?" she countered, winking at me, making me frown. Out of the corner of my eye, I looked at Fredy, who drifted his gaze between us.
Was hea member, too?
Before I could react to her puzzling reply, a sexy baritone buzzed in my ears, sending pleasurable shivers down my spine. I turned to the side to see Bastian shaking hands with some men and quickly exchanging polite phrases. He finally joined us once he was done, which took him maybe thirty seconds.
"Missed me?" he asked, stopping before me, cupping my cheeks and kissing my forehead. My heart instantly melted from his tenderness. I wrapped my arms around his waist, breathing in his manly scent mixed with his usual cologne.
If someone was watching us, they would probably consider my manners childish and insecure, but for a second, I didn’t care. Part of me needed him close. I needed to feel safe in his arms, to feel his love.
“I’ll take that as a yes," he whispered into my hair, stroking my back gently. I pulled away from him, giving him a shy smile and an apologetic look. He never objected to a hug, but we were in public, and I didn't want to look weak.
Bastian didn't say a word about my strange behavior. He kissed my forehead again and then turned to the still-nameless woman.
“Good evening, Olivia,” he greeted with a smile. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“I only stopped to say hi,” she replied, sipping her drink. She shot a glance at Frederick, who was silently staring into his glass.
“To whom, if I may ask?” Bastian inquired, handing me a small piece of cake, which I took without hesitation.
“To you,” she retorted, giving him a pointed look, and my brows furrowed in confusion. However, Bastian knew what she meant by that grimace.
“Did you miss me, too?" he teased, taking a water-filled glass from the waitress.
"Of course, I can't live without your charming self," Olivia deadpanned, finishing her glass and slamming it on the bar excessively. But she couldn't get a reaction from the man who was deaf and not present at the moment.
"Have a nice evening." She slightly nodded in my direction, waving her hand nonchalantly at Bastian and ignoring poor Fredy. He raised his head when she was far gone, earning an exasperated sigh from his brother.
"You're such an idiot," Bastian groaned, shaking his head.
"What didI do?" Fredy asked, buttoning his jacket. He tried to avoid eye contact with Bastian but couldn't if he wanted to know what he was saying.
"A woman like her came here, all dressed up, looking like a fucking model, and you dismissed her as if her presence bothered you! What the hell is wrong with you?"
I blinked a few times, noticing Bastian's anger but not understanding it. He didn't make a scene; he was whispering, yet the expression on his face was deadly serious.
"You're crazy about her. The opportunity to ask her on a date fell into your lap, and this is what you do? Why?"
"I tried not to make a fool of myself," Fredy hissed, breathing hard. "We both know she would never want me."
His words took me aback, and Bastian looked the same. I opened my mouth to object, yet he didn't give me a chance. "Enjoy your night. It was a pleasure to meet you, Electra." He leaned closer and pecked my cheek, quickly leaving us. I raised my eyebrows, glancing at Bastian, who inhaled sharply.
"Give me a second," he said, rushing to his brother. I watched as he stopped him and told him about two sentences before he returned.
"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked when he stood next to me. He was frowning, chewing his bottom lip, clearly thinking. His suit jacket was open, so I slid my hand under it, caressing his back through his white button-up shirt. He looked down at me, his eyes full of different emotions.
"You have no idea how much of an ass he is," he whispered, pulling me closer. We cuddled so much throughout the evening that someone could think we should get a room.
"Give him time," I suggested, smiling softly at him while I stroked the side of his abdomen with my long nails.
"I don't have another choice," he replied, still with a deep scowl on his handsome face. I hated it when he was like this. I loved him relaxed and happy.
While I forced my tired brain to devise an idea to lighten his mood, he leaned closer and kissed my cheek. And when I heard his husky whisper in my ear, I felt weak at my knees, forgetting about everything.
"Let's go home, princess," he said, and I closed my eyes, instantly imagining everything I craved him to do to me. "I want to spend the night with you, not with them."
