Page 79 of My Queendom for a Horse

I honestly don’t know which one will upset poor Sean more. I feel sort of sick about it. I’d like defend myself because it’s not like I’m lying because I want to. . .but then I think about how I kissed Aleks not too long ago and how much I enjoyed it.

That makes me hate myself and want to run away and hide.

“Thank you so much for welcoming me,” Aleks says.

The second Sean’s mother turns to go inside, Sean reaches to take my arm and lead me in behind her. All I want to do is kick Aleksandr as hard as I can, but I’m stuck pretending like none of this is news to me, and I’m not worried that we’re leading a criminal into Sean’s gorgeous estate.

“I need to find the ladies’ room,” I say.

“Oh, of course.” Sean points around the corner.

“Actually, I need to go too,” Aleks says.

“To the ladies’ room?” Sean smirks. Toddlers piloting adult suits, I swear.

“The washroom. Isn’t that what the ‘ladies’ room’ means?” I can’t tell whether Aleks is genuinely confused, or whether he’s acting. Either way, it pisses me off even more.

“Sure,” Sean says. “But—”

Sean’s mother has stopped as well. “There’s another one just around—”

“I’ll just follow her and wait until she’s done,” Aleks says.

Somehow, no one even acts like what he’s saying is strange.

“Isaac will wait here and guide you to the dining room when you’re ready,” Lady McDermott says.

“Thank you,” I say. “I’ll just be a moment.”

The second they’re out of sight, I try to kick Aleks, but he dodges me with irritating ease.

“Someone’s in a very bad mood,” he says in English. And he’s grinning.

Grinning.

Like this is all some kind of joke.

“Please tell me you didn’t steal that car,” I say in Latvian.

“I didn’t steal that car,” he says almost rotely. As if he’s merely following my instructions. At least he isn’t still speaking English.

I try to kick him again, but this time, instead of dodging me, he sidesteps and snags both my arms, encircling my wrists with his hands.

“Are you just saying that? Or is it actually true?”

“You told me to say I hadn’t stolen it,” he says. “You should make up your mind.”

“Aleksandr Volkonsky,” I say. “If I had any idea you would follow me—”

“I didn’t follow you,” he says. “Obviously. I didn’t have this car yet when you left. I had to go and pick it up. It’s not like it’s hard to look up the residence of his eminence, Lord McDrivel.”

I can’t help spluttering. “First off, do not mock him.”

“You mocked me when I said I was a prince.” He looks utterly calm.

I try to shove him away, but his hands are stronger than metal cuffs. “The police could come to arrest you at any time. You have no idea what kind of evidence they have now, and you’ll—”

“You’re worried about me.” He smiles. “DNA evidence. Is that the evidence you mean? Because that’s actually what got me the car in the first place. If you’d taken the time to explain what kind of scientific advancements—”

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