The Reluctant Prince and His Substitute Bride

Chapter 8

After their little exchange in front of the grocery store, Ryder charged in ahead of her and entered first.

At first sight , he was completely lost and didn't know what to do. With that being his first time in a*****e, he stood frozen and watched as the others shopped for what ever they needed in an orderly manner.

“ Some one is looking lost” A voice said behind him, shattering the thin sheet of ice that kept him bound .

“ And who might that be?” He growled back staring at her hard.

“ Huh you seem to know it all right ?, Fine I'll see you later.” She said and with that she dragged a cart and strolled off.

Is she leaving me ???

No way !!!

Ryder was so lost for words, he didn't know when his body reacted to her movement and he began to follow her.

She was quite surprised to turn back and notice the Prince behind her.

“I thought you said you were not lost?” she sneered

“ Don't be silly, I'm not lost , it's just what I require to buy happens to be in your direction that's all.” He said with an air of grace.

She scoffed and walked on to the veggie section.

She began to select a bunch of veggies, spices and fruit's,while he was left standing and staring as she weighed and checked the veggies to know the good from bad.

That is so unlike her.

He and everyone in the palace knew that Veronica of the Duncan family knew little to nothing about food except how to chew it.

“You are not buying anything?” she asked again.

“Yeah , is that a problem??” He said as he kept on tailing behind her.

“Yes it is , don't you see the attention you are drawing to yourself, besides leaving me to have to know that you're at my back always is itching”she said

Ryder paused for a moment at what she had said and then turned around.

There was a mini flock of girls drooling at his looks behind him and it seems all eyes were on the two couples ever since they walked into the store.

“I told you I was going to a grocery store not a f*****g night club , why did you have to dress up so nice” she said as she walked further and began to pick more things.

“ You call this nice dressing???” Ryder said as he looked down to stare at the most casual form of dressing he had.

“Yes its just too nice plus the jacket screams a thousand bucks” she turned and gave him a poke in the chest.

“Its actually ten thousand ”He corrected her

“Seriously are you gonna do that right now.”.

“Do what right now” He said with a blank expression.

“Never mind.”

With that she walked off and went to the snacks area. There she began to select and bit of chips here and chocolates there.

He stood far off a distance watching her while his fans of girls trailed behind him, until one had the guts to approach him and ask for a picture.

“Sorry but I'm married” he said as he raised the ring high for all to see.

It cause a little grasp and disappointed groans from the girls especially but the broad refuse to gave up.

“Hey, it's just a picture beside I don't think your wife would mind I mean, look around she is not even here to take care her hot husband, try me trust me you will enjoy it” she whispered slow in a voice filled with lust as she ran her hands over him.

Ryder was quite surprised to see the courage which she said to place her hands on him.

If only she knew who I was. He thought .

He felt so disinterested in her, but just kept quiet and let her to make a fool of herself.

“Seriously!!!”

They both jerked and turned to see an angry Alexis with a hand full of shopping bags

“I left you for a moment and and you're planning on having a live porn scene in the store. Oh c'mon!!” she yelled at him drawing the attention of the whole store

Ryder was so lost for words that he said nothing but stared at her like a little kid who was caught opening the cookie jar at night.

“Gosh , watch you manners girl that is so unladylike ” the broad said as she still held on to Ryder's chest as thought he was her's

“You rumble that big mouth of yours yet it will show that he has no....” the broad continued but was interrupted by Alexis who look like she was about to erupt a massive volcano of anger.

“Hey b***h , before you continue you silly chitchats get your fility claws off my husband” she snarled in a voice that freaked even Ryder out.

“And what if refuse” the broad continued stubbornly.

“Then I will have to rip them off myself” Alexis said in a soft but deadly whisper.

Oh my God, did she just call me her husband. Ryder thought.

Slowly the the broad hands dropped off and she stepped an inch away from him.

“Good, If you are done with the b***h I'd like us to get going now” Alexis said to Ryder and walked pass him.

As he turned to go the broad held on to his arms

“ I'm Anna, and I came on this island for vacation, can I please have you number, you should come see me sometime, I stay at the VIP's only hotel just off the coast we could ...” she was caught short as a punch hit her in the face and she fell flat and out on the ground.

Rich girls and their fragile body.

Alexis thought as she rubbed her knuckles, picked up her plastic bags and strolled of .

Bloody hell, what just happened.

Ryder stood frozen and so surprised as the rest of the onlookers.

“Are you coming or what” Alexis called out as she walked out.

Damn that is one hell of a wildcub.

In the car another blanket of silence hung over them, and this time it was Ryder who did the overthinking.

She punched the girl like a boy would punch someone. I thought when girls are mad, they pull each other's hair and avoid the face.

“You punched her” he blurted out making it sound more like a statement than a question .

“Yes I punched her ,does it matter?” she asked in a cool voice.

“Why?”

“Because if I don't start checking up on you ,you're gonna be all over the news for public s*x” She said

“Please, you think I was interested in her”he said.

“From the way she got her hands all over you and you did nothing to stop it then I can say that yes you were interested in her”

“Why do you even care if I'm interested in her , you said you were leaving, don't out think it wise for me to get a girl right now so that when you leave I can have a substitute” he said in an angry voice as he stepped harder on the gas and the Humvee rushed faster.

When they arrived home,none of them said a word to each other and both went about with their business. Ryder went to work in the room while she decided to make dinner.

She was in the process of chopping some cabbage when her phone ringed.

The caller ID was saved as CONTACT

“I thought we were not supposed to make contact on till after the vacation ” She whispered harshly as she went out the balcony to receive the call.

“I was just curious about how my lookalike handles herself in the hands of the great Ryder Maxworth the third of the mighty royal family of Calliopis” Veronica lush voice sounded over the phone.

“Argh...the way you say it makes me wanna puke”She shivered

Veronica laughed gently over the phone

“Is he that bad ”

“He is more than bad Ron I mean worst from the killer look and body plus the cash , he just a pervert”

That comment again draw a long laugh from Veronica

“Please hang in there for me, just a few months and it will all end ” Veronica pleaded.

“Sure thing ... How are my brother and sister” She whispered

“Hey sis, why didnt you tell me you had someone who looked alot like you” Lucas voice rang over her ears as Betty struggling for her's to be heard too.

“Ahh Veronica can you explain this to me???”Alexis stuttered.

“Yeah, that's the thing” Veronica giggled nervously.

“How did they f*****g know that you are not me???”

“I really don't know Alexis they are just smart kids ”

“Give Lucas the phone” She sighed

“What is it” he said in a bored voice

“How do you know that Veronica was not me ?” she asked

“Well it's quite obvious duh, she stinks at cooking, she virtually said yes to every request we made , and she looks and behave so unlike you, plus she crashed you car twice when she tried to take us to school”

Way to go Veronica.

“How are you buddy” She said as her voice choked when she realized that it was almost a week since she had seen them.

“We are great Alexis don't worry about us, Veronica said you are doing a bit of contract for her and we don't mind , besides she is nice and gets us a lot of nice stuffs so take your time over there” Lucas said.

After a brief talk with Betty, she went back to Veronica.

“Hey Alexis, I really like your sibling I mean they are the best”

“Yeah they are especially when you gave them what they want.”

“Say hi to the Prince for me” Veronica giggled

“Really Veronica??”

“What?”

“You crashed my car!!!” Alexis roared a bit louder than she expected.

“Hey calm down Alexis, it was just a scratch” Veronica said

“Thats a lie ,your hood is crushed to a ball and yor bumper is scraping the tarmac”Lucas voice came over the phone.

“Hey!! That's it!!! No pizza tonight”Veronica yelled

“Thats not fair”

“Take care if the for me please ” Alexis said as she smiled staring deep at the bight moon which caused the ocean to giltter.

“Don't worry girl, I got this, this is little compared to what you are doing for me right now ” Veronica said.

“Yeah ,I would do anything for those two” Alexis signed

“I understand, they are adorable”

“Well I have to go” Alexis said she she heard a door slam.

“ Ok later honeymooner”Veroncan giggled again

“Dont call me that !”Alexis snapped and hung up.

After taking a deep breath and view for a moment , she turned to walk back in but nearly fainted in fright.

At the door way Ryder leaned on the door frame starring at her with a curious look.

How long has he been there.

How much has he hears.

God I think am having a panic attack.