Royal Arrangement

VI

Annie

Daniel holds me close as I hear the cameras clicking. He must’ve heard them because he turns toward the noise and frowns. He really doesn’t like the paparazzi apparently because his face falls. His dark brows knit together and his lips press into a hard line. His deep blue eyes flicker in... is that disappointment? No. I must’ve misinterpreted the emotion. He grabs my hand tightly and walks us closer to the group of reporters. I splay my left hand across his chest as I lean into him, sure to show off the huge diamond ring on my finger. It still a heavy and unfamiliar sensation that I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to.

The cameras flash and I put on that wide happy-fiancé smile. Daniel waves and keeps me close to his chest. “Good afternoon,” he says warmly although it feels forced. Daniel never liked publicity but he realizes how necessary it is.

“Prince Daniel! Prince Daniel! How long have you been secretly dating Miss Shaw?” One of the reporters practically screams as she holds out her large microphone to Daniel. Her partner fights with other cameras to get footage of us.

He stares down at me for a moment and grins. I shiver. It’s a dark and devilish grin that I’ve seen on him before. Many times last night. He pauses and his grin widens. He must’ve been thinking the same thing I was.

“Well,” He says, his eyes still locked on to mine with mock adoration. It’s very convincing might I add. “It’s been a few months.”

Another reporter pushes the other one back. I can barely see her because I was still locking eyes with Daniel. I couldn’t dare look away.

“Prince Daniel! How did you two meet?” She yells and shoves the microphone in his face.

My face erupts in flames at the memory and my eyes widen slightly. Daniel chuckles. “Why don’t you tell them, baby?”

“Miss Shaw! Miss Shaw!” The reporters yell and call out as cameras flash and microphones are shoved in my face.

I shoot him a glare and he looks at me with an expression of mock innocence. Having no choice, I turn to the microphones and cameras. Wow. I can see why Daniel hates this. I laugh nervously and grip Daniel shirt in my hand for comfort.

“I... uh...” I bite down on my lower lip and take a deep breath through my nose before exhaling. You can do this Annie. Just play the part.

I plant a smile on my face and continue.

“This is a little embarrassing so forgive me... I was a maid in the castle and I... walked in on Daniel after a shower when I was trying to clean his room.”

Daniel rubs my shoulders. “And I’ve been obsessed with her ever since.” He says with sincerity. Is that what this is? Is he obsessed with me? That would clearly make sense.

“I just knew I had to make her mine. Completely.”

And I am. I belong to Daniel fully for a year. And then the contract will be up, I'll get my money, and I can leave. But it isn’t that simple. I splay my hand over my lower belly absentmindedly as a feeling of guilt washes over me. The baby. How could I forget?

The reporters erupt in a frenzy as more cameras click and more questions are thrown at us. This time, they're louder and more frantic.

“Oh my! Are you expecting?”

“Prince Daniel? Is there a royal baby on the way?”

“Is it true that you’re pregnant?”

“Should we be expecting a baby?”

Oh s**t. I didn’t even realize what I was doing and now I just made things worse. Daniel is going to kill me. No, he won’t kill me, but he will definitely punish me. I search his face, expecting anger, but see none. Instead he is smiling and there’s an amused look in his dark eyes.

Daniel waves his hand dismissively and shakes his head as he chuckles quietly to himself. Okay.. that’s odd. Shouldn’t he be completely pissed? I should see him clench his jaw but instead he pulls me closer and places his hand over mine on my stomach. “We are not currently expecting, no. But rest assured, there will be a royal baby on the way.” He grins. “Sooner rather than later, I hope.”

I almost sigh in relief. Phew. Daniel handled that well. But wait? Sooner rather than later? I knew that it was part of the agreement, but I didn’t think he would want me pregnant so soon. He seems to be enjoying my body, wouldn’t me being fat and swelled with child turn him off? My brows furrow and he looks down at me, likes he’s dying to ask a question.

“When is the wedding?”

Daniel’s smile widens and he lifts up my left hand and kisses it over the expensive engagement ring. “I simply can’t wait to marry the love of my life.” He looks down at me with an expression that I can’t recognize. “We are getting married in a week.”

I don’t visibly react but my mind is going crazy. I simply smile wider and look up at him in adoration while I nearly have a heart attack. A week? In a week I’m going to be married to Daniel legally in a royal wedding ceremony. There is no discussion and no debate. He decided and so it will be done. In some ways I feel like a prisoner but then I remember the money and how happy I am at certain moments. But a week? Clearly that’s too soon. I’m not sure I’m ready to be a wife. God. What the hell did I get myself into?

Daniel interrupts my thoughts with a gentile squeeze of my shoulders.

“I’m sorry.. but my fiancé is tired and we’ve had a long day. We’d be happy to answer any and all questions through the correct channels. Please, excuse us.” Daniel leads us away from the press with his arm still on my shoulder. Keeping up appearances, I suppose. We walk down the block, occasionally posing for pictures until we turn down a side street in front of a small pizzeria.

Once we’re out of the cameras’ reach, I pull away from him. “I-I’m so sorry! I can’t believe I did that! Oh my god please—”

My apology is lost on my tongue as Daniel presses his lips to my own roughly. His tongue invades my mouth as he snakes his arm around my waist and pulls me flush to his body. I moan into his mouth as he fully claims my own in a rough kiss that nearly lifts me off the ground. I wrap my hands around his neck and fall into his rhythm as my lips move with his own. I gasp when his hand begins to slide up my thigh. His hand slips under my dress and around my panties. Daniel wades through my arousal before he pushes two fingers inside me in a rough thrust that makes me cry out. I moan as he begins to push in and out of my soaked entrance.

“Oh.. god.. Daniel..” I moan as he continues his assault on my lips. “...fuck.”

He bites down on my lower lip and then pulls away with a smirk. He removes his hand and brings it up to his lips before licking his fingers clean as I blush the color of a fire engine. “You know not to swear.” He admonishes.

“Ah.. sorry.” I mumble, not feeling even the slightest bit apologetic. He left me in a state of complete arousal and didn’t grant me release. Instead he just left me breathless. Then I remember what I was truly sorry for. “I am sorry about the pregnancy thing.”

He shrugs it off. “Don’t be. It was a good move. The media’s in a frenzy.”

Remembering something else, I narrow my eyes and cross my arms over my chest. “Next week, huh? I guess it’s too much to ask to be in the loop when it comes to my own wedding.” I roll my eyes.

He grabs me and yanks me into his chest again. “I told you, sweetheart, I just can’t wait to marry the love of my life.” He says through gritted teeth. Clearly, my little outburst angered him. I try to step back but he holds me firmly. “I’m in charge. Want to ‘be in the loop’ about what’s gonna happen next, Little American?”

The sound of his deep voice makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. It's haunting and I feel more moisture pool between my thighs. His words are eerie and I instantly want more. “What?” I ask in what I can only describe as a needy moan.

He leans close until I feel his hot breath on the shell of my ear and his next words make me shiver.

“We are going to go have pizza and then I’m going to take you back to the palace where I’ll spank you with my belt and f**k you until you scream.”

~~~

I could barely concentrate as I sit across Daniel in the small booth in the pizzeria. He hasn't said a word to me since we entered the pizza shop. The small man behind the counter looks at us with wide eyes. He begins to speak in rapid Verilian. I look to Daniel who starts to converse with him. They speak back and fourth. I can't understand a word that's exchanged but the man sounds excited and Daniel, as usual, sounds bored. The pizzeria is quaint. It reminds me of a small New York joint with the neon sign and the checkered tile floor. The walls are painted red and there are graphics of pizza and Italy and NYC all over the walls. I smile, feeling a little like I was back home in America. I often took trips to the beautiful city with my parents.

“Annie?”

Daniel snaps me out of my thoughts. “Hm? Sorry. What?”

“He wants our picture, wants to put it on his wall. To attract customers.”

“Oh. Okay.”

He pulls me close and we both smile for a picture. His Polaroid camera snaps with a click and the picture comes out the bottom. The man is clearly excited as he shook it with enthusiasm and a large smile on his face, trying to get the image to show up faster. Daniel says something else in Verilian and the man nods. Daniel looks down a me knowingly at me knowingly and plants a kiss on my cheek before I even know what's going on. My eyes widen and my face flushes just as the camera clicks again. The second picture emerges from the bottom of the camera. The man offers it to me.

“For pretty lady.” He says with a warm smile.

I take it and nod, smiling back. “Thank you.”

Daniel orders a cheese pizza for the both of us as I shake the white picture. The image slowly begins to appear. Daniel leans over my shoulder and chuckles when the image came into clear view. There staring back at me, is a photo of Daniel kissing my cheek. My face reddens as I look at my appearance in the picture. As he kissed my cheek, I stared at the camera with wide eyes and a flushed face in shock. “Daniel! This is awful!” I squeak in protest.

He chuckles and grins. “I don’t know, I think this is my new favorite picture.”

I adamantly shake my head. “No. I’m going to destroy it.” I go to rip the photo in half when Daniel quickly snatches it out of my grasp. He pulls out his wallet and tucks it safely inside. “Daniel! Give it back!”

“I told you it was my new favorite picture, Little American. I’m gong to keep it safe and close to me at all times so I can look at it whenever I want.”

So here I sit, pouting in the booth as I take bites of my pizza. It's delicious and I can't get enough of the melted cheese and the sweet tomato sauce and the crust is crunchy and soft all at the same time. I'm thankful that the pizza was so good because it distracts me from my fake fiancé for a few valuable moments where I could escape into my mind.

A week.

By this time next week, I'm going be the Crown Princess of Verilia in line to become the next Queen. Of course, I'm not going to become Queen because after a year, I'm going to disappear back into anonymity. I know it's just a title that came without responsibilities and expectations, but I can’t help being a little apprehensive. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I was going to be in this situation, especially with someone as insufferable as Daniel. Sometimes I just can’t stand him, and sometimes I want to kiss him and fall into bed with him, never leaving his side. I can’t help but frown because despite the moments where I want to slap him across the face, I still dread having to leave him.

Yep.

I'm screwed.

I’ve only known him two days and I'm hopelessly obsessed with the handsome demon sitting across from me. I watch as he ate his pizza. He looks human enough with his blue eyes and his dark hair that's gelled to the side, but I know he isn’t. Crown Prince Daniel Windsor is nothing short of a devil in disguise sent to tempt me. I remember Sunday school growing up and how Satan was described as being beautiful and appealing to the human eye. As a child I never understood how someone so beautiful could possibly be so evil, but as a woman I now grasp the concept. Daniel is the kind of man who pays a woman to be his fake fiancé. Daniel is the type of man who hurts women for his own pleasure. Daniel is the type of man who uses an innocent child to achieve his desires.

And for that fact alone, he is evil.

Yet, why do I feel this way? Why does my heart nearly skip a beat when he looks at me? Why do my n*****s harden under his touch? Why does my core liquefy at the sound of his voice?

It must be lust, desire, infatuation. Pure s****l attraction. Yes. That’s it. Nothing more than simple s****l need.

Daniel’s lip quirks as he stares at me over his glass of soda that I’ve never even heard of. I guess it’s not sold in the states. “What are you thinking? I can practically see those wheels turning inside your head.”

I frown. “Is it that obvious?”

He nods. “Indeed. Tell me what’s on your mind and be cognizant,” he leans closer and lowers his voice so it's barely above a whisper. Even with his hushed voice, I can hear him more clearly than I ever could. “You’ll be punished if you lie.”

“How will you know if I’m lying?” I challenge. He hasn’t known me that long so he surely can’t know my personal quirks by now.

“Trust me,” there's that same devilish look in his eye and that same dark smile. The smile of a fallen angel. Of a devil. “Oh, trust me, I’ll know.”

I purse my lips. Of course, he will know. He’s so obsessive that he probably knows everything about me. Of course he knows all my tells and behaviors. I think it over for a moment, his earlier promise echoing in my brain.

“I’m going to take you back to the palace where I’ll spank you with my belt and f**k you until you scream.”

I shiver and my backside began to throb. Yeah, probably not a good idea to lie.

“You.”

“You were thinking about me?”

I nod.

“That’s a little vague.”

“I was thinking about you. I was thinking about how I think you’re a demon.”

He burst into laughter. “Oh really? I know I’m a bastard, that we’ve already established, but a demon? What makes me a demon, Little American?” His voice is laced with amusement as he stares at me with intrigue from across the table.

“Well. The Bible says that Satan was handsome.”

He raises a brow. “So now I’m Satan?”

My eyes widen. “N-no! T-that’s not what I meant.”

An emotion flashes in his eyes and if I didn’t know better I would’ve called it sadness. “I know you don’t hold me in good opinion, but I never thought you saw me as Satan.”

I shake my head. “You misunderstand. I am only drawing a parallel between the two stories. A handsome devil tempts someone to the dark side. Sound familiar?”

His amusement returns and he shakes his head as he chuckles quietly. “So I am tempting you to the dark side. What is this ‘dark side’ you speak of?”

I blush and bite my lip.

He seems to get my meaning. “Ah. I see. You are referring to my... preferences?”

“Yes.”

“Interesting,” he muses as he takes another sip of his soda. “And you think I am handsome?”

The heat never leaves my face but I scoff at his question. ”Of course. You’re gorgeous. Those eyes and the hair. No wonder all the women want you.”

“But not you?”

I furrow my brows. “What do you mean?”

“I can assume that you do not want me?”

I have to think for a moment. What is he referring to? Of course I want him sexually, I’m practically leaking onto the vinyl seat due to the nature of this conversation and the way he is looking at me. But, he must know that. My flushed face and labored breathing is a dead giveaway even to the most oblivious of men and Daniel is in no way oblivious. He couldn’t possibly mean a relationship? Is he looking to make this real? Does he feel the same? Does he feel the same connection, the electricity, the chemistry, the spark? All of it is there. We are highly compatible sexually and I’m starting to think conversationally as well. But he told me that he’s not interested in a relationship. He told me that I would be smart to remind myself that he is a bastard. Daniel is a player and he doesn’t believe in love.

But do I?

I know how I am feeling and I know that I have never felt this way in the past. No one had made my heart race or made my breath catch in my throat like Daniel does. He excites me an scares me all at the same time and often within seconds of each other. I feel his heat and his closeness and I want to melt into a puddle on the floor. I am completely lost in his deep blue eyes and I’m dripping when he orders me around. The feminist in me should hate that, but I can’t deny my shameless arousal when he dominates me. What would my mother think? My father? But still, I can’t help feeling this way, even when I know he is a complete bastard.

So is this love? Is love what I am feeling?

No. It can’t be.

Even if it is, it's too soon.

Apparently I have been thinking for a while because he raises a dark brow and leans forward slightly.

I can’t tell him anything. My thoughts are all I have left, he has stripped me of everything else. Last night he broke me into a million tiny pieces only to put me back together again and I can’t let him have this too.

So I narrow my eyes and smile seductively.

“You can assume that I want you to f**k me.”