Chapter 9 Dangerously Alluring
1012 Words
Kevin reached out, ruffling my hair lightly.
"King Kevin Royston feels no pity for you," he said, his voice low and teasing, "but he finds you incredibly charming. Will you do him a favor?"
He called me charming but didn't act on it. Was he being a gentleman, or did he have... issues?
As embarrassing as it was to admit, I couldn't help feeling a tiny pang of disappointment.
But the way he spoke, the way he touched my head—it was as if he were trying to soothe a child.
I squinted at him, trying to decipher the mischief brewing in his mind.
The only conclusion I reached was, "His lashes are ridiculously thick".
"Go ahead," I said, folding my arms. "I'm your partner, aren't I? I should help you with your work."
"Don't be so serious." He sighed with mock exasperation. "I just want you to meet my family."
Family? He had a family? No one in Luthshir had ever mentioned other royal family members.
The rumors about him were all about mistresses and... dead wives.
Was he about to parade me through a room of corpses?
I instinctively edged away from him, hesitating before I asked, "Your... family. You mean alive ones?"
"Seriously?" Kevin's face contorted into an expression of genuine confusion, followed by a furrowed brow. "Missy, I'm not Bluebeard."
So, he was aware of his own reputation yet did nothing to stop it from reaching my ears.
Natasha, as his public relations advisor, clearly wasn't doing her job.
I had to admit, my question was a bit offensive.
"Sorry. I just need time to get to know you better."
I wrapped my hands around his arm and shook it playfully. He exhaled a long-suffering sigh before tapping my forehead.
"It's my brother, Errol. He's hosting a banquet to welcome you in three days. He's... a bit vain, so you'll need to look your best."
That infuriating, condescending tap on my head again.
Look my best? With what, exactly?
I had nothing but a few everyday outfits and the formal gown I wore when I arrived—an outfit that screamed humiliation and was never seeing daylight again.
The rest? Those bubble-sleeve, puffy princess dresses from my "Barbie Dreamhouse".
I was twenty, not two. If I wore one of those, people would think I was auditioning for a Disney parade float.
Or... he liked Barbie maybe? What exactly was his sense of aesthetics?
"Kevin," I started, my voice calm, "there's something I've been meaning to ask you."
"Go ahead."
"The decor in my living quarters... and the clothes in my closet. Did you pick them out?"
I looked at him sincerely, swallowing every ounce of sarcasm in my tone.
"Not just me," he said with an oddly proud expression. "The entire Privy Council contributed ideas. We even held a meeting about it. Don't you love it?"
A meeting? To decide on a fiancée's wardrobe? This was democracy in action?
"Are you serious?"
"Nope. I'd never let another man know your measurements."
"You!"
But the image of those councilmen earnestly debating pink sofas and rainbow unicorns made me burst out laughing.
Kevin laughed with me, his smile as bright and carefree as Karl's had been that night in the conservatory.
Mr. fiancé was utterly devious. My emotions were like puppets on strings in his hands.
I found the spot on his arm I'd bitten the night before and gave it a sharp pinch.
He hissed softly but still looked at me with that maddeningly serious expression.
"Honestly, do you like any of it?"
"Burn it all. Including the wheelchair!"
I raised my hand like a pistol and mimicked shooting him under the chin. He played along, jerking his head back dramatically before catching my hand in his warm grip.
"Seems we've both made assumptions about each other," he said with a gentle smile. "That's fine. Let's adjust them together."
'This dangerous, alluring rogue... I'm going to make him mine.'
I stayed for dinner with Kevin at the main castle.
By the time I returned, my living quarters had been completely redecorated in a sleek, modern style. It still felt like something straight out of a catalog, but I had to admire Kevin's efficiency.
Over the next three days, gifts poured into my residence—gowns, designer handbags, jewelry, and luxury watches. Even Emma, who had worked for Kastillia's royal family for years, was astonished. Kevin had also sent me a new phone and a GPS tracker shaped like the royal crest—for Pablo, of course.
But my favorite delivery? Boxes of contracts detailing the cooperation agreements between Luthshir and Kastillia. Kevin hadn't dismissed my words as childish nonsense.
He needed a partner who added value.
This banquet, he said, was simply a family gathering. I knew better. It was my debut in Luthshir's royal circles, a test of my worth.
My life couldn't revolve around Kevin. Making the right impression on the other royals was crucial.
"Emma," I said, handing her a blank check I'd signed. "Here's a task befitting your new role as head maid."
She looked at the check and then back at me.
"Find out what Natasha plans to wear to the banquet," I instructed. "Pay whatever it takes to get the information."
This checkbook was a parting gift from my father, handed to me in secret during our last meeting at the hospital. I'd assumed it was useless here in Luthshir.
But seeing those cooperation agreements had made everything clear.
My father, the cunning old fox, had ensured I had a way to handle minor inconveniences.
As for Emma's loyalty? That was never in doubt. Kastillia was her past. I held her future in my hands.
The next day, Emma returned with photos of Natasha's gown.
It was an extravagant, over-the-top monstrosity. I couldn't help but shake my head.
'Natasha,' I thought, 'clearly the king's punishment hasn't taught you a thing.'
If she wanted to steal the spotlight so badly, I'd gladly let her. I just hoped she wouldn't cry about it later.
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