“How is the search for your future queen going? Any contenders for your heart yet?” I take a sip of wine and try to sound nonchalant.
“Well, Beth Anne nearly got me to propose this week. She’s perfected the art of cock sucking to masterful levels.” He wiggles his eyebrows, and I slap him in the arm as he laughs. Maddox has always been a ladies’ man who likes to indulge in women often and doesn’t discriminate much.
“You are truly a scoundrel.” My cheeks reddened at his crass words.
He takes a sip of his wine and then turns to me. “What about you? Are you ever going to get your head out of a book or take any time away from the infirmary to find company with a man? I think an orgasm or two would be exponentially helpful to you.” He smirks as my cheeks heat to the color of my wine.
“This isn’t about me, stop changing the subject.” I’d had only one male encounter before; it was quick and left me deeply unsatisfied.
“Seriously, Lay. I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen you with a male that wasn’t me. I certainly can’t remember the last time you laid with one. Don’t you ever get lonely?”
“Of course I don’t get lonely, I have you. Now, mention my sex life one more time and the contents of this glass aregoing to end up overturned on your head.” I hold my glass high and raise my eyebrow.
“Alright, alright. I’m just saying, it wouldn’t hurt to indulge occasionally. Let yourself have a little fun.”
“I let myself have plenty of fun. I am the definition of fun.” I stand, setting the glasses down and Maddox gives me an amused look. “Maybe you’re right. There has to be a male out there less insufferable than you.” Grabbing my pillow, I throw it, and it hits him square in the face.
“You wound me.” He grabs the pillow and throws it back at me.
I laugh, tipping my head back as my body begins to feel light and heady. I sway around the room, humming happily when I hear a tearing noise. Turning, I see Maddox set a book back on my side table, waving the singular piece of paper in the air, grinning.
“You did not just rip that out of my book!” I huff exasperated. He holds out a hand as if to keep me at bay and begins to fold the paper. “What page did you rip out? I wasn’t finished! Now how will I know what happens?”
“We have an entire library of books; I’ll get you another one.” He waves me off and continues to crease the page until he holds up a small paper rose. “For you.”
I narrow my eyes at him but take the offering, spinning it between my fingers to admire it. “That’s what you always say. I’d rather know what happens in my book…but thank you.” I smile despite myself and sniff the faux flower before placing it in the drawer of my bedside table next to the others.
Maddox continues filling our cups until it is so late my eyes grow bleary. I sway around the room, bumping into my cluttered dresser. Some of my many trinkets topple to the ground, a collection of all the offerings people had given me over the years in lieu of coin.
“Okay, I think it’s time to sleep.” Maddox saunters over to me and his hands grasp my hips to steady me. I drunkenly smile up at him, and he stills as his eyes track the movement. His hand comes up, his thumb brushing over my cheekbone. “You are exquisite. Have I ever told you that?”
“Oh no.” I push at his chest and stumble away towards the bed. “No, no, no, no. Save it for Beth Anne; I am immune to your charm.”
“Lay.” Maddox grabs for me as I begin to topple over. My head is pleasantly buzzing, and my body feels heavy and relaxed. “Don’t push me away like you do to every other man.” His words sober me for a moment as I peer up at him. He looks down at me with a pleading look that scares me.
“I watched what it did to my mother when he died.” I murmur, “I watched how it changed her. It ate away at her mind, body, and soul.” The drunken confession tumbles out of me. I vowed to never let the same thing happen to me.
“I know,” he whispers, pulling me into his lean body. “I know,” he says again, and I wrap my arms around his middle, allowing my sadness to rise to the surface.
He rests his chin on the top of my head. “Come on, let’s get you to bed.” He walks me backward a few steps before lowering me onto the soft sheets. Pulling up the bedding, he slides in behind me and pulls me against his chest. “You aren’t her.”
I wake abruptlythe next morning to pounding on my door. I shoot out of bed, my body moving so fast on its own accord I slam into my door before yanking it open. “Yes, I’m awake,” I croak, rubbing at my sleep coated eyes.
Hecktor, my guard stands at the entrance, looking anything but amused. “We leave in ten minutes for the infirmary. The King won’t be happy if we are late.”
He gives me a disapproving look when he sees Maddox asleep in my bed. “You may want to wake the prince; he has matters to attend to this morning.”
“Good morning to you too, Hecktor,” I grumble as I shut the door. Every muscle in my body aches and my head pounds furiously as I make my way to the closet.
A few empty bottles of wine litter the floor. I groan, knowing I have a full day of healing ahead fighting through this hangover.
I pull on a white, long-sleeved undershirt, tossing a plain black dress over it. Black is my color of choice lately to hide any of the blood that will unwittingly find its way onto me.
I stumble over to Maddox and give him a good shake. “Maddox, wake up! If your father finds you in here, I’m sure he will be less than thrilled.”
He moans, pushing himself further into my bed while securing a pillow over his head.
“You have two minutes to get up before I pour a pitcher of ice-cold water on you.”
