Chapter 102

“I can tell by the look on your face that you’ve been thinking about me,” Terry said.

My stomach twisted. The champagne I had enjoyed only a moment ago soured in my mouth.

Susie shrunk, half-hiding behind me. Terry didn’t even look at her, his entire attention was focused on me.

I didn’t reply to him. I simply stood there trying not to be sick on the ballroom floor.

Terry didn’t seem to mind. He continued on without even a dent to his smile.

“Congratulations, Piper. You’ve enamored two different brothers. No simple act. Though I can understand why they are taken with you.”

I swallowed down the rising bile in my throat. “Thank you.” It was all I could manage. I knew what lied beyond his friendly façade, and now that the image of him had been permanently tainted, I struggled to rebuild my own fake friendly face to deal with him.

“You must forgive me,” he said. “Our time was cut so short the last time we were together. But I am hoping we can claim more along time again soon.”

“I’d rather not,” I said quickly.

I noticed then that my words turned a few heads around me. People were eavesdropping our conversation. They were judging me.

I cleared my throat and softened my tone. “The competition organizers keep us all very busy. I couldn’t possibly find time…”

“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about them if I were you. Don’t forget who I am, Piper. I can sneak you away for a little chat at any time and no one would say a word.”

A few onlookers laughed, like Terry had said something charming and not unbelievably creepy. I couldn’t blame them exactly, since they didn’t know what Terry had tried to do to me, but I still hated them in that moment, that they couldn’t see how uncomfortable he was making me.

I wanted to dig a hole and bury myself in it. Anything to get away from him and this moment.

Terry leaned in closer. “I do enjoy our time together, Piper.” Softer, so the eavesdroppers couldn’t hear, he added, “I cannot wait to add you to my collection of broken things.”

My skin crawled at his possessive tone and the unwanted fire in his eyes as he dragged his slimy gaze down my body.

There was no one here to save me. I had to save myself. I drew courage from the knowledge that he couldn’t touch me here, even though he clearly wanted to. Too many witnesses, too many cameras.

If I screamed, everyone would look.

So I lifted my chin, and told him, “You are going to be disappointed, because you will never own me.”

His smile added teeth. “You say that now. I’ll let you think what you want. But no one escapes from me, Piper. I’m a powerful man. I get what I want.”

This was a much greater threat than those given to me on the stage by Lilliana and Olivia, and sent terrible shivers up my spine.

“Announcing the Royal Family!” Nathan called from the top of the stairs. Everyone turned to look, even Terry.

I glanced behind me at Susie. Her eyes were wide with worry. I nodded my head in a direction away from Terry. Susie nodded.

Quietly and slowly, while everyone was clapping for the King, Queen, and princes as they came down the stairs, Susie and I started to move away from Terry.

But then Terry reached out and snatched my wrist, immediately stilling me.

“You wouldn’t want to miss my family’s grand entrance, would you, Piper?”

“I’m just going over there for a better look,” I lied.

I glanced at Susie, who was watching me with wild fear. I didn’t know what I wanted her to do. There wasn’t anything she could do, really. But I didn’t want to be alone.

Unfortunately, Susie then turned from me and darted into the crowd.

“I think you had better stay right here beside me,” Terry said. “After all, I wasn’t finished speaking with you. Or looking my fill.” He slid closer to me, pressing his front along my back. I felt a twitch against my backside. Deep dread curdled in my gut.

I couldn’t give up. There had to be a way out of this. I glanced around, desperate, but no one was looking at me anymore. Even if they did see me, they wouldn’t notice Terry pressing himself against me from the way he was so closely angled to my back.

I felt hopeless, powerless. I missed my wolf now more than ever, though I knew that even if I had a wolf, I couldn’t lash out at the Queen’s brother without consequence. I’d take the consequence if it kept this asshole away from me.

The only thing I could do now was struggle and make a scene. I devised a plan. I’d be shamed, maybe even disqualified, but I’d be away from Terry, at least for now.

Though if I was disqualified and cast back onto the street, no cameras would follow me. It would be so easy for Terry to find me and snatch me up without anyone knowing.

That alone stilled the elbow that I had planned to throw back into his gut. I’ve dealt with these kind of assaults before. If I just stayed very still, maybe it would be over quickly. Maybe I could escape when he was done.

“Piper! There you are!” Julian called. He and Nicholas, with Susie following closely behind, were walking quickly toward me.

I could have cried seeing them. My friends. My saviors.

“Uncle, thank you for keeping Piper company, but we will take her off your hands now.” Julian gave Terry a too-sharp smile. His brows were low, his eyes angry.

Nicholas, his face all stern lines, reached for me and physically tugged me away from Terry and to his own side. He kept his arm around me as I let out a shaky breath.

“Boys.” Terry grit his teeth. “Your timing as always remains most unfortunate. I take it the little songbird is to blame this time.” His gaze landed on Susie.

She gasped and hid behind Julian.

Julian tilted his head. “Fortune, misfortune. It’s all relative, isn’t it? Let’s not forget that Piper is part of this competition, so she has other duties. Duties pertaining mainly to us, her suitors and not to you, an outsider. I’m sure you understand.”

Terry’s smile slipped fully off his face. “I take what I want, Julian. You should know that by now.”

“Not this time, uncle,” Nicholas said, voice so low it was nearly a growl. I leaned further into the warm comfort of his side. His arm tightened around me.

Terry narrowed his eyes at Nicholas. Then he shrugged, faking nonchalance. “Time will tell.” It was a threat. We all knew it. But he made no further comment and simply walked away.

With Terry’s departure I could breathe again, and think again. I looked at my position, tucked into Nicholas’s side, clutching his suit coat with my hands, and my face burned with embarrassment.

Instantly, I stepped back from Nicholas. He let me go, returning his arm to his side, though he gave me a curious glance.

I couldn’t face him, even after thanking him for saving me. This was all too much. I was overwhelmed.

So I turned to Julian instead. “Prince Julian, we must speak privately at once. I have so much to tell you.”

Julian wagged his eyebrows. “’Privately,’ eh?”

I rolled my eyes. “You know what I mean.”

Nicholas started to growl in earnest. His face was even more severe than when we’d talked with Terry. His whole body was tense. He glared at his brother, but his eyes softened when he looked at me.

“It would be rude without dancing with me first,” he said. “Since I was one of the princes who chose you.”

That made sense. What would it look like for me to disappear with Julian, abandoning Nicholas?

These political games made my head spin.

Nicholas held up his hand for me. “Dance with me, Piper.”

I half-wanted to run away, embarrassed by my desires for Nicholas, but the bigger half of me wanted to be near him, no matter what we were doing.

So I placed my hand on his and let him pull me to the dance floor.

Behind us, Julian laughed and laughed.