The Playboy King, page 13
I couldn’t wait to see Victoria in the dress I had chosen for her. Sara had helped me with her size, but the rest had been all me. I had put careful thought and consideration into selecting the perfect gown, hoping it would make her feel as special as she truly was. Getting it delivered from London had been a small feat, but I was quickly learning why my dad, with his notoriously impossible standards, always approved of Clive as an assistant. The man could move mountains when he was asked to.
After a quick shower, Clive appeared like he knew exactly when I would need him. He delivered my black suit, freshly pressed as usual. He was awfully quiet.
“Just say it,” I said.
“What would you like me to say?”
“Did the dress get delivered to Victoria?” I asked casually.
“Sara took it, yes.”
“Did she say anything?” I asked.
“About?”
“Clive, quit playing games. We both know exactly what I’m talking about. Is she pissed?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to Victoria. Sara and I didn’t discuss the situation.”
“You think I fucked up, don’t you?” I asked, pulling on my pants.
“I think you let that man poke you into doing something you know you shouldn’t have,” he replied as he held out the starched white shirt.
Clive was right. Victoria’s opinion meant everything to me, and if I had jeopardized that by losing my cool, I would never forgive myself.
Would Victoria even speak to me tonight? Would she look at me with disdain, seeing me as the hothead that John had painted me to be?
“I reacted but I quickly pulled it back.”
“Keep your focus on Victoria,” he advised, his tone serious and knowing. “Don’t get caught up in trying to show others up. She’s the one who matters.”
“I know. I’ll ignore him. I’m not going to risk losing her.”
I straightened my jacket, readying myself for the evening ahead. Clive straightened my jacket up some more, apparently unsatisfied with my adjustments. Then he ran the lint brush over my shoulders.
“Good?” I smoothed down my tie, which was a perfect match to the dress I sent to Victoria. I hoped I didn’t look like a damn fool showing up in a tie that was supposed to match her if she didn’t wear the dress.
He smiled. “Perfect.”
Clive followed me to the ladies’ hall and stood behind me while I knocked on the door. I truly hoped she answered and was still willing to go to the ball with me.
18
VICTORIA
“Are you ready?” Sara asked with a smile.
I took a deep breath. “I am.”
I opened the door to find Warren standing there. My heart skipped a beat, and a smile instantly spread across my face. I was taken aback by just how attractive he was. His hair was slicked back and the sun he got during the match had left him with a healthy glow. The blue tie made his eyes pop. I realized I was staring at him and I collected myself.
Clive was standing behind Warren with a proud smile. Warren bowed his head before kissing the back of my hand. “You look absolutely stunning,” he said with an appreciative smile.
“You too,” I murmured.
Sara hugged my arm. “Have fun,” she said.
I felt bad for leaving her once again, but she didn’t seem to mind. “Thank you.”
Warren offered me his arm. I linked mine through his, feeling a surge of warmth at his touch. As we made our way down to the ballroom, Clive followed discreetly behind us. He was supposed to be our chaperone, although it seemed silly because we were going to a ball and would be surrounded by people.
“Thank you for the dress,” I said as we walked.
“You’re welcome,” he replied. “It’s more beautiful on you than I imagined.”
“How did you get it?” I asked.
“Online,” he said.
“You did not buy this online,” I joked.
“I made a call, a video call, and picked it out.”
“Do I want to know how you knew my size?” I asked with a laugh. “That’s a little disturbing you nailed it perfectly.”
“Sara helped with the size, but I picked it out myself. I knew what I was looking for, and when the associate showed me this dress, I knew it was perfect.”
“And how did you manage to get it here so quickly?”
“That would be Clive.” He chuckled, glancing over his shoulder.
I looked back. “Thank you, Clive.”
He smiled and bowed his head. “It was my pleasure.”
“How was your afternoon?” I asked casually.
“If you’re asking if I got into any more fights, no.”
My lips pressed together. “Can I ask what happened?”
“I let him get to me,” he answered with a sigh.
“He knocked you off your horse,” I corrected. “Everyone saw it. I’m surprised you didn’t clobber him with that polo stick.”
He slowed his walk and looked at me. “You’re not angry?”
“No. Why would I be? You have the right to defend yourself.”
“I thought you might be upset about the situation. I shouldn’t have reacted like that.” He shook his head. “I have to be better than that.”
“I think you had to stand up for yourself,” I told him. “He would have just kept coming after you if he got away with it. He’s a bully. That’s what they do.”
“I’ve never been one to stand idly by,” he said. “I thought you would be angry with me.”
“For what?”
“For fighting.” He shrugged. “I know it’s not very, king-like and it’s more of the man I was and not the man I’m trying to be.”
“John deserved to be taken down a peg or two,” I told him. “I’m not angry at all. I’m glad you made it clear you’re not going to be pushed around. Were there any problems at the club?”
“Nah, not really.”
That was basically a yes, but I didn’t push it. The sounds of the orchestra greeted my ears, along with conversation and laughter. Before we entered the ballroom, Warren pulled me aside. I looked at him, wondering what was wrong. He looked so serious.
“Thank you for standing by me,” he said. “I thought I might have embarrassed you or made you think less of me.”
I shook my head. “Not at all.”
Clive stepped forward and opened the door for us. My hand rested on Warren’s forearm as we stepped into the ballroom. I felt the eyes on us. They were all watching. Clive escorted us to our table before casually disappearing.
The first notes of “How Deep is Your Love” filled the air. It seemed just a little out of place in the very regal, old-fashioned ball. A playful smirk danced on Warren’s lips. “Dance with me?” he asked, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down my spine.
“I’d love to.”
He led me onto the ballroom floor, where many other couples were taking advantage of the love song that was popular in our parents’ youth. The music enveloped us. The deep, soulful melody was soothing. His touch was light, yet firm, sending sparks shooting through me. We moved in perfect sync, as if we’d been dancing together for years. It felt so right being in his arms.
As the song reached its crescendo, everyone else on the dance floor seemed to disappear. All I could see was Warren, his eyes locked on mine, his face inches away. The intensity of his gaze sent a jolt through me, making my breath catch in my throat. If we were anywhere else, we would have kissed. I saw it in his eyes. Something was happening between us. I could practically see the chemistry sizzling in the air around us.
The music ended too quickly. We stood breathless, caught in a silent spell. Then, slowly, a smile spread across Warren’s face, mirroring my own. The sound of applause snapped us back to reality. I felt a blush creep up my neck, but Warren held my gaze, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
“Wow,” he breathed, his voice husky. “That was…”
“Incredible,” I finished.
Another song started, a slow, romantic number once again. “Do you want to take a breather?” he asked.
I shook my head. “No, I like dancing with you.”
“Me too.”
“Do you think they were clapping for us or the orchestra?” I asked.
“I’m sure it was the music.” He smiled. “I understand a good waltz, but we’re not in the eighteen hundreds and we’re not sixty. I think we all appreciate almost-modern music. The applause will hopefully encourage more modern songs.”
We danced a few more songs before the music stopped and dinner was announced. Warren took my hand and led me to the formal dining room. We found a couple of empty seats and quickly sat down. I hoped Sophia found somewhere else to sit, or else I might find a horse to ram into her. If John could do it, why couldn’t I?
Lady Hamilton stood at the head table and tapped the side of her glass with a fork. The conversations stopped, and everyone looked at her in anticipation.
Her voice, both authoritative and warm, filled the room. “I want to thank all of you for a beautiful first session of our Wed season. Thank you, the participants, for carrying yourselves with grace and honor and to the staff for their hard work and commitment to creating memorable experiences for our couples. The future of the Golden Society has never looked brighter.”
This was met with a round of thunderous applause.
She soaked in the cheers with a smile, like a proud grandmother overseeing her growing family. “The season isn’t over yet. Tomorrow morning, we have a surprise event in store for you all. So, rest well, enjoy the remainder of the evening, and let us whisk you away on a new adventure come dawn.”
The room erupted in excitement. “A surprise?” I murmured to Warren, a thrill of anticipation tingling down my spine.
“I can only imagine,” he said with a sigh.
Our glasses were filled with wine by a passing server, and I reached for it gratefully. Before I could take a drink, I saw her. Sophia drifted toward our table like a snake in a low-cut dress. The damn thing was so tight around the chest, one sneeze and she would poke someone’s eye out with a loose nipple.
Lacking any sense of shame or decorum, she asked the man sitting next to Warren to move. The spineless fool did it. She flashed me her shark smile before she sat down.
Warren looked at me and gave a shake of his head. “Not this again,” he whispered. “She’s like a bad rash.”
As if Sophia wasn’t bad enough, John sat down on the other side of me. “You look lovely, Victoria.”
I tried not to gag. Warren, unable to read my thoughts, stiffened. I looked at him, hoping to catch his gaze and silently signal he had nothing to worry about, but Warren was eyeballing John like he might say something.
The tension in the air was thick. With that lovely atmosphere, dinner was served. Lady Hamilton had done it again. It was a delectable array of gourmet dishes presented with meticulous care. It was a feast for the eyes as well.
Unfortunately, every time I tried to talk to Warren, John suddenly had to talk to me. He was doing his best to distract me with incessant chatter about the latest gossip. Sophia, equally invested in keeping me and Warren from talking, peppered my match with questions about his life back home. We knew what they were doing, but unless we were outright rude to them, we had to politely play along.
John leaned in close like he had a secret. “You know, Warren is only doing this to win a competition with me. Once he does, he’ll drop you.”
The accusation was so absurd, a snort escaped me before I could stop it. “And what competition would that be, John?” I asked, amusement lacing my voice. “Best horse crash?”
His face flushed slightly. “Nothing you need to know about. Just a friendly wager between gentlemen.”
I didn’t believe him for a second. It was clear he was threatened by the connection between Warren and me, fueled by his own failed advances and bruised ego. The man’s motivations were as clear as the blue veins in Sophia’s mashed together tits. That bodice had to be cutting off oxygen to her brain, the way she giggled and fawned over Warren like the pick-me girl she was.
Noticing I wasn’t paying attention, John snapped his fingers in my face. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath so that I didn’t stab him with a fork. “I’m sorry, what were you saying, John? Something about a made-up wager?”
He glowered at the suggestion. “It’s the truth.”
“Interesting,” I said with a smile. “I’m surprised you would admit to doing something so nasty. What would Lady Hamilton think?”
“It wasn’t just me,” he muttered like a petulant child. “Warren did it too.”
“I see. Well, shame on you for accepting a wager for my affections. Now I would like to finish the rest of my meal in silence. Please and thank you.”
John stewed in silence. Warren was still stuck fending off Sophia’s wandering hands, so I took a few bites of the truffle dish. The rich earthy flavor exploded in my mouth, and without constant chatter in my ear, my appetite returned.
Finally, the dinner ended. I couldn’t wait to escape the suffocating atmosphere. Warren and I exchanged a knowing glance. We were both anxious to ditch our unwanted guests. We quickly blended in with the crowd on the way back to the ballroom where everyone was expected to dance the rest of the night away.
He didn’t even have to ask as he led me onto the dance floor. His strong hands guided me through the familiar steps, and we moved effortlessly together. The air crackled with delicious energy, and I wondered if he would let me have him as dessert.
“That was miserable,” he said with his breath brushing over my ear.
“Do you think they planned it?”
“You doubt it?” he said with a chuckle.
“No, I guess not,” I said. “Why don’t they just go after each other? Those two miserable people would make a perfect couple.”
“Because they’ve decided we’re the real prizes to be won.”
I sighed. “Why doesn’t that feel like a good thing?”
Just as the song ended, Warren leaned down. “Would you like to escape for a bit to the garden? The moonlight would be perfect for a stroll.”
My heart leaped. “I’d love to,” I breathed. “But first, we have to give John and Sophia the slip.”
With a playful wink, he grabbed my hand, and, together, we weaved through the crowd, disappearing into the night without a chaperone. We walked hand in hand, the silence between us comfortable.
“Thank you for escaping with me,” I said.
“The pleasure was all mine,” he replied, his voice low and warm. “I needed a break. I saw Sophia eyeing me like she was trying to figure out what part of me she wanted to snack on first.”
I laughed, feeling a sense of solidarity with him. “Me too. John’s incessant chatter was giving me a headache.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever met two more obnoxious people,” he said.
“Forget them,” I said. “It’s just us now.”
19
WARREN
The cool night air felt refreshing against my skin, a stark contrast to the stifling ballroom we had just escaped. I looked down at Victoria, who had her face turned up to the sky with a dreamy smile.
“You look ethereal in the moonlight, like a vision from a dream,” I said.
Her eyes sparkled as she smiled even bigger. “Thank you. It’s heaven out here, compared to inside. And the guest list out here is infinitely better.”
“I completely agree,” I replied. The soft lighting bathed her in a gentle glow, accentuating the delicate features of her face. In that moment, I felt a rush of emotions surge through me—admiration, fondness, and an undeniable attraction that had been growing with each passing day.
I led us further away from the noise of the ball and the other couples taking advantage of the cool night air.
“I never expected John and Sophia to be so persistent,” Victoria said. “I think my dad would have told me if John was even being considered as a match for me. I honestly don’t know him, and I don’t think my brothers do either.”
“They certainly have a knack for making themselves the center of attention,” I said. “But they’re both pushing way too hard. I can’t understand why they’re so fixated on us when it’s clear there’s no real connection there.”
As we wandered deeper into the garden, I felt a sense of peace settle over me in Victoria’s presence.
“You know, the first day we were here, I wasn’t sure about this,” she said. “I thought it was crazy that we were even matched at all. But I am happy to see you’ve turned into someone I never would’ve expected you to be.”
“What do you mean?”
“I knew the rumors,” she said softly. “Sara used to talk to me a lot about her struggles living at home. Your father didn’t make life easy for her, and from what I understand, he was even stricter with you. That’s a lot to overcome. When I was told we were matched, I was a little upset.”
“Just a little?” I teased.
She smiled and shrugged, looking cute as hell. “I was surprised my dad thought it was a good idea. Sara told me it was her idea. She was eager to make us sisters in real life. I was happy with it, but it also pissed me off that I didn’t even get a say in the matter.”
“Did you have someone in mind?”
She shook her head. “I guess I was imagining a catalog of sorts. Like I could browse through a list and find the man I thought was right for me.”
“I know I’m not your first choice, but—”
She stopped me. “No, I didn’t say that. It was not having a choice that bothered me. But after getting here and meeting you and some of the others, I’m glad it’s you. I’m glad you’re not the man I thought you were.”
“I was that man at one point in my life,” I said. “I guess in a way, I have an advantage. I know exactly what I don’t want to be. When I have to make a decision, I ask myself, what would my father do? Then I do the opposite. When I realized I had to come into Wed season, I wasn’t thrilled. I was prepared to accept the best I could do. I didn’t really imagine myself getting the chance to love or be loved. Meeting you has changed something within me. I don’t want to be that person anymore. I want to be better, to be someone worthy of you.”
