Stavros stiffened.
Willow gasped.
But that only made Ingrid press her breasts harder against Stavros’ chest.
“Stop it!”
Only when Willow actually made a move to disengage them from each other did Stavros recover from his shock, and he immediately swung Ingrid back into the room.
While Ingrid was not the first woman to pull this kind of stunt on him, nudity in public was a criminal offense in Contini, and he didn’t want the royal family involved in such a scandal because of his choice of bedmate.
Willow’s hands fell against her sides at Stavros’ sudden movement. Did he just stop her from separating them? Did he actually want Ingrid that much?
When Stavros managed to get Ingrid’s mouth off him, he told Willow curtly, “For Willem’s sake, I hope you don’t tell anyone about this.”
And then he slammed the door in her face.
A moment later, and she started to hear it.
Again.
That sound.
Fumbling for her earbuds, she quickly jammed them into place, hoping to protect herself in time, but she was too late.
The moanaholic was back.
Shiiiiiiiiit.
She hurried away, but the sound haunted her. She spied a waste bin in the corner of the second floor landing and threw the empty cups inside.
Shiiiiiiiiit.
She could still hear the Dutch shit moaning in her ears.
Shiiiiiiiiit.
Before she knew it, she was throwing up all the coffee she had forced herself to drink. When it was over, she wiped her mouth and, closing her eyes, she leaned weakly against the wall, feeling completely spent.
Stavros, you Greek shit. I’m going to make you pay for this. But even as she continued talking to Stavros in her mind, the part of her that still believed in them having a future together kept getting smaller and smaller.
Chapter Five
“Good morning, Serenity.”
A suspicious look entered Serenity’s eyes as she spied Willow Somerset waving at her from one of the benches parked around the fountain in the palace’s courtyard. Since it was only four thirty in the morning, Serenity was grudgingly impressed by the other woman’s punctuality.
“Good morning, Ms. Somerset.”
Willow said pleasantly, “Please call me Willow.”
Serenity said equally pleasantly, “Please call me Ms. Raleigh.” Upon reaching Willow, she frowned, murmuring, “You look…unwell, Ms. Somerset.”
Of course she did. Stavros had virtually kicked her out of his room so he could keep fucking his Dutch shit. But out loud, Willow only said brightly, “You, on the other hand, look perfect.”
Serenity simply nodded. “Sarcasm becomes you, Ms. Somerset. Shall we go?” She turned around and started walking, obviously not planning to wait for her answer.
As she got up from the bench, Willow mentally threw her hands up in surrender. There was just no thawing the snow princess. While she did her best to keep up with Serenity’s long-legged stride, she tried her best not to grit her teeth at the girl’s slender perfection. Normally, seeing skinny people didn’t make her feel shitty, but she was still smarting at being called a fat cow.
Fat cow, ha. If she was a cow, then could she munch on Ingrid? Willow just had to paint her green and the other woman could pass as a stick of grass. No, make that weed. Munching on Ingrid would be a horrendously unhealthy and dry habit—
“Are you listening, Ms. Somerset?” Pausing, the intern glanced back at Willow over her shoulder.
Shiiiiiiiit. Taking her notepad and pen out from her bag, Willow asked the first question that popped into her mind just to avoid a freezing lecture. “Why do we have to start so early today?”
Serenity blinked.
This time, Willow’s teeth did grind against each other. Goddammit, even those blonde lashes were long and perfect! Life was unfair.
“Has Mr. de Konigh not informed you?” Serenity asked.
“Would I ask if he did?” She regretted her snippy tone the moment the words came out, knowing that she was unfairly taking her resentment out on Serenity. “I’m sorry.”
“No offense taken, Ms. Somerset.” Hesitation flickered in her eyes, making her temporarily appear more human than blonde robot. “About last night…” Hesitation turned into disconcertment. “May I apologize on Mr. de Konigh’s behalf? There were no other rooms available for Mr. Manolis except the one in your floor.”
Ah. Serenity knew about it, too, then. Willow summoned a stiff smile. “It was bound to happen. You guys have nothing to apologize for. It’s not your fault, anyway, that I fell in love with a…” With what? A man who had been cursed with the world’s most evil parents? A man who had been hurt too many times? A man who was made to believe he had been betrayed?