The Naughty King(23)

I stare down at my still nude body wrapped in a fluffy white hotel towel. “Go ahead without me. I’ll be down in a bit.”

“Margo . . .” There’s hesitation in his voice. “Are you okay? You sound off.”

I don’t answer because I can’t find the right words to express the things going through my mind. On one hand, I’m feeling amazing because I’ve just had the most mind-blowing sexual experience, but on the other, I’m completely torn in a way I didn’t expect. Sadness for the loss of something that I know will never happen again. Being with Alexander had to be a one-time thing. It can never happen again. Sleeping with him was never part of the plan. I don’t do random sex. My heart gets too invested, and I refuse to be just another notch in Alexander King’s insanely long bedpost.

“Margo?” When I still don’t bother to answer, the handle of the bathroom door rotates just before it swings open, revealing a shirtless Alexander wearing a pair of black swimming trunks.

“I didn’t say that you could come in here,” I scold him and then tighten the towel around me.

He tilts his head, and his gorgeous gray eyes bore into me. “I thought we were long past formalities at this point.”

A shiver shoots down my spine. “Just because we’ve seen each other naked and . . .”

He lifts his eyebrows and finishes my sentence for me. “Fucked?”

I straighten my shoulders. “Yes. That. It doesn’t mean that it’s going to happen again or that things are suddenly different between us.”

Alexander pulls his plump, bitable lips into a tight line. “So you want to just forget it ever happened and go right back to hating each other?”

I nod. “That’s exactly what I want.”

He lets out an exasperated sigh before running his hand down the back of his neck. “Fine. Then get your ass ready and get down to the pool. We have business to attend to.”

I flinch at the sudden change in the tone of his voice, but I like that he’s in agreement and doing exactly as I ask. When I open my mouth to tell him to fuck off and that I’d be down when I’m good and ready, I quickly close it when I see a flash of pain in his eyes before he turns and walks out of the bathroom.

I sigh the moment I hear the door slam when he leaves the suite.

This situation is all kinds of fucked up.

After getting myself together after a quick shower, I make my way down to the pool party that the Hard Rock calls Rehab. The scene before me causes me to raise my eyebrows. This place is something straight out of the Spring Break handbook. There are bodies everywhere—all of them dancing to the techno beat spun by the DJ.

This is seriously where King is meeting a business contact? Good luck talking business out here.

When I get through security, I merge into the crowd. Several pairs of hungry male eyes watch me intently as I pass by, and suddenly I wish I would’ve let Alexander wait on me. I don’t like feeling like a piece of meat on display.

One dark-haired man with a set of toned abs and wide smile grabs my wrist as I pass by. “Damn! You’ve got the nicest set of tits I’ve seen all day.”

I fight the urge to smack him in the face because I know that technically I’m out here for business purposes and getting arrested for assault wouldn’t be a good look.

“Not interested.” I attempt to twist out of his grasp, but there’s no such luck.

The man tightens his hold and attempts to jerk me against his chest. “Let me feel those titties on me.”

“Get off me!” I shove my arms between us and push with all my might, but he’s too big and I can’t force him off.

“Play nice, baby,” he says, and the distinct smell of beer wafts into my face.

Before I have a chance to say anything else, the man flies back and Alexander steps between us. Alexander’s hands ball into fists at his side as his entire body tenses.

“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll walk away. Now.” The low growl in Alexander’s voice emits such a warning that the man instantly throws his hands up in surrender and backs away without another word.

Alexander stands still, shielding me until he’s sure the man is gone, and I have to admit that I’m grateful for his presence.

He slowly turns toward me. “You all right?”

I nod. “Yes. Thank you for that. I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t been here.”

“Don’t worry, Margo. Nobody will dare touch you while I’m around.”

His confident words cause butterflies to erupt in my belly. It makes me feel safe knowing that he’s looking out for me.