Macee turned to face him. She stood there with her hands on her hips. “So, it was a case of bad or worse?”
“Precisely.”
Macee's jaw dropped open. What kind of a statement was that? He had finally admitted his true feelings. All this time he was masking his distaste for her with sexual innuendos and smirks. Macee wanted to slap his face but his chest was too distracting. This man had the body of an Adonis.
“Well, in that case, I guess you will agree with me when I file for an annulment.”
Prince Louis's eyes flew open. He was not expecting that. “It will not be that easy.”
“I'll find a way.” Macee walked out of the room. She could not stand there any longer and listen to that man. She was both humiliated and angered by him, but at the same time, she had to admit to herself that she was attracted to him. When he wasn’t being overbearing and condescending, he really was charming and Macee really did like the way his kisses made her insides jump around.
Dinner was eaten in an awkward silence. Macee was still fuming over what the prince had said, but he was acting as if nothing happened. How could he be so inconsiderate? Macee picked up the saltshaker and, without warning, threw it at him. Prince Louis jumped as it bounced off his shoulder, but she had already walked out of the room before he could say anything.
Macee went upstairs to prepare for bed and was surprised when Prince Louis joined her. “You are sleeping here?” she asked him.
“Where else?” he asked as he got into bed.
“Anywhere but here.”
“Tough luck, ma cherie. We are married now, there is no escape.”
I am so getting that annulment, Macee thought to herself. She was going to do whatever it took to get out of this relationship.
* * *
Prince Louis was enjoying the sea breeze and a glass of wine, as he sat outside in the courtyard. As he looked out at the ocean, he saw Macee walking toward the beach. They had not spoken since the night before. He simply did not understand her. Every woman he had ever come in contact with would have given anything to be in her position while she acts as if it’s some sort of death sentence. He knew that he had angered her, but he was not going to apologise. He was fed up with her being closed to him.
He had been lost in thought and didn’t notice Macee until she was walking out of the water. Wearing a brightly-coloured bikini, he watched as she walked slowly toward the beach. The water ran off her body in rivulets. He continued to stare as she dried herself off. Before sitting down, she stretched, arching her back as she stretched her arms to the sky. He jumped up as he felt a cool liquid land in his lap. Looking down, he put the almost empty glass of wine on the table as he shook out his pants. He had been so engrossed in Macee that he had lost track of his glass of wine and tipped it into his lap.
“Your highness,” one of the maids said quietly, as she handed him a towel. He cleared his throat and took the towel from her. He had not realised that he had been staring at Macee that intently.
“Pour me more wine,” he said to her.
“Yes, your highness,” she picked up the bottle of wine and poured him another glass, which he quickly downed before getting up to change his pants.
Dinner was just as quiet and awkward as the night before. They had yet to engage in any sort of conversation, which made any time together painful.
Macee was pleased that they were not staying there for too long. The maids had suggested some activities for them both to indulge in but neither one of them wanted it, as that meant being in each other’s company. They spent their days keeping out of each other’s way and only had to endure the nights together, which could not end soon enough for her.
That night, they both could not sleep. Prince Louis wondered if this was what their marriage was going to be like. While he understood that theirs was a political marriage of two old families, he did at least expect his wife to be interested in him sexually. Every woman he had ever met had offered herself to him in some way. Except for Macee. She barely made eye contact with him, never smiled at him and when she did speak to him, he was constantly reminded of how much she did not want him.
Macee was ready to return to the palace. She knew that it was going to be difficult, but she was determined to get the annulment. She blamed herself for marrying him in the first place, as Francesca said; she should have tried harder to escape the marriage. Her mother was going to be furious with her, but there was nothing new there. In fact, Macee couldn’t remember a time when her mother wasn’t reprimanding her for one thing or another. This was one of those times when she would have loved to have an understanding mother who would be on her side. She was glad that she still had Liane.