Prince Alaric clears his throat, his jaw working. “Maybe it’s time to grab a drink. Or something to eat.”
“I’m not hungry. Or thirsty,” I tell them tightly.
“Just stop,” Prince Lucien says, running his hand angrily through his long blond hair. “You heard what your dragon said. You’re basically marked for us. It’s completely inappropriate for you to be dancing with another man like this.”
There’s so much wrong with that.“Like what? How am I dancing?”
“You’relaughing,” Prince Alaric says, like the word is something awful.
“I can’t dance and laugh now because of a decision my dragon made? Is that what you’re telling me?” I ask them, incredulous.
To my shock, Arthur reaches out and yanks me out of the prince’s arms, sending me crashing against him. I turn and look at the three men’s faces, complete disbelief in their eyes.
“Sorry, boys, but Harper needs a man. We’re going to go back to dancing, and I trust you’ll find something else to occupy you. May I suggest food and drinks?”
Then Arthur starts dancing with me again, but we don’t make it far. Prince Lucien shoves Arthur away from me, the look on his face saying he’s ready for a fight, and my stomach twists. I don’t know what Arthur is doing, but he’s insane. These three are warriors. He is not one.
“We’re all the man Harper needs,” Prince Lucien says, breathing hard, hands curled into fists.
“So, she’s yours?” Arthur asks, lifting a brow.
“Damn right she is,” Prince Gareth says.
Prince Alaric comes to my side and pulls me closer to him, so warmth wraps all around me. It seems to me that the three men are trying to get us as far away from each other as possible. Which is irritating as fuck.
“I’m not yours,” I tell them angrily.
Prince Lucien cracks his neck, staring Arthur down. “It’s but a formality at this point, Harper, so say goodbye to your small-town man, because the two of you won’t be seeing each other again.”
“You can’t tell me what to do!” I tell him, belatedly realizing I sound like a child.
Arthur clenches his hands into fists. “Everything I’ve heard from Harper gives me the impression that the three of you haven’t been very nice to her. It seems like a man being kind tothe woman he marries is the easiest of things. If you can’t even do that, then you don’t deserve to stand at her side.”
“You don’t know a damn thing,” Prince Lucien says, taking a step closer to him.
My sweet best friend seems to transform in a moment. “I know you’ve been cruel to her,oh, yes, I’ve heard about that, and I know that you three don’t just want her because of your dragons. You want her because she’s beautiful, smart, and completely exceptional. It’s a shame you’re too cowardly to admit that to her. Or, hell, to yourselves.”
Prince Alaric is between Prince Gareth and Arthur in an instant. “Call me a coward again!” Prince Gareth says in a deadly whisper.
I slip between them and grab Arthur, pulling him back. “What in the hell are you doing?”
“Don’t touch her!” Prince Gareth says, his voice rising.
People are looking in our direction. Staring. My cheeks heat with embarrassment.It’d be nice to get through one of these things without a situation like this.
“Calm down,” I tell Prince Gareth.
His gaze locks onto where my hand touches Arthur’s wrist. “Don’t. Touch. Her.”
I drop my hand, afraid of what Prince Gareth might do if I don’t.
Arthur leans closer to me and whispers, “Still think they’re not interested in you?”
I turn to him in shock.Is that what this is all about?“You’re absolutely insane.”
He smiles. “But now you know.”
“What the fuck do you have to smile about?” Prince Lucien asks, then says, “You know what? Let’s step outside and handle this like men.”
