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DON’T GO DROOLING ALL OVER ME, PRINCESS
KARINA
I agreed to go with Adam for lunch.
It was a need-to-know basis, and I could explain everything to Nathan at a later time. For the time being, I just had to hope he wouldn’t try anything, at least not until I got the information I needed.
Dressed in his usual attire, Adam sat across from me. His suit was neatly pressed with his hands folded over the table. His blue eyes lingered on the v-line of my black dress. I hugged my cardigan closer, covering the view. He looked up at me.
“I’m glad you informed me when you were getting in. I was sure you would have stayed in California.”
“I thought about it, but I missed being close to home.”
“And out of all places, you chose here?”
Vasiliev hotel in Crescentgate wasn’t my first choice, but it kept him from knowing where I was staying. “I figured, since this was the closest place to the airport, it was only right.”
A smile tugged at his lips. “Well, I am happy that I was the person you chose to see before anyone else.”
If he only knew, that wasn’t exactly the case.
We looked over as the waiter brought us the drinks we had ordered not too long ago. A glass of red wine for both of us. He left the bottle at the table and smiled. “Your food will be out shortly.”
“Thank you.” I returned his smile before I turned my attention back to Adam. “So, I was thinking about maybe being a part of my father’s company.”
“Oh, is that so?” he asked.
I nodded. “It needs a powerful presence, since my father is no longer around. To break the news to the public of his untimely death.”
“Of course. It was never my place to announce such a tragedy.”
“I understand.”
He leaned in closer with a raised eyebrow. “Was there anything else on your mind?”
“Nothing.” I looked away and shook my head. “Other than a silly suggestion.”
He reached over, cupping my chin and lifting it for a better view. “Nothing is silly, Miss Karina.”
“I was thinking of possibly taking over.”
“You?”
“Yes, you don’t think I could do it?” To be honest, it was brewing in my mind for a while, but taking over for my father wasn’t something I wanted to do. And since I wasn’t entirely sure about the idea, it made it easier for me to ask Adam such a question.
“I’m sure you could, but you would need some help.”
“I was hoping that person could be you.” I lied, knowing he was the last option I would have ever considered.
“Me?”
“I could always ask Mr. James.”
He groaned in disappointment but held his composure. He took my hand and held it up to his lips. Placing a small tender kiss upon it, he kept his eyes locked on mine. Smooth. “I would be honored to care for your every need and the company’s.”
I held back a gag. He was so desperate it was sickening.
“Are you not already handling my father’s assets?” I tilted my head, looking confused.
He cleared his throat, loosening his tie. Darting his gaze away from me, he let my hand slip from his grasp. Catching his composure, he shook his head. “Mr. Vasiliev gave me certain things to continue after his unfortunate demise.”
“Such as?”
“Nothing to concern yourself about until you take over the company, which will have to go through a legal court.”
That was true unless my father put the company under my name, which, knowing him, there was a possibility. “As I plan to do.”
“That could take years... unless you sped up the process.”
“And how could I do that?” I asked.
Adam leaned over the table with a smile. “Simple. You could marry me.”
His lips brushed against mine and I was quick to pull away, but his hand reached the back of my head and held me in place.
I moved my foot under the table and slammed my heel against his toes. He jumped back.
“Must have been some kiss.” Nathan’s voice rang beside me.
I looked over, catching his usual grin.
“Mr. James.” I sighed. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh, you know, just walking around.”
Walking around, my ass.
As if we invited him, Nathan pulled up a chair beside us. He looked at Adam with a smirk on his lips. “Haven’t seen you in a while, Mr. Prince. What have you been up to?”
“Nothing that concerns you, James. I would ask you to have some manners, but everyone at this table is aware you have none.”
“I do, just not for you.” Nathan turned his attention to me, but his eyes fell on the glass of wine. “Is this date really so terrible you’ve resorted to drinking?”
I’m going to kill him.
“Mr. James, a word.” I stood from my seat and grabbed his arm. Pulling him off the patio of the outdoor area of the restaurant, I narrowed my eyes at him. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Well, I was trying to sleep like you said and then I went on my phone and saw this little delight.” Nathan held out his phone, showing me a tweet from Adam. Attached to it was a picture he snuck of me, looking over the menu.
“Mr. Prince isn’t so subtle about where he is and who he’s with.” He placed the phone back in his pocket. “Especially when it gives him some sort of publicity.”
Well, that was wonderful. If that was the case, then that meant the paparazzi would show their ugly faces. I took a deep breath. “That doesn’t answer the question, Nathan. What are you doing here?”
“I came to check up on you.”
“Is that all?” I raised an eyebrow at him.
“Alright, I hate the fact that you’re out with Mr. Prince.” He looked away with his arms crossed. “And I hate it even more that you kissed him.”
“I didn’t kiss him. He kissed me.” I corrected.
“You still agreed to go out with him.”
“Yes,” I lowered my voice. “For information.”
“You know, it’s my job to keep you safe.” He looked back at me. “What kind of information?”
I sighed. “Look, Matthews came to me one day and said—”
He raised an eyebrow at me. “Wait, Matthews? What the hell did my brother ask you to do?”
“Your brother?” I shook my head; I could interrogate him about my previous suspicions regarding Matthews later. “He asked me to distract Adam. Told me dating Adam will help you get back to your job.”
“But I’m already back, Karina. You don’t need to do this.”
“I do.” I stood my ground. “He’s the one who signed my father’s name on that contract and who knows how many more he’s resurfacing.”
Nathan stared at me as if he was questioning how I was aware of it all. I continued regardless. “If I’m around, he won’t be able to do that.”
He was quiet for a moment before he looked at Adam, then back at me. “So, you made your own plan?”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
“It won’t work.” He dropped his arms to his sides. “He’ll think he won and with you at his side, he’ll have more power.”
He was right. With a man as egotistical and powerful as Adam, he could easily turn things around on me. My plan would fail.
“It’s a decent plan.” Nathan tried to reassure me. “But you need to think about his next move.”
“And what’s that?” I asked.
“It doesn’t matter because it won’t happen without me. Mr. Prince hates competition and with me around, he’ll have a reason to explode, which will help take him down.”
“Because you’re like a trigger.”
He smirked. “I’m also not dressed for the occasion, which makes it even better.”
I blinked twice, getting a good look at him. He was right. Instead of his usual suit and tie, Nathan wore some worn-out jeans and a plain green tee. His muscles strained at the sleeves. He reached over, lifting my jaw that had apparently opened.
“Don’t go drooling all over me, Princess.”
I rolled my eyes at his words, swatting his hand from my face. “I think we both know I’d swallow every drop.”
I turned on my heels and walked back over towards the table where Adam sat, shuffling his legs impatiently. “I’m sorry about that.”
“It’s not your fault.” He smiled, though it soon fell from his lips as he noticed Nathan taking a seat at the table again.
“Hope you don’t mind me crashing your date.” Nathan’s lips curled up. His grin was one of those things that could easily piss people off, and he knew that.
“Don’t you have better things to do than intrude?”
“Nope, I cleared my entire schedule for this.” Nathan crossed his arms and leaned back in the chair.
I sat back down across from Adam and gave him an apologetic smile. “As we were saying, my dad left some things for you to take care of?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, one in which was firing James here.” Adam glared in his direction.
“Funny,” Nathan began, “because his last words to me before he died were to continue my assignment even when he’s gone.”
Adam cleared his throat as he reached up and loosened his tie some more. “I suppose he may have changed his mind.”
“But regarding the company, what did he say?” I let myself slide into the conversation.
“Nothing, he never appointed his next of kin if Balthazar was still too young.”
Of course. My father knew Balthazar wanted to take over the company and was more than aware that I did not wish to have that responsibility. Being a Vasiliev was never something I cared for, not something I ever wanted to claim. But it was the only thing I had that still linked my father and me. He had his mansion which he shared with others, his job, and partnerships, he even would take Balthazar to some of his meetings. And me, I was just his little girl.
“Actually, he did.” Nathan tapped a finger against my hand. “This woman, right here.”
I stared at him blankly, but his attention was on Adam.
And Adam’s attention was on me.
“Are you sure?” Uncertainty dripped from my voice.
Nathan turned his head with that confident smile. “All you have to do is claim it.”
Claim it, but I never wanted it. Nathan’s words didn’t make any sense. My dad would have never done such a thing and yet, I couldn’t help but think that Nathan’s words were possibly untrue.
My foot bounced and my surroundings suddenly became more noticeable. The couple behind our table chatting about their night out with friends; the waiter accidentally tipping his tray; Nathan’s finger still tapping against my skin to catch my attention. It was all just too much, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe any longer, but I could still hear the conversation going on without me.
“Alone, and without a partner?” Adam questioned.
“Of course, she’s a queen, after all.”
“Well then, I suppose it is settled, Miss Karina.” Adam pushed back the chair and stood. “It’s been a pleasure, but I have some matters to attend to.”
I nodded. That was all I could do. I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t move. All I could think was: Did my father really leave me in charge of his company?
