Page 30 of The Art of Seduction

I couldn't say René was wrong, but I wanted to, especially since he was lumping me in with the very people he professed to despise.

"While I come from money," I started, "I still work for what I have every single day. Lazy is not something the prince ofgryphonscan ever be. People could die if I did that."

"Okay, I concede your point on that, but you still have to mingle with those people."

"I do."

"I won't. Ever. I'd rather spend the rest of my life living like a homeless man than to deal with those people again. I had enough of them growing up. I still have to deal with them on occasion when I'm with my parents."

Ah.

I sighed as I leaned back in my chair. I didn't see a compromise for this, but there had to be one. "So, what do you suggest? How can we find a way to be together without you having to suffer the social elite?"

René's eyebrows shot up before his mouth opened and closed like a fish. "You still want to be mates even knowing that I don't want to have anything to do with the people you deal with on a daily basis?"

I narrowed my eyes. "What part of "the only mate I will ever have" didn't you get?"

René sighed and dropped his eyes to his hands. "I'm just not sure it will work. I'm not real impressed by people that come from money and, while I try to be polite because I don't want to shame my parents, that isn't always the case. If someone says something to me, I'm liable to say something back."

"Duly noted."

René's head snapped up. His eyes were a little wide. "You do understand what I mean, don't you?"

"If someone gives you shit, you'll give it back to them." I nodded. "Yeah, I think I got it."

"That doesn't go over real well at social functions."

I shrugged. "They need to be lightened up anyway. They're as boring as hell."

Laughter burst out of René's mouth, making me smile.

I liked that sound.

I reached out and grabbed René's hand. I was actually surprised he didn't pull away, but thankful he didn't. "I know we started off on the wrong foot, mostly due to my blunder, but please, give me a chance."

"Alessandro."

I took a moment to breathe because that was the first time René had ever said my name. I liked how it sounded coming from him.

"Let's spend some time together, just a few days." I'd agree to almost anything to get René to agree to stay with me. "Come with me, see what I do, and then decide for yourself how our lives could be together."

René didn't say anything for the longest time. I had almost given up and started to drop my hand when he squeezed it and held on. "I'll agree to one week in your world if you agree to one week in my world."

Compromise, I could do that.

I nodded. "I can agree to that."

It would take some moving around of some meetings and such, but if this was what it took for René to give me a chance, I was going to hold onto it with everything in me.

"We should probably check things at my loft before we start." René wiped his mouth with a napkin and then dropped it on his plate. "And, at some point, you need to apologize to my parents."

"What exactly is the deal with your parents and Pierre?" I didn't want to mess up again. "Can you explain it to me?"

René sighed. "Yes, but let's walk and talk. I need to work off this food."

I nodded before pulling some money out and tossing it on the table. I stood up and held out my hand. René cocked an eyebrow, but took my hand. I tucked it into the crook of my arm and started out of the restaurant.

We were about halfway down the block before René started talking.

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