004|| The Ugly Side

DANA

The prince steps forward and asks me, "So, what's it going to be, doll?"

I'm still stuck in the part where Carter is allegedly supposed to have me killed by the end of the week. Shaking my head slowly, I back away. "That's a lie. I don't know why you're lying to me, but—"

He cuts me off right away. "I have no reason to lie to you about this. Do you really think that I would ever have approached you if I thought that your husband loved you and this whole arrangement was truly as temporary as you think it is?"

He tilts his head to the side when I don't answer. Shivers are racing up and down my spine, and they're definitely not the good ones.

But no. Carter couldn’t truly be this monster this man is describing. He wouldn’t be capable of doing something so terrible to me.

Even if this were true… Why not just let me go? Why would he have to kill me?

"No," I finally say. "I don't believe you."

The prince stares at me intently for a few beats, then drags his tongue along the edge of his teeth. "Suit yourself, doll. But if you change your mind, you know where to find me."

I start backing away before he even finishes, turn on my heel, and head back toward the packhouse. I'm terrified that he'll grab me from behind or something to stop me, but that doesn't happen.

I make it to the front door safely, but now that I'm alone, it's almost impossible to ignore the nagging voice in the back of my mind. What if he was telling the truth?

Then what?

“Stop it,” I murmur to myself. I know Carter. He would absolutely never do something so awful to me. Sure, things between us could be better than they are now, but how does that translate to murder? How can I—

"What were you doing outside, honey?"

My heart skips a beat at the sound of Carter's voice. I whirl around and find him staring at me with a questioning look on his face. I look into his eyes harder than I should, and for a second, it feels like my whole world is crashing all around me.

"Dana?" he says as he steps forward, concern lacing his voice. "Baby, what's wrong? Talk to me."

It's only then that I realize that I have tears welling in my eyes. Carter doesn't wait for me to say anything—he closes the distance separating us with one step and gathers me in his arms. I loop my own arms around his neck while biting my lower lip.

"Dana," he says warmly. Guilt washes over me all of a sudden for even considering that he would try to have me killed or whatever the fuck that idiot was implying. I shouldn't have let his words get to me. "I know that this is hard. Hell, I'm having a hard time with it, too. But we have to work together, alright? I'm so sorry, baby."

"I just want all of this to stop," I reply in a strained voice. "I don't think I'll be able to take much more of this, Carter."

He pulls away and holds my face between his hands. "Of course, you will. We both will. You remember what we did to get to this point, didn't you? You remember how fucking awful it was. But we survived that terrible time, and here we are, together, just like we promised to each other."

His words transport me back in time, and I shudder all over again. I know exactly what he's talking about.

His father. Goddess, I can't even bear to remember his face.

"I want you to know, baby, that I'd do it all over again," Carter says firmly with sincerity swimming in his blue gaze. "I'd fucking end him again to keep you safe. You're everything to me, Dana. I don't want you to ever forget that."

"You promise?" I ask weakly, holding his face this time. "Promise me that you'd never try to hurt me. That if you want me to leave, you'll just tell me."

Carter frowns and sounds upset when he asks, "Where's this coming from? There's no me without you, Dana. You know that."

We embrace each other again, and I have to admit that I feel a hundred times better. His words have reassured me, and when we leave the living room and head to our new bedroom together, I have to admit that I don't mind that we're in here and not in the master bedroom.

What matters is the fact that we're together, right? If that spoiled bitch needs the bigger room so she can feel alive, she can fucking keep it.

Carter dips his hands in my panties as soon as he kicks the door shut. My head rolls back as a throaty moan escapes me. His fingers work between my thighs in that way he knows drives me crazy, and I allow myself to forget for just a minute that we're going to be divorced soon and he'll be married to that bitch.

Maybe I shouldn't call her that in her mind, but I still have every right to be upset about it.

Carter trails kisses along the curve of my neck while he dips a finger up to the knuckle inside of me. I rock my hips against his, pleasure spreading to every part of my body. "I don't want you to ever think that you're replaceable to me, Dana. I can't fucking live without you. Tell me you understand, baby. I wanna hear you say the words."

My words come out as a breathy moan, but we're interrupted by a cold, loud knock on the door that feels like I've been submerged in an ice bath and cuts the moment in half. Carter's hand stills and he sucks in a breath when Mathilde says from the other side, "The princess would like to have a word with you, Alpha. Says it's urgent."

"Fuck," Carter murmurs before saying in a much louder voice, "Tell her I'm on my way."

Disappointment washes over me because I kind of wish he'd tell that old hag that he's busy at the moment, but that doesn't happen. Instead, he pulls his fingers out of my panties and sucks them clean the way he always does. "I'll be right back. For the love of the Goddess, don't move."

"Can't she just wait, Carter?"

His answer is a kiss on my neck before he heads toward the door. I let out a sound absolutely fueled by sexual frustration, then sit on the edge of the bed.

What could that cunt possibly want from him, especially at this time?

Jealousy and anger drive me to my feet and before I know it, I'm walking out the door and venturing out into the hallway. I stop by my—I mean, her—bedroom, but I don't hear any voices coming from within. Anyway, the door is closed, so it would be terrible if they were in there, right?

So, I head downstairs, and this time, I'm hoping that I don't come across that perverted psycho. Goddess, just my luck. As if things between Carter and me weren't bad enough already, that guy just had to stride in here and make my life hell!

Every thought in my mind goes quiet when I approach his office. I hear hushed voices, so I know that they're in there. Ignoring my feelings, I step closer toward the door. What? He's my husband and I have to find out what the hell is going on.

And that's when I hear the worst possible thing that I could have ever imagined—what the prince told me was true.