The Mad Prince’s Claim.

CHAPTER ONE: 

Anastasia's POV: 

You know how the saying goes; Do not fall for your boss. 

Okay, fine. 

Not a saying but an unspoken rule. Kinda. 

A rule I'd long broken because I've been hopelessly in love with my boss, Kaiser Lancaster, for six years. 

Six years. 

Everyone around us knows this except him. And that hurts.

Worse, he cares for me in ways that don't help this maddening hunger for his love but that's about it. He doesn't see me in the way I see him, he sees me as his daughter.

Which annoys me by the way. 

I'm not his daughter. I'm a twenty-three-year-old grown woman and he's only forty-two.

Right now, he has my bleeding arm tenderly in his hand, his brows drawn tight with concern. When he does things like this, I just fall even more.

Eventually, he sighs. “Stasia, how did you let this happen? You're one of the best assassins I have and yet you let a pot-bellied, old man stab your arm?” 

I fight an eye roll.

“I'm fine,” I hiss, though my wound stung like a bitch. 

“Fine?” His eyes narrow. “You're bleeding all over my damn floor.” 

“You worry too much, Kai, I'll ask doc to—” 

“Sit,” He orders, and I lower onto the couch. “Don't move, I'll be back.” 

Move? Please. 

As if I'll ever go against Kai's orders.

He walks back to the lounge area moments later. And for a forty-two-year-old? He is hot as sin. 

The black T-shirt he has on hugs his biceps and taut body deliciously and don't get me started on the way those grey sweats ride low on his hips.

My heart skips three beats, a fluttering sensation spreading through my stomach. 

I quickly drop my eyes to the floor.

Gods. This man will be the death of me.

“Let me see the arm,” he says softly.

And I lift the wounded arm, wincing as the torn, bloodied flesh stings and pulls. 

He leans closer, ripping my leather jacket open and a frustrated sigh leaves him. “The wound is deep Stasia and you walked around here like it was merely a scratch? Don't you care about yourself?”

He's scolding me but his eyes are tender and warm as they meet mine. 

Gods. I hate how that look gives me hope, that maybe he'll finally see me as a woman and not the broken child he saved all those years ago. 

I watch as he tends to my arm. The whole time, I can hardly breathe.

As soon as he secures the bandage around my arm, the door creaks open. 

“Kai, baby!” 

He drops my hand like it burns.

I stiffen. My chest cracks open.

Vanessa Miller.

Kai's late best friend's younger sister and the woman Kai's obsessed with.

I turn, against my better judgment as the omega struts across the room like she owns the damn place. I don't know why Kai loves her so much, she's betrayed him over and over. 

Is it because they grew up together that he lets her fool him but loves her anyway? 

They're in an open relationship because she suggested it but she'll rain hell if Kai breathes wrong in another woman's direction. 

Last time, she sold our top secret to the enemy. Her excuse? Kai was ignoring her and that she needed his attention.

 That's not even the craziest thing she's done.

Her flowery scents assault my nostrils as she moves past me to Kai.

 “There you are, been looking all over for you.” 

He rises to his feet, grabbing her tiny waist which made her giggle loudly—my stomach curdles like spoiled milk.

“When did you get back, Nessa?” Kai asks with a big grin, hearts in his eyes.

“Just now, I missed you,” she pouts, throwing her arms around his neck.

And in the blink of an eye, she kisses him, pushing her breasts into his chest and soon the kiss turns urgent and messy, like I wasn't sitting right there.

Her moans made my ears bleed, but his groans made my heart clench.

I jump to my feet. “I'm out!” I say in a surprisingly steady voice. “You two have fun.” 

I head for the door but Kai's voice stops me.  “Stasia, wait.” 

My steps halt, I turn. Big mistake. She has her hand in his sweats groping his dick, tugging it enough to show its outline. 

What the hell? 

And then, in a voice clearly unaffected by whatever was going on, Kai says, “Freshen up and report back to me in two hours. I have a new mission for you.” 

“Ok, boss.”  Boss not Kai, cause my heart feels like it's been stabbed and I'm petty.

I'm already halfway to the other side of the mansion when I remember I left my phone and turned back to get it.

I half expect them to have taken their business to his room by now but Vanessa's words made my blood turn ice. 

“You know that Anastasia bitch is in love with you, right?” She giggles. “Like you can't tell me you don't see the puppy love eyes she gives you.” 

The world stops, my breath catches in my throat and it feels like I'm about to pass out. 

But it's Kai's reply that made my heart drop to my stomach.

“I'm not stupid, Nessa. I can see that. But there'll be nothing between us, ever.” 

He knew.

All this time. All these years…  He knew.

My knees buckle, my vision blurs with unshed tears.

Vanessa laughs like it's the funniest thing in the world. “Are you sure baby? Cause you two looked suspiciously close when I arrived.” 

He chuckles. “Don't be a brat, Nessa. She's injured. You're the only one in my heart.” 

“Hmmph, don't believe you.” She huffs. “What if you only tolerate me because my late brother made you promise you'll never abandon me? I've seen the way you look at her, the way you praise her all the time.” 

“Vanessa, please,” he sighs. “She’s my—” a sudden pause and another sigh.  “I don't like alpha she-wolves, you know that. Besides, I like having her at my beck and call—”

“She's your what? Why did you stop? What were you going to say?”