Royally Screwed Part 10

"Her," he said, nodding at a statuesque brunette who was walking across the lobby. But before Kat could speak a man came forward and took her arm. His hand on her hip left little doubt she was taken.

"How about her?" Sebastian said, pointing at a redhead in a white chiffon dress.

"With that ring on her finger?" Kat teased as the woman raised her hand to brush back her hair and a giant diamond slipped into view.

"Not that easy to spot in a darkened theater," he murmured darkly in his defense.

"I know," she cooed in mock-sympathy.

"Her," he finally said, pointing at the woman with the topknot Kat had mentioned earlier.

"Ooh, good choice. I like your style, Prince. You're smarter than you look, you know that?" He looked at her down his nose and she couldn't help it, a giggle burst out. It charmed the smile right back onto his face.

"Well what are you waiting for? Go," Kat shooed him away, an odd mix of pride and pettiness in the pit of her stomach.

"How much longer must you lecture me? First the opera, now a lecture. Only a root ca.n.a.l would make this night better," Sebastian said as he crossed the threshold of the apartment.

"Or a hunting trip with Prince Vlad," Sergei added as he held the door open for her.

"You didn't even get her last name. How can we figure out if she's Queen material if the fact that she dots her i's suggestively is all we have to go on." The men were giving her bored stares as they helped her out of her coat. "You don't like hunting?" Kat asked, changing the subject.

"I don't like listening to my uncle's self-aggrandizing speeches outside in the cold. If I must be bored to tears I prefer the warmth of the dining room."

Kat looked at Sergei with a raised brow. "Prince Vlad has a tendency to talk politics when they venture out."

"Speak plainly my good man." Sebastian turned to Kat. "My dear Dya drones on about the inadequacies of our government and his view of the future when he's armed and his captive audience knows it." He mimed c.o.c.king a shotgun and pointed it at a picture of his parents across the room.

"If there's nothing else sir," Sergei grunted. He gave the barest hint of a bow before turning on his heels and disappearing into his office.

"What was that?"

Sebastian waved the question away. "Sergei doesn't think I should be so forthright with my opinion in front of an outsider. That's you by the way. He thinks your approach to matchmaking shows a distinct lack of Sezynian culture and understanding. He also thinks I'm just wasting my time with you to enrage my father and wishes I would abandon such a reckless sport and grow up."

"Okay. And on that note I'm gonna change and leave," Kat said, heading for the bedroom.

"Change?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. "Why would you change out of that gorgeous dress? It's not a loaner you can keep it Kisa."

"Oh, I plan on it. It's not the dress, it's my brother."

"What's your brother?" Sebastian yelled the question through his closed bedroom door. He took off his tie and twisted it around the doork.n.o.b.

"The reason why I'm changing."

"You don't think he'll like it?"

"Oh I'm sure he'd love it. He's ecstatic about his little sister wearing revealing dresses out on the town with notorious playboys." Kat's sarcasm was unmistakable, even though the door. "All Marco gave me once was a scarf and Blaze flipped a lid."

"You talk about your brother often and with so much color. I really must meet him."

"I don't think so," Kat said, throwing open the door with a flourish to reveal her jeans and t-s.h.i.+rt. She didn't want him to get any farther with that thought, anything to distract him. Her hair, previously pulled up in a chiffon revealing her graceful neck, was down. She shot him an offhand smile as she gathered it up for a ponytail.

"Don't." His hand reached out and batted hers away, spilling her hair back down around her shoulders. "Don't." She looked up at him from beneath her eyelashes and her breath started coming ragged at the look in his eyes. The one she always wanted to see on someone's face anyone's, Marco's even when they looked at her.

Sebastian had a weakness when it came to her hair he couldn't manage to keep his hands to himself. He wound his hand in the brunette strands and dragged her forward into a persuasive kiss. It had been too long since he'd touched anyone and he was greedy, demanding, intense.

"I " Kat gasped as Sebastian pulled back to breathe.

"Kisa," he murmured, his hands playing across her hips as he walked her backwards into the bedroom, "shut up." Her eyes danced for a moment and that's all the encouragement he needed to kiss her again, darting his tongue in to coax a response. A slight murmur escaped her and he drank it up.

Her thighs smacked into the dresser, nowhere else to go, and the s.p.a.ce between them disappeared. Sebastian's lips trailed from her mouth, down her chin, gliding against her neck. His teeth raked across her clavicle and she wrapped her arms around his torso as her knees started to buckle. She looked over his shoulder and saw the door to the bedroom still standing wide open; he hadn't even attempted to close it. He never thought about privacy, Sergei or any of his bodyguards could walk in at any moment and see them. How did she feel about that?

Sebastian's lips curved around her earlobe and she made a decision, pus.h.i.+ng him away from her forcefully. He dropped down on the end of the bed and eyed her l.u.s.tily. She liked it. A matching smile appeared on her face as her s.h.i.+rt came up over her head. He kissed her hungrily, pulling her close until she was straddling him.

"What a delicious curve," he said, running a hand down her shoulder to caress down her back. He was looking in the mirror behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to see what he was looking at, back down into his face and snorted in disgust.

"What? It was a compliment," he protested as she rose, reaching out to grab her hand.

"You were mocking me, and comparing me to a motorcycle." Kat tapped the picture of James Dean's bike slid into the frame of the mirror. "Don't think I don't remember." She grabbed one of his s.h.i.+rts hanging on the bedpost and started b.u.t.toning it up. His eyes lit up with humor.

"I'm sure you're just as good a ride."

"G.o.d you're such an a.s.s," she said, flinging the curtain of hair over her shoulder as she left the room. The heady mood before had vanished, probably the best decision of the night.

"Yes but what an a.s.s it is, right?"

"Did that guy ever call you about the bike?"

"No," he lied.

"Hmm, Karma. Serves you right."

"Where are you going?" he asked as she reached for the door.

"I'm leaving."

"Don't go," he laughed, leaning lazily in the entryway, "I'll be lonely."

"Yeah well if I know you, you won't be for long." She was already opening up the door.

"But you took my little black book."

"I did, didn't I?" she murmured, an extra twinkle in her eyes. "Think about how hard it is without me when I'm gone." The door closed behind her and he just shook his head, a ghost of a smile on his lips.

Chapter 10.

Sebastian walked in the front door of his apartment and threw his phone down onto the table. Why had his bodyguards stayed downstairs? Something was off, though he couldn't quite place it. Had he left that door open? When was the last time they'd even been in the storage closet? And whose jacket was that?

He followed the inconsistencies into the living room and came to a dead stop at what he saw. A wicked smile unfurled on his face. "Let me guess. I've been a bad, bad boy?"

She looked at him with a pouty yet serious look. "The way I hear it you're breaking laws all over the place."

"Am I under arrest?" The blonde pushed him down into a chair in the middle of the room. "Aren't you going to read me my rights?"

She took out her nightstick and slammed it against the chair, making him jump. "Well my name's Miranda and I have the rights to do whatever the h.e.l.l I want to." She put a knee on the seat between his and leaned forward, popping open a few b.u.t.tons at his eye level. "Does that work for you?"

He laughed. "Yes ma'am." She retreated to fiddle with his stereo in the corner. As the music started she removed her hat, threw it across the room, and began to strip.

Kat was running late. The event had been a nightmare and she couldn't even imagine seeing anyone tonight. But she wasn't about to stay at home it had been ten days since Marco had showed up on her doorstop and she wasn't about to be there. Outsider or not, she was going to find that man a wife if it was the last thing she ever did. She couldn't see Sebastian without was.h.i.+ng the ghastly day, and layer of white wine sauce, away though. If she hadn't missed that bus she'd have been exactly on time, something that would have annoyed her anyway. These extra fifteen minutes were killing her.

She breezed past the hired muscle in the lobby with an offhand smile. One of them gave her a funny look. She knew that look guilt, amus.e.m.e.nt, enjoyment. Sebastian was home all right, but what he was doing there she didn't think would impress. As she approached she heard the loud music through the door. Forehead ruffled in confusion, she walked in.

"You've got to be kidding me?!" Kat burst. Not that she was heard over the strains of Katy Perry's suggestive ditty playing or seen through the blonde's spastic gyrating. Slamming the door closed got both of their attentions.

"Kat?" the girl asked, stepping away from Sebastian. For a moment Kat's anger melted. It couldn't be.

"Oh my gosh Randi?!" She smiled and stepped forward. "How are you? How's Mitch? I haven't seen you in forever." They hugged quickly.

"Did not think this could get any better boy was I wrong," Sebastian smirked.

Kat broke away and punched him in the shoulder, hard. "What the h.e.l.l are you doing? I take your little black book so you decide to hire a stripper. She's not going to sleep with you, ya know."

"That's true, I'm not," Miranda said. She shot him a look of judgment, standing there in her bustier and fishnet stockings, and he couldn't take it.

"What are you yelling at me for? I didn't hire her." The girls shared a look, the eye roll heavily implied. "Seriously, I didn't. Why would I need to hire someone when I got you?" He winked at Kat and she shook her head, sticking a finger down her throat and pretending to gag.

"Kat, is this your fiance? I hope I didn't "

Kat interrupted her before she could finish that thought. "Him? No. I'm just here to help him get his act together."

"Needs a lot of help. He enjoyed my dance a little too much if you know what I mean."

"I'm still standing here." Sebastian said with a grin. "You, Officer Feelgood can you go call your boss to prove I didn't pay for your exquisite services and Kat here can take over the dancing duties."

"I'll go make a call," Miranda said with a hint of an att.i.tude at Kat's nod, grabbing her jacket and slipping into one of the bedrooms.

Kat and Sebastian were now alone together first time since opera night. From the look on Sebastian's face she knew exactly what he was thinking. "Aren't you going to start dancing? I'm waiting for my show," he murmured in her ear.

"Keep dreaming Casanova," she said, mocking him, but still not able to meet his eyes. She wound the still wet strands of her hair into a bun instead. He made a tsk of disapproval which, besides the scar, was why she did it.

"But that's the punishment for running late."

"I'll remember that the next time you're tardy."

"And we were just getting to the good part. Didn't you listen to the song? She wanted to see my peac.o.c.k."

"G.o.d sometimes you're so disgusting." Kat walked away and dropped down on the couch.

"The peac.o.c.k is the national mascot of Sezynia. We take great pride in our ma.s.sive population and awe-inspiring plumage." His wink, as he dropped down next to her, stopped her with a laugh.

"You know I can never decide are you a rebel, a cliche, or a cartoon character. You're most definitely a pig though."

"Oink, oink baby," he murmured, his hand boldly reaching for her knee. She slapped it away and he just grinned.

"Got it," Miranda said, reentering the living room. "Tab for this surprise bachelor party paid for with money wired from a Sezynian bank account." Kat shot Sebastian her haughty and annoyed look with a raised brow. "Name of Vladimir Petrescu."

Sebastian's face shut down. The entertained expression melted away so quickly it looked like someone had taken an eraser to it, an etch-a-sketch given a quick shake. The next second he was off the couch, cussing rapidly in his native tongue as he paced the floor.

A startled look pa.s.sed between the girls. "Who's Vladimir Petrescu?" Miranda asked as he lapped the room a handful of times.

"My uncle. Anton's father. Prince Vlad."

"Why would he order you a stripper?" Kat asked.

"Only one reason," Sebastian murmured. He walked over to the window and threw open the curtains. And there below were the cameras.

"Strippers actually."

"What?" Sebastian asked, tearing his gaze from the window.

"Strippers. Plural. Orders were for a VIP surprise bachelor party. There's three more girls on the way, should be here in ten minutes when they said the other guests would arrive."

"Is that common?" Kat looked confused.

"No. Kind of a weird request but he paid really well for it. And I know how to handle big crazy men if I have to so I was fine coming in alone first." Kat and Miranda shared a look of understanding. Sebastian saw it but didn't have time to consider it.

"Can you call them off? Cancel it? I'll pay whatever just as long as they don't show up."

"Yeah, I got it," Miranda murmured, turning to make the call.

"What's going on?" Kat asked.

"I need Sergei," he murmured.

"Where is he? I'll go get him."

"He is in Sezynia. Flew back yesterday to organize and I can't even call him because over there it's the middle of the night. He's no good to me groggy." He started talking rapidly in Sezynian again. Kat had to snap her fingers to get his attention.

"English please if you wouldn't mind."

"Anton and I used to send each other strippers to celebrate things. It was a stupid thing we did in college. Prince Vlad was always reprimanding us for it, saying that if anyone found out how we spent our time we'd be disgraced. Threatening us that Baba Katya wouldn't approve. Now he's trying to disgrace me. Look how he set everything up! He probably has some scheme to get all the cameras up here too. Planning it when Sergei's out of town, nice touch. I'm screwed. I'm screwed."