storeroom to pick up my uniform.” She nods her thumb at a building tucked behind some trees.
I quirk an eyebrow. Ivy’ll be at the castle?
Looks like I will be staying in Farcliff. Definitely.
I wade across the pool toward her, resting my forearms on the edge. She takes a step back, as if she’s scared of being too close to me.
“Looks like you and I will be seeing more of each other, then.” I arch an eyebrow, offering her the joint.
She shakes her head. “I don’t know about that, Your Highness. I’ll be in the kitchens most of the time.”
“I’ve got a sweet tooth.”
Even in the darkness, I can see Ivy blush again. Her eyes drift over my arms, my shoulders, and then over to the edge of the pool.
“Where’s my sister?”
“Who cares?”
“Well, you, for one. Aren’t you supposed to be dating her?”
I wave a hand. “There aren’t any cameras here.”
Ivy’s brows draw together, and she sits down in one of the pool chairs. She crosses her ankles, staring at me curiously.
“What?”
Ivy’s lips quirk into a smile. She shrugs, tucking a strand of black hair behind her ear. “I’ve been around a lot of famous people, and I’m just trying to figure you out.”
“What conclusion have you come to, Poison? Psychoanalyze me, please. It turns me on.”
“You’re angry, and maybe a little lonely. You’re smart, which means this life bores you.”
“That’s like reading a horoscope. It could be true for anyone. Try again.”
Ivy’s eyes flash. She leans forward. “You think that your problems are special, and that the whole universe revolves around you. You expect me to fall to my knees in front of you, just because you’re you.”
I grin. “No one said anything about being on your knees in front of me, but if you’re offering…”
Instead of answering, Ivy just snorts. She pushes herself off her chair and shakes her head. “If you weren’t so revolting, you might actually be kind of interesting. As it stands though…” She grimaces. “No, thank you.”
Lifting myself out of the water, I watch Ivy’s lips drop open as she looks at my body. My feet leave wet, dripping footsteps as I stalk toward her, stopping just a foot away from her. She hasn’t moved.
“Poison,” I tsk, reaching over to touch her cheek. “Don’t kid yourself. You want me just as much as I want you.”
9
Ivy
Jerking my face away from the Prince, I stumble backward. I stammer something unintelligible and practically run away from him.
How does he manage to make me feel like a blundering fool every time he’s around? Even when he’s the one falling over and getting injured?
My pulse thunders through my veins. My head feels like it’s full of cotton candy, and I can’t string a thought together. Gripping my new uniform to my chest, I shuffle to the castle and make my way back to the kitchens. George is waiting with some paperwork.
“Sign here,” he says, pushing a pen toward me. “You start tomorrow.”
Pushing thoughts of the Prince aside, I sign my name with a trembling hand. George smiles at me, his bushy grey eyebrows relaxing as he extends a hand toward me.
“Welcome to the family.”
When I make it back to the limousine to wait for Margot, my pulse is still thumping through my veins. I stare up at the twinkling castle lights and let out a sigh. My heart bounces against my ribcage, and my thoughts drift back to the Prince.
When he pulled himself out of the pool, my panties were just as drenched as he was. Is there anything sexier than a muscular, shredded Adonis of a man, dripping in water, staring at you like he’s going to eat you?
Maybe it’s just because I’ve never had a man look at me like that. Maybe he’s just toying with me.
Maybe I’ll end up getting hurt.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I try to ignore the dread curling around my heart.
This is what Giselle calls self-sabotage of the highest degree. Even the idea of being with a man freaks me out. No wonder I’m still a virgin. The Prince barely grazed my cheeks with his fingers, and I literally spun on my heels and ran away from him.
Even if he was interested in me, I’ve definitely sent a clear message about how I feel.
Scoffing at myself, I shake my head. The Prince isn’t interested in me. He’s toying with me.
I just need to focus on taking care of my sister, and on working on improving myself. Working for George at the castle could