Georgie runs for another attack, swinging the poker wildly as Giselle runs to tackle him. She’s lost the shovel somewhere in the bushes. Georgina brings the fire poker down on the Prince’s head. He swears again, shielding himself with his arms as Georgie winds back. Giselle rolls off the Prince, crouching into an attack stance.
“Stop!” I cry, running at Georgina at full speed. I tackle her to the ground, and the fire poker goes flying off to the side. We land on the ground with a thud, and Georgie groans.
I roll off her, tossing the rolling pin away as I grunt, half-dazed from the tackle. Giselle stares.
Lifting my eyes to the Prince, I see him clutching his head as he leans on the wall. He lets out a low groan as he swings his eyes to me. Even in the darkness, I can feel the heat of his gaze.
“Coming to your house is dangerous, Poison.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t be sneaking around the shadows like some kind of home invader,” I snap. I push myself to my feet.
Before the Prince can answer, my pocket starts beeping. I pull the timer out of my apron and pick up my rolling pin.
“Muffins are ready.”
“So, you knew I was coming? I thought you said you wouldn’t bake for me until hell froze over.”
Georgie groans. “You must be Prince Luca.” She picks up the fire poker, holding it across her body and taking a step toward the Prince. “Ivy told me you were an arrogant asshole.”
“You girls don’t have any respect for royalty,” the Prince says.
Giselle snorts, rolling her eyes.
“Is that what you call yourself?” I retort before spinning on my heels and walking to the back door. “I thought royalty was supposed to act more proper than you do.” The three of them trail behind me, Georgie and Giselle standing behind the Prince as if they’re prison guards. They’re both still gripping the fireplace tools with both hands, snarls marring their faces.
My heart is doing a funny kind of flip as I make it to the sliding glass door at the back of the house. My hands tremble as I slide it open, and I stand aside to let them pass.
The Prince nods to me as he steps through the door, and my panties are immediately drenched.
Damn it.
Giselle scowls. “I don’t like him,” she whispers.
“I heard that,” the Prince responds.
“Good,” she snaps.
Georgie grins. Giselle arches an eyebrow, and her twin shrugs in response.
“I don’t mind him. He took the attack like a champ,” Georgie says, covering her smile with her hand. “Come on, Giselle, you have to admit he’s not that bad.”
Giselle grunts, staring after the Prince suspiciously.
The three of us head to the kitchen. The Prince leans against the counter, his eyes following my every movement. I pull the muffins out of the oven, touching them to check for doneness. I put them on a cooling rack, keeping my back to the Prince.
He groans, and I glance over my shoulder to see him rubbing his shoulder where I whacked him with the rolling pin. His white bandage is bloody, and I wonder if Georgie managed to hit it with the poker. I walk to the freezer and pull out a bag of frozen peas, tossing it across the kitchen to him. He catches it against his chest, grunting in thanks.
I’d help him ice his shoulder, but I’m scared of getting too close to him. The memory of his touch is still branded on my skin, and I’m not sure I’ll be able to resist him if I get too close.
Being near him feels like standing at the edge of a bonfire. The blaze is hot enough to burn.
So, I keep my distance. I turn back to the muffins, adjusting them and re-adjusting them on the rack. Georgie nudges me with her shoulder.
“You okay?”
I nod. “I’m fine.”
She steals a glance at the Prince, and then gives me a loaded look. Her eyebrows wiggle, and I stifle a laugh. Putting a muffin on a plate, I turn to the Prince and present it to him.
“Your Highness,” I say, extending the muffin toward him.
His lips curve into a smile, and his eyes flash. He inclines his head as he accepts the muffin, and a tremor passes through my stomach.
Not for the first time, I’m glad the twins are here—I’m not sure what I’d do if they weren’t.
20
Luca
I wish Ivy’s friends weren’t here. I know exactly what I’d do if they left.