The playboy king, p.17
The Playboy King, page 17
“She won’t even hear me out,” I said. “I don’t know how I can come up with evidence. It’s my version and Sophia’s version. Honestly, Victoria should believe me. Sophia wouldn’t know the truth if it slapped her in the face.”
“I agree, but clearly Victoria doesn’t. You’re going to have to do something if you want to keep her in your life.”
24
VICTORIA
I sat on the edge of my bed with tears streaming down my cheeks. I couldn’t shake the feeling of betrayal that engulfed me. Warren was just going to lie to me and pretend it was all just rumors. My mind raced with conflicting emotions. Warren wanted me to sit and listen to him try to explain what I saw. I had no idea just how bad it was until I went to breakfast. Everyone was talking about it.
Someone knocked, pulling me from my thoughts, and I hastily wiped away my tears. “Come in.”
Sara pushed open the door and walked inside. “Oh, Victoria, I’m sorry.”
She sat beside me, wrapping her arm around me in a comforting embrace. “I can’t believe he would do this to you,” she said, her voice filled with indignation.
I buried my face in her shoulder, seeking solace in her presence. “I thought he cared about me, Sara. I thought what we had was real.”
Sara squeezed me tighter. “I know, sweetie. I did too. If he fooled his own sister, no one can blame you for believing him too.”
How could everything have unraveled so quickly? Just a few hours ago, Warren and I were lost in our own little world. And now, here I was, heartbroken and disillusioned.
“Sara, I don’t know what to do,” I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’m lost. Things were so good. I let myself believe he changed, and we were going to have a wonderful marriage. I think I wanted to believe it and didn’t notice the red flags. I should have gone with my gut. I know he’s your brother and he’ll probably be a fine husband, but he doesn’t want to settle down. I can’t be someone’s wife in name only. I need more. I want love.”
She pulled back slightly, looking me in the eyes with determination. “You don’t have to do anything right now. Just focus on yourself. Go home and take some time. Please don’t break the match. I’m going to talk to him and find out what’s going on.”
“You don’t need to do that,” I said. “He’s a big boy. This is something he needs to figure out for himself.”
“I know,” she sighed. “I don’t want to meddle, but I can’t believe this. He seemed different.”
“Your brother is quite the actor, apparently.”
We collected our bags and left the room to take one of the cars to the airstrip. A helicopter was just lifting off, taking home one of the attendees with another one hovering nearby to land on the helipad.
“I need to have a serious talk with my brother about this,” she explained, her tone firm.
“Thank you for standing by me, Sara. I know this is awkward for you. I don’t want to put you in a tough position. I’m not going to disparage your brother. I know you love him. I don’t think he’s a bad man, but he’s just not going to be a good husband for someone like me.”
“He tried to pull me aside earlier, but I told him I wasn’t interested. I’m pretty pissed at him.”
“Thanks for having my back,” I said.
It was comforting to know that I had someone in my corner. As we made our way out of the building, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief wash over me. Leaving this place behind gave me a chance to heal and move on from the pain that Warren had caused me. I couldn’t fathom staying another day or two with the rumors swirling. I couldn’t stand the thought of seeing Sophia and her satisfied smile. She won. She was a horrible person, and I didn’t want to share the same air with her.
Sara accompanied me to my private jet. “I’ll see you soon,” she said with a smile. “Keep your chin up. I’ll go home and kick my brother’s ass. I’m going to get to the bottom of this nonsense.”
“Thank you,” I said. “I can’t wait to see you again. The rest? Not so much.”
She walked back to the car, leaving me to settle into the jet by myself. We had two weeks before the next session. I was hoping I could get myself together before I had to return. Sara was going to be coming back to the States and flying back with me to attend the second session. I knew she thought she was going to be able to talk to her brother and fix things, but I wasn’t as confident.
I couldn’t trust him. I was fully aware people in our society married because they had to. They regularly had mistresses and lovers and it was all fine for them, but not for me. I was a romantic. I wanted my husband to be faithful to me.
As the jet took off, carrying me away from the chaos of Wed season, I fought back tears. What had gone wrong between Warren and me? How could everything have fallen apart so quickly? It was insulting and embarrassing. Wasn’t I enough? Didn’t I satisfy him? Was I so bad he had to sneak out of my bed and pull another woman into his room hours later?
The flight back home was a blur of emotions. I tried to distract myself with a book, but my mind kept drifting back to Warren and the shattered pieces of our relationship. The thought of having to go back for the second session and try to find someone to marry was too much to even process. I didn’t know how I was ever going to find someone that measured up to Warren. After being with him, I felt like I was comparing everyone to an impossible standard.
Then again, it was a standard even Warren himself hadn’t been able to live up to.
The flight attendant offered me a drink. I forced a smile and declined. I needed a clear head to plan my next steps. I wondered what I was going to tell my family. My dad was not going to be happy that I wanted to break the match after a single session. Maybe I could just not tell them, and when I had to go back, I would look for my own match. Once I found someone I could marry, I’d tell my father and he could make the arrangements. It was better than telling my dad why I didn’t want to marry Warren.
“Gee, Dad, after a passionate night together, Warren snuck out of my room and hooked up with another woman.”
Yeah, that was definitely not going to happen.
When I landed, Roman and Archie were there to greet me at the airstrip. I put on a happy face. “How was your first session?” Archie asked.
“Exciting,” I said. “Lots of fun.”
Archie questioned me about who was there and what we did. I knew he was both excited and dreading his own turn in the season, which was coming soon. When we got home, everyone was there, asking a lot of questions about what I did and if it was fun. I caught Roman watching me as I answered my mother’s questions. He had always been fiercely protective and intuitive. He had only attended the first ball before leaving. I knew it was because he was keeping an eye on things and making sure everyone knew he would be close if I needed him.
I gave vague answers when asked about my match, avoiding saying too much. I told them he wasn’t what I expected. That was true. He wasn’t what I expected at first and then he ended up being exactly what I initially expected. I couldn’t find it in me to delve into all the painful details, to relive the heartache that still felt so raw.
“I’m going to go up and unpack,” I said after answering as many questions as I could stand. “I’m exhausted after the busy week and the traveling.”
Excusing myself, I made my way upstairs and had barely made it to my room when I heard footsteps.
“What’s wrong, Victoria?” Roman asked gently, his voice filled with concern.
I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. Roman was the oldest and knew all of us well. He was going to see right through any attempts to lie.
“It’s nothing, Roman,” I replied, forcing a smile. “Just a bit of a kerfuffle at the end.”
He shook his head, his expression serious. “I know you better than that, and it sure seems like more than a little fuss.”
The dam broke, and tears welled up in my eyes, threatening to spill over. He gestured for me to go into my room and he closed the door behind us. “Tell me everything.”
“It’s Warren,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Do I have to beat up the king of Sweden? I will. I just don’t want to cause an international incident.”
I smiled at his attempt at humor. “We wouldn’t want that. It’s just that I thought he was different than the man I heard all the rumors about. I thought that maybe we could have a future together. He was so kind and thoughtful. We spent a lot of time together. He promised me he was different and wanted to be better. I believed him.”
“And now you don’t?” he asked. “What did he do?”
I looked at him, shooting him a dirty look. “Sophia.”
He groaned. “Oh no, what did she do?”
“I saw her in his room,” I said, shaking my head bitterly. “It was very early in the morning, so it was pretty clear what was going on. The rumors later that morning circulating confirmed my worst suspicions.”
“Did you ask him about it?”
“No. Why would I? Words won’t change what I saw.”
“Sophia is very, very crafty and manipulative,” he warned. “I don’t know if you want to go believing whatever she’s putting out there.”
“They have a past,” I said. “And she spent the whole session trying to get his attention. I don’t believe it.”
“But Victoria,” he began. “Warren may have his flaws, but he’s never struck me as a liar.”
His words stung, cutting through me like a knife. How could Roman defend Warren after what he’d done to me? After the way he’d shattered my heart into a million pieces?
I felt my temper flare, a surge of frustration coursing through me. “Don’t defend him, Roman,” I snapped, my voice tinged with bitterness. “He doesn’t deserve it. I gave him more than enough opportunities to prove he wasn’t a womanizing asshole. The first chance he got, he hooked up with another woman. Sure, if I hadn’t seen it, I probably wouldn’t believe the rumors, but I was there. Now, I’m wondering if he spent the whole week hooking up with other women!”
“Victoria, I’m not defending him,” he protested, his tone gentle. “I just find it hard to believe that Warren would intentionally hurt you. I know his reputation, but I also know the man.”
I shook my head, tears welling up in my eyes once more. “You don’t understand, Roman,” I whispered, my voice trembling with emotion. “You don’t know what he’s capable of.”
Roman pulled me into his arms for a brotherly hug. “Victoria, I’m here for you, no matter what. But please, don’t let your anger cloud your judgment. Consider the whole situation. Consider the source as well.”
I pulled away from him, his words cutting me to the core. “I’m not letting my anger cloud anything,” I retorted, my voice tinged with frustration. “I’m just telling you the truth. I know what I saw.”
Roman sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I just want what’s best for you, Victoria,” he said softly. “And if Warren isn’t the one for you, then I’ll support whatever decision you make.”
“Thank you. That’s all I ask. I just need time to think. Dad is going to kill me. I know he wanted me to marry royalty like you and Theo did, but I don’t think I can be in a marriage like that.”
“I get it.” He smiled and nodded. “I just want to make sure you’re not making a decision you might regret.”
25
WARREN
As Clive and I approached the jet, Sara was waiting on the tarmac, pacing back and forth. When she noticed us, her posture stiffened, and she shot me a look that said I was in trouble. It was a telltale sign that I was in for an earful. I braced myself, mentally preparing for whatever she was about to throw at me. My little sister looked sweet and innocent, but she was a little spitfire underneath all that sugar and spice.
I didn’t have to wonder why she was pissed at me. The situation with Sophia had grown into a raging fire and every single person had heard the salacious tale of our early morning tryst. The only good thing was that it happened at the last event, and we were all going home for a couple of weeks. Hopefully, everyone would forget or move on to the next hot scandal.
“Sara, can we talk?” I asked, my tone serious.
She glanced at me, her expression guarded. “Sure, Warren. But let’s wait until we’re on the jet.”
“You mean until I can’t run away,” I muttered.
“I’m not above opening the door and throwing your ass out,” she said quietly.
I nodded, silently agreeing to her terms. Clive settled into the seat as close to the door as he could while Sara and I sat in the back. I kind of wished he would have sat close to me to protect me from her. The jet taxied down the runway. We had barely gotten into the air when Sara unbuckled her seatbelt and glared at me.
“How could you do that to Victoria, Warren?” she demanded, her voice laced with accusation. “You had an agreement. I went to bat for you. I told her you were a changed man. You made a fool out of me!”
I couldn’t let Sara believe I had deliberately hurt her friend.
“I didn’t do anything to her, Sara,” I insisted, meeting her gaze head on. “I swear, it wasn’t what it looked like.”
Sara raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. “Then explain to me why Victoria saw Sophia going into your room? And why are there rumors about her leaving your room after you spent the night with her?”
“It’s not what they’re saying,” I muttered.
“You can tell me your version or leave it out there.”
I took a deep breath. “I’m sure Victoria told you where I had been,” I said.
“Yeah, yeah, you slept together, I know. I’m not that naïve. Do you know how gross it is that you jumped out of her bed and then ended up with Sophia? Ew, Warren. Just ew.”
“I didn’t end up with Sophia. I was in my bed. She knocked on my door. I assumed it was Victoria. Clive had just left my room. I opened the door, and it was Sophia.”
“She said you were shirtless.”
“Because I was in bed!” I said with exasperation. “Yes, I was wearing my underwear and nothing else. I assumed it was Victoria. Who else was going to be knocking on my door that early in the morning?”
“Then why did Sophia knock on your door?” she questioned. “Did she think she would be welcomed into your room?”
“I don’t know why she would,” I retorted. “I don’t know why she knew where my bedroom even was. Nothing happened. She was rambling on, and I didn’t want anyone to see me talking to her in the hall in my state of dress, so I had her come in my room. She was there two minutes and then I kicked her ass out. Nothing happened. I don’t want Sophia.”
“You wanted her before.”
“No, we dated, but not seriously. She might eventually be fine for someone but not for me. I don’t want Sophia. Sara, I know who I’ve been in the past, but I don’t want to be like that anymore. I care about Victoria.”
Sara studied my face, looking for any sign of deception. After a moment, she seemed to soften slightly. “Fine, Warren. I believe you, but this better be the truth. I don’t want to see you hurt anyone, especially not someone as sweet as Victoria.”
I exhaled in relief, grateful that my sister was willing to hear me out. “Thanks, Sara. I appreciate it.”
“But you need to fix this. Victoria is hurting because of you. You’ve made her look like a fool in front of the entire Golden Society.”
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I had never wanted to hurt Victoria, yet here I was, responsible for breaking her heart and tarnishing her good name. “I tried to talk to her before she left but she didn’t want to hear it.”
“She was humiliated,” she said. “Everyone was talking about her match hooking up with Sophia. Thank goodness they don’t know what happened between the two of you. She would be destroyed.”
I ran a hand through my hair. “Maybe I should just leave her alone,” I muttered, more to myself than to Sara. “Maybe I’m meant to be the bad guy. I’m not supposed to have the good wife and honest marriage.”
“Warren, don’t say that. You’re not our father. You’re better than that. You deserve a happy marriage with a woman that loves you. A woman like Victoria that will always be faithful to you and stand beside you. You deserve her if you can get your shit together. Don’t allow yourself to be put into compromising positions. Don’t give anyone a reason to question you.”
But was I good enough? Was I deserving? I couldn’t help but wonder. Growing up in the shadow of my father had left its mark on me, and despite my best efforts to be different, it seemed I was destined to follow in his footsteps.
“I don’t know, Sara,” I admitted, my voice heavy with uncertainty. “Maybe it would be easier if I just embraced who everyone expects me to be. Someone like Sophia would just accept me for me and I wouldn’t have to try so hard to change.”
“That’s just stupid,” she said. “Really stupid. And hell no, you are not marrying Sophia. I refuse to accept that woman as my sister-in-law. And she would be a nightmare queen.”
“Sara, I don’t know if I can fix this mess,” I confessed, the weight of my actions pressing down on me like a leaden shroud. “I never meant to hurt Victoria, but I’ve managed to do just that. I thought I was protecting her, but I think I just made it worse.”
“You can fix this, Warren. It won’t be easy, but nothing worth having ever is. You need to show Victoria how much you truly care about her. Apologize, make amends, and prove to her that you are committed to being the man she deserves. It won’t happen overnight, but if you’re willing to put in the effort and show her that you’ve changed, I believe she’ll come around.”
I nodded, feeling a glimmer of hope. “You’re right, Sara. I can’t give up on us without a fight. I’ll do whatever it takes to make things right with Victoria and earn back her trust.”
