I looked everywhere I could think he might be, but I couldn't find him anywhere. Maybe that was a good sign. Maybe I needed this time to get my thoughts more together since I didn't know what I was going to say to him, anyway. He was going to my freaking husband. Yeah, he was hot, but so what. It was not love at first sight.
However, so much made since now. The whole, 'I'll always have your back' and the 'get to know me' junk he was spewing. It all made so much since. He was trying to wheel me in, probably before I found out. He wanted me to fall in love with him. Then bam, we're engaged. He was playing me the whole time.
I continued to walk the grounds and had done it twice before I realized it. In my anger, I almost missed the prince. He was standing near the tree line. Looking into the trees. He looked deep in thought, or so I thought. My mind was blown when two hands reached out and pulled him into the trees. What the fuck was he on? I started to go after him to see, when a voice stopped me.
"You really don't want to do that?"
I jumped and turned to see a man around my age, give or take a few years. He was tall and cocky. He had some weight on him, with his height, it just made him seem larger. His eyes were a crystal grey. His dark hair was long, with thick locs running down his back and framing his face. He had clear caramel skin, with no blemishes. He had the beginning of a beard. He was cute. He was also a new face, but I was more worried about my soon to be ex fiancé.
"Who are you?" I asked, before glancing back into the trees where Cornell had disappeared.
He patiently waited for me to turn around again before sweeping himself into an elegant bow. "I am Malcolm Duvall, Earl of the Scarlet Order, and one of your first cousins."
"Nice to meet you cousin," I said, "and why should I not, follow the man I'm supposed to marry into the woods? Especially when it doesn't seem likes he's alone."
"Because I'm sure it will just piss you off."
He said it like he knew me, and maybe he did, because I was getting more angry by the second. "What's he doing in there?"
"I'm sure nothing a lady should be worried about." Malcolm said, coming closer to my side, "allow me to escort you to dinner."
I looked at his offered arm and then back to the trees, just in time to see a lady in a red dress walk out. She didn't look our way, so she didn't see us and I couldn't see her face. She fluffed her dark hair and strutted off. I slipped my hand into his arm and allowed him to lead me away. I had only taken a few steps, before I looked back. My eyes met blue ones. He looked confused, his shirt unbuttoned halfway, and his hair was a mess. The guilt clearly present on his face was enough to let me know he had been caught.
Looking ahead, I asked my newfound cousin, "Dinner wouldn't happen to be roast prince, would it? I'd love to see what that would look like."
He laughed, a deep belly laugh, "I'm sure that can be arranged."
*****
Dinner was fun. Especially since the queen was not there. She had opted to take her dinner in her room. So dinner was all of us young people. Malcolm was hilarious. He monopolized my time at dinner, effectively placing himself between me and Cornell. He managed to stop all attempts at him to talk to me. He answered for me on more than one occasion and annoyed Cornell until he just gave up. I spoke to Jeremiah, though, who was a sweetheart, unlike his brother.
After dinner, we went to the music room, where Jeremiah played some music and flirted with Sadie. Malcolm and I played cards. He taught me to play gin rummy, which was fun once I got it. While Cornell sat brooding in a corner, watching me the whole time. If looks could kill, Malcolm would be dead.
I ignored him, giving Malcolm all of my attention. If he wasn't my cousin, he would definitely fit the idea boyfriend. He was attentive, he was funny, and he knew a lot. Empty information, is what he called it. Like who knew a sneeze could travel over one hundred miles per hour or that a camel could carry up to twenty gallons of water. He was well traveled. He had lived in America for three years and Germany for two years. He spoke six different languages and he could sing like Chris Brown.
He was a charmer too, and if I didn't know better, I'd think he was flirting with me. Maybe that was a thing in LaCresha. However, incest was not a thing where I come from. Even after third cousin, but he was a welcome distraction. I could literally feel Cornell's eyes boring into the side of my head. Eventually he got up and walked over to our small two seating table.
"We need to talk." He grumbled, lowly.
"Don't you see she is occupied." Malcolm said, surprising me with annoyance in his voice. He never looked away from his cards. The dislike was clear.
"Alone," Cornell added. His fist was clinched, and I imagined him taking a swing at Malcolm. Which would probably not be a good idea since Malcolm was way bigger.
"You being rude on purpose or are you just not getting it?" Malcom said, standing and putting himself between me and Cornell. "She doesn't want to talk to you."
"Get out of my way."
"I'm a little protective of my family." Malcolm said, getting in Cornell's face. "You hurt her, and if you weren't a prince, you'd already be laid flat."
I saw Jeremiah walking over as well. He was rolling up his sleeves as if he were ready to fight. I was frozen, but in the back of my mind, I knew I needed to stop this. Jumping to my feet, I moved between them. They immediately parted.
"Gentlemen." I murmured. "Y'all need to calm down. This has been a good evening. No need to ruin it." Stepping back, I looked at Cornell, and swallowed the words I wanted to say. I'm going to bed. Ladies."
I turned to leave, but Malcolm stopped me, grabbing my phone. He unlocked it and put his number in and sent himself a message. He winked, "I'll call you."
I smirked, shook my head, and left wondering why he had to call me if we were in the same house, or was that another dig at Cornell.