Corrupted by the Prince (A is for Alpha Book 5) (2 page)

“When are you coming home?”

He stared out at the dark blue of the Atlantic, so different from the turquoise waters surrounding the island of his Mykorini.

“I thought to spend another week or so here, Mama. I’m enjoying my vacation.”

“Your whole life is a vacation.”

Kostas almost flinched at the harsh words he could hardly deny.

“I thought it best to allow a few weeks for the current gossip to subside.”

“This one will not be so easily swept beneath the rug, Kostas.” There was wariness and disappointment in the queen’s words now. “Seducing the crown prince’s fiancée is not simply gossip.”

His jaw clenched as he took the invisible blow to the gut. He had not been the one to do the seducing, but it hardly seemed worth the argument right now. One night of bland sex had resulted in his biggest blunder yet.

“Perhaps not.” He forced his words to sound calm. “That’s why it’s best I stay away for several weeks and allow the situation—”

“There is no situation. The engagement has been
called off.
” His mother paused. “Have you even phoned your brother to apologize?”

Kostas stared unblinking at the Atlantic, ignoring the prickle of guilt. “I am quite certain Petros has no wish to speak with me at this time.”

Understandably.

“Come home, Kostas.”

It was a command, rather than a request from a mother who missed her son.

“Soon, Mama.” At least two more weeks. Not a day sooner.

“Your father is requesting your presence as well.”

His jaw began to ache from how tightly it was clenched. “The king desires to see me? That’s new.”

“You are his son. A prince of Mykorini—”

“I am the spare.” His chest tightened as he nearly spat the painful words. “Petros is the only prince that the world concerns themselves about.”

“So you would continue to thrive in this reputation you have built for yourself?” she scoffed. “Kostas the playboy and the partier. Kostas, the prince who befriends gangsters.”

There was enough truth in each of those labels that he saw no reason to protest.

“The end of August, and then I will return to Mykorini.” When his mother began to protest, he interrupted with a swift, “I love you, Mama. Give my regards to the king and prince.”

He ended the call, envisioning his mother and her simmering fury at the way he always reduced family to their royal standings.

It was hard not to, however. He’d been raised in a royal family, and realized quite young that he would never be as important as his sibling or parents. He was the insurance policy to the crown.

While his brother lived a life that headed toward sainthood, Kostas had no such ambitions. He’d fallen into his media-driven role of scandalous, bad-boy prince all too easily.

A flash of green on the beach drew his attention and he narrowed his gaze on the familiar woman walking down the beach.

What was her name? Eva? Yes, that was it. The old-fashioned style swim costume had a sensuality to it. It had somehow both hidden and yet managed to reveal her subtle figure.

What would he find if he stripped her out of it? Would he discover more freckles, like the smattering of them on her cheeks and cleavage, hidden on her body beneath the green suit?

And even more important was how quickly he would be able to tame that sharp tongue that she’d attacked him with. How easy would it be to encourage her to make better use of it?

As he watched, she turned from the beach and made her way toward a group of homes. Soon she disappeared from view.

The idea of seeing her again had more appeal than it should’ve. He turned from the window and walked into the lavish kitchen where a black and gold glitter invitation from one of the well-known families in the Hamptons lay on the table.

Americans seemed to enjoy their costume parties.

While initially he’d intended to forgo the event, he was a bit more tempted now after that conversation with his mother.

A night of debauchery was such a there was no reason not to embrace it. Yes, he would make sure to attend this costume party once he figured out what to dress as.

He was unapologetic about his lifestyle, and had no intention of changing anytime soon.

“You’re coming to the party tonight, right?”

Eva adjusted her glasses and didn’t glance up from the invoice she was reading. “I’ve yet to go to one of the costume parties, and have no intention of starting now.”

With her sister’s heavy sigh, Eva finally lifted her gaze to the woman standing just a few feet away.

Her younger sister was clearly ready for the party in a white bikini top that sparkled with a scattering of real diamonds, and a tiny white tutu that was so small it revealed the lower curves of her bottom. The extravagant wings that fastened on her back made Eva wonder just how many birds had been sacrificed for the creation.

She tilted her head. “Your costume is an angel?”

“No. I’m a swan.” Lilly’s lower lip protruded into a pout.

“Ah, of course. My mistake.”

“I’m eighteen now. This is the first time I’ve been allowed at the End of Summer Soirée. I really want you to be there.”

The wave of sadness that hit Eva was so sudden she had to bite her lip to stop the sudden prick of tears.

Lillian was the youngest of the Fairchild siblings and it was hard to see her growing up. It seemed like yesterday that her little sister had been more interested in riding her horse and having sleepovers with friends than partying with elites.

But she’d transformed into a gorgeous, confident woman interested in men and partying. Gone were the T-shirts, jeans and bare face. Now she wore tight, revealing clothes and didn’t leave the house without a full face put on and every last freckle covered up with concealer. She fit in rather well with the three other Fairchild sisters now.

Which meant Eva felt even more like the fluke of the family. Discomfort slid through her and she shifted in her seat, averting her gaze from her sister’s crestfallen expression.

After a soft sigh, she admitted, “I’m just not really the partying type, Lilly. I don’t really fit in.”

And she never had. Not at the parties, not with her family. Oh she loved them unconditionally, and blood was blood. But the only Fairchild she took after was her grandmother Edith, and she’d passed away several years ago.

As a child, Eva had often sat on the beach outside their Hampton summer home and stared out at the ocean. Dragging her toes in the sand and waves, she’d wondered if maybe she’d been rescued from a shipwreck and adopted. That, or she was a mermaid. Only she’d never grown that sparkly fin.

“You know you could try and fit in, Eva,” Lillian cajoled. “If you just put on something a little sexier. Have a drink. You know…let your hair down a little.”

Even as Lillian said it, she started to giggle, and when Eva raised an eyebrow in disbelief she started to laugh harder.

“Fine. I admit it’s a stretch. But promise you’ll at least come downstairs for a bit, won’t you?”

It would’ve been so much easier to say no if her family hadn’t been the ones hosting the soirée.

“I’ll drop by for a bit,” she finally agreed with some reluctance. “And speaking of drinking…”

“I’ll only have one.” Lillian’s heavily lined, mascaraed-lashes dropped quickly. “I mean, it’s a party, I can’t just drink water. No one actually waits until twenty-one. Geez, you are
such
a rule follower it’s kind of ridiculous, sis.” Lillian flounced over and gave her a hug. “But that’s why we love you. Anyway, I should go meet up with Anna, she promised to do my hair.”

Annalise, the oldest sister who practically had a flat iron surgically attached to her palm.

“Can’t wait to see you tonight.” And then Lillian was gone, leaving Eva alone with a small ache in her stomach and a throat that was suspiciously dry.

She set her pen down on the invoice she’d been looking over and leaned back in her chair.

The idea of going to the soirée was about as appealing as getting a Brazilian wax. Not to mention she had another couple hours of work to do. But she’d given her word that she’d drop by, so she’d have to make the time to do so.

No matter that everyone at the party became tastefully drunk and went on the not-so-discreet search to hook up. Both were activities that Eva had no desire to engage in. She’d never been drunk. Never hooked up. Actually, she’d never had sex period.

Which was a little embarrassing being that she was twenty-five. She’d never set out to be a quarter-century-old virgin, it had just happened. She’d been focused on making sure she didn’t fall into the Fairchild sisters’ stereotype.

Gorgeous women who were known not only for their last name, but also for their sensuality and party lifestyles that were splashed in magazines, gossip blogs, and social media.

Eva had avoided that foray. Getting her CPA and launching a career had been her first priority. She hadn’t made time, or had the desire, to date. Sex simply hadn’t been on her To Do list. Not to mention she’d never found anyone who’d tempted her to want to get involved in an intimate relationship.

Well, until today. A vision of the man on the beach slid through her mind and her pulse quickened. It was still a puzzle as to why a certain prince with a reputation had sat down by her on the beach and begun to flirt. Not that she’d realized he was a prince until he’d left her. That tiny, not-so-insignificant fact hadn’t been behind her attraction to him.

He was unapologetically forward, charming, and simply an Adonis personified. And while he’d been sitting so close to her, flirting, she’d felt stirrings in all the right places.

Heat stole up her cheek and she pushed a hand through her hair, shaking her head as if to dispel the image of him. Her reaction had been so completely abnormal it had left her a bit shaken all afternoon. Almost to the point where it had been hard to concentrate on her work.

Hopefully Kostas was only passing through the Hamptons on a brief vacation. Because the idea of running into him again had her pulse quickening and chest tightening.

Ridiculous. She wasn’t a teenager in the midst of raging hormones. She refused to let him affect her as if she were such.

Besides, surely the prince of Mykorini had better things to do than attend a costume party in the Hamptons.

Not easily impressed by displays of wealth, even Kostas had to admit the waterfront home in the Hamptons was impressive.

The three-story home itself had to be on at least twenty acres of property. Once you stepped into the double-height entry hall, it was all luxury. Marbled floors, and curved staircases, with 22-karat gold finishes. Swarovski chandeliers that dangled above the room full of costumed people.

“Thank you.” Kostas accepted the glass of wine that a tuxedoed gentleman offered him, and then turned to continue his observations.

While the home was extravagant, he couldn’t help but find it all a bit predictable and gaudy. Just as it seemed so many of the people who filled the room were.

It was a costume party, and yet the expanse of bare flesh seemed to make a mockery of the costume part. A woman moved past him, wearing a tiny super hero costume literally painted onto her body. Another danced by with loads of makeup, a tiny silver dress, and a sparkly unicorn horn attached to her head.

The men who’d dressed up wore an interesting array of choices as well. A highlander who wore a kilt but no shirt. Tarzan with just a loin cloth. A firefighter with baggy pants and suspenders.

Not that he’d ever considered himself a prude, but it was amusing to see what qualified for a costume at this party. Back home, a costume themed party meant the more creative and extravagant, the more impressive. Here, it was all about displaying the human body. Perhaps it was simply a very Americanized trend.

He moved about the room and was soon caught up in numerous conversations and harmless flirtations, but quickly grew weary of it all.

An hour passed, and he eyed the door with a plan to escape. There’d been no sign of Eva—the woman he’d met on the beach—and no one else at the party had captured his attention.

He set his half-empty champagne glass on a nearby table and made his way toward a set of double doors that emptied onto the expansive property.

The air outside was at least several degrees cooler, and he filled his lungs with the crisp sea air. There were a few guests lingering on the grounds, but for the most part he was awarded with a quiet peace that he welcomed.

A figure appeared from the shadows across the far end of the lawn, moving slow and seeming reluctant. It only took another few seconds before he recognized the person to be Eva.

His chest rose with the breath of surprise he drew in. He’d given up hope of seeing her at this party. Watching her approach, he couldn’t help but be perplexed by her costume choice.

She wore a fitted skirt that ended just above her knees, and a patterned blouse that was buttoned to her collarbone. Her hair was in the same sort of loose knot that she’d worn on the beach, and she had on thick rimmed glasses now.

Her costume was unique, whatever it was. In a way, the almost prudent nature of it stuck out more than the women who wore more jewels than clothing.

She clearly hadn’t seen him as early as he had her, and when her gaze slid his way she stumbled to a halt. She looked left and then right, muttered something he couldn’t hear, and then lifted her chin and continued his way.

When she stood in front of him, she hesitated and then did some little awkward movement that might’ve passed for a curtsy.

“Your Royal Highness.”

His gut clenched and a wave of disappointment swept through him. “You recognized me?”

She gave a faint smile that had his gaze slipping to the pink fullness of her mouth.

“Not initially. It was only when your bodyguard, or whoever he was, nearly called you by your title on the beach.”

Yes, it was his guard. “I see.”

Her tongue darted out, wetting her lower lip, and the first small spark of desire spiked in his veins.