This Round I'm Yours (7 page)

They looked at each other, and Lace knew he knew she was lying.

“It wasn’t Penny who called me. It was Gabriel.” Ah, dammit, dammit, dammit. All her life, she had served as her boys’ conscience, warning them against lying to their girlfriends. Once you started, you won’t ever stop.

So why, dammit, why couldn’t she do the same thing in her own relationship?

Tell him the truth,
her conscience urged.

But then she looked at Silver, and her mouth ran away from her. “I’m sorry I lied. I thought you’d be weird about it after…what happened that time.”

Silver’s nod was like a king offering pardon to a traitor. “I understand. Next time, though, I hope you don’t lie about it again. It’s inconsequential.”

“Really?” Her talking to another guy was inconsequential? She couldn’t make up her mind if she had to be offended or not.

Silver’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Yes.
Really
.”

The silence continued even when they were already ensconced inside Silver’s limousine. She badly wanted to speak, but she couldn’t, frightened that if she did, Silver would tell her something she didn’t want to hear.

Even if he thought she was lying about Gabriel, she wouldn’t admit it. As long as he had no evidence, Lace would go to her grave before she admitted anything.
Anything.

“We’ve reached your home.”

Her head jerked up.
 

For a moment, she couldn’t understand why they were at her home. Shouldn’t they be at his place?

Silver stepped out. When he held the door for her, that was when she realized he was waiting for her to come out.
 

Because her boyfriend didn’t want her in his place.

Lace took a deep breath.
I am not going to kick him in the balls. I am not going to chop off his cock. And I am not going to cry.

Taking his hand, she said brightly as she came out, “You’re so sweet to drop me off first. I knew you’d understand. Besides a really early morning class, I’m also actually expecting a call from Gabe tonight.” She almost gagged at how she had shortened the prince’s name.

Silver asked incredulously, “You call the prince ‘Gabe’?”
 

“Of course. He insisted on it, actually.” Liar, liar, pants on fire. Although right now, it wasn’t just her pants burning, but her entire body. “You see, we’re cooking up this sports project…I would have asked for your advice if I thought you’d be interested.” She paused. “And let’s be honest, you don’t really know much about it either.”

This time, his flare of temper was evident, Silver’s voice cutting as he said, “Apologies for being so disappointingly clueless about sports.”

“Oh, please. Don’t be. I love you just the way you are.” Raising herself on her toes, she dropped a quick kiss on his lips. “See you.” She walked away without looking back. She dared not, with the way tears were quickly streaming down her face.

Damn you, Silver March.

Bad Timing

“Unbelievable.” Even over the phone, the wonder in the prince’s voice was unmistakable. “You acted exactly like I thought you would.”

Since she had a good feeling he was referring to her penchant to lie her head off – even when the smartest thing to do would have been to ‘fess up – Lace didn’t bother asking what he meant.

Instead, she demanded, “Will you do it or not?”
He better
, Lace thought as she locked her dorm room behind her and raced down the stairs. Managing to get his private number had required her to ask a favor from her older brother, which she normally avoided at all costs.
 

But desperate straits called for desperate measures so…

“You are playing a dangerous game, little one. You are aware of that, aren’t you?”

“Gabriel,” she growled.

An exasperated sound came from the other end of the line. “Yes,” the prince grumbled. “In exchange for one thing.”

Lace countered readily, “I won’t have sex with you.”

“Since I know now you have the most awful personality, I unfortunately do not consider any kind of relationship with you sufficient compensation.”

“Wow, Prince, way to go on refusing me. You could have just said ‘no’.” Outside the dorm, she did a couple of stretches before setting her calorie counter on and jogging briskly to the university’s main road. It was that time of the month again, and Bobby Granger would kill her if she didn’t show up for club work.
 

Gabriel laughed. “Apologies. You bring out the worst in me, I’m afraid.”

“Flattered,” she snarled.

Still laughing, the prince said, “Well, if you believe it will help, then I agree. I’ll pretend to be the one you’re talking to and say whatever else you want me to say, provided it does not result in any kind of harm that I may be—”

“Do you have to make everything sound like a contract?” she demanded.

“Actually,” the prince deadpanned, “I’ll have to fax you an agreement and I’ll need your signature before we can progress further.”

“Ha. Ha. Ha.”

“May I speak of my compensation now?”

“Fine. If you’re really asshole enough to ask for it.”

“Of course, but it is quite a good bargain, so be thankful for that. Going back, I will help you any way I can, but only on one condition: that you update me regularly with how things are working out.” In a musing tone, he added, “I kinda like the idea of how all this will eventually blow up in your face.”

Lace scowled. If only she could strangle someone over the phone, the prince would be so dead right now. She said grumpily, “Deal, although…it’s probably fair for you to know: once this is all over, I’m so going to send an anonymous tip to
OK
and
Hello.
I’m gonna let them in on how you may have the whole Prince Charming image down pat, but deep inside you’re worse than…”

She paused, having just reached the booth for the Sign Language Club. Her friends were already there and she waved at them even as she thought hard about a proper analogy to use.

“I give up,” Lace said after a few moments. “You’re so evil, but I can only think of Jafar, and I don’t think he’s evil enough.”

Gabriel’s tone was sardonic as he suggested, “Rasputin perhaps?”

With the prince, it was often like they were talking in two different languages. “Is that a Dutch version for Rumpelstiltskin?”

The prince barked out a laugh. “You, Lace Wyndham, are priceless. I wonder if this quality of yours is what makes Silver March so unfathomably enamoured with you.”

“Shut up with the big words. I’m not impressed.”

“How about good old-fashioned manners?” His tone became humble. “You are most welcome, Lace.”

Reddening, she muttered, “Thank you.” God, it was
so
hard to say that. “I appreciate it.” Even harder. “So there. Gratitude properly expressed. Bye, your royal asshole.” Now, that was easy.

Lace ended the call, grinning at the thought of the prince cursing her now.

Aria had her board up when Lace turned her way.
WAS THAT SILVER?
 

Lace shook her head. “Nope. Another guy.”
 

Aria feigned disapproving shock. “Adulteress.”

“Shut up. I’m not even married and it was
not
like that.”

“What’s not like that?” KC asked as she rejoined them and handed Lace her own set of handcrafted bookmarks. It was overpriced at $5 a piece, but since it was also for charity, with proceeds donated to deaf-oriented non-profit organizations, Lace figured no one would mind.
 

Aria pointed to Lace. “She has another…
guy
.”

Lace wanted to strangle the older girl. “Will you stop it with that?”

KC, meanwhile, was looking at her with great interest. “Oh, I didn’t see that coming.” She nodded understandingly, as if having an internal conversation. “The reverse plot thickens!” She brightened. “Yay!”

Lace raised a brow at Aria, wondering if the other could translate what KC had just said. Aria shrugged. “Beats…me.”

Turning to KC, she said with a sigh, “I don’t get you at all.”
 

“Sorry,” KC apologized sheepishly. “A reverse harem is a sub-genre, basically, where the heroine’s surrounded by a lot of
bishounen—
”

Aria’s white board went up.
WHAT?

“Hot guys,” Lace clarified. This she already knew even as far back in high school since it was what KC was most obsessed about.

KC nodded approvingly as she continued, “—and most times, these men have romantic feelings for the heroine. An example of this would be—”

“I already get it,” Lace said quickly. She must absolutely not allow KC to get started on giving out recommendations. Once her friend started, she could talk all day long about it.

KC was visibly disappointed. “B-but—”

“No.” When KC opened her mouth, Lace frowned. “
No.
And just to be clear,” Lace grumbled, “my life is not like your manga…” She had to stop talking when a couple of guys came to them and began asking about the bookmarks. Seeing that they were just all about flirting, she said baldly, “Only the green-eyed redhead isn’t taken.”

“Lace!” KC protested, the said green-eyed redhead looking especially becoming today with her long-sleeved blouse and sheer-paneled skirt.
 

“If you buy all of my bookmarks,” Lace promised, “I’m going to give you her number.”

“We’ll take it,” the boys agreed in a chorus.
 

“Mission accomplished,” Lace said fifteen minutes later and a hundred dollars richer.

KC was red-faced with embarrassment. “That was so…”

“Relax, KC. It was just your number, not your virginity.”

KC blushed even harder.

Lace grinned. “How can you draw such smutty manga and still blush when I just say the V-word?”

KC wailed, “I don’t know.”

Aria pointed out, “You’re bullying her.” A rare smile flashed on Aria’s face. “I approve.”

Lace burst into laughter.

“If you keep this up,” KC threatened, “I won’t tell you about what reverse harem heroines normally have problems with.”

Lace gasped. “You’re actually blackmailing me?” She still didn’t believe her life was a manga, but…it didn’t hurt to know those things, right? “Tell me,” she demanded. “I’m your best friend!”

“No more selling my number,” KC said severely.

Lace hesitated. She still had another twenty to sell tomorrow…

“The first step to solving a problem is identifying the problem,” KC hinted.

Lace grimaced. “Oh, fine, it’s a deal. So tell me.”

Grinning, KC began, “Well, most of the time, problems arise because the heroine is usually dense…”

Ouch.
She could name more than a few examples when she had been particularly dense, emotions-wise.

“They also tend to take their heroes for granted…”

Ouch.
 

“Which is why,” KC ended, “at least one breakup takes place—”

“But that’s not going to happen to me, right?” Lace asked even as she did her best to keep the worry out of her voice. “Because we already broke up.”

“
At least
one breakup.” KC frowned. “But…why should you care? Aren’t you guys okay now?”

Lace couldn’t make herself say it.

“Yes.” And so the lying had started again.

God help her.

Really. I mean it, God. Help. Me.

Aria was the last to sell all her bookmarks, but she had the easiest time, too. At about lunchtime, a couple of bikers from the Afxisi came, ordered by Kellion to sell the bookmarks on behalf of the President’s girlfriend.

“Cheater,” Lace teased.

Aria reddened. “I would have refused…” She gritted her teeth in frustration. “But those are…r-rookies. They’re just going to be…punished if I d-don’t…l-let them…do it.” Aria scowled. “Kellion’s going to…pay for that.”