All the Queen's Angels

Chapter 14: Drunk Words...

"He's yours now," the prince announces before unceremoniously shoving Leander towards me. He stumbles into me and topples into the room behind me.

"Excuse me?", I shout at the prince's retreating back. Is he seriously abandoning Leander in this state? With me? A sudden thump behind me causes me to whip around to find Leander sprawled on the floor. I groan.

"This is what you get for being an asshole, Vincenzio. Your friends abandon you. I don't blame them, either," I mutter as I nudge him with my foot. He whines and rolls onto his back, his eyes darkening when he sees me. His face is flushed, lips parted slightly in surprise. There are buttons missing from his rumpled dress shirt and his hair is falling into his face.

"Get your drunk ass up off my oriental carpet before I shove you out that window," I snap.

"Leave me be, Vlahos," he slurs, covering his eyes with his arm. I nudge him harder and he grabs my ankle, eyes flashing. When I try to wrestle my foot away, his other hand grabs my thigh. He rakes his eyes over me as I stand above him in my robe.

I bring my foot down on his face, eliciting from him a slew of curses.

"This time it's your face, next time it'll be your neck," I snarl, grabbing him by the collar. His eyes flick to my lips and it takes him a moment to regain focus. The arrogant boy scoffs but doesn't pull away. I startle him by grabbing his arm and hauling him to his feet. He sways and nearly knocks me to the ground but I manage to guide him over to my bed. Swiveling around, he opens his mouth to protest, but all it takes is a single push to send him sprawling across my sheets.

Though he scowls at me, I can tell from his drunken state that he's put off by lying on my bed. I scowl. I would still be sleeping there with Ambrose had this bastard not woken us up.

Leander groans and chuckles deliriously in response, sliding his hand up his face. Though his eyes are cloaked in shadow, his teeth glint in the pale moonlight.

"Those damn eyes of yours, Vlahos...," he murmurs, trailing off.

Ignoring him, I approach him to remove his shoes so he doesn't sully the bed even more. He falls silent as I slip one shoe off, following my every movement. As my fingers brush against his ankle, he flinches and looks away. Curious to see what happens next, I slip my hand up his calves and find him staring back at me, eyes blazing. I bite my lip to hold back a snicker.

So this is what alcohol does to him. I smile and remove his other shoe, dropping it onto the floor, and slide my hand up his leg as I move to stand beside him. As my hand rests on his hip, a plan begins to form in my head.

"Stop that," he rasps. I pause.

"Stop what, exactly?".

"This. You. Leave me alone."

I step closer and lean into his ear.

"There's nothing I'd love more," I whisper, and he closes his eyes, "than to leave you on this island to rot."

I grip his jaw and he swallows.

"How about you help me out?", I ask. His eyes open and he reaches up to tenderly brush my hair aside before gripping my neck.

"The only way you're leaving my side, Vlahos, is when you're married and I'm king of both our nations," he sneers, baring his teeth. "Until then, you're mine."

"Then why is it that you want me gone so bad?", I ask. As if he's lost in a trance, Leander's hand snakes up my jaw and his thumb brushes my lips for the barest of moments, sending goosebumps down my spine. Suddenly, he drops his hand. His lashes flutter as he tears his eyes away.

"You...,"he whispers.

"I what?".

Vincenzio finally meets my eyes with his piercing gaze, baring his teeth. "You torment me."

Bullshit.

"Sweet dreams, Vincenzio," I snap before storming into the hall. Everything is dark and still, with the only muffled sounds coming from the third floor. Everyone's probably passed out from drinking all night. Perfect.

I pad through the carpeted hallways to the grand staircase, but continue on into the boy's wing. There aren't any names on the doors but it shouldn't be a problem, I think to myself as I clutch the key I swiped from Leander. Engraved in the brass is the Vincenzio coat of arms and his initials: L.V.

I listen at each door and try the lock every time until I finally hear the glorious click. The door swings open silently to a room that's a near mirror image to mine, only slightly more masculine. I set to my task, checking drawers, cabinets, the armoire and any suitcases that should have arrived by now. I'm in the middle of searching the pockets of his clothes when a voice startles me.

"Can I help you?", a prince asks me, leaning on the doorframe. I do my best to not seem suspicious.

"Leander asked me to fetch his, um...his crown. His favorite one with the emeralds. He was wearing it earlier and must've lost it while he was drinking...," I lie.

"Ah, I saw it in the bar," he says. "I'll grab it for you, love. And then maybe you and I can have some fun, hm?". Fighting the urge to cringe, I nod.

I sigh with relief as he leaves, resuming my hunt for anything that would help me sabotage Leander's plans for Gardenia. The prince will probably return in less than five minutes but I haven't found anything. My heart thuds as I sift through luggage and hordes of books. I look up and gaze out the window into the courtyard, pausing at the view.

Because directly across from his room is my room. And I could see into it clearly.

As I stumble back in shock, I bump into the stacks of books and send them tumbling to the floor. I drop my own book in shock and something flutters to the floor. All I see is elegant penmanship before I hear someone stomping down the stairs. With my heart in my throat, I haul as many books as I can into my arms and scurry out of Leander's room before the prince can see me.

I spend the night in the library, shaking out Leander's books. By sunrise I have in my possession 12 documents, half of which are by the King of Forsythia discussing Gardenia.

The other half are by Leander.

And, surprisingly enough, they're all about me.