But it wasn’t my German blood that caused my family to be disgraced. No, it was my fucking father who couldn’t keep his hands to himself in more ways than one and now his heir had to pay for it.
Most would say that the time in college was for getting shitfaced and fucking. For me it was a respite, even if it was only for four years. It was four years of not being in my father’s house, dealing with his betrayal day in and day out.
There were still the whispers, no matter where I went in this world. I couldn’t get away from them.
My fucking father had not only gambled away our family’s fortune on bad investments, he also had decided it was okay to flaunt himself around the world with mistress after mistress. My mother was a strong woman, turning a blind eye until my father fucked a powerful politician’s wife.
The politician pulled strings and ruined us. My entire family was living on borrowed time. Soon, the little money we had left was going to run out and we would be thrown out on the streets.
Unless I married Anna.
I wiped my palms on my pants as the car sped through the city, twilight rapidly approaching. I didn’t want to like her. Hell, I didn’t even like the fucking plan we had come up with before she ever arrived.
Getting her pregnant with my kid? I didn’t want to be a father right now. I didn’t want to bring a kid into this shitstorm that my father had caused. Giving a child my last name? It would be a curse.
Now, though, I was on the verge of helping her secure her future. Damn, I wished she weren’t so fucking innocent! If she did decide to choose the empress route, they were going to eat her alive.
It shouldn’t be my problem but after yesterday, it was.
I hadn’t meant to kiss her. Hell, I had heard both Arthur and Royce mumble in their drunken stupor about how it was like to be with her, not intimately, but just to be with her. She was like a breath of fresh air from the women I was used to dealing with and just her presence alone made me feel like, well, like I was important.
No wonder Arthur and Royce were enamored with her.
The car pulled up, joining the long line of cars that were in the circular drive and I hopped out, straightening my tuxedo jacket. Tonight, I would be walking into the lion’s den, taking their shit, the whispers, for Anna.
I just hoped that this shit paid off.
I smoothed my hair back with my hands and walked up to the door, nodding at the doorman. “Invitation?” he asked, holding out his hand.
I reached into my jacket and extracted the invitation, handing it to him. Another thing that a name would buy, even if it was disgraced.
He accepted it and waved me in, the sound of laughter and music drifting throughout the mansion. I walked through the crowd like I owned the place, snagging a flute of champagne off the tray. Everybody that was anyone was here tonight, and I recognized quite a few faces as I strolled through the house. There were some sidelong glances cast in my direction, but I ignored them. I was used to the stares and long ago had hardened my heart to the hurt.
The older I got, the easier it became to put on the face of indifference.
Real easy.
I found Johanna outside, a glass of champagne in her hand and looking bored. Too bad I had never been attracted to her. Jo was gorgeous tonight, dressed in a long gown of deep blue, dripping in diamonds. There was a guy next to her and I guessed that it was her marital prospect.
The guy was too wet behind the ears to handle a woman like Jo.
I approached the small circle that was gathered around her and our eyes met, her lips curving in a smile. “Well, well, a king in my midst. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
I executed a bow, a grin on my lips. “Princess Johanna. You look lovely.”
There was an amused look on her face as I extended my hand, ignoring the guy next to her. “Would you care to dance?”
“With a king?” she asked coyly, fluttering her eyes. “Of course.”
I clasped her hand in mine and led her to the dance floor that was set up in the middle of the garden, swinging Johanna around so that I could put my arms around her. “Well now,” she said as she slid her arms around my neck. “This is quite a long way for you to fly just to dance with me. What’s going on, Maximillian?”
I swung her around to the music. “Anna needs your help.”
Her smile faltered. “What did that bitch do to her now?”
“Nothing,” I answered, soothing her concern immediately. “She’s fine. She and I have been talking and we think we have a plan to take Isauros down.”
Her eyes widened. “Really?”
I nodded. “But we need your help.”
“Of course,” she answered. “I’m in. Whatever Anna needs me to do.”
I had known she would be in immediately. “You might want to wait to hear what the plan is.”
Johanna laughed. “Oh wow. Is it that bad, then? I might be doubly interested.”
I shook my head, spinning her one last time. “Is there somewhere we can talk or are you still being wooed by pretty boy over there?”
Her eyes cut to the guy that was standing with the others, a drink in his hand. “He’s so dull. I think I would fall asleep during sex with him.”
I let out a bark of laughter and escorted her off the dance floor. “Where would you like to go, princess?”
Johanna pointed out a gazebo at the edge of the garden and I walked her over there. “What’s the plan?” she said, her hands on her hips.
I told her quickly, wincing as I glossed over the part where she was supposed to drown. But instead of being concerned, Johanna laughed. “That sounds fucking awesome! I can be pretty convincing when I want to, you know. They will believe every bit of it.”
“Good,” I said. “Because you are going to need every bit of it for us to take down Isauros.”
Johanna cocked her head to the side. “Of all the kings, I would have thought Royce would be here, begging for my help for Anna, not you.”
I worked my jaw, not really wanting to talk about this with her right now. “It’s the only way to take down the headmistress.”
“No,” Johanna said, eyeing me. “It’s something else.”
“It doesn’t matter,” I growled.
“Oh, no,” she said. “If you don’t tell me what it is, I won’t come back to help.”
“That’s fucking blackmail.”
Johanna smiled, crossing her arms over her chest. “Yes, yes it is.”
I scrubbed a hand over my face. “Listen, Jo, there may have been a time that it was nothing but a game, but now, there’s something there.” A king hated to admit when he had feelings for another, but I couldn’t help it. There was something about Anna that made me want to protect her.