9| Trouble

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Trouble

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Chapter 9: Trouble (Delilah's POV)

I'm doing everything wrong. I need to remind myself here that I don't want him to choose me. I want him to hate me. We should be forced, enemies. Not forced husband and wife. He's kept me by his side the entire night and I'm starting to feel queasy about coming here now. As I expected, I was completely forced to come here not just by my aunt, but also by the king and Prince Nico.

I ran into them multiple times while returning from this castle after delivering the flowers in the past week. And every time they would ask if I've made up my mind and they would tell me it would be a good idea for me to attend this ball. And it sounded loads like a threat, so taking a risk wasn't in question.

I don't think we were invited because my uncle is well known in Everton for his bar. I think they were invited so they would bring me. And I can't help but think if I don't do as the king asks, it's my family on the line here. The only person I have left is my uncle, so gambling is not an option whatsoever.

I'm doing everything right tonight. I'm embarrassing myself in front of the important guests, I'm distracting him and making sure his guests feel uncomfortable around me. I'm hoping to make him completely reject me. "Everybody's dancing," I stated. "You don't dance?" I turned to look at him where we were standing in the corner of the room, both of us leaning against the same pillar.

"Not usually," he replied, watching the crowd swaying, with me.

"Dance with me," I demanded.

He sighed, looking at me with narrowed eyes and a very judgemental expression. Yes! "You're awfully strange, Daisy."

"That doesn't bother me. Does it bother you?"

He eyed me while working his jaw before I offered him my hand. And he took it, goddamn it. "Not at all," he answered, walking to the floor with me, stopping in the dead center.

I could feel all eyes on me. I did not want to come into the light tonight. Especially because I'm painting myself out as the epitome of a fucking moron.

He grabbed my waist and jerked me closer. "I dance, but do you?" He smirked, lifting a brow.

"No," I lied, smiling. "Not at all. I might break your toes."

"Go ahead."

I put one hand on his shoulder and the other grabbed his. We moved with the crowd, following the traditional waltzing routine. Every chance I got, I stepped on his toe, I bumped my leg into his, I tripped over absolutely nothing, I bumped into the people around us.

He was clearly getting sick of it. As the song came to an end he took a look around and pulled me even closer, his body pressing into mine. "You cannot possibly be so bad at dancing. Why are you pretending to be?"

"Because I know what you're doing," I replied.

"Oh?" He smirked in amusement.

"You've paid attention to no other girl at all tonight. You're introducing me to the guests, you're standing with me, you're dancing with me. You're about to—"

"Choose you." We both stopped moving in the dead center. He smiled softly. "Keep dancing, Delilah. You're catching people's attention."

We both began moving and I was too lost to pretend to be a clutz right now. I was dancing just fine as I still processed his words. "You can't marry me," I mumbled.

"Why not? You're here, volunteering, darling."

"I had to come," I argued.

"Not my problem," he chuckled.

"Please don't choose me. I don't want to get married yet."

"Tough luck."

"Dick," I blurted out.

"I can be, yes."

I stared at him in disbelief as we started moving faster. I am most certainly in trouble.

"I'm surprised you didn't see it coming," he said. "I called you to my castle every day for an entire week, using flowers as an excuse. Surely, you didn't think I love flowers so much. I did it so the town and my father and brother could see that there is a girl I already have."

"You used me?"

"I'm afraid so." He nodded softly. "Other than you, this town hasn't seen me with a girl in three years. It would just be weird for me to choose anybody but you. It has to be you. That's my choice."

"You have horrible taste."

"Well, it's mine, so I don't quite care..." he trailed off with a shrug.

"Change it," I gritted out. "I don't want to marry you."

"Why not?"

Because if I do, I'll have to kill you.

"I don't like you." I need an excuse, that seems valid.

"You'll learn to."

Apparently not.

I stared at him incredulously. "That's not how this works."

"Oh, but it is. In my castle, this is exactly how it works, darling. You. Me. A big wedding. And a big win for me."

No! Not a big win, a big loss! His freaking life! I looked around to see if his father or brother were anywhere around. Maybe I should tell him what they're expecting me to do if he chooses me.

"Prince Spencer—"

"Spencer to you," he corrected.

Fuck's sake. "Spencer," I said softly. "You can't marry me," I whispered. "The king and Prince Nico—"

"Spencer!" I ground my teeth, looking over his shoulder at the voice. Of course, it's Prince Nico. "Who's this lovely lady?" He strolled over. "Let me steal her for a dance."

"No," Spencer replied.

I stared at him while they glowered at each other.

"It doesn't look right," Prince Nico chuckled. "You've paid attention to nobody but her."

"And?"

"And people are offended."

"Not my problem."

"Just one dance. Yes?" He turned to me. He grabbed my hand from Spencer's and pulled me away to dance with him. "Be very careful, dear Delilah. Don't even think about telling him what we told you," he whispered through a devious smile and threatening eyes. "You cannot even imagine the consequences you will have to face. Or rather, your uncle."

I glared at him, digging my nails into his palm.

He smirked, "Ouch," before pulling me closer. "There's so much we could do to him. Steal his bar, steal his house, murder his wife..." He leaned in by my ear. "Or simply murder him."

I closed my eyes, clenching my teeth together in fury. "You're threatening me into killing your brother," I pointed out.

"I realize that," he nodded. "Do you?" He spun me around and I found myself being pulled away.

"Half a dance is enough," Spencer said, pulling me to his side. "Your girlfriend isn't here tonight, that doesn't mean you should flirt with the other girls here. Find somebody else, Nico. Someone your age, not half a decade younger."

"She's four years younger to me, not five," Prince Nico scoffed. Of course, he knows my age. He also knows where I live, who I live with, where I work, when I'm born, what happened to my parents, he knows every damn thing about me!

I am in trouble. So much of it. Heaps of it. Mountains of it. Landscapes of it.

"Of course you know that. You still do background checks on the people I see, don't you?" Spencer smirked. "Leave us alone." Us? We're an 'us' now?

Prince Nico sent me a smile. "Sure." He turned around and walked away, leaving me with Spencer.

"You were saying?" he questioned.

I stared at him for a while, nibbling on my bottom lip as I slowly shook my head. "Nothing," I sighed. "I want to get some air. Where's the nearest balcony or backyard?" I stared into his eyes.

I didn't realize blue could be such hot fire until I saw his eyes. It's like blue fire transforming into passion. Those are his eyes. An electric, ocean, fire hot blue. But cold. And mostly detached. All too logical and no warmth at all.

"I'll take you."

"I need air. That means I want to be alone," I chuckled softly, fidgeting with the red satin floor-length gown I had on. No skirts, no ball-gown. It was a simple gown that hugged me in all the right places. I looked down at his suit. It was black with silver embroidery. It suited him very well. The silver brought out his eyes in the nicest way.

"And I'll take you means I'll take you, Daisy." He grabbed my hand and linked my arm with his before starting to lead us to the doors and then out.

I looked around the foyer as we walked through that and past the lounge room, heading for the backyard which was located directly behind the wooden, polished center table that had another black diamond chandelier dangling above it. I looked ahead as he pulled the backyard double glass doors open and led us outside. "The chandeliers," I mumbled. "They're all black."

"If you haven't noticed, almost everything in this castle is," he mused.

"I hear it's haunted. Is it really?" I questioned as we strolled around.

He nodded, "I hear that too."

"Has anything ever happened?"

"Maybe. Would you like to hear?" We settled on a black bench.

I nodded. "I would." Maybe the stories can help me come up with ways to kill you. It's become clear to me awfully fast that I don't have a choice either. I either have to marry him and do what the king asks of me. Or I have to choose myself and let him live at the cost of my uncle's life. And then I'll truly lose my entire family.

No matter what Aunt Rosy tells me, I've never believed I was responsible for what happened to my parents in that fire. It started from a candle and a curtain, that was not my fault. But if I know about what they'll do to my uncle and I let it happen instead of preventing it, that will be my fault. In a lot of ways.

"How many do you have to tell? We probably shouldn't take too long," I suggested, looking around at the flower beds and trees. Sure enough, he has a garden back here, just as I thought. Then why order flowers from me then? Oh, but then again, he didn't want the flowers, he just wanted me to be seen coming here every day.

"Well, we have all the time in the world. Who says we have to go back?" He lifted a brow at me.

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Chapter 9

okay but the writing where I described his eyes.

I didn't even know I knew how to describe blue eyes like that lmao

next chapter: declare

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