T HE NIGHT WAS SET TO be one the guests would never forget.
I’d been told about the parties my father used to host at the mansion—they described them as Great Gatsby parties, so lavish that getting an invitation was like celebrating Christmas in itself. But now, it seemed like it was my turn. I’d left the planning in the hands of the event organizers, and they had truly done a wonderful job. The house sparkled like never before, the gardens lit up in shades of white, silver, and blue. It was beautiful, there was no denying it, the ballroom decked in the same colors, with even the food and drinks being thematic.
It was undoubtedly Christmas, and with the scent of snow heavier in the air than ever, you could practically taste the wintertime.
But my mind was on anything but—all I could really think about was a certain Miss Monroe.
And I couldn’t wait for my girl to show up. She’d been permanently on my mind ever since her sweet little snatch had left my mouth. My body yearned for more of her, to taste her again in ways I’d never let another man enjoy.
I stood at the top of the staircase, looking down at the party. Over my face, I wore a Venetian mask I’d picked up on holiday years ago, and a dark suit a designer had cut out especially for me. I felt like the world belonged to me, but it was all for nothing unless I had my princess by my side. My body and my mind pined for her, the wife I’d already chosen. All there was left to do was find Ella and tell her she was fucking mine.
I walked down the stairs into the mass of people below who greeted me by clapping and whooping over the sound of the music. I smiled, made polite greetings, and my eyes were constantly searching for her, the only person I cared about showing up. But she was nowhere to be seen, and even if my eyes had deceived me, I knew because I couldn’t smell her sweetness in the air.
I’d gotten addicted to it, her sugary sweet scent filling my nostrils and my mouth every time she was close. God, I needed so much more of it. If it was up to me, I’d fill my days and my fucking life with the smell of her. I wanted her night and day, morning and evening, I wanted her all to myself, and I wasn’t about to give up now.
Finally, my eyes settled on a familiar figure, and my mouth set in a thin line as I approached her.
“Martha!” I called out over the music, and she turned around.
She wore a gaudy tiara in her hair, and the thick layers of foundation she’d applied to make her look younger only settled in her creases, giving her an unappealing look. But it wasn’t that, it was the way she carried herself. Almost self-righteous, like there was nobody else in the world who could compare to her. That coupled with the way I’d seen her treat Ella turned me off the woman completely. I wasn’t even sure I still wanted her working for me, but I’d decided to take it up with Ella once she was officially mine.
“Hello,” she purred, approaching me and leaning in.
I took a step back, giving her a long look.
“So, you decided to come,” I said firmly, and she batted her fake lashes at me.
“Of course,” she said, waving a hand in the air. “How could I not after your invitation?”
“My…” I stared at her. God, the woman was just not getting the message. “I invited Ella.”
“Ella?” she laughed out loud. “Why on earth would you invite her?”
“A couple of damn good reasons come to mind,” I growled.
Her sweet pillowy lips.
The sugar taste of her pussy.
Her little mewls, the mere thought of which made me hard as a damn rock.
“So, where is she?” I asked, and Martha shrugged as if she didn’t have a care in the world.
“At home, probably cleaning up,” she said. “But aren’t you happy I’m here?”
She batted her lashes at me again and I fought the urge to roll my eyes. What the hell was the woman thinking? I hadn’t invited her, hadn’t even thought about it. It was awkward enough as it was without her hitting on me, but now I was going to have to put my foot down.
“Martha, you are welcome to stay,” I said coolly. “But that invitation was for your stepdaughter, and we both know it.”
Her expression changed in a split second, from seductive and flirty to thunderous.
“Well, I’m here now,” she told me, sounding offended. “Why don’t you just make the best of it?”
She made her way towards me, raising her arms and trying to wrap them around my neck. I took firm hold of them and pried them away, giving her an annoyed look.
“Martha,” I said firmly. “Never. In a million years. Is this going to happen.”
“Well,” she said bitterly. “Ella doesn’t even care about you!”
“What on earth are you on about?” I asked her, feeling more annoyed than ever.
“She told me,” Martha said self-righteously. “Said she had a boy in town, and she wasn’t interested.”
Ella’s relationship with her stepmother didn’t strike me as particularly close, so I just rolled my eyes.
“Desperation is not a good look on you,” I said to her.
I turned around and walked away from her, leaving her standing there like a lost lamb. But I didn’t give a crap, I’d had enough of her nonsense, and I had more important things on my mind—like making sure Ella made it to the ball. She was the only reason I’d agreed to have the damn thing in the first place, and I was desperate for her to show up. I had to tell her how I felt, I couldn’t keep my mouth shut any longer.
I stalked around the room, looking for her. I was still set on finding her when a new wave of guests filled the room, the front door opening and showing me just a flash of tan fabric covered in beautiful crystals.
I could smell her.
The second she came into the ballroom, as big as it was, her fucking scent filled my nostrils, making me desperate to have another taste. I sought her out, pushing my way through the crowd, desperate to find my girl. Every once in a while, I’d catch a glimpse. Blonde hair in rich waves, a hint of beautiful pale skin. The dress… the clack of heels on the marble floor. I followed her like she was my lifeline, cutting my way through the room to get to her.
I followed the flash of crystals outside, onto the balcony above the hedge maze outside. The moon hung in the sky, swollen with the late time of night and shining brightly on the beautifully lit gardens below it. It was like a scene from a fairytale, and the gardens sparkled in the moonlight like they never had before.
And that was when I finally saw her.
A princess, leaning on the balcony, looking at the magical scene below her with wonder. She wore a mask that hid her face, but I would recognize her in a sea of people—not just by her scent, but the effect her presence had on me, making me crave her more badly than ever. I approached her slowly, my intent so clearly visible the other couple on the balcony fled back inside. They knew I wanted her alone, and they knew better than to stick around.
“Ella,” I spoke out, my voice rough and needy as she turned around to face me.
It was undoubtedly her. I saw it in the tremble of her fingers as she gripped the balcony railing, in the way she licked her lips nervously as I approached her.
“No point in hiding now, princess,” I told her roughly. “I’m here to collect you.”
I reached for her hand and she let me have it. I left a fleeting kiss on the top of it, and she pulled back with restraint I sure as fuck wasn’t exhibiting myself.
“I’m so glad you came,” I told her. “I’ve been looking for you for hours…”
“I wasn’t sure I’d be able to make it,” she whispered, smoothing down a crease in her dress.
My eyes were drawn to the sensuous curve of her waist, and I fought every instinct in my body so I wouldn’t grab her and pull her against me where she belonged.
“Come to me,” I said, and slowly, she took a step closer.
I took her hand in mine once again and made her twirl in front of me, admiring her incredible dress. She looked like a million bucks, and I’d never wanted her more.
“How did you know it was me?” she whispered, and I grinned at her.
Should I tell her the truth? I thought to myself. The fact that I could smell her from a mile away like a fucking predator, that her scent was so powerful I could almost taste it on my tongue.
“I couldn’t get you out of my head,” I admitted. “And the second you walked in, I knew. Now, will you let me show you around?”
She nodded shyly, and I led her back inside. Part of me wanted to tell her everything. That this was my home, but one she would soon share, and she was welcome to do anything and everything she wanted to with it. Fuck, I wanted to give her everything on a damn silver platter just to make sure she’d be mine. But I could tell she felt it too, the crazy attraction between us, sparks flying so intensely they almost burned my skin. I was addicted, but so was little Ella. It was in every step she took, in every look she thought I’d missed.
I grinned to myself, pleased with the way things were going. By the end of the night, I was going to make my little princess mine completely.
I pulled her against me to whisper in her ear, “I know you came because of me,” I said, and I felt the goosebumps on the back of her arm. “Well, worry not, princess, you’ll be mine by the end of the night.”
The sweet little hitch of her breath was barely audible, but it was enough to make my dick twitch. I wanted to take her so badly.
I took her hand in mine and led her to the dancefloor, and the crowd parted for us, gasps ringing out in the room as Ella looked up at me through her mask.
“A dance, my princess?” I grinned at her, and she smiled back as I pulled her in.
I thought I was a good dancer, but Ella, she was incredible. Gracious, shy, but with so much power in the way she moved, it made her seem like a woman, not an innocent little girl.
I pulled her against me as we danced with the crowd watching, and when she was only a whisper away, I touched my lips to her ear.
“Tonight, my sweet little princess,” I told her darkly. “You’re going to leave with a baby in your belly.”