The rush of the high hit me quickly, making my blood sing in my veins. My body shook, not just from the drugs, but from the pounding base and strobe lights filling the club around my group of friends. Juliet swayed to the music freely next to me, urging me to want to follow her lead. Hands brushed over my body, making my skin prickle from her touch. I couldn’t tell if I wanted it to stop, or if I wanted more. My guard stood by the doors, leaving me to self-destruct all by myself. This was how I wanted it, and none of them would dare interrupt my fun.

The press had been aching to follow me into the club since I passed through the doors earlier this evening. Eventually, someone would make it through all the security, and inevitably, there would be yet another story of my depraved behavior, which would sell papers. Of course there would be; I didn’t want to disappoint my fans. I giggled at the thought. My father hated me because of the messes I made, my step-mother didn’t know what to do with me, and my sister was disappointed in my horrible choices. It was just a normal day in my world.

A strong arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me back against a hard chest. At first, I didn’t resist the feeling of this stranger against me. Random sex with someone in the bathroom sounded entertaining. Juliet would probably want to watch. The arm tightened against my ribs.

My eyes shot open, but none of my friends were there. They had all abandoned me, but who knew how long ago that had been.

“Let go of me!” I protested. “If you knew who I was, you wouldn’t be manhandling me without asking first, you asshole.”

The chuckle that followed surprised me. “I’ll do whatever I damn well please, little girl. And I know exactly who you are, Princess Scarlett.”

That dark, smoky voice sounded familiar. I looked over my shoulder and dark obsidian eyes met my ice blue ones, pinning me in place. Bright lights from the club flashed over our bodies as I studied him. I shivered again, but this time Lord Carrick was the cause of it; certainly not any illegal substances I may or may not have taken.

I smirked. “What are you doing here, Lord Carrick? I didn’t think this was your scene anymore.”

His jaw tightened. “It’s not, and it won’t be yours either.”

I turned to face him, placing my hands on my hips, and narrowed my eyes. “You don’t get to decide that, now do you?”

He leaned in and ran his nose over the shell of my ear as he spoke, making a shiver run up my spine. “Oh Princess, you have no idea what I get to decide now.” This encounter was getting odder by the second. Surely he didn’t mean that the way it sounded. “It’s time to go, and I would prefer you don’t make a scene.”

His voice was calm, but I heard the warning in it loud and clear.

“If you want me to sleep with you, all you have to do is ask. It doesn’t matter to me that you’re almost twice my age. You’re still incredibly sexy,” I said, running my hands up his chest. “I like silver foxes, and you definitely qualify as a silver fox.”

He gave me a wry smile. “Believe me, I’ll fuck you blind soon, but it won’t be in this club. Or any club, for that matter.” I gasped as he reached down and grabbed my ass, pinning me up against him. “Now let’s go, Scarlett. We have a long drive ahead of us and I want to get there before morning.”

I swallowed hard and attempted to glare up at him. “What the hell are you talking about? I’m not going anywhere with you.”

The knowing look on his face made my heart race. He started dragging me behind him without answering my question, completely ignoring me. My guard wasn’t coming to my rescue either. Were they really going to let this man kidnap me? What in the hell was going on? I took a step back and stumbled as I tried to yank out of his hold. His grasp on my wrist tightened, steadying me before I was able to fall to the ground. The last thing I saw before the blackness crept over my vision were his dark, enchanting eyes.

I woke up in an unfamiliar bedroom, in the most comfortable bed I’d ever slept. A quick glance under the covers showed I had been stripped down to my panties and bra—at least they were a sexy pair. My head ached, but no more than normal, with or without the drugs. It was what I deserved after the fun I’d had the night before. The only problem was, I had no idea where I was. My security detail was going to be pissed.

The door opened and Lord Carrick Trudeau slipped inside, silently closing the door behind him. I stared at him in confusion. He’d taken off his suit jacket and unbuttoned his shirt, leaving me with a perfect view of his abs. Surely, I hadn’t slept with him, because that was something I would want to remember, and I’d want all my faculties to experience every second.

“Why am I here?” I croaked.

He seemed surprised that I was awake. Those demanding eyes reached mine, but I didn’t cower. I wouldn’t ever back down, from him or any other man.

“You’re here because I want you here.”

“Did you kidnap me?” I pulled the sheet up to cover myself. The idea had only just occurred to me. I’d woken up in strange beds before, but somehow this seemed…different. He chuckled as he started untucking his shirt from his pants before shrugging it off.

“I don’t have to kidnap girls to get them to come home with me, Scarlett. They just do.”

I frowned. He definitely wouldn’t have to do that, but it wasn’t what I’d asked. “I didn’t mean it that way—”

“I wasn’t kidding when I told you that you won’t be going back to that scene anymore. You are going to get sober if it kills us in the process.”

I glared at him, fighting not to dip my gaze down to his chiseled chest. “Who are you, my father? I’ll go anywhere I want to go. And you still didn’t answer my question.”

He pinned me with a look. “I know how quickly things can spiral out of control. You won’t be repeating my mistakes, especially if you’re going to be—”

I leaned up on my knees, holding the sheet in front of my chest, causing his breath to catch. Hot as he was, he was really starting to piss me off. “Lord Carrick, just why do you think I’ll let you make these decisions for me? If my own father can’t control me, what makes you think you’ll be able to? And what gives you the right? You still haven’t told me why I’m here.”

His eyes dipped to where the covers had loosened in my grip. “It’s Prince Regent, not Lord. And I’m a bit more persuasive than your father. That’s why you’re here.”

I felt my body flush as he took a few steps closer to the bed.

“Wha—Prince Regent? That means—”

“That my uncle is dying, and as the only remaining heir to the Eranian throne, I will be King.” He licked his lips. I wished I could read the glint in his eyes; something told me I might not like his next words. “And you, my dear, will be my Queen.”

My mouth dropped open in a rather unattractive manner. There was no way, unless—

“My father,” I whispered.

Carrick unbuttoned his pants. “What about the old fool?”

“You paid my dowry, didn’t you?” I demanded.

Suddenly everything made a lot more sense. Why he thought he would be able to control me, why he was demanding that I stop spending my days doing things to numb the pain I felt. And why the hell I was laying in his bed.

I stared at his chest as he climbed in next to me, wearing only his tight boxer briefs. The man was pure sex—even I couldn’t deny that. Everything he did screamed “Fuck me now.” I definitely would, if given the chance. He placed a soft kiss on my bare shoulder.

“Scarlett, I always get what I want.”

I dropped the sheet and reached behind me to unfasten my bra. The black lace fell to the floor and I watched his eyes darken even more, if possible.

When in Rome.

“And what do you want?” I asked in a husky voice.

He threaded his fingers in my hair and tugged my head back, exposing my neck.

“I think you know what I want, little girl.” I squealed as he flipped me on top of his chest. His cock rubbed against my clit, only the fabric of our underwear separating us. “I can feel how soaked you are, Princess. I bet that pretty pink pussy wants something more, doesn’t it?”

I gasped as he thrust his hips up, grinding against me and causing me to throw my head back in pleasure.

“Carrick,” I groaned.

His fingers gripped my thighs and I knew I would have marks in the morning. “I shouldn’t do this. I should make you wait until you marry me, but I’m not a patient man.”

I gripped his shoulders, wordlessly begging him not to stop. As he looked at me, it was like he could see into my soul. He understood the insanity that was my life, the drugs that helped me numb all my emotions… how I ignored the world, hoping it would leave me alone. It never did, but I would do anything possible to not feel the helplessness.

“Don’t stop,” I whispered. “If you’ve already paid my dowry, I’m yours to do with whatever you want.”

He rolled us so I was on my back and gripped my panties in his hand. “I would ask if you like these, but I don’t really care. I’ll buy you a million pairs; or better yet, you can just quit wearing them altogether.”

The sound of the fabric ripping away met my ears, turning me on even more. God, him acting like a caveman was getting me so worked up. He shoved two fingers inside my pussy and I shuddered against his hand.

My hand slid into his boxers, pulling his cock out and letting it slap across his belly. His moan caught me off guard and my body tightened. His fingers moved faster and my head fell back again. Carrick ran his jaw along my neck, making chill bumps rise on my skin. His thumb circled my clit before brushing over it, causing my body to grind against his.

“Careful, baby,” he said, grinning against my exposed skin.

I wanted to encourage him to continue touching me, but my words were stuck in my throat. Everything felt too good. Too much. I couldn’t tell if it was still the drugs in my system, or if I just wanted him this much.

“Carrick,” I moaned. “Fuck me, please.”

His hands gripped my hips tighter and he paused above me. I bit down on his shoulder as he pushed inside me slowly. One of his hands tangled in my hair, tugging my head back, and letting him run his scruffy jaw along the sensitive skin of my neck. My body tensed as he let out a low gravelly moan in my ear.

“Is it wrong of me to say I’ve wanted this for a long time,” I whispered. “I’ve imagined this happening far too often over the past few years.”

He thrust harder into me, making me cry out.

“If you keep talking like that, I’m going to come,” he said, gripping my hair tighter.

I grinned and scratched my nails across his back in response.

“That’s kind of the point, isn’t it?” I ended on a high, almost shrill note as my orgasm hit me. I screamed his name and clutched at his shoulders.

Carrick’s gravelly groan signaling his release made me clench around him. He rested his forehead on mine and neither of us spoke as we caught our breaths. Something told me I was in way over my head when it came to Lord Carrick Trudeau.