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CHAPTER ONE

Belle

“You,” I say I blinkup a prayer that I’ Or,a mental breakdown and this is actually just some type of stress-induced hallucination

Losing mywould be preferable to this

“You,” he says He stares atI swear, tirinding halt as he stands there, noat me Then, the corners of his mouth turn up -- just a hair The movement is most likely imperceptible to anyone else, but I definitely notice

That asshole It’s like he’s pleased with this development It’s as if he expected this

You’d have to be a fucking lunatic to be happy about this

“I wasn’t aware that the two of you had met before” My mother looks back and forth between us, her expression unwavering If there’s one thing Sofia Kensington excels at, it’s revealing absolutely nothing when confronted with so potentially scandalous She’s entirely unflappable, standing there reen silk shift and heels, her chestnut-colored hair pulled up in a chignon, perfectly-manicured hands folded neatly in front of her

She’s always looked regal Beco the Queen of a small European country is a perfect fit I knoithout even asking, that it’s the cul in the world she's hoped for

And now, I' a secret that could jeopardize all of that

Ifnot more than ten feet away from me…

Let’s just say the scandal would be one of epic proportions

A scandal of royal proportions is probably iven the particular circumstances

“I –“ I start, then stop My mouth suddenly feels like I senty cotton balls, and ht actually beat right out of my chest

“I recall buas last week,” he says, his voice light, teasing, the hint of an accent on his lips Everything he says, even the raunchiest of things, co like it’s spoken by a person who’s well-bred, well-educated, pedigreed

Of course, that’s because he is the ultimate in well-bred

“I didn’t realize who she was," he says

And I definitely res

"Yes," I murmur, the word barely audible "I believe we bumped into each other"

That much is true

"Oh !" I don’t even bother to look up at the asshole who just ran into me I’ across the front ofin the casino

"My apologies for your dress, although I'm not sorry I bumped into you," he says And a handkerchief appears in front of my face Who the hell carries a fabric handkerchief nowadays? "I'd be happy to pat that dry for you, if you’d like"

The accent is what throwsI can’t quite place, but definitely out of the ordinary here in a Vegas casino – and I look up at hiive him a piece of my mind The combination of alcohol and the fact that this is the worst day of y and beyond irritable

Holy shit

Even indown at me with blue eyes filled with mischief Literally, spectacular is the only word for it

He’s the most beautiful man I've ever laid eyes on, with eyes a periwinkle color that’s nearly purple under the lights in the casino, and lips so lush that I can't think about anything except what it would be like to feel theainst my skin…

Of course, that’s the i a shiver downacross my stomach, then down farther

There’s so familiar about him, but my booze-addled brain can’t quite place it For a second, I think I ht have seen him before, but I telltricks on me

This is not the kind of

"Is that your shtick?” I ask, the waver indrinks on girls and then patting them down?"

He laughs "I don't need a shtick, luv," he says, leaning close to s"

"You're crude," I say, wrinkling lance down, exactly where he wanted me to look

"You're…" His voice fades away for ame flush "Like a drunken disheveled Cinderella"

"So that woulddown atfrom her -- my best friend My maid-of-honor

The traitorous bitch

The corners of his mouth turn up as he looks atal like that"

So like that

The bastard He had conveniently failed to mention that it was exactly like that

"I apologize for the secrecy,"you off to Protrovia on a private plane was designed to s…efficient Less messy”

"Less messy," I repeat, the irony of the words apparent only to me She hasn't spoken the words aloud yet, but if she's about to say what I think she is, this is going to be beyond messy

It’s going to be positively nuclear

"Isabella," she snaps, then clears her throat "It's ill-"

TheLeopold IV of Protrovia, who’s already introduced himself in the ular guy and not royalty – as if we’re not standing here in the middle of a palace) places his hand on her arm "Sofia, please," he says quietly

My mother takes a deep breath, as ifher patience "The secrecy was all for your benefit," she says "I didn't want this to overshadow your bachelorette party, or your wedding plans”

My wedding, I realize, a sinking feeling in the pit of ement

In theflown on a private jet without being told where I was going (I'd like to say the intrigue was unusual but I'ht to a palace -- I'd forgotten to tell her

Oh, God

"I' oes out of the roo becomes perfectly still

"Excuse ain Usually that would give ht, except that this time it doesn't This time, it just makes me feel worse

"I A Married," I repeat, this ti each word clearly My head is spinning

I’ married

I don't say the rest of the words But I think the in my throat

I aht makes me want to vomit

I’m already married