Page 55 of His Kingdom

I smile at the woman, even though it’s the last thing I want to do. “Hello,” I say, using my sweetest southern voice. Her hand doesn’t leave Louie’s chest, not until he reaches up and physically removes it.

“How nice,” Julie directs to me, then turns back to Louie. “I’m in my usual room. When you’re done playing house, come and find me.”

“Oh, sweetheart, you clearly ain’t got any of the good sense God gave a rock because you are so barking up the wrong tree right now,” Evie tells her.

“Who are you? And why are you here?” Julie snarls while waving a hand at Evie. And I see it right before it lands.Itbeing the glass of champagne that comes up and splashes all over the front of my friend’s dress.

Evie doesn’t budge. “Bless your heart. You think a spilled drink is going to bother me?”

Before the woman can answer, Evie is being hauled backwards while two men in black suits come up behind Julie, grabbing her by the arms. “Miss, it’s time to leave,” one of them says in a thick Mexican accent.

“Emmanuel, no.” Louie’s voice is low but I hear it.Does he want this woman to stay? Why?“She’s the daughter of the French president.”

Emmanuel says something in Spanish to the two men and they disappear with Julie.

“A friend of yours?” I ask Louie.

“The daughter of a friend,” he tells me.

“I take it back.”

“You take what back?” Louie looks at me, his brows drawn down.

“I think I do get jealous,” I whisper.

He smiles. Wide. “That’s not a bad thing. It means you care.” He shrugs before adding, “And just so you know, you have no reason to be jealous.”

I snort. “Yeah, no reason to be jealous of some gorgeous French model. No reason at all.”

“Keep an eye on those two,” he tells Carlo, nodding his head at Evie and Emmanuel, who are looking way too cozy. Then Louie drags me away.

“Where are we going?” I ask him.

“My office is just through here,” he says.

“Why are we going to your office?”

“Because I need to prove to you just how much you don’t have anything to worry about. I’ve never wanted to fuck Julie, Charlotte. But you… There hasn’t been a minute that’s past since I first saw you that I haven’t wanted to fuck you.”

“Oh.”Well, shit. I could be down for that.“No. Wait.” I dig my feet into the carpet.

“What’s wrong?”

“We can’t. I can’t leave Evie. This was supposed to be our girls’ night. Can I get a rain check on theyou fucking mething?” As much as I want to go to Louie’s office with him, I can’t abandon my friend.

“Okay.” Louie adjusts himself in his pants. “Just keep in mind… I’ve been hard since the moment I saw you tonight.”

“I know.” I smile. I saw the bulge in his pants, and it’s not like I’m not just as eager for him. I am. But I want to be a good friend too.

Louie leads us back over to the group. “Let’s drink,” he says, guiding everyone towards wherever it is we’re going.

A few minutes later, we end up in a very lush-looking bar. Where I slide into a booth until I’m squished between Evie and Louie. “You know, he’s a little intense,” she whispers to me.

“Who?”

“Louie. He doesn’t stop fussing over you,” she says.

“I know.” I smile. “It’s… different.”

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