Page 4 of Royally Bad

In the back of the store, Francesca called out, “Sammy! Do you have any veils that match this gown?”

I leveled my eyes on Kain. He looked and smelled like a predator, all crisp pine and silky musk. This was a man who always got what he wanted. If I’d been wondering why Francesca would bring her brother along to shop for dresses, now I knew. Who could say no to her with Kain around?

Spinning away from him, I shouted, “I have just the one!”

I wasn’t watching Kain anymore, but his expression was imprinted in my mind. It was the strangest thing, that look he’d given me. He’d acted like we’d been facing off. More than that, he’d acted like he’dwon.

In that moment, I understood him. It didn’t matter how handsome Kain was, or how fit ... or how he moved like water through a river; this guy was arrogant as hell, right down to his core.

Kain was bad news.

And believe me, I know bad news.

My life has been full of it.

- CHAPTER TWO -

SAMMY

I stayed up all night, just like I’d said I would have to.

First I used coffee.

Then I used energy drinks.

Finally, when the early hours between night and day arrived, I looked at the red-lettered debt collector bills piled on my desk. It was the last push I needed to get me through my task.

Yawning for the millionth time, I rubbed furiously at my eyes. In the sharp orange-sherbet light of sunrise, the gown shone like a bronze sea. It was some of my best work, and picturing it draped on Francesca was almost enough to shake off my weariness.

Almost.

Yawning, I stumbled into my shower. If there was any hope of meeting her today for her fitting, I needed to get my act together. Hanging my head under the stream of furious water, I closed my eyes and hummed.

The last time I’d pulled an all-nighter was back in college. I’d been determined to show off a series of full-length couture gowns for my finals. It was an insane task to take on. It left me with bleeding fingers and a hatred for chicken wire.

But that collection had gotten me my dream job in New York.

It was a pretty good job, too, while it lasted.Laughing to myself, I flipped wet hair from my face.Stop thinking about that. It doesn’t matter now.Besides, who needed the high-paid, fast-paced lifestyle of New York City?

I didn’t let myself answer that question.

Wrapping a towel around my body, I stepped across the cold tile toward my bedroom. The blinds were open, pointing right at the building rubbing shoulders with mine. Not keen on giving anyone a show, I tiptoed over, tugging at the cord.

In a masterful display of craftsmanship, the blinds snapped right off the window.

Gasping, I jumped back before they smacked my feet. I was left standing there in the early sun, in nothing but a towel, with a broken string in my fist.

In the apartment across the way, a baffled older man stared at me.

Inhaling through my nose, I looked around my room for a solution. In the corner, next to some of my still-not-unpacked boxes, there were some sheets of cardboard. Grabbing one, I snatched up some of the packing tape and faced the window.

Then my towel started to slip.

With nothing but some cardboard between me and the stranger, I groaned loudly. Was this really how my day was going to go? Gritting my teeth, I quickly taped the most haphazard excuse for a curtain into place.

Stepping back, I scooted the towel higher on my boobs and observed my work.About as good as the blinds were.I really needed to get out of this shitty apartment, but it was all I could find in my budget on such short notice.

It wasn’t like I’d grown up having it easy, but we’d been middle class—comfortable. It was only when my dad died last year that things went to hell. There was no insurance policy, and what little money that had been squirreled away went straight to my mother’s doctors the sicker she grew.

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