Page 11 of The Prince's Game
“When do you expect me to work if I’m playing this stupid game? I’m going on a date all day tomorrow, wrapping up filming on Thursday for this episode, and kicking off a new episode on Friday with another group date.”
“You make being surrounded by over a dozen willing women sound like a hardship.” His father’s tone was bored. “Take each of them to bed, have a good time of it, and pick the best performer. I don’t see why this is so hard?”
“Oh, do shut up,” Ellen snapped.
“What? I’m giving the boy helpful advice.”
“You’re acting like a pig.”
“Better than pushing romantic babble on the poor boy.”
“And you two wonder why I have no interest in marriage,” Evan cut in. “Look, let me finish up what I’m working on, and then I’ll go wander around the hotel to check on everyone.”
“You’ll go now.” Ellen’s tone brooked no argument.
“I’ll go in thirty minutes and spend a total of two hours touring around. We’ll discuss the date picks later. That’s the best you’re getting from me today.”
“I want to see more effort, Evan.” Ellen was quiet but firm.
“And you will when I don’t have twenty women chasing me around like hungry puppies. Now get out of my office. I have work to do.”
I flipped the screen back to Mershano-related work and pretended to review the memo I edited this morning.
“If I don’t see you in thirty minutes, you won’t like my actions,” Ellen threatened from the opening door.
“Duly noted. Good-bye, Mother. Father.”
Ellen stalked over to the elevator and punched the button with more force than was necessary. Jonah lingered by my desk. “Sorry about that, sweetheart.”
I forced a smile. “It’s okay. I enjoyed the break from the cameras.” He wasn’t listening to a word I said, too focused on my breasts to care. When his wife cleared her throat, he gave me a wink, which I didn’t return, and joined the woman in the elevator.Charming.
A sigh fell from the other room through the open door. Evan’s head was in his hands, his thick hair clenched in his fingers. I thought Abby forcing me onto this show was bad, but it seemed his situation was worse. I went to the coffeemaker to get him a fresh cup. It wasn’t a huge consolation, but there wasn’t much to work with up here. I left it black and carried it in with a small knock. Wary eyes looked up at me as I set it on his desk.
He cocked an eyebrow. “Coffee?”
“Yeah, you look like you could use it.” Not wanting to linger, I walked toward my desk.
“Did you hear all of that?”
I paused in the doorway, my back to him. “Uh, yeah.”
“And how will you use it?”
I turned around. “Use it?”
“In this game. How will you use the information?”
“Why would I use it for anything?”
“Why wouldn’t you? What you just overheard is gold, right? A payday? Doesn’t that excite you?” That glower was back, raising my hackles. I wasn’t some punching bag to take hits on when he was feeling down. His parents pissed him off; I didn’t. I hadn’t done anything wrong despite his allegations that he wasonto me.
“No, it made me feel sorry for you, which was clearly a mistake. Now if you’ll excuse me,sir, I’ll be at my desk, working.” I shut his office door and took a seat. “Ass,” I muttered. Taking his frustration out on me when I tried to do something nice for him was unacceptable. If he didn’t send me home tonight, I would have to find a way to get myself kicked off the show. This was stupid.
The door opened and he stepped out, his dark eyes alight with fury. “Playing hard to get is not impressing me.”
My eyebrows flew upward. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
