Page 57 of His Prince

I stare at the ceiling, my open book lying on my chest, and force myself to not think of him.

It doesn’t work. I only think of him more. He consumes my thoughts, my shriveled, exhausted heart.

I pull out my phone and stare at the text messages we exchanged over those few months before the wedding. Those days I spent looking forward to his video calls, feeling my stomach flutter with butterflies when his name would appear on my screen.

It’s been too hard to look at them, to remember what a fool I had been, but I force myself to look at them now. To remember what a liar he is. Why he doesn’t deserve my time. Not anymore.

Mikhail

I’ve missed you.

Me

I’ve missed you, too.

Mikhail

Tell me what you’ve done today.

Me

I got my orchid to bloom. Would you like to see?

Mikhail

Always.

I stare at the picture of my plant, the one I slaved over for weeks, remembering the pride I felt when it bloomed.

Mikhail

Beautiful. Just like you. My rare bloom.

I scoff and shove my phone under my pillow.

Lies, all of it.

I close my eyes and breathe deeply from my nose, hearing a lowtap, tap, tap from somewhere in the room. My heart rate increases, my eyes popping open.

What is that?

Another tap, from the far end of the room.

I sit up in bed, listening intently to try to make outwhatit is. But then it stops, nothing else but the sound of the trees rustling outside filtering through the room.

Perhaps it’s rats, I think as I lean back against the headboard. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was it.

Suddenly, the door opens and I turn my gaze to Mikhail. He looks tired, his body drenched with sweat, his cheeks red from exertion.

I don’t say anything as he moves to the bathroom and the water flips on. I listen as he washes himself, and minutes later, he returns, a towel around his waist.

“Where were you?” I ask, hating that I even care to do so.

“Working. Working out.”

I say nothing as he drops the towel onto the floor and falls onto the bed, his eyes closing, his hands behind his head.

Why does he have to be so hot? I hate that, hate that despite it all, I want to fuck him again.