3. Marcus

Isat back in the driver's seat and kept my hands on the steering wheel while she waved her cute little pistol around in my face. Another time, I'll show her how easy it is for me to disarm her, but we've only just met, it's not quite the right time to be giving up state secrets.

"You're absolutely right. I am following you. I followed you from the ballroom back at the hotel."

"Why?" Now, how do I answer that? I can't come right out and tell her she made me hot, and I wanted to fuck. Most people aren't really down with my straightforward approach to life.

"Let's just say I like your style. I'm going to reach for my wallet in the console; keep the gun on me." I reached for my wallet and passed her my ID. I even turned on the searchlight on my phone so she could see.

"Devereaux, why does that name sound familiar?"

"Maybe because you just crashed their corporation's party."

"You're related to the Devereaux family?"

"Yes, ma'am, I am. The one and only grandson."

"The heir apparent, you mean."

"That's me."

"I thought you were off in the bush somewhere doing heaven knows what. What"re you doing stateside?"

"Stateside? What do you know about that lingo?"

"My Daddy is a military man."

"I see." I grinned again and she passed me back my ID.

"Well, were you planning to follow me to my destination? I still don't understand why you're following me."

"I wanted to make sure you got where you're going, okay."

"What made you think I needed a babysitter?"

"You were fine until your kids showed up. I saw the little stumble and put two and two together. I wasn't sure if it was nerves or maybe that you'd had one too many, but either way, I wanted to be here if you needed me."

"Bless your heart, you're on something, aren't you?"

"I'm on something alright, but it's not narcotic. I don't know; as soon as I saw you up on that podium, I knew."

"Knew what?"

"I'll answer that question, but first answer one of mine."

"Shoot!" That gun hadn't moved from its position this whole time.

"What are your plans with what just went down back there?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, are you planning to stay in your marriage or leave?"

"Leave, of course; what do you take me for?" She pouted, and it was the cutest thing. Her husband must be brain-dead.

"Great, now my turn. What I knew the moment I saw you was that I was going to be the next man in your life. How many kids do you have? Just the three?"

Now, she was looking at me as if I had really lost my mind. She could have no idea that after the shit I'd seen all around the world, I did not play about my life.

I haven't taken a day for granted since my twenty-second birthday, and that was almost fifteen years ago. I've learned that life is too short, and anything can happen in the blink of an eye, so I live my shit to the fullest.

I do the things no one would expect from the once pampered prince of the Devereaux clan, but that prince died a long time ago when his life was turned upside down by a vile woman and the sperm donor who never outgrew his princely ways.

Another reason I find this one so attractive is the way she handled her shit. I wish my Mom had had half her shiny spine; then she wouldn't have died of a broken heart, and I wouldn't have been left with so much anger after all these years, but I'm digressing.

"Nothing to say?"

"I'm still trying to figure out which medication you're on and why the hell you're not taking it." I laughed out loud because her smart-ass mouth just tickles my funny bone.

"I only smoke weed, gorgeous. You want some?" She turned and started walking back to her car.

"Follow me!" Yes ma'am.