Anybody But You

70

Chapter Seventy

Vibe: Daddy by Charlotte Cardin

Narcisse's face was in an unreadable expression that Alice had never seen on him before as her eyes finally opened. It made her heart simultaneously hurt uncomfortably and race against her chest.

Her flushed lips parted as his black eyes intensely captured her blue ones, "...I don't think I can do that." her voice sounded as broken as she felt.

Raising her head as his eyebrows flinched, his eyes seemed to dim. He didn't seem surprised, just... disillusioned.

Sitting back properly in the chair, she could feel how pink her cheeks were as she pushed her hair behind her hot ear and avoided his piercing eyes "Can't this be good enough... that I'm here now?"

How could he ask her to stay? He knew why she couldn't.

Exhaling through his nose, he spoke, "Yeah...I just felt like I had to hear you say it." Clearing his throat, an air of professionalism replaced the heavy atmosphere, "I'm assuming you came here for a reason, lady Alice?"

Straightening up as she pushed away the questions and confusion, she spoke, "Lucy told me to steal the crown... so that's exactly what I'm going to do, your highness." She announced, leaning back as he watched her curiously, "I thought using the Luciens would cause her to fall out of favour with the people without hurting anybody permanently." Biting her lip, she explained, "That obviously backfired, however, there's a solution to all of this that you sort of helped me come up with." Pausing for dramatic effect, she smiled with honey in her voice, "Like you said, I'm Lucy's biggest threat...

"...so I just have to be a better princess candidate."

Narcisse chuckled amusedly, folding his hands under his chin as he rested his elbows on his desk, "...and how do you suppose you'll do that?"

She had thought about it for a long time. If she couldn't trust Lucy to go along with her plans without causing them to backfire, she had to come up with a plan that didn't directly involve her cooperation. With things blurry and confusing and uncertain, Alice didn't want to resort to a means that would hurt Lucy—so she really only had one choice. She'd have to beat Lucy fair and square. And in order to do that, she had to become an official piece on the game-board—a piece with a title.

Alice bit her bottom lip as she leaned in, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement as Narcisse quietly watched her,

"By becoming the crowned prince's official mistress."

~*~*~

A.N.

That transition from emotional to professional is one of the many reasons this guy has grown so much on me. It's so complicated but he's just... idk. Understanding? Soft? Careful? Respectful?  Views her as an equal professionally? But patient with her romantically? Idk how to explain it. But there's just something... My boys both got their charms in this book. Good luck, Alice.

Thank you for reading! Were you hoping for a different reaction from her?

I was listening to a song and I could literally picture Narcisse feeling everything the song said during this scene. Like it is him 100%. If you're curious, it's called Find a Way by SafetySuit. It didn't fit this chapter's vibe, but I wanted to share it anyways.