Beneath Her Bastard Boss

Chapter 154

Alexei had known this party would be boring before he even turned up.

Rich people stood around pretending they weren’t about to talk shit the moment your back turned. And the women? They flocked like peacocks in glitter and stilettos, beaming like landing lights, hoping the world’s most notorious royal bachelor would single them out. He wasn’t up himself. It was just a fact of life when you were royal.

God, he could walk around with a brown paper bag over his head and women would still want him.

Of course, he didn’t disappoint. He never did. Alexei, the second son and second in line to King Theodore, always gave the crowd a good show.

Even if he was barely paying attention.

“…so I said, ‘You really like your yacht that much? Why don’t you marry it?“” the blonde beside him said breathlessly, her laugh like broken glass.

He blinked, vaguely realizing she was telling a story. Possibly about herself. Probably not very well.

“Mmh,” he said in response, taking a too–long sip of champagne, wishing it was scotch. It did nothing to dull his irritation or his persistent, nagging thoughts.

Keira.

Bloody. Keira.

His assistant. His brainache. His personal hurricane in heels. Infuriating woman.

He’d seen her face when the photos hit the tabloids… murderous and pink–cheeked, jaw clenched and those scorching blue eyes blazing as she rapid–fired damage control from the corner of her “converted” cubicle outside his office.

He hadn’t even slept with the model in the photos. She’d begged for attention. He hadn’t intended to give the cameras anything. The model had pulled at his towel before he could stop her. It had been her way of getting media attention. Now there were questions about them being an item. She had gone out the next day sporting a ring on her finger.

But he had still enjoyed the pleasure of pissing Keira Warner off.

Because watching her fury spark? That was his new favorite hobby.

God, she was exhausting. Bossy. Blunt. Rude. Delightfully rude. No one else ever fought back the way she did. Not in the palace. Not in

business.

She fired his blood in an argument better than any woman had in his bed.

Well–correction. No one had been in his bed in a while either.

Had it really been a month?

cufflink with a frown. He was… annoyed.

had taken it

Last

the photo. And react. Which, for reasons he

1/4

There was also Mark at the office. Alexei would bet he had given Keira a hard time about the

problem was they reported to his father like he was twelve years old and not thirty–one. Alexei was guessing he was going to be getting a

he’d ranted about the “peril of perception” and the “crown’s dignity.” As if Alexei had any real claim to the crown. That was his

Married for two years and still no

Alexei was still stuck

headline. Let’s be honest, he would

trace his bicep. She smiled, batting lashes like she

bit more than that, darling,” Alexei said with a

all did. They always did. He could say anything to them, and

Except Keira.

snort, roll her eyes, and call him something obscene, probably while making him a triple–shot espresso and outlining his next five meetings. The

and she’d tell anyone she wasn’t impressed by him. He liked being around her, even when she was hating him

figure out what was wrong with him. He should have preferred agreeable women, but they bored him with their predictability.

he was lonely. He had options, plenty of women eager to be close to him,

half the world had seen

one at his side… they

bored him. She challenged him. Pushed back. Got visibly frustrated every time he pressed one of her

reason he had been messaging her

It made him grin because it hadn’t even been

of here?” the blonde asked in his ear, way too confident,

hand down his chest and a little too close

was pretty. Of course, she was. They

But she wasn’t–

said,

flickered in

straightened his jacket, and handed off

it was happening. She had just offered herself to him,

didn’t wait to hear her

was waiting. As were two of his

penthouse, Your Highness?”

at his jaw. He was