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?

his cufflink with a frown. He was… annoyed. And horny.

him had taken it upon herself to be his company

Last

the photo. And react. Which, for reasons he refused to examine too closely, made the whole damn

1/4

Palace Communications. Translation: his father’s eyes and ears. There was also Mark at

not thirty–one. Alexei was guessing he was going to be

of perception” and the “crown’s

years

still stuck

be a headline. Let’s be

shoulder to lightly trace his bicep. She smiled, batting lashes

than that, darling,” Alexei said with a faint

Of course, she did. They all did. They always did. He could

Except Keira.

eyes, and call him something obscene, probably while making him a triple–shot espresso

look that he pictured when he was alone. Keira wasn’t impressed with his title, and she’d tell anyone she wasn’t

wrong with him. He should have preferred agreeable women, but they bored him with their

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

paparazzi, half the

like the one at his side… they bored

back. Got visibly frustrated every time

messaging her throughout the night. She

drowning in photos of your ass.” It made him grin because it hadn’t

out of here?” the blonde asked in his ear, way too confident, like they were already halfway

and a little

at her. She was pretty. Of course, she

But she wasn’t–

said,

in her

away, straightened his jacket, and handed

mouth like she didn’t quite believe it was happening. She had just offered herself to him, and he

wait to hear

were two of his father’s ‘staff‘ meaning

the penthouse, Your Highness?” one

his