“You’re the one that told me to come.” Tarquin looked annoyed but unsure of himself.
“Didn’t you tell me that you liked her?” Casper looked me up and down. “Didn’t you tell me you wished that you had a chance with her?”
“Casper.” Tarquin blushed. “Why are you saying all of this?”
“Isn’t it true? Isn’t this what you wanted?” Casper’s lip curled. “Isn’t this the girl?”
“Casper.” Tarquin’s eyes flashed at his brother murderously and I wondered what Casper was talking about. Had Tarquin talked about me to his brother? What had he said? I hadn’t gotten any vibes from Tarquin that he’d been interested in me. He couldn’t possibly be interested in me, could he?
“So what’re you going to do, Lola?” Casper turned toward me. “Stick with the prince you know wants you? Or wait around for Xavier? Xavier, the man that’s probably fucking Violeta as we speak.”
“You’re disgusting.” I shook my head, finally coming out of my shock and haze. “How could you do this to me?” I turned to Tarquin. “After everything...I thought we were friends.” I looked into his eyes and let him see my unveiled hurt and pain. He deserved to see how much he’d hurt me.
“Lola.” Xavier’s voice was loud as he shouted down the corridor. “Lola, where are you?”
“I’m in here, Xavier,” I cried out and ran to the door. “I’m in here.” I opened the door and Xavier stood there in front of me, his eyes distraught as he looked me over.
“What’s going on in here?” He looked behind me at Casper and Tarquin and then at my ashen face. “Are you okay, Lola?”
“I’d like to go home, please,” I whispered, my voice shaking. I didn’t want him to ask me what had happened or what was going to happen. I didn’t want him to know that for one split second, I had been considering going along with Casper. Not because I liked Casper or wanted him, but because I was hurt and confused and jealous. I closed my eyes for a second, wishing that I was back home in Florida. All of a sudden, my mundane life didn’t seem so trite and boring. I’d give anything for boring right now. I’d give anything to be away from here and these men. All of whom were looking at me with a mixture of lust, distaste, worry, concern and anger. This wasn’t what my experience in Europe was meant to be like. This wasn’t meant to be my love story: stripping in front of a group of men, swinging my hips, touching my breasts. My face reddened at the memories. I just wanted to die. Or be magically swept away from this place.
“Let’s go.” Xavier grabbed my arm, his eyes bleak as he turned towards Casper. “I expected better from you.”
“Better from me?” Casper laughed, his voice unashamed and arrogant. “Who do you think you are? Prince Charming come to rescue his Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty?”
“I don’t think Sleeping Beauty here gets much sleep,” Tarquin joked, and Xavier turned toward him.
“You were like a brother to me, Tarquin. I’m so disappointed in you.” Xavier’s voice dropped to a low murmur, and Tarquin’s face twisted in confusion and pain.
“I wasn’t doing anything to hurt you,” he whispered, unsure of himself now. He looked towards his brother for backup, but all Casper could do was stand there and smirk.
“Stop being all high and mighty, Xavier.” Violeta suddenly appeared at the door and her face looked hurt. “Why don’t you tell Lola who you really are?”
“Who I really am?”
“Why don’t you tell her about us?”
“She knows that we dated and that you mean nothing to me.”
“Does she know about the baby you made me give up? Does she know why you went to London?”
“Baby?” I gasped, all color fleeing my face as I took in her words and looked at Xavier’s darkening expression.
“She’s lying,” Xavier said, his voice tight.
“Does this look like I’m lying?” Violeta walked over to me and I watched as she flipped through her phone and showed me a photo of her in what appeared to be a hospital bed with a baby. A newborn baby. Violeta’s face looked stressed and loving as she gazed at the baby. It was evident from her expression in the photo that she’d loved the baby.
“Xavier?” I looked at him with wide eyes.
“Lola.” He blinked at me, his face looking angry.
“Is that your son?”
“It’s his.” Violeta grabbed my arm. “Do you really want to be with a man that would so callously leave the mother of his child? He made me give my son away. That is why I’m bitter. That is why I want to take him down. That is why I want to expose him for who he is. He’s not a prince of the people. He’s a prince that …” Violeta’s voice trailed off at Xavier’s expression.
“Do you really want to play this game?” Xavier looked at Violeta. “Do you want to go down this road, with me?”
“Don’t threaten Violeta.” Casper stepped forward. “We will expose you, Xavier.”
“I wouldn’t throw stones, Casper.” Xavier’s voice was soft. “You know what they say about people who live in glass houses. I wouldn’t want everything to come crashing down on top of you.”
“Who do you think you are?” Casper’s face contorted as he stared at Xavier, and all of his charm and good looks disappeared in an instant.