𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐁𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐑𝐄 | ✎

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟒

The sound of Marco's voice once again interrupts the silence. "Tell me, Elena," he begins, "what are your favorite hobbies? Besides insulting me, of course."

I blankly stare at him, not showing a hint of amusement or any other emotion. Maybe if I don't respond to his comments, he'll leave me alone for the rest of the night.

Wrong.

"Wow, so cold." He shudders mockingly. "You must be a wonderful lay, huh? You look like you have some pent-up rage just waiting to be taken out."

My lip curls down in disbelief. "What the hell do you mean by that?"

Marco grins wickedly. "I'm saying you probably enjoy having rough sex," he replies, his eyes shamelessly wandering over my body.

Pig.

A shiver of revulsion runs down my spine, and I desperately swing my head around to look for Alex. I spot him in the corner, strangely not paying attention. Getting up from my seat, I try to walk toward him, but Marco stands up and grabs my arm, spinning me back around to face him.

He leans close to me, whispering in my ear. "If you make a scene in public, I swear you will regret it later." While his tone remains annoyingly soft and seductive, there is an undertone of darkness in there.

After a moment of consideration, I hold my breath and reluctantly sit back down in my seat. The urge to throw a brick at that asshole is very strong right now.

"There's a good girl. It appears you still know your place." He winks and turns to the server, who has arrived with our food.

She sets the plates down on the table, and the food smells delicious. Marco has Oysters Rockefeller with Chilean Sauvignon Blanc. He may be the devil reincarnated, but I'll admit that he does have great taste in wine.

I immediately dig into the soup I ordered, tasting the sweetness of the tortellini pasta and the savory flavor of the cheese filling. I also eat my garlic bread along with it, which just makes the meal ten times more rich.

The pig decides to open his mouth again, as if he hasn't said enough for the whole night. "If it wasn't for my date over here, I'd be taking you home to night, hermosa." I notice Marco's eyes roaming over the server's figure.

Poor girl.

"Uh, thank you," the young woman says. She's clearly embarrassed; it's evident in her posture and her face.

Alex abruptly walks over due to all the commotion, his face unreadable as he stares down at the prince. "Don't," he scolds in a low, dangerous tone.

I sigh inwardly at his presence, feeling some sense of security. It would have helped if he had been here earlier, but either way, I'm glad he's defending the poor woman who had to deal with that stupid excuse of a prince.

"What? It's nothing," Marco responds, sneering back at Alex but definitely feeling uneasy. "We're just having a casual conversation, right?"

I stifle a mocking laugh as I continue eating my meal. While I'd usually jump into the conversation, food is much more important to me right now. Plus, Alex can definitely handle himself, so I'd rather fill my stomach up.

"You are harassing the server," the bodyguard points out, glaring at Prince Marco.

The server nods in agreement, a small smile crossing her lips at Alex's words. "Thank you, sir," she mumbles softly before retreating back to the safety of the kitchen.

Marco scoffs. "Whatever. She needs to learn how to take a compliment."

Alex rolls his eyes. "You need to learn how to be a decent human being."

There is tension in the air, and things feel like they're about to escalate. It's clear the prince isn't used to being challenged, especially in public, and his ego is bruised.

By now, I had finished my soup and bread. I've also started sipping my wine and eating my quinoa salad. As soon as I finish my meal, Alex excuses himself to make a phone call.

"Where are you going?" I ask, lightly tugging on his arm as he pulls out his cell phone. He doesn't respond; his eyes are focused on the screen as he speaks.

Marco takes the opportunity to lean over the table toward me. "You know, Elena," he leans closer, invading my personal space, "you're looking way too gorgeous just sitting there. I say we ditch the bodyguard and go to that hotel across the street for the night."

I flip him off in response, not wanting to hear anything he has to say.

"Oh, come on. Can't you just take a compliment?" The prince scoffs.

"I don't want your compliments," I snap, the word dripping with venom. "Just sit there and finish your stupid food."

Marco smirks at me. "Someone's a little cranky tonight, huh?"

I try not to react to his comment, but it's difficult when his words fill me with a white-hot rage. I can't do this anymore. I grab the food off of his plate and throw the oysters in his face.

Prince Marco stands up, looking dumbfounded at the mess that was just made. His eyes then fill with a burning fire, and he lunges at me. I manage to duck out of the way just in time, but I lose my footing and fall. Luckily, Alex swoops in and catches me in his arms before I ever hit the ground.

After making sure I'm okay, the bodyguard helps me stand upright and then scowls at Marco. "What the hell did I tell you?"

I raise an eyebrow, confused about what he means. What did Alex tell Marco?

The prince wipes the sauce from the oysters off his face and shoots me a menacing look. "She had it coming," he growls.

Alex pulls me back to him again, but his gaze is only directed toward Marco. "I think it's time for us to leave," he says firmly.

"Whatever," Prince Marco spits out before taking a step toward me. "You're not worth it anyway."

I clench my fists, ready to strike him, but Alex steps in between the both of us before I can do anything. "She's worth more than you'll ever be."

With that, Alex guides me out of the restaurant, leaving Marco by himself to pay the bill. He helps me get into the limo and drives off back to the palace.

The ride is deathly silent.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.・。.・゜✭・.・

authors note: i hate men. anyways the amount of times i either laughed or cringed while writing this whole book is insane i hate my writing gn