My Dark Prince: An Enemies-to-Lovers Romance (Dark Prince Road)

I’m not going to fall in love with you again.

I’d met remortgage pyramid schemes more believable than that bull crap.

“Oh, Briar.” I raked my fingers through my scalp, burying my face into my towel with a scream. “What were you thinking, letting him give you the orgasm of a lifetime?”

The space between my thighs still throbbed. I was so wet, it should’ve been a medical condition at this point. The second I’d hopped onto the lounger, I had to wrap a towel around my waist to cover the evidence.

I flipped onto my back, staring up at the sun, wondering if I’d still crave Oliver if it blinded me.

“Hey, girl.” Hazel swam her way to the edge of the pool, parking her elbows on the rim and squinting up at me. “How was the, um, kitchen?”

It clicked. I felt my soul leave my body to an unspecified destination in the Caribbean islands. Hazel had been the one to walk in on me and Ollie. I’d just spent her entire flight here, ranting through text about how much I hated him, and not even two hours later, she’d caught him doing unholy things to me.

“Just so we’re in agreement … you are not jumping into the pool until you take a shower and change your bikini.” She pointed to the towel wrapped around my waist. “You just made it to the statistics. One of Ollie’s pool-contaminating hookups.”

Only I didn’t really buy the whole Cowboy Crabsanova image Oliver sold to the world.

People can change, but their core stays the same. Back then, Oliver had been the one to suggest we wait to lose our virginities. I didn’t need the candles, and the roses, and the romantic sunset. He did. He’d always needed connection to enjoy intimacy. Even kisses.

“Don’t worry.” I dropped my towel and hiked my Daisy Dukes up my legs before anyone else noticed. “I have no interest in getting in the pool.”

“You sure?” Hazel sent me an amused grin, her brows doing the worm. “You could use some cooling down.”

I was about to answer her when “This is How We Do It” blasted through the air. I whipped my head around to see Dallas, marching inside with an old-school boombox propped on her shoulder.

She wore a one-piece bathing suit that had hairy man chest printed on it, along with a Borat-style high-cut thong. Farrow trailed behind her in a strappy black bikini, holding a tray of dirt cups – chocolate pudding topped with crushed Oreos and half-buried worms.

Hazel’s jaw dropped.

Dallas stopped in front me, holding up a hand. “Don’t say anything just yet. I know Farrow and I messed up, but I prepared something for you.”

All my LA friends shot me worried glances. Dallas behaved just how she looked – like someone who would burn the world to ashes, then clean it up with a sleek AmEx Black.

I bit down on my lip to stop myself from giggling. She was so adorably unhinged.

She tugged a microphone from her cleavage, flicked it on, and tapped on its head. “Okay, here we go.”

The boom box screeched. Everyone winced.

“Oopsie,” Dallas sing-songed. “Although, to be fair, my singing isn’t going to be much better.”

She set the boom box on the pavement, cranked on an instrumental version of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” and kicked off her sandals, jumping onto a lounger on the tanning ledge. Then, she proceeded to belt, off-key, the song Heath Ledger-style, circa 10 Things I Hate About You. Farrow pretended to chase her while Dallas splashed water all over the girls.

I stood there – shocked, humbled, and thoroughly amused – until I succumbed to the laughter bubbling in my chest. I did like their antics. And I’d already forgiven them for their lies. They hadn’t done it out of malice. I knew that.

When the song ended, Dallas and Farrow bowed in front of me.

“Listen.” Farrow pointed between her and Dallas. “We messed up. Oliver told us Doctor Cohen wanted things done a certain way, and we went along with it. I can understand why you feel embarrassed and betrayed. I don’t think there’s one person here who wouldn’t share the sentiment if they were in your shoes. But we’re totally Team Briar, okay?”

Dallas hummed with energy, practically bouncing on her toes as if she wanted to be the one to speak first. “Yeah,” she interjected. “We think you’re great, and we want to be friends with you. Especially after we heard that you’re squatting in Oliver’s mansion to teach him a lesson.” She circled the air around my face. “Strong Dark Prince Road sisterhood vibes going on here.”

Not for nothing, that Texas trip did end up helping me. I got my memory back. And ate my weight in beignets. Threw them up, too, but that was beside the point.

They’d tried to help. They were good people. Great people. And it wasn’t their fault Doctor Cohen – and Oliver – had laid down the law.

“Yeah. Okay.” I nodded, pointing to the tray Farrow held. “As long as you can confirm these are Haribo twin snakes in there.”

Dallas’s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. “You think I’d do you dirty with some nasty-ass Smart Sweets that cling to teeth like a grade-A stalker?” She blanched. “Ma’am, I want your forgiveness, not a restraining order.”noveldrama

“Wow,” Tiff whispered from behind me. “Are all rich people like this?”

I glanced between Fae and Dallas. “What made you choose today to come see me?”

“Honestly? The smell of barbecue.” Dallas strutted to my friends and stuck a hand out, introducing herself to them one-by-one in the outdoor kitchen. “We were going to wait until the evening before we groveled, but we can never pass up a good triple-triple.”

“You can’t pass up a triple-triple,” Fae corrected, nose scrunched. “My arteries, on the other hand, do not pass the vibe check.”

Dal had already stacked three cheesy patties onto a bun. “So, did we miss anything?”

Hazel hopped out of the pool and wrapped herself with a towel. “Only the sight of Briar and Oliver wildly dry humping in the kitchen.”

“Oh?” Farrow snorted. “You thaw quickly.”

“Thaw?” I buried my face into my hands. “I folded like a beach towel at a five-star resort.”

Dal pouted. “You should really give him a chance.”

“No way.” Farrow waved her index finger. “Not before he proves himself.”

“Only because your husband made an actual fool of himself to grovel for you. Some of us never got such luxuries.”

“What are you talking about? Yours took an actual bullet for you. The dude almost died.”

Oh-kay, then.

“Easy there.” I forced myself to laugh. “Whatever’s happening between me and Oliver, it is strictly casual.”

Or at least, that’s what I told myself.

Was I staying for Sebastian?

Or Oliver.