Page 3 of The Ruthless Fae King
She walked me down the hallway. We came upon an open door and the maid knocked on the casing. “Sir, Princess Madelynn is here.”
His face lit up when he saw me. “What an honor. Come in, darling.”
Darling.Beautiful.Honey. He never addressed a woman without something sweet at the end. He’d bedded half the court, I was sure of it.
The maid left us. Normally, she would stay to make sure my reputation was intact, but I think she had gathered this was going to be a private conversation.
I shut the door behind me and then turned to face him.
He wore a red silk smoking jacket and held a lit cigar along with a cup of coffee, a large diamond ring on his pinky. He was twenty-three years old. The town gossiped about his single status weekly but he’d informed me once that he had no intentions of getting married. Ever.
Out of politeness he extinguished his cigar and stood to kiss my cheek. I accepted the kiss and kissed him back in the affectionate way I would a brother or beloved uncle. I’d never been attracted to Maxwell. He was handsome, but his flagrant flirting and the ease at which he bedded women turned me off. Now I realized it was exactly what I needed.
“To what do I owe this secret pleasure?” He beamed at me, looking at the closed door and my lack of chaperone as he sat back down in his chair.
I took a shaky breath and leveled my gaze on his. “My father has just betrothed me to Lucien Thorne.”
His coffee cup stilled on his lips and he set it back down. “Oh dear, that man has a nasty reputation. But you will be queen, so that’s a plus.”
I shook my head. “I obviously can’t marry him, Max. You have to help me.”
Maxwell had long, dark-blond hair, ice-blue eyes, and his skin was softer than mine. Sometimes I studied his face wondering how he could be so… beautiful. I did this now while he considered my fate.
He nodded. “I see. I can give you money, you can pay your father the dowry—”
I held up my hand and interrupted him. “My mother said he won’t take it. It’s not about the money, it’s about reputation.”
Maxwell chewed his lip. “Well, you could take some money from me and run away.”
I scoffed. “And leave my family? My home?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know any other option, Madelynn. He’s the winter king,” he said, and took a sip of his coffee.
I tapped my fingers nervously on my legs, my cheeks going red with embarrassment. “As you know, there is a purity test before marrying the king. I was wondering if you could help me… fail it.”
His coffee spurted out of his mouth and in my direction. I barely had time to move before it covered the seat behind me.
His mouth was agape and I winced.
“Are you trying to get me killed?” he exclaimed. “Your father would kill me, then your mother, and then the king. I’d be thrice dead!”
“I’m desperate!” I sobbed. “He’s a monster. You know this.”
His gaze traveled down my body, then he reached up and bit one of his knuckles before pulling it from his mouth. “I will admit I’ve thought of bedding you, Madelynn, but you’re royalty and I don’t do drama.” Maxwell looked at me with pity. “I can offer money that does not need repayment, but it’s all I can do.”
It was a nice offer, but I wasn’t leaving my family and my home.
I frowned. “Max, I don’t want to marry him.”
Reaching across the desk, he grasped my hand in his. “Be the strong, bold, and independent woman I know you to be and maybe he will reject you.”
I laughed, but then thought maybe that was a decent idea. If I was nasty enough to him, he would realize my beauty and power were no consolation for the kind of nightmarish woman I could be.
“That’s brilliant. Thanks, Max.”
He took one more longing look at me and waved me off. “Go, before I change my mind.”
I wished him farewell and then grabbed my cloak from his maidservant. When I got to the front door and flung it open, my mother was leaning against my horse.
