Read Online Prince's Addiction (The Exiled Royals Series Book 2) by Ivy Iverson - Free Book Online Page B

sighed and took her hand, leading her back to his Porsche.
    He wasn’t sure she’d still think that when he revealed his true identity—not at all.

Chapter Fourteen
    She needed to be here. She knew she needed to be here. That was the plan: disarm him in any way possible, make sure he was asleep or distracted or both, and then find the right files on his computer.
    She needed the big guns, the true ammo and proof that he was gambling, whatever it took to sink his reputation with his parents and sink the inheritance. Still, as she stepped into his bedroom, Kate had no idea what she was doing.
    It felt like everything was going off plan today. She’d needed access to his home, to his private computer, but she never planned to sleep with him. It was dishonest and cruel and it also, frankly, made her feel little more than a whore. Again, she was making this choice, making this call for the benefit of her sister.
    Lily deserved a chance at life and without the operation she’d never get that.
    “You seem nervous,” he said. That was beyond obvious, but she was surprised to notice that he seemed the same way, that he seemed to be sweating quite a bit. “Like I said, there are things I need to tell you.”
    She nodded and sat down on the mattress. That probably wasn’t the smartest idea; it would lead to more intimate situations than was probably ethical.
    Keep it together, Morrison. This is for Lily .
    He sat next to her and reached out for her hands. She gave them to him gladly and hoped hers weren’t clammy or sweaty. She didn’t want to be nervous. Kate needed to come across as the seductress here, as the one in control. It was the key to her plan.
    “I haven’t been honest with you about who I am,” Alex said.
    “You’re really a woman?” she quipped, trying to keep everything light.
    “No, but I’ve hidden some things. I’m not just a guy who bums off his cousin and plays pick-up chess games.”
    “I didn’t think that of you,” she said, honestly.
    “Well, I mean that my full name is Alexander Godonov and I was the heir to the throne of Lavinia. It’s a small country near Russia.”
    She blinked and forced herself to feign surprise. Kate couldn’t afford to come off as if she knew anything. Then he’d wonder how and ask too many questions. “What?”
    “I’m a prince. I mean, I was.”
    She nodded. “Was?”
    “I’ve been exiled. My family was tired of my gambling problems. That’s why I didn’t want to use the chips that night and that’s why I was so nervous at the game. I can’t go back to the throne—can’t be in line again—unless I prove to them I can go without gambling. I’ve done it about six months, and I just need to go another six.”
    She nodded and felt worse again. He was trying to be so honest, and she could tell from the waver in his voice how much he wanted to be free, to be able to go home. Who wouldn’t want to have their family accept them, to be back in their arms? She could understand that, but she didn’t want to.
    “That sounds hard. I shouldn’t have encouraged you to gamble.”
    Or tricked you a couple times, either .
    “I just should have told you sooner so you understood where I was coming from, but I was nervous about it. It was more that I wanted you to get to know me for myself before you got too attached to labels. I might not ever get my throne back, but I was scared that someone would only see me for the family name, and I’m trying to be more than that.”
    She smiled and that much was genuine. “Like an aspiring magician and the world’s hottest chess geek.”
    “Maybe?”
    “And someone who mastered the home run before really even learning the term.”
    He snorted. “Again, baseball doesn’t matter outside of the U.S.”
    “And who maybe, just a little, sometimes reminds me of Count Von Count from Sesame Street .”
    “My accent is mysterious and sexy, I’ll have you know,” he said, offering her that megawatt smile, and she melted