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

I hid at the lake.

The second we pulled into the driveway, I excused myself, darted onto the deck from the living room, and sprinted to the edge of the water. Trio and Geezer nipped at my heels, whining for attention.

For the first time, Oliver did not try to join me. Guess he, too, felt overwhelmed with this. With us.

I knew I suffered from amnesia, but something bothered me. That natural connection from our youth – like a tide, coming and going, but always constant – no longer existed. Maybe that came with the territory of growing up and discovering ourselves. Maybe love changed with age and became less about filling gaps and more about building something whole. Or maybe love simply changed when it stopped being a need and started becoming a choice.

Still, I couldn’t shake that nagging feeling that I was angry at him.

A kaleidoscope of blues, purples, and pinks bounced off the lake’s reflection. I stumbled my way along the wooden dock. At the end of it, two deck chairs overlooked the blanket of clear water.

For Ollie and Sebastian, I realized.

I inched toward the chairs, hoping and dreading to find Seb there. I wanted to fleece him of answers. To check on his mental wellbeing. On the other hand, I also needed time to sort my thoughts.

Geezer panted, lagging behind. I scooped him into my arms and tucked his skateboard under my armpits. Trio took off without us, lightning fast despite his missing leg. He leaped from chair to chair, answering my question. No Sebastian. No inquisition. No answers.

Made sense. For Seb to go unnoticed, he could only venture out of his wing in the dead of the night to avoid being seen.

Oh, Seb. When was the last time you let the sun kiss your skin?

Once Trio settled onto an Adirondack, I deposited the skateboard against a post and sat on the other chair, plopping Geezer beside me. Gentle waves whispered against the pilings. The wind whistled between the dock and the cliff opposite the lake, drawing goosebumps from my arms.

I unrolled my shirt from my bra, pushed down the sleeves, and hugged my knees to my chest. This lake couldn’t compare to Lake Geneva’s grandeur. Still, I could picture me and Oliver there, making out on the grass by the shore, dangerously close to giving all our neighbors a show.

The second the memory pounded into my skull, I slammed my eyes shut, propping my head against the slatted backrest. A headache brewed like a dark storm gathering on the horizon.

The money. Gone. A pile of dust and lies.

Geezer hobbled onto the dock. Soon, he and Trio ran in circles, barking and playing, oblivious to my struggle.

The walk of shame. Pointed fingers. Vicious whispers. Hot tears.

The memory teased me, licking the edges of my brain before ebbing away, just out of reach.

Rain. Iron gates. Tears. So many tears.

I chased the memories like a marathon without a finish line. Something about them felt monumental. As if, the second they unfolded inside me, my life would change.

“Oh, god.”

The migraine overwhelmed me. I keeled over, barely managing to hang my head over the edge of the dock and vomit the remaining beignets into the welcoming waves. When I emptied my stomach, I flopped onto my back, glaring at the shapely clouds.noveldrama

A long-stemmed rose. A heart. A diamond ring.

All things that should’ve made me happy.

Instead, I felt empty.

No, not empty.

Angry.