My Dark Prince (Dark Prince Road, #3)

by Parker S. Huntington

She scrunched her nose. “There’s no cum in the word commitment.” “Shh. I’m dyslexic.” “Are you really?” “No. But I don’t let facts stand in the way of a good joke.”

Truth was, when it came to her, I wanted everything and nothing at all. She fascinated and frightened me. Lured me in and scared me away.

Nah. You don’t get to use that trope when the girl in question doesn’t consent to being your fake fiancée. Ollie vB: If I were you, I would not weigh in on the topic of consent.

Someone dipped into his wife’s smut collection after hearing her rave about Briar’s smut-reading ex. Exactly how jealous were you? Romeo Costa: Enough to crack open a spine…of a custom-bound Wattpad novel.

First of all, I’m a fuckMAN, thank you very much. Second of all, the only guidance you need is a map to the nearest prison. You kidnapped that girl.

Ollie vB: I might have announced our engagement on the New York Times. Romeo Costa: What engagement? THERE IS NO ENGAGEMENT. Ollie vB: Semantics. Romeo Costa: That’s not what semantics means. The lobotomy truly did a number.

Holy shit. She was trying to out-embarrass me. Beat me at my own game. It was impossible, of course. I had a Ph.D. in being crass. No one could out-crass me.

“No need to be surprised. Every employee of the Grand Regent Group has strict orders to let me know if they see you on the premises, so I can court you.” He waited for the outrageous piece of information to trickle into my system. “Yes, all 184,000 of them, worldwide.” “How…” “Romantic?” “I was going to say deranged.”

“I’d take her hatred before anyone else’s love any fucking day,”

He fished out some AirPods from his pocket, tossing them into my hands. “Here.” I popped them into my ears, and sure enough, Ollie’s prerecorded voice began talking in his best tour guide impression, explaining the history of all the places we drove past.

“You were all I could ever think of. Even now. All these years later. For the longest time, I thought of you as a shadow following me. But you’re not the shadow. I am. You are the living, breathing organism inside of me. I’m just here for the ride.”

Ollie vB: I am alive and well. Romeo Costa: Kind of disappointing, but okay.

For people who birthed two full-grown soap opera addicts, the von Bismarcks hated drama.

“It’s okay, Cuddlebug. I just said that to piss them off. You do you.” And me, please. Three times a day.

Romeo Costa: YOU NEED A FUCKING WIFE AND I NEED A FUCKING YACHT, OKAY?

“It’s amazing how I grew up thinking you would be in my epilogue when it turns out you’re nothing but a badly written prologue.”

“It feels like the sky is falling,” I confessed. “You’re strong enough to hold it up,” he told me, his words proud but his eyes sad.

“I thought you were allergic to manual labor.” “I make exceptions for kidnapping.”

“This is kidnapping.” “Technically not a kidnapping.” Zach popped open the trunk, bathing me in sunlight. “We’re your best friends. You consented by proximity.” “That’s not how consent works, jackass.”

“She needs a hobby.” “Butting into our lives is her hobby.” “There better be pictures. I’m a visual learner.”

It hit me then, in the empty, towering library—a child’s heart is only as big as the love their parents filled it with.

“He was a train wreck,”

“Like watching a reality show meltdown.” Zach dug his fist into her popcorn bag. “Minus the commercial breaks.” “I’ll never understand the appeal.” Romeo crossed his legs on the coffee table, tossing a stress ball up and down. “Too much drama. Not enough plot.”

I could be happy again. I could be happy again, and the sun would still rise, and the sky wouldn’t fall, and Sebastian would keep talking to me, and the world would not cease to exist.

“Dude, just kiss her already.” “Patience, kid.” I whipped him with a glare, softening just a tad because our goals were aligned. “I’m trying to earn it here.” He didn’t back down. “I could’ve binged all of Outer Banks by now.”

“Wrap it up, man. Are you getting paid by the word?” “Someone call Hallmark. These assholes stole their script.” “Yo, speak up. I don’t have subtitles.”

“I told myself I needed to sacrifice for my family at all costs, but I forgot one important fact. The most important fact.” She held her breath. “What’s that?” “You’re my family, too. Always have been.”

“Please.” Farrow waved a hand. “Dallas already planned our Halloween costumes.” Dallas gestured between the six of us. “We’re going as the Avengers. Obviously, you’ll have to take one for the team and go as Black Widow. My postpartum ass isn’t touching latex for at least another year.”

Romeo shrugged. “Once you enter the group chat, you can’t escape. Zach sighed. “We’ve tried.”

I am so hopelessly obsessed with you, Briar. I didn’t fall for you. I crash-landed without a parachute.”

You were right when you said thorns belong on a rose. You’re living proof. I love that you’re strong enough to fight for yourself. I hate that you have to be. If you give me the chance, I’ll be your safe space.”

Dallas clapped from the couch, hopping up and down. “Kiss her, kiss her, kiss her.” Finally, someone with some sense.

This time, I made the right decision. I chose her over the world.

Briar Cooper: I’m a vegetarian… Dallas Costa: Stop reminding me. My soul literally weeps every time you do.

Someone has to keep the pie safe from Dallas.” “I’m not stepping between that woman and her spiced pumpkin pie with a bulletproof vest, a first-aid kit, and a new pair of running shoes.”