So happy

Adele clenched her eyes shut, her entire body tensing as she braced herself for the painful impact of Brandon's slap, but instead, she felt an arm wrap around her waist. She was pulled back against a muscular chest that was becoming too familiar for her.

Without opening her eyes or turning around, she knew it was him; he had come to save her again. 'How annoying,' Adele thought.

"What were you about to do?" Elliot questioned as he tightened his hold on Brandon's arm, causing the older man to wince in pain. "What kind of man raises his hand against a woman?"

Elliot's voice was calm, but his expression was serious. It took every muscle in his body to keep him from punching Brianna's idiotic brother in the face. His big sister would be furious if he caused trouble, so he controlled himself.

Brandon tugged his arm out of Elliot's painful grip, his chest heaving as he glared at the young prince. "You have no idea the devil of a woman she is," he spat.

Brandon's grandmother taught him better than to offend a prince, so he walked away with the bridesmaid after warning the prince he thought too naive.

"If you know what's good for you, don't fall for her," Brandon warned him. "She'll rip your heart out and stomp on it." He stopped and met the prince's eyes just as he was going to pass him. "Stay away from her before you end up unable to."

Brandon's eyes met Adele's emotionless ones for a brief moment before he returned to the dining area with the bridesmaid.

'Stay away from her before you end up unable to.' Brandon's words echoed in Elliot's head. He couldn't help but wonder about his involuntary infatuation with the beautiful woman he met at his cousin's wedding. Was he already incapable of staying away from her?

Adele was stunning, and there was something about her cold personality that he found so alluring; he liked being near her, and more than anything, he enjoyed touching her. She was like a drug that could become addictive after the first dose.

Adele rested her head on Elliot's chest as she looked up at his handsome face. His expression was blank as he stared at nothing in particular, visibly lost in thought.

"Hey, Prince Charming," Adele called, tapping his muscular arm around her waist. "You can let me go now," she said when his attention returned to her.

"Right, sorry," Elliot apologized.

A lingering silence fell between them until Adele said, "Well..." She curtsied, "Have a good rest of your night, Prince Elliot."

"You're not going to apologize to Brianna?" he questioned.

Adele sighed and rolled her eyes as she halted her steps. She turned to him with a smile plastered against her lips and took some steps toward him as she said, "If you didn't hear from everyone else already, your highness, I'm a bitch...the bad guy."

She chuckled, "You're the only one who thought I would actually apologize."

Adele was in four-inch heels, but she still had to tip to kiss Elliot's cheek. She smiled as she straightened his black tie. "I'm flattered you care about me so much, but heed Brandon's advice, sweetheart, and stay away from me."

"See you around, your highness," she said with a wink and turned away.

However, Elliot asked, "Why do you push people away?"

"Not that it's any of your business," Adele started as she turned to face him again. "But, let's just say that it's a lot easier to handle enemies than deal with friends who may or may not stab you in the back."

Adele was used to playing the villain; she enjoyed the role, but as a result, she ended up having more enemies than friends, which she didn't mind. She never trusted anyone enough to gift them with such an honorary title.

Adele became so accustomed to the world against her that Elliot's kindness terrified her. She wanted to get as far away from him as soon as possible so she could start forgetting about him, but he wouldn't take a hint and leave her alone.

"I would never stab you in the back," Elliot swore.

Adele raised a brow, "You think you'd qualify to be my friend?" She crossed her arms across her chest as she continued, "You're a guy."

"What's your point?" the prince questioned.

"You're not the first guy who offered to be my friend," Adele told him. "I thought maybe guy friends would be much better than female friends, so I gave this one guy a go, and he tried fingering me in my sleep."

"I'm not interested in having sex with you," Elliot started. "Get off your fucking high horse." He looked at her meaningfully as he took her hand in his own. "Look, believe it or not, I know what it feels like to have the world think you're a bad person when you're not."

"Correction," Adele interjected. "I am actually a bad person."

"Just shut up and listen, please," Elliot told her, and she scrunched her face in offense but didn't say anything.

"You're going to show the world you're not as bad as they think you are by marching back into that dining room and apologizing to Brianna for what you did," Elliot continued.

Adele raised a quizzical brow, "And you think I'd even consider doing that because...?"

Elliot's lips upturned into a smirk, "Because to celebrate the beginning of your journey to becoming a good person, I'll take you out to the best bar in Las Vegas for drinks."

Adele's eyes pooled with tears as she excitedly jumped into Elliot's arms, wrapping her arms around his neck. "You're the best friend a girl could ask for!"

'That was easy,' Elliot thought as he chuckled. "So, I'm guessing you'll apologize now?"

Adele pulled away from him and smiled so bright her face could contest the sun. "Most certainly!" she enthusiastically responded.

A red hue formed on Elliot's cheeks as he stared at her beautiful face, made even more attractive by her smile. He had never seen her smile so bright before, and the sparkle in her eyes was unfamiliar to him; she was genuinely happy. It made his heart swell in his chest, and warmth filled his entire body.

'I should've offered to take her out for drinks sooner,' Elliot thought with a small smile.

Adele tugged on his arm like a child waiting to go into an amusement park. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!"