Dumped the Heir, Married the King

While I was in the middle of getting intimate with my boyfriend, Hendrick West, a sudden burst of laughter came from under the bed.

A chill ran straight through me. I shoved Hendrick away, scrambling to get up and check, but he pushed me right back down.

"You're spacing out at a time like this? Guess you don't get to leave this bed today."

I didn't question it. I let myself get pulled back in, eyes slipping shut as I tried to relax.

Then the bedframe slammed loudly from underneath.

I yelped and shrank under the blanket. A second later, his best friend burst out from under the bed, laughing like it was the funniest thing in the world.

"No wonder you've been ditching us lately," Linda Fairbank said, grinning. "If I had such a horny girlfriend, I'd forget my friends, too!"

The humiliation hit so hard that my face went pale.

But Linda didn't care. She reached over and started tugging at my blanket.

"He won't stop going on about how soft and full you are. What are you hiding for? Let me take a look."

Hendrick finally stepped in, trying to stop her when she went too far.

Linda just smacked his bare backside without hesitation.

"I've been stuck under that bed forever waiting on you," she said lazily. "And instead of taking care of me first, you're busy standing up for someone else?"

Without missing a beat, Hendrick took her calf into his hands and started massaging it. She shot me a smug, challenging smile.

I picked up my phone and called Hendrick's mother.

I said evenly, "Julie, are you aware that your son lets other people run his life like this?"

"Madeline, are you out of your mind?" Hendrick West snapped. "It was nothing! Why would you call my mom over something like this?"

He shoved Linda Fairbank out of his arms and grabbed my phone, ending the call immediately.

"Linda and I are like brothers," he went on, his voice rising. "This is just how we joke around. And you go running to my parents? Are you for real?"

As Hendrick fired off one accusation after another, Linda tilted her chin up, looking down at me like I was beneath her.

"If you want to be with him," she said, "the first rule is you've gotta keep up. He bet me he could have you wrapped around his finger in bed. I didn't buy it, so he told me to hide under there and see for myself. It's not a big deal. Why are you making it one?"

Hendrick nodded like that made perfect sense, then turned back to glare at me.

"Well? Apologize to Linda."

I let out a cold laugh. Under their stunned stares, I raised three fingers.

"Three."

Linda frowned. "What are you doing? Just so you know, I've known him my whole life! You're the outsider here. Don't even think about coming between us."

Hendrick immediately backed her up.

"She's right. Madeline, you might be my girlfriend, but Linda's my closest friend. It was just a joke. Don't use this as an excuse to make things hard for her."

I didn't even bother responding. I lowered one finger.

"Two."

"Did you hit your head or something?" Hendrick snapped. "What the hell are you even counting?"

There was a flicker of unease in his eyes as he reached for my hand.

Linda rolled her eyes and pulled him back, casually pressing his hand against her chest.

"She's probably just freaking out. Girls like her are always this fragile. Not like me."

Hendrick's attention drifted instantly, his focus pulled away as he reacted to her. I was left standing there, completely ignored.

I took that moment to lower my last finger.

"One."

The second the word left my mouth, there was a sharp click at the door.

I raised a brow at both of them. Their faces were frozen in shock.

"Hendrick," I said calmly, "your parents just got here."

I tilted my head slightly.

"So instead of defending her and coming at me, maybe you should start thinking about how you're going to explain this."