Her Betrothed Prince CHAPTER 8 by Jennifer Brunner (knowledgeable books to read TXT) 📕

Chapter 8
Landon’s P.O.V.
***
There was a note laying next to my laptop when I walked in.
Landon,
I heard what happened to your fiancée. I am so sorry and even though the jealousy is running through my veins, I could never wish that upon someone. I will try to be friends with her, if I think she is the right girl for you. No promises.
If you need a shoulder to lean on come to my room. You know where it is.
Love Always, Kim
Crap.
I still hadn’t talked to Symphony about Kim yet. I couldn’t, I mean I could, but she would probably back out of the marriage. Its better if I tell her after we say our vows and “I do’s”, right?
My head mingled together with frustration. I crumbled the note and threw it away.
I opened my laptop.
As it fired up I figured I would go get something to drink. But the thought of drinks made me want to pee.
I stood and walked to the closest bathroom witch so happens to be my bedroom bathroom. I didn’t remember until halfway there that Symphony was about to take a shower.
Ugh. The next closest bathroom was down by where Kim was now staying.
I knocked on the door. I didn’t hear the water running so that must have meant she wasn’t in yet.
“Yeah?” She answered lightly muffled by the door.
“Hey Lois, can I use the bathroom?” I called out lightheartedly.
“I am not Lois Lane!” She laughed. I heard whooshing of water and realized that she was in the bath. A few seconds passed and she opened the door with a towel wrapped around herself.
“I was just kidding baby. Can I get a kiss?” I leaned towards her.
But she leaned back, smirking. “I thought you had to pee.”
“I do.” I leaned in again, “Just one kiss. I can hold it.”
She giggled and stood on her tip toes. She was centimeters away from my lips when she said, “Why do you have to be so tall?”
I leaned down and consumed her lips in a feather light touch. When I released her from the kiss I whispered in her ear. “Why do you have to be so short Lois?”
She smacked my arm and I couldn’t help but kiss her again.
“Are you done taking a bath Symphony?” I emphasized her name. I loved messing with her; it was cute when she got upset with me. Well, when she doesn’t get too upset.
She shook her head. “I love that tub. My favorite part is the claw feet. Plus it is roomy.”
That put a thought in my head. “Light bulb!” I smiled at her. And when she gave me a baffled look I leaned in to give her another kiss as a hint.
“I thought you had to pee.” She said against my lips.
“Hmm.”
She pulled away. “Landon?”
I opened my eyes to see a look that reminded me of Puss In Boots off of Shrek. “I- I want to. I’m just not ready and it still hurts.”
I palmed her cheek. “Baby its okay, really. Whenever you are ready is fine.” I placed a kiss on her forehead.
“You can still kiss me ya know.”
“I gotta pee!” And I ran into the bathroom. When I undid my pants I turned my head to see her looking at me. “Er, can you close the door?”
She blushed. “I’m curious.” She said screwing her mouth to the side.
“About what? How I pee? I can’t go with you watching.” She lowered her eyelids and closed the door with a coy smile placed on her face.
After I was done I looked at my watch. It was still early. I walked out of the bathroom. “Hey babe?”
Symphony was reading a Vogue magazine. She looked up at me from under her lashes. “Yeah Superman?” She closed the magazine.
I laughed and shook my head. “Do you want to go out for dinner tonight?” I asked as I sobered.
“Where to?” She stood. I walked over to her and smoothed down her damp hair and kissed her softly.
“My uncle owns a restaurant called My Sweet Love.” I grabbed her hand. “Guess who is partial owner.”
Symphony shrugged.
“His aunt Julia.”
I looked up, knowing who it was before I did. “Kim.” I warned.
“Hey.” Symphony smiled, not knowing that Kim was trying to compete with her for me. Right. There was no competition there.
Kim looked me in the eye and got closer. Her eyes whispered “Have you told her yet?”
I grabbed Symphony’s robe off the chair a little ways across the room. When I handed it to Symph I could tell that she knew something was up.
“Kim can I speak to you alone?”
Symph grabbed my arm. I looked down at her and she was looking at me with pleading eyes. “Don’t leave me alone again.”
“I’ll be right outside the bedroom door baby.” I swooped down to give her a kiss. She turned her cheek. Major rejection.
“Hurry up.”
After the door was shut I hissed, “Why the hell are you trying to ruin my life Kimberly?”
“How am I trying to ruin it?” She asked me innocently
I glared at her with a death stare. “I will tell her when I want.”
“Before or after the test shows that you are the daddy?”
“I will tell her that I might be a father when I want. It is none of your business.”
I walked back to the door about to open it when she said, “It is too my business. It is my baby.”
I smiled at her wickedly. “Exactly. Your baby. Not mine. So it’s settled. I won’t have to say shit.”
“You just did.” She retorted. I shook my head. I wanted to smack her so badly. But I was taught to respect women, not abuse them.
“You know what? Thank you for cheating on me. It just comes to show me how much of a bitch you are. Thanks for saving me from the biggest mistake of my life. Thank you.” I repeated like a broken record. I opened the door and walked in rolling my eyes. After the door was shut I muttered, “Dirty slut.”
“Landon.” Symphony scolded. “She didn’t do anything to you.’
I gave a humorless laugh. “Wanna bet honey.” I said sarcastically.
“Well then. Spread some light on the subject Mr. Resentment.”
I walked over to the bed to sit by her on the bed. “Promise not to get pissed?” I lifted my eyebrows.
She shrugged stiffly and I took it as a maybe. That meant she probably would. Damn.
I picked up her hand and locked it securely within mine. “Well, you know Kim is pregnant right, well she doesn’t know who the father is.”
She gave a confused frown, looking slightly to her left, with her eyebrows drawn together. I let her take a few minutes to let it sink in, and yet she didn’t get it. “Why—” She caught on. “It might be yours.” She whispered in clipped tones.
“Yes.” I kept my eyes on hers no matter what. “It was way before you, and I hadn’t talked to her since her and Liam got married, before then even.”
“How could you do that to your best friend?” She hissed.
“What are you talking about?” I pushed my hair out of my face.
“You had an affair with your best friend’s fiancée. No wonder they got a frickin’ divorce!” She tugged at her hand but I wouldn’t let her go.
“No. It was the other way around. I was engaged to Kim about eight months ago. She cheated on me with my best man and I left her. You know she had sex with Liam’s best man the night after their wedding? That is why I called her a slut. I am sorry I didn’t tell you earlier but I just found out two days ago and I was going to tell you but—”
“I was raped and you had to take me to the hospital.” She nodded, “I understand Landon. But my question is—and don’t think I am jealous—why is she staying here if you hate her so much?”
“She has no place to go and if it is my kid then I will take on full responsibility but she has only one month to find herself a place to stay and a job or I will go to court and get custody of it—if it is mine. Is that okay with you if that happens? I mean it will give us a head start on our babies.
“I doubt that it is mine. We only had sex a few times and only one time was around the time she conceived—”
“Can you stop talking?” She said abruptly and pressed her lips to mine for a few seconds before releasing me. “We are supposed to go to dinner, remember?”
“You never answered my question. If it is mine can we get full custody, or at least partial?”
She smiled at me, but I could tell something was wrong deep down. When she went into the bathroom to get her underwear on she called out, “Yes that is fine.” She came back out and pawed threw her dresser. “I have nothing to wear.”
I picked up my phone and dialed my mother’s number. “Hey Mom.” I said getting an answer after the first two rings.
“Is Symphony aright honey?” Her voice was agitated.
“Yeah, she is better. Um I was going to take her to Uncle Kevin’s restaurant. She is fussing over having nothing to wear. Do you have anything?”
“Well it’s a little short notice but I just got a new gown I wanted to give her for her birthday, as a late present, since I didn’t get anything for her in the first place.” She said it so fast it smashed together and by the time she was done she was out of breath. “I’ll be right over. Just give me a minute.”
A “minute” turned into ten but as soon as she got here Symphony’s eyes got huge with excitement. They wouldn’t let me see the dress and my mom made me wait at the bottom of the stairs like a stupid teen movie while Symphony got ready.
I heard the soft click of her heals as she descended from the stairs.
The look of her made me breathless. No wonder they made it look so dramatic in the movies. I never wanted this moment to end. Just watching her filled my heart with pride and love.
She was the only person I knew who could get knocked down as hard as she did and get back up in a full recovery.
Symphony was wearing a black and fuchsia sequenced cocktail dress that hung loosely to her body and ended just below her knees. Her legs seemed to travel for miles on end even though she was short. She had on black heals that had just a slit in them to show her toes, which were a matching purple/pink to her dress. She had on her engagement ring along with another one that was my grandmothers.
“Mom you gave her Grandma Alice’s ring?” I asked in excitement. My heart had flown to my throat and I hadn’t even drank in her face yet. “It should have been that way from the beginning.” I smiled up at Symphony. “You look—I want to say beautiful, but that wouldn’t justify it.” Then I let my eyes meet hers.
It was like