In Bed With Her Shithead Boss (By Ellie Wynters) novel Chapter 276

"You would belong because you'd be with me."

Keira laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Listen to yourself, Alexei. Yesterday you were a playboy prince. Today you want to marry me to save face. Do you not see how insane that sounds? Plus, it's not very flattering to me."

"Sometimes the heart and duty align—"

"Don't." She held up a hand. "Don't you dare try to make this about love. This is about damage control, pure and simple. What… has Daddy finally had enough? Don't try and tell me you love me because I wouldn't believe you."

Pain flashed across his features, quickly masked. "Yes, he has," Alexei admitted. "My father's had enough of my scandals, my headlines, my complete disregard for what my actions cost our family's reputation. He's had enough of me being the spare who acts like a liability instead of an asset. They are his words."

"Then maybe you should have thought about that before you came here." Keira's voice shook with fury. She would not fake an engagement or even get married to fix this. But then she remembered how Sutton had faced the press, and Luca had stood by her side through it all. She wanted that. She may have had mixed feelings about Luca at the start, but anyone could see he truly loved Sutton. Keira did not want to be a problem that needed fixing.

"Maybe I shouldn't have. But it's too late now. Mitchell should be here soon…"

"So, this is it then," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "You get dragged back to Wystovia to face daddy's disappointment, and I get to be the cautionary tale. The assistant who thought she could play with princes."

"That's not what this is." Alexei felt the distance between them growing with every word, every accusation. He was watching Keira slip away, watching her build walls he might never break through again. The fear in her eyes wasn't just about the reporters outside or the scandal brewing. It was about him. About trusting him and about laying herself bare.

Alexei more than anything hated the walls she was building and wanted to smash them down. He grabbed one of her hands and pulled her into his arms, his mouth crashing over hers as she started to protest.

Keira's breath caught. "You would do that?" With all this back and forth… him ready to leave one second, now wanting to stay, she felt completely dizzy. Almost like whiplash.

"I would do it if that's what you want." His thumb traced her bottom lip. "The engagement announcement? I haven't agreed to anything. Won't agree to anything you don't want."

"But the scandal—"

"Will pass." His forehead pressed against hers. "But you’re right. It will blow over for me given time. I will most likely be forced to marry soon. Like my father has reminded me Niko still hasn’t produced an heir and that will fall onto my shoulders. But if I do walk through that door, Keira, if you push me away, I don't believe you will get off so lightly because you are right, the media is harsher on women than men." He looked into her blue eyes, running his thumb down to her chin and tilting her face up. "So, what’s it to be? The choice is yours."