In Bed With Her Shithead Boss (By Ellie Wynters) novel Chapter 277

Keira stared out the small oval window as the tarmac rolled beneath them, her stomach churning with a combination of takeoff nerves and sheer disbelief at how quickly her life had spun out of control.

Just two hours ago she'd been standing in her apartment in a bathrobe, arguing with Alexei about fake engagements and his father's need for damage control.

Now she was buckled into buttery leather seats aboard Alexei's jet, watching New York shrink beneath the clouds.

"Are you okay?" Alexei asked from the seat across from her, under the table, he placed his hand on her thigh just above the knee giving it a light squeeze.

She turned to look at him, taking in the crisp white shirt and dark slacks he'd changed into during their whirlwind escape from her apartment. Mitchell had arrived with a small army of security personnel and a garment bag for Alexei.

He had changed while she had gone to her room to do the same and hastily packed a suitcase for her trip to meet his family. What the fuck had she gotten herself into?

She still wasn't sure in the end if she had agreed to a real engagement or a fake one. She blamed it on the series of events and very little sleep. She felt like an out-of-control yoyo.

"Define okay," she said dryly. "Because if you mean 'am I currently having an out-of-body experience,' then yes. Absolutely."

His mouth twitched into something that might have been a smile under different circumstances. "You're handling this better than most people would."

"Am I? Because I feel like I'm losing my mind." She gestured towards him. "Two weeks ago," looking around to make sure Mitchell was out of earshot. "I wanted to kill you, two days ago I was being held hostage and twelve hours ago I was sitting in a hospital. Now I'm flying to a country no one can even pronounce properly to meet your father. The king no less. Who wants to announce our engagement to the international press. I'm just peachy."

"Wystovia," Alexei said quietly. "Viss-TOH-vee-ah."

"I can say it… I meant most people." She laughed, but it came out slightly hysterical. "This is insane, Alexei. You know that, right?"

Before he could answer, a flight attendant appeared beside their seats. The woman was immaculately dressed, her smile professionally warm. She must be new because Keira had never met her before.

"Your Highness, Miss Warner," she said with a slight bow. "Can I bring you anything? Perhaps some champagne to celebrate?"

Alexei's jaw tightened. "That's not exactly how—"

"Isn't it?" She leaned forward, her voice dropping. "Because it felt a lot like an ultimatum. Come with you and play royal fiancée or get thrown to the tabloid wolves."

"You could have stayed," he pointed out. "You could have told me to go to hell and slammed the door on my ass on the way out."

"Could I? With twenty reporters camped outside my apartment. With my phone already blowing up with interview requests?" She shook her head. "You know I didn't have a real choice."

The flight attendant returned with their coffee, then they thanked her, and she left again.

Keira wrapped her hands around the warm mug, grateful for something to hold onto.

"So what happens when we land?" she asked after taking a sip. "Do I get thrown into Princess Prep School? Learn to curtsy and speak in diplomatic code?"