Chapter 238

A knock at the door startled Pearl as she put on her earrings.

"I would like to escort you to the party." Erik said. He looked incredibly handsome.

She smiled and told him to give her a minute. She put on her shoes and walked back to the door.

"What?" She asked, seeing him look at her in an odd way.

"You're missing something." He said.

"Missing." She repeated. "I am?" She asked.

"Yes. Something important." He said.

She looked down at her hand and saw the beautiful ruby ring on her finger. She had on shoes. Bra. Panties.

"This might help." Erik said, handing her a box. She opened it and found a breathtaking diamond necklace. A black, pear shaped, at least 3 carat diamond hung at the center of a chandelier pendant. The marquise and pear regular diamonds weaving around the neck made it look elegant and modern.

"Oh my god, Erik." Pearl gasped.

"You don't need to worry about returning this after the ball, Cinderella. This one is yours." He said, lifting it from the box and putting it around her neck. She ran to the mirror and looked at it.

"It's so beautiful. It must have cost a fortune." Pearl said.

"I wouldn't know. My father bought it for you. I just picked it out." He smiled. Pearl couldn't believe it.

"But why?" She asked.

"After all you have done, it was the least he could do." He said, with a sly smile. "Moving forward, not listening to you could prove to be more costly than just a necklace, and I may have helped him realize that." He said, raising an eyebrow.

She smiled and hugged him. "Thank you." She said.

He held his arm out. "Are you ready, nightingale?" He asked.

She saw he was wearing her cuff links. She looped her arm around his. "I am." She said, smiling.

*******************

"Oh my god." Pearl muttered at they walked into the grand ballroom. There were so many people there.

"His royal highness, crown prince of Wales Friederike Pilsen-Chamberlain and Ms. Pearl Clarke." A man announced. Everyone applauded and cheered. Erik waved and Pearl smiled. He led them to Erik's parents, who were seated on throne looking chairs. Pearl curtsied to them. "Your majesties." She said. Erik bowed. Edward smiled and stood up, with everyone becoming quiet in the room, and walking over to Erik and giving him a big hug. Then he grabbed Pearl and gave her a big hug as well. Something completely out of public character for him.

"I'm so happy to honor you tonight, Ms. Clarke." Edward said.

"And Erik, as well." Pearl said. "He had so much courage, he had saved himself before anyone even got there." She said, looking at Erik. Erik bowed his head to her in thanks.

"To Erik as well!" Edward said. The room erupted in applause and Erik bowed.

"I love you. I love you so much." Erik whispered as he took her hand and led her through the party.

Erik introduced her to politicians, diplomats, extended family and actors and singers. There were so many people and things going on, it was hard to keep up.

"A true hero." "What an incredible woman." "When is the wedding." "That ring is gorgeous!" Were some of the things repeated as she was introduced. Pearl looked over and saw Auggie and Maggie making their entrance.

"His royal highness, prince Augustus Pilsen-Chamberlain and Ms. Magnolia Sims." The man announced. Maggie looked absolutely terrified as they walked down the staircase. Auggie was beaming with pride.

Everyone was whispering and asking who Maggie was. Auggie was going around and introducing her as a brilliant CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Maggie was handling it well.

"You are so beautiful, so sexy in that dress." Erik whispered in Pearl's ear. "Watching you move around this room tonight, I can't believe you are mine."

"Thank you, prince Erik." She whispered back. He shook hands with an important looking man and looked back at Pearl with hungry eyes. She put her face down, blushing. He walked to a door that led into a small office to the left of where they were standing. He looked at her, motioning her to follow him. She stopped and chatted for a moment with a woman that asked about her dress. Within a few minutes, she was walking into the room Erik slipped away into. It was dark and quiet. "Erik." She whispered. She felt someone grab her from behind and she jumped. She turned around to see Erik standing there. He put his hand over her mouth and walked her back to a corner of the room.

"Shhhh"'he commanded.

He reached under her dress and ripped her panties off, tucking them into his pocket. He kissed her as he opened his jacket and his pants.

"I'm going to fuck you, hard. And I need to be quiet until I'm done." He whispered.

Pearl had never heard anything sexier in her life.

She nodded.

He lifted her up and slid inside of her. She was already dripping wet. He put his hand over her mouth and did exactly what he said he was going to do. He pounded into her, over and over again, completely unrelenting. She bit down on his hand and it made him thrust harder, as he moved his hand from her mouth to her throat. Her back was up against the wall, the coolness of it counter-acting the heat moving all through her body. "Harder." She whispered. He moaned with delight at her words.

"God you feel so good. I love fucking like this." He whispered into her ear, pounding harder and harder. She could hear laughter and glasses clinking only a few feet away from where they were. The forbidden act was turning them both on in such a fever, it felt like madness.

"Fuck." Erik whispered as he thrusted and then slowed, filling her with his climax and kissing her, still holding her by the throat. He pulled out of her and let her down. He remained looking into her eyes and he fastened his pants and jacket. Then smoothed his hair.

She adjusted her dress and felt his orgasm running down her legs. "I'll need those panties back." She said. He handed her his handkerchief instead.

"Not a chance in hell." He said, pulling them out of his pocket and bringing them to his nose, breathing in their scent. She smiled and blushed again. "This is only a taste of what I am going to do to you later." He said.

"I've never done anything like this before in my entire life." She said.

"Me, neither. I'm glad I'm your first." He said, smiling. He left her in the room alone to clean up so they wouldn't look conspicuous.

She put herself back together as best she could and walked back out to the party, a much bigger smile than before.

She walked around the room and found Erik talking to Sebastian and Louis.

"There you are. I have been looking all over for you." Pearl said.

Erik blushed. "Yes. It's been a minute since I have seen you. Wherever have you been?" He asked, smiling.

"I was... overwrought with all the excitement going on. I needed a moment to compose myself." Pearl said.

"The flush on your chest and face tell me you may still need more... time." He said.

"You two just shagged somewhere, didn't you?" Louis said.

Erik smiled. "Why no cousin. I would never think of defiling a lovely woman such as Pearl at a time like this." He said, kissing her hand.

"Well I bloody hell would. Looks like you got yourself the better behaved prince of the lot." Louis said, laughing.

"I'm a goddamn saint." Erik said, winking at Pearl.