Idk if he groomed her intentionally, but honestly that’s kinda where the results of his actions led him. I think if Charlotte hadn’t have walked in, he would’ve justified it to himself that the age of consent is 17 in New Mexico and… whatever was going to happen would have happened.
The Cruel Prince trilogy, only time I’ve done it too. I did finish the whole first book, but couldn’t bring myself to open the others. The way they treated the “relationship” between the mc and the prince disgusted me