Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 97577 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97577 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 488(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
“Arthur, it is fine. We will do a ceremony back—”
“Gale, your marriage is a matter of state. A Prince of Ersovia cannot sneak off to another nation to get married as if it is some sort of shame. A prince’s bride needs to be at the very least introduced! Do you not think it is a big deal? If the people find out you did not get married according to tradition, they will think you abandoned tradition. And they will blame her for it.”
I glanced over to Odette to see her big brown eyes focused on me, worried. I shook my head, smiling even as Arthur forced reality down my throat.
“They will say she is making you American instead of you making her royal. Do you want the first thing people think about her to be that she did not care how we did things?”
“You’ve made your point.”
“Good, now please try to refrain from doing anything else for the evening. In two more hours, I have to be in Monelrene, and I would like to get some sleep. We cannot all spare time to have romantic getaways in America.”
“It was you who sent me.”
“With much protest from you if I recall. However, now that she is in your arms, you seem to be relishing your time there. I guess I did not condemn you to a loveless marriage after all.” He was gloating. Proud that his little argument had worked.
“Yes, I am so ecstatic. I was thinking of getting matching tattoos with her. What do you think?”
“You are not funny.”
I grinned. “I am a tad bit funny.”
“Be ready to come back within the week.”
The smile on my face dropped. “Arty...not yet.”
“What do you mean, not yet? You’re engaged to her. Mission accomplished. Now we need to prepare, so it would be good to get her here—”
“Give her more time.” I glanced over at Odette, who was once again looking at her ring.
“Her or you?”
Good question. “Both?”
He sighed heavily. “Fine. Two more weeks. Do try not to ruin whatever it is she sees in you before then.”
“I cannot make any promises, especially when I am not exactly certain what she sees myself.” He was silent for such a long time I thought he had fallen asleep. “Arty?”
“You really truly like her, don’t you?” He snickered.
Nothing witty came to mind. I found myself nodding. “Yes. Yes, I do.”
“Oh, how I cannot wait to meet her and see what she’s done to you in person.” He hung up on me, allowing me no room for comment.
“Is he mad?” she asked gently when I gave the phone back to Iskandar.
Stretching out my hand to her, she took it, and I brought her knuckles to my lips, kissing them. “He is happier we are together than not, I promise. Do not worry, wife.”
“I thought we were keeping it a secret.”
“Just because it is a secret does not mean it is not true,” I whispered, leaning over and kissing the side of her face. I could not stop touching her. I could not stop kissing her.
But I had to.
The last thing I wanted to do was smother her. The crown would do that soon enough.
Letting go of her, I picked up my journal, which had fallen to the floor of the car. Lifting it, I ripped out the page we both had written on, tearing it in half and then over and over again before tossing it in ashes out of the window.
I did it.
I married a man I barely knew, and for so many reasons that I barely understood. It was a marriage of convenience, and yet our time together had made it more than that. My racing heart made it more than that. I glanced down at the red, teardrop-shaped diamond, surrounded by several other small white diamonds that now rested on my finger. It was beautiful but heavy. Not physically but mentally. Like I could feel all the women who had worn it in the past telling me to brace myself.
Inhaling once, I glanced at myself in the mirror. I had let all my curls down and skipped the scarf just for the night. That was a conversation I would have at another time. I didn’t have any pretty lingerie or anything like that, but I also didn’t want to look like I was trying too hard. I had on a satin top and short bottoms, which were at least two years old, but I had never worn them.
Knock. Knock.
“Come in,” I said, walking out of my bathroom.
When he did, he was dressed in long black satin pants and a simple gray V-neck shirt. His blue-green eyes followed the length of my legs all the way up to my chest, where they stayed for a moment before finally, his gaze met mine.
“I...I came to say goodnight.”