Stealing His Princess (Kings of Conquest #2) - Adelaide Forrest Page 0,59

don't understand," Daddy said, furrowing his brow.

"Sir, I have fallen completely head over heels in love with your daughter," Aric said. "In truth, I've known for years how I felt about her, but I've never been able to do anything about it. We've gotten to know each other a bit better since the night of the ball, but still we didn't think there would be a way that we could be together. Until now," Aric explained.

"I see. And why now?"

"My lovely bride-to-be negotiated to secure Aric a bride of his choosing. As such, I am offering whatever support is necessary to make the match, as well as extending the alliance between Theodosia and Oshal to Lantis as well," Reece explained.

"It's a better offer than Holden would make, even if he wanted to marry me. But the truth is that Holden and I have never had any desire to marry. I know and I understand that you and Mom have concerns, but I think in the end you just want me to be happy. Aric makes me happier than I can ever recall being, and now he can give me a stable future.”

His face didn’t change and he said nothing. I lost my nerve and reached back. When Aric took my hand, I felt myself calm down. “I want to be with Aric, and I hope that you can support that decision." I said.

He looked down at me, studying my face intensely for a moment before he reached up a hand to touch my cheek. "You love him," he murmured. "I feared your mother and I would never have the opportunity to see that for you.”

"Yes, I love him very much," I answered, sniffling back the threat of tears.

"Then I approve and I can assure you that your mother will approve as well. She’ll be ecstatic. Offer whatever you must to make the match contractually binding, but not a penny more. All I've ever wanted was for her to be happy," he said. He turned to Aric, his face hardening into a stern expression for once. "But know if you hurt her, your connection to Oshal will not protect you from me."

"I never want to hurt her again," Aric whispered, tugging me back into his side and resting his chin on my head.

"That’s good. You’ll come with us when we go home after the announcement but for now, it looks like we most definitely have cause for celebration!" my father declared, turning to grab a tumbler off the bar in the corner. He poured whiskey into a tumbler for each of us despite the early hour. "To love," he said.

Short and simple.

Because it was everything.

Epilogue

Aric

Two and a half years later

"Will you please stop running around? You're driving me to the brink of exhaustion, and all I’ve done is lie down since you've banished me to rest," Bristol complained with a laugh as I raced around trying to make sure the private suite was looking its best.

In the two years since Bristol and I had gotten married, there had been a slew of changes in our lives. The people of Lantis loved and enjoyed Bristol as their Queen, and she'd been a refreshing change to the Atwaters. Trust in the royal family was at an all-time high, and with a strong alliance with Oshal and Theodosia, Lantis was the most prosperous it had been in two generations.

But the biggest change was cradled in the arms of my wife. I stopped tidying up to walk over, planting a kiss on Bristol's forehead as I held out a finger to the bundle she held securely. My daughter's tiny fist reached out to squeeze it and the size difference further served to remind me how small and delicate our newborn was. "She looks so much like you," I murmured for what felt like the hundredth time.

Bristol looked down as she ran a gentle hand across the fine hair on our baby's tiny head. "Perhaps. But I'm pretty sure she has your stubborn chin."

I laughed as I pinched hers. "Yours is the most stubborn chin I'd ever had occasion to meet, my Siren."

She sniffed, her nose jutting up into the air along with aforementioned stubborn chin. "It's because you were such a blind idiot, you brute." She chuckled and gave me a bright, though tired, smile. "We got here in the end, didn't we?"

"We did." I gave her another kiss on the top of her head. "I'm sure you're tired so keep resting. In the meantime,