I'm banging his little sister. And your grandmother? God, I can just see the expression on her face right now."
I level a gaze at him. Crossing my arms, I walk to the hallway, pausing. "It's funny. Your worries are all related to how you feel that people will perceive us. I thought that I was supposed to be the one that was so worried about appearances. I guess that was all wrong, too."
With a heavy heart, I head into the hallway, planning to grab a bag full of my stuff. Erik follows me, glowering at me the entire way.
"Where are you going?" he demands.
I huff at him. Pulling a tote bag out of the closet, I start stuffing it with necessities. "Where do you think? It's not like I have many other places to go to."
He leans in the doorway, folding his arms across his chest and frowning. "You're being crazy, Nika. Why don't you just take a while to cool off and then we can approach this more logically."
My eyes mist over. Even though part of me very much wants to stay, to spend as much time with him as he will allow me to, I know I have to go. And that breaks my God damned heart.
Blotting at my eyes, I pick up the tote bag and turn to face Erik. "The thing is. You either believe in us. You believe wholeheartedly that we can make it… Or you don't. It's just that simple. So, tell me. Do you believe? Or are you still caught up in what other people think about us that you can't see the forest for the trees?"
He pushes out his cheek with his tongue. "Nika… Don't. Please. I'm asking you to stay. Isn't that good enough?"
Sucking in a breath, I shake my head slowly. "No, Erik. I don't think it is."
I walk towards him, waiting for him to move, to get out of my way. But he doesn't. He just stands there, an immovable brick wall of smoldering anger.
"You're making a mistake." His voice is rough, gone to gravel. "If you walk away, that's it. We're through."
A tear breaks free from my eye, running down my cheek. I step up to him, a hair’s breadth away. Peering up at his face, I utter the words that will echo in my head for a long, long time.
"So be it. I would rather be alone than be with someone that doesn't believe in me."
Erik shakes his head, pushing himself off the doorway and backing out of the way. I push past him into the hallway as tears begin to run down my face freely.
I raise my head and stalk out of the apartment, reminding myself that I am a princess. No matter that I can't see because I am blinded by my own tears and my own weak heart.
The last thing I see before the elevator doors close is Erik, his face tortured, his big body looming just outside the elevator door.
I open my mouth to say something to him but the doors close before I can get it out. Pushing the button to take me to the ground floor, I promise myself I won't break down until I am out of the building.
33
Erik
"Are you sure you're ready for this?" I whisper to Stellan. He adjusts his tux, giving me a hard look. Behind him, a whole cathedral full of dressed up wedding guests sit, chatting and laughing, their voices low like ambient noise.
Stellan runs his tongue over his teeth, wiping his hands on his expensive tuxedo pants. "I’m as ready as I'll ever be. I'm very excited to have this part over and done with so that Margot and I can rule the country. That, and we have a hell of a honeymoon awaiting us."
I smile at him. "It sounds like you have your priorities in order. You have any second thoughts?"
He clears his throat, looking behind me at his brothers. He will always be the oldest son, the one in charge. There's no getting around that.
"None whatsoever. We've already done a private ceremony with just the family. This is just an elaborate show for the public."
I nod, casting an eye over the church. "Fair enough."
Behind me, the organist begins playing a hymn. I look around, as if the person that I'm the most anxious to see will be in the crowd. But I know for a fact that Nika will be marching down the aisle with the other bridesmaids. Just thinking about her,