my mother his megawatt smile.
“And what about you?” my father questions.
Joss, Greyson’s father, chokes on his water at the end of the table.
“Is she a good fit for you, too?”
“Father…”
What the hell is he getting at?
“I’ve been told that the three of you spent the night together.” My father’s ice-blue eyes are filled with rage as he stares down the table at Greyson, who looks like a deer caught in headlights.
I’m furious with him.
“Lila will be walking into this breakfast at any moment. And I think she will be highly embarrassed to hear the court’s rumor mill is already on fire this morning. What happens in my bedroom is no one’s damn business.” My voice raises, silencing the room.
“We will talk about this later,” my father warns me, and I know we will.
The door opens, and the staff bring in trays of breakfast food and lay the platters down the table's center. Not that long later, Lila and her sisters enter the room.
“We are so sorry we’re late. We took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up who knows where.” Lila smiles.
I stand and hold out the seat for Lila to sit beside me. She smiles and makes her way over, then takes a seat. Her sisters take the seats opposite us.
“We hope you enjoyed your stay last night.” My mother gives the girls her best royal smile.
“We did, thank you very much, your highness,” Magnolia answers for them. “And thank you so much for your very kind hospitality.”
My mother nods her head in approval of Magnolia’s praises.
“And thank you so very much for my bedroom. It’s one of the most beautiful rooms I’ve ever seen. And the clothes in the closet. I don’t know how I can ever repay your generous hospitality. I promise that you will not be disappointed in Augustine’s decision. One day I hope I will be able to repay you for what you have done for my family by choosing me.” Lila’s words soften my mother’s glare. My father’s eyes narrow in on her, then he looks over at me. I give him a wide grin, and he just shakes his head.
“Let’s eat,” my father declares, and we dig into our breakfast.
The conversation flows smoothly, especially as my father takes center stage and talks about how great our nation is. He could talk about this subject for hours.
Eventually, he lets us leave the breakfast table.
Lila accompanies her sisters back to their rooms to say goodbye.
I follow my father into his office with Joss and Greyson. We take a seat in front of him.
“We need to talk about Lila and the relationship she has with the two of you.” My father raises his brow at us both. “I’m not blind. At the breakfast table, I saw the glances between the three of you.” Joss turns and scowls at his son. “I now understand the reason you have chosen Lila. It is because she is accepting of your relationship. Maybe too accepting?”
“That was the reason at first. Yes,” I answer. “But now I think she might be perfect for me. For us.”
My father shakes his head. “I will not allow the future king of this country and his queen to continue a relationship like this.” His voice rises.
My blood begins to boil. “Why not?” I question.
“It’s not right. We will not have bastard heirs on the throne.” His lip curls in disgust, and the room falls silent at my father’s callous words.
“I will not give them both up, Father.” I stand my ground.
My father’s eyes narrow, his face begins to turn bright red with anger.
“You’re not going to have a choice, Augustine.” His voice is cold. “I think Greyson should move down to Lindburg until the wedding.”
“What! No!” I fling out of my chair to a standing position.
“My word is final, Augustine. I want nothing distracting you until the wedding.”
Greyson reaches out and tries to calm me down.
“He isn’t a distraction. I love him.”
My father shakes his head. “You need to give Lila your full attention, and having Greyson here, I feel, will distract you from that. From getting to know Lila properly. Once you two are officially married, Greyson then may come home.”
“No,” I scream at my father. “No… I want Greyson at my wedding. He’s supposed to be standing beside me.”
“It’s okay, Auggie,” Greyson tries to reassure me.
“No. It’s not okay, Grey. None of this is okay,” I tell him.
“I did what you asked. I found a bride. I found someone who I can marry