Royal Line (Tattered Royals #1) - Carrie Ann Ryan Page 0,27
had to pass on Brazil due to travel plans.
Travel plans, right. I was an adult. No way in hell could I say, ‘Oh, I’m so sorry I can’t take this huge step in my career because my brother forbids it.’ I couldn’t say everyone admired my talents just as long as I anonymously submitted for galleries and didn’t put my name on any of it. I couldn’t very well say that my brothers supported my ‘hobby’ as Roman called it but balked at me having a real job that didn’t involve twiddling my thumbs.
No. I couldn’t say any of that, so I’d said none of those things. Only that she should keep me in mind if she had anything near Paris in the next week. And low and behold, she’d emailed me back that some kids in the city of éité, right outside of Paris were using art as environmental protest.
It was a risk, yes. But lucky for me, I had a whole new team of bodyguards. After all, I’d done that dozens of times, gone on assignment with hulking goons surrounding me. It wouldn’t be any different now.
Except someone shot at you.
Despite the steamy heat, a shiver ran up my spine. There could be danger, but that’s what Kannon and his team were there for. I didn’t want to add to the risk of their jobs, but I’d listen to all protocols, and we were heading out anyway.
And I really, really needed to feel like me, even if only for five minutes with my camera. Not the me my aunt told me to be. Not the me my brothers demanded I be, but the real me.
All I wanted was to be free, to find a purpose that wasn’t wearing a crown and cutting ribbons. You’ve found it.
Except to Roman and Aunt Rebecca, it wasn’t suitable. But I knew there had to be some kind of middle ground. I’d seen other royals achieve it. I just had to figure out my way.
I’d put my life into my charities and to helping others, but at the same time, it wasn’t enough. Nobody saw past the tiara.
And now I was in the position of securing a royal line for my country. What complete and utter bullshit. What I wanted to know was why no one was rushing to pull out the mail order brides for Breck or Wilder. Women fell over them constantly. Surely one of them could have impregnated someone. Hell, knowing Breck, he probably already had.
I turned off the water and slicked my hair back. Kannon had mentioned that we might be heading out after I took a shower, and I was trying to focus. I couldn’t quite believe that this was what was happening in my life. I’d dealt with threats before. I’d had to deal with security since the time I could crawl. No, long before that, when I was an infant, safely tucked into my mother’s arms with security on either side of her.
I’d always had someone trying to protect me, someone saying they knew what was best to keep me safe.
And yet, it was different now.
Maybe it was because of the bullets that had been flying at me.
Or maybe it was because of who was trying to protect me.
No, I was not going to think about that.
Just because Kannon happened to look like some kind of hot Viking with his build, bright blue eyes and tousled blond hair, that didn’t mean I needed to act as if he was the only attractive man I had ever seen in my life.
Lies. He’s the most beautiful man you’ve ever seen.
Over six feet tall with shoulders I couldn’t see around. The kind of Superman-like square jaw that made even the handsomest of aristocrats jealous. He was beautiful. And I was sure the idiot knew it. He had that kind of casual confidence that came from being gorgeous and athletic his whole life.
I didn’t have time to think about the way he felt against me when he kept me steady. Or the way the corner of his lips twitched when we bantered. Not like I had time for that.
I had more important things to consider.
Like getting home safely. Keeping my brothers safe. And not having to become a baby-maker for king and country.
I knew from the bottom of my heart that my brother would never let that happen, but he might renounce the throne if he had to.