Royal Package - Lili Valente Page 0,73
down. “Stop it. You’re not that guy.”
“What ‘guy’ is that? The angry guy?”
“No, the guy with an ego so small he can’t handle being wrong once in a while. There’s nothing for you to be ashamed of. I’m the one who tricked you and took advantage of your trust. I’m the one who should be ashamed. And I am.”
“Good,” I snap.
“But I did it because I didn’t think I had another choice, Andrew. Elizabeth told me our family was in trouble and that her staying home to work while I took her place was the only way we could pay off a debt and save our home.” She glances down at her fingers as her shoulders inch closer to her ears and she continues to shiver. “Turns out she was lying about that, but…”
“Must run in the family,” I say, though I can’t help being intrigued. “So, she wanted you to be stuck with me instead?” I laugh sharply. “Some sister. With relatives like that, who needs enemies, right?”
Sabrina’s head snaps up, a frown bunching the skin between her brows. “She didn’t do it to be cruel. She did it because she thought we would be good together but knew this was the only way she’d ever get either of us to realize it.”
My lips part on another snarky comeback, but Sabrina cuts me off.
“Put your pride on pause for just a second and think about it, all right? After years of talking to you on the phone, Lizzy knows you. And she knows me better than anyone on earth. I think she truly thinks we’re a good match. And as much as I hate that she lied to me and that I lied to you, I think she’s right.” She takes another cautious step closer, until the lamplight reaches her face, caressing every beautiful angle. “I may have bent the truth about some things, but my feelings aren’t a lie, Andrew. I care about you. So much. I’m… I…”
“You’re what?” I press, knowing what she’s going to say, but still having no clue what to do about it.
I care about her, too, but I’m so fucking angry.
I can’t see a path forward from here. I can’t see anything but red.
Her lips part, but after a moment, they shut again. Without another word, she crosses the hay-scattered floor and kneels beside me on the sleeping bag, so close I can smell the Sabrina and rain scent clinging to her skin. She reaches out, taking my hand in both of hers and drawing it onto her lap.
I should pull away, but her touch feels so good, as good as it always has from the day we met. I started falling for her the moment I reached down to help her off the ground by the helicopter, and I’m too far gone now to deny myself her touch. Especially when it might be the last time.
By tomorrow, she’ll be gone, and I’ll be alone, dealing with the fallout from our calamitous engagement without her.
She curls her fingers around my palm on both sides, and whispers, “Tell me how to make it better.”
I hold her gaze, but my mind refuses to take a step down that road. “There is no way to make it better.”
Her lips curve. “Bullshit.”
I smile in spite of myself. “Not your most compelling argument.”
“That first day, when we were talking about why you wanted to be king,” she says, holding tight to my hand. “You said you wanted to serve your country as selflessly as possible. That you knew you’d make mistakes, but that you would learn from them and do better because you wanted to do the most good for the most people.” She runs a thumb back and forth over the back of my hand in a soft caress. “I hope you know that your people will forgive you. If or when you make those mistakes.”
My throat tightens. “Hmm… I’m not so sure about that.”
“Everyone makes mistakes, even kings who love their countries.” She tilts her head. “It’s what’s in your heart when you’re making the mistake that counts. People can tell if you’ve tried your best to serve them or if you’ve screwed up while looking out for number one.” She sniffs, and another shiver works its way through her from head to toe. “And even if we can’t ever be friends or anything more, I hope you’ll believe me when I say that I was trying to make the best of a hard situation. I