breath hitches, and I force myself to say what I want to say. “The baby.”
Instead of answering, Prince Dante tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “Come away with me.”
“What?”
“Come back to Argyle. Get away from Farcliff and all this paparazzi. Let me show you where I come from.”
My heart stutters.
The Prince’s eyes soften. “I care about you, Margot. I know it hasn’t been long, but I feel like meeting you was meant to be.”
He slips his hands into mine, staring into my eyes.
I take a deep breath, forcing a smile. “My whole life, I’ve been used by other people. Whether they meant to do it or not, it’s what’s happened. I was pulled out of school to start modeling. My father used me to generate income for himself. Then, everyone that I thought was a friend was just climbing over me to get more fame and fortune.”
The Prince tilts his head, listening. His hold on my waist tightens, and I feel a wave of affection rolling off him.
“The only person that I thought I could trust was Ivy, which is why it hurt me so badly when I felt like she had just used me to start her own bakery. Even my agent, Hunter, had worked with me for years. I knew being his client was a business relationship, but we worked together for so many years that I thought he genuinely cared about me. I was wrong.” I smile sadly. “That’s why it’s hard for me to believe you when you say you care about me.”
“What can I do to prove it to you?”
“You don’t have to prove it to me, Dante.” I shake my head, running my hands up his chest. “I just need to work through it in my own mind.”
“Does that mean you won’t come to Argyle?”
“I will,” I say slowly. “But I just need a few days to breathe. I don’t want to run away from the media. I don’t want to run away from my problems. My therapist says that I should sit with uncomfortable feelings instead of trying to mask them.”
Working on yourself is difficult. Facing your worst qualities and trying to improve them takes real effort, and not many people are willing to do it. I have to do it—for my sake and my child’s. I just hope Dante understands.
As soon as a smile tugs at his lips, I know he gets it. He nods, laying a gentle kiss on my lips. “You’re so strong, Margot. It never ceases to amaze me.”
I laugh, shaking my head. “I don’t feel strong.”
A security guard comes in the back door of the bakery, striding toward the two of us. “Your car is ready,” he says with a nod.
Luca dips his chin down at Dante and me. “Ivy and I will be back tonight. I’m going to stay here with her. I don’t like leaving her with this many people in the bakery.”
“See you tonight,” Dante says to his brother. He takes my hand and leads me through the back door. There are a slew of reporters waiting for us, but instead of hiding away from them, Dante flashes a smile. He waves to the cameras, and my heart grows.
This is the first time I’ve seen him comfortable in the public eye. Holding my hand and leading me to the car, he carries himself like a true Prince. The defenses I’ve built around my heart start to weaken, because I know the Prince is doing this for me. If it were up to him, he’d be hiding away in a palace in Argyle. The only reason he’s smiling for the cameras is because he wants to make me feel comfortable.
I don’t remember the last time someone did something like that for me.
Sure, I’ve been to lavish parties, and I’ve been paid for my time and presence. I’ve received boxes and boxes of gifts from companies. I’ve had people tell me what they think I’ve wanted to hear. I’ve been given the world.
I’ve never had someone stand beside me as proudly as Dante stands now, doing something that he hates, just because he wants to show me that he cares.
As we slide into the car, the Prince lets out a heavy sigh. He throws me a glance, shaking his head. “I don’t know how you do it. I was only in front of the cameras for a few seconds, and I feel exhausted.”