Her fingers trailing over my lips. Her body pressed up against mine. Her warmth, her scent, her sex. She’s burned onto my brain, and I don’t know how to get her out.
When I exit the doctor’s examination room, my father’s butler is waiting for me in the lobby. The old man bows to me.
“Your father would like to see you.”
“Now?” I ask, knowing I sound like a whiny child. My shoulder is throbbing and all I want to do is sleep.
The man nods. “Now, Your Highness.”
I sigh, gesturing for him to lead the way. When duty calls, I have to answer. I always have.
Even last night, when I let Cara walk away from my bed, I did it because it was the right thing to do. The responsible thing to do. The dutiful thing to do.
Not what I wanted.
We walk across the lush, green lawn and through a garden of succulents and into the palace. The butler leads me to the King’s wing of the palace. Taking a small staircase up to the third floor, we make our way to my father’s chambers. The butler opens the door for me and bows, closing it again once I step through.
The King, who used to be a force to be reckoned with, is frail. He’s in bed, his hands crossed over his lap as he rests his eyes. My father looks like he’s aged ten years in the past ten weeks, and it pains me to think he’s suffering.
“Theo,” he says, opening his eyes and spreading his arms out wide. “Thank you for coming. What happened to your shoulder?”
“We had an incident.”
“I hear Cara Shoal saved your life.”
“Twice.” I echo her words. “News travels fast.”
My father grunts. He motions to the armchair next to his bed, his hand shaking as he points. I take a seat, watching him interlace his fingers in front of his chest to stop them shaking. A roguish smile tugs at his lips.
“What?” I ask.
“Well, I think it’s very fitting that Cara would save your life. Very consistent with the storyline.”
Sighing, I close my eyes. I don’t have the energy to deal with my father’s riddles. Even when he’s frail and sick, he still manages to beat around the bush.
“What are you talking about, Father?”
“Well, about your new fiancée.”
The floor bottoms out, and I’m in free fall. Gravity ceases to exist, and I’m unable to move. I sit there with my feet stuck to the floor, ass stuck in my chair, staring at my father. He stares back, waiting for a reaction.
Any reaction.
I’m not giving it to him. I can’t. How am I supposed to react? What am I supposed to think?
Cara? My fiancée?
“W-what?” I finally manage.
“Don’t look so upset,” my father laughs. “She’ll be better than your cheating mother was. I made sure to negotiate an infidelity clause.”
I shake my head. “No. Absolutely not. I’m not marrying Cara. What about Luca?”
“If you hadn’t noticed, your dear little brother seems to have decided he doesn’t want to be part of this family anymore. His claim to Cara is no longer valid.”
His claim? Infidelity clause?
This doesn’t sound like a marriage. I know I’m not a normal citizen, but I thought I’d have at least some say in who I married, if I married at all.
“What does Cara have to say about this? When did this happen?”
The world is spinning. I can’t marry Cara. What about Luca? Reports from Singapore say he’s responding well to treatment, and may even be able to regain his ability to walk. Sure, he pushed her away, but I know my brother. He’ll want her back when he’s through fighting his own demons.
If he heard about me and Cara…
…it would destroy him. All his progress, gone.
Worse, though, is it would devastate Cara, too. She’s about to start her new life. About to move on. About to chase her dreams.
I would stop all of that for her.
Still, buried deep in the most hidden, dark corner of my mind, a thought sparks to life. Marrying Cara doesn’t seem so bad.
If I’m being honest, she’s perfect.
She’s smart. Has the voice of an angel, even though she doesn’t sing much anymore. Her smile lights up a room. She’s drop-dead gorgeous, and I can’t pretend that I’m not attracted to her.
But I’m not supposed to be attracted to her. I’m certainly not supposed to marry her.