“Looks like both our lives are about to change.” I reach over to place my hand over Theo’s. The warmth of his skin sends sparks flying up my arm as an ache grows in the pit of my stomach.
The Prince curls his fingers around mine. My body screams at me to lean over and press my lips to his. I can tell by the look in his eye that he wants it, too.
But once again, I pull away.
I have to.
He’s the future King, and who am I? I’m the girl that was supposed to marry his brother. I’m a wannabe singer who won’t be here next week. The daughter of a washed-up Olympian and a social-climbing mother.
A nobody.
He’ll probably end up married to some princess from another kingdom, and this night will fade from our memory soon enough.
Pushing myself off the bed, I give Theo a tight smile. “You’ll be a great King.”
“That’s what everyone keeps telling me. See you tomorrow.” His eyes speak something else, though. They say, Stay. Come back. Wrap your legs around me and let me claim you right here in this bed.
It takes all my willpower to tear myself away from his gaze. Heat pools between my legs as I turn away from the Prince, the echo of his skin still burning against mine. As soon as I exit his room, I lean against the wall and let out a sigh.
Leaving is the right thing to do, but it feels so, so wrong.
Tiptoeing back to my room, I collapse into bed. Even though we’re on a boat, the mattress is plush and comfortable. I sink into the pillows, staring up at the ceiling as I squeeze my eyes shut.
Prince Theo and I have no future together. There’s no point in pursuing any sort of temporary desire that may exist between us.
Even if I hadn’t dated his brother, he’s one of my closest childhood friends. He’s the next King, and I’m only a commoner. My family may be well-off and well-respected, but I’m not a future queen.
Now, more than ever, Theo is off-limits to me.
I roll onto my side and pull the blankets up to my chin. The boat rolls in the waves, and I try to ignore the cracking of the thunder and the flashes of lightning outside. I force myself to sleep, hoping I won’t dream of Theo.
WE DOCK EARLY in the morning. Captain Withers looks haggard and tired, with big blueish-black circles under his eyes. The lines on his face are deep-set, and he nods at me as he helps me off the yacht.
“Thank you for yesterday,” I say.
He grunts in response, turning back to the boat as soon as I’m safely off the yacht.
Prince Theo waits for me at the end of the pier. I have my overnight bag slung over my shoulder, and I walk over to stand beside him. We watch the first rays of sun peek over the horizon as dawn breaks, and a shiver courses through his body.
“Guess I’d better get you home.” When his gaze swings toward me, it sends a jolt of heat straight down my spine. Regret roars inside me at the thought of what could have happened last night.
My throat is tight. I gulp, nodding. “Yeah.”
Theo turns away from me to head back down the pier, and I reach out to grab his hand. He pauses, turning to look at me with unreadable eyes.
“Thank you,” I say. “Even with the storm, it was nice to spend time with you again. And… good luck. You’ll be a great king.”
Prince Theo’s lips flatten, and he turns away from me without answering. Pain pierces through my chest, and I wonder if I’ve done something wrong.
Maybe I shouldn’t have left his bed last night. Maybe I should have stayed and acted on my impulses.
But where would that leave me? What future is there between us? What kind of person does it make me if I jump from one brother to the next?
We drive without speaking. Both of us ride in the back seat, and one of the royal chauffeurs ferries us back toward my parents’ house. Theo can’t drive with his injured shoulder.
When the car pulls up outside, Theo finally breaks the silence. “Thank you for saving my life.”
“Twice,” I add.
For the first time all morning, Theo cracks a smile. “Twice.”
“Don’t be a stranger, okay? I…” I hesitate, and then suck in a breath to gather my courage. “I missed you.”
Theo holds my gaze as he nods. “Me too.”
Leaving him is hard. It feels final, like even though we spent our childhoods together, even though we had traditions and good times, it’s all coming to an end. There’s no space in my life for him, and there’s no place in his life for me.
I watch the royal vehicle drive away, and then trudge up the wide, slate staircase to the big double doors of my parents’ home. When I step inside, I hear voices coming from the library.
My mother and father are arguing.
With drooping shoulders, I try to tiptoe toward the staircase. I don’t have the energy to deal with any fights right now. I can’t face my mother and her eagle-eyed stare. I can’t look at my father’s face. Everything feels like a lie when he doesn’t know I intend to leave next week.
But as I near the staircase, my parents’ words become clearer.
“You should be happy I did this, Tristan,” my mother says. “After the ordeal with Prince Luca, we almost lost our chance to be part of the royal family.”
“I don’t care about being part of the royal family!” my father booms.
I freeze with my foot on the bottom stair.
“You got your Olympic gold medal nearly twenty years ago, Tristan. Your sponsorships have all dried up, and you insist on running that charity for underprivileged swimmers that you call a business. We have seven daughters to take care of! Charity isn’t paying the bills. We need something else. Cara is our best hope.”
“Six of our daughters are already married. Why can’t you just let Cara be? Why does she have to be thrown into a marriage that she doesn’t want?”
“She would be lucky if we were able to pull this off. The King seemed receptive, but we have to act fast. I’ve heard rumors of an abdication. Who knows if he has another woman planned for Theo?”
My blood ices. I creep closer to the voices, hugging the wall as I make my way toward the library.
My mother continues. “Besides, who said she doesn’t want it? Theo was here the day before yesterday, and I saw the way he looked at Cara.”
“That’s how everyone looks at Cara, Selma. He loves her because they grew up together, not because he’ll agree to marry her. You had no right to arrange anything without speaking to me, or her, or Theo himself.”
“I haven’t arranged anything. I’ve only planted a seed.”
“Well, you have no right to plant seeds without my knowledge.”
“Please,” my mother scoffs.
Planting seeds? Theo? What are they talking about? My heart thuds as I reach the edge of the doorway. I pause. My back is glued to the wall and I’m almost afraid to take a breath.
What did my mother do? Why is my father so upset?
Their voices drop, and I lean my head off the wall and closer to the doorway. I can only hear snippets of words, and I creep closer to the doorway.
I need to know what they’re talking about. I need to know what my mother has planned, even if it’s just a planted seed.
She’s never been supportive of my singing. She’s never wanted me to have my own voice or my own life. She just wants me to be some cash cow that she can marry off to the highest bidder.
That’s why I haven’t told my parents I’m leaving. The more time I give my mother to sabotage my plans, the more chance she has of doing it. I wish I didn’t have to do it this way, but I do.
Now, more than ever, I need to leave. Especially if she’s planning on arranging another relationship for me.
Just when my head is about to poke through the doorway, my father comes rushing through. I yelp, tumbling backward and falling onto the floor. My father lets out a surprised gasp, scrambling back.
“Cara,” he sighs. “It’s you.”
His face is dark. I stare up at him from my spot on the groun
d, not sure if he’s angry with me or not.
Then, my mother appears in the doorway. A wicked smile curls her lips as she crosses her arms across her chest.
“Well, well, well, speak of the girl herself. If you play your cards right, my darling daughter, you’ll have gained yourself a husband.”
THEO
I ASK my driver to take me straight to the royal doctor. His office is located in one of the outbuildings on the palace grounds. My shoulder is throbbing, and I already know I’ve done some lasting damage. I need the doctor to run some tests to make sure the injury isn’t as bad as it feels.
At least the pain takes my mind off what happened last night.
Or rather, what didn’t happen.
I almost kissed Cara. Almost did a whole lot more than kiss her, too.
Closing my eyes as the car takes me to the doctor’s office, I replay the events of the sailing trip in my mind.
Would it have been so bad if we’d hooked up?
Yes, of course it would have been bad. I’d be betraying my brother, for one. It would be an incredibly irresponsible act, which I can’t afford when I’m so close to becoming King.
I’ve known Cara since we were kids. She’s one of the only people outside of my immediate family that has been genuine to me. One of the only people that I can call my friend.
And now, I want to throw that all away just to sleep with her?
She’s leaving. I can’t complicate things for her right as she’s starting a new life for herself. I should be celebrating with her and wishing her the best, not imagining what it would feel like to have my cock buried deep inside her.
Plus, me being King is supposed to unite the Kingdom. I’m supposed to be the fresh, new start for Argyle after a tumultuous time under my father. I’m supposed to turn a new leaf after my mother’s affair and exile, not have my own scandal right as the crown is placed on my head.
Sighing, I open my eyes as the car stops. I’m tired. When my chauffeur opens the car door for me, I nod to him and head for the doctor’s office. I’m ushered inside and seen to right away.
Perks of being the future King, I guess.
I feel like a robot as I answer the doctor’s questions. I explain what happened and how my shoulder was dislocated. I tell him what medication I’ve already taken, and how the chef put my shoulder back into place.
He orders x-rays and an MRI, and tells me to expect to be in a sling for the foreseeable future.
I just nod and try not to think of Cara.
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.
My father sighs, shrugging. “I knew it’d take you a while to come around. I didn’t commit to the marriage on your behalf.”
“Am I supposed to thank you for that?”
“Yes,” my father answers simply. “You know you need to marry to ascend to the throne, Theo, and time is running out.”
“Why do I need to marry? Have you ever looked into that? Can’t I marry later? Or not marry at all?”
“I don’t write the laws, Theo. I have to live by them just like everyone else. You should know that as well as anyone. You’ll be the guardian of this Kingdom. You must abide by its laws more than anyone else.”
I let out a breath, squeezing my eyes shut. My head is throbbing, sending waves of pain radiating through my shoulder. I press my fingers to my temple to try to make sense of what my father is saying.
“So, you arranged a marriage between me and Cara while we were on the yacht?”
“I didn’t arrange anything,” my father says, waving a hand. “An opportunity presented itself. Selma Shoal suggested it, and my ears perked up. It wou
ld work, Theo. It would solve a lot of problems and allow me to step down in peace.”
My heart squeezes. I know I need to step up and be King. I know my status as a bachelor is standing in the way of that. I have responsibilities that need to be attended to.
But I can’t marry Cara. I’d be asking her to give up her life for me. I’d be telling her not to go on her travels, to stay by my side, to betray Luca.
It’s too much to ask.
My father sighs. “Look, Theo, it’s a win-win. Tristan Shoal is the people’s natural leader. He’s the most loved celebrity Argyle has ever had. Marrying his daughter could unite the Kingdom.”
I sink deeper into the chair, wincing as my elbow hits the armrest. My shoulder pulses with pain, and I lean my head against the back of the armchair. Everything hurts. I’ll have to get more meds from the doctor.
Through my haze of pain, I realize that my father’s right. Uniting Argyle will be my hardest task, once I take the throne.
My mother cheated on my father with the King’s brother, my uncle, and then ran off with him. Ever since then, the Kingdom has been divided. Half the citizens think my father drove her out of her home and that he should have shown mercy. The other half of Argylians side with the King, and think the Queen should have been punished with more than mere exile.
And my brothers and me? We’re stuck in the middle. I’m next in line to inherit a divided throne.
Tristan Shoal, on the other hand, is loved by everyone in Argyle. He holds the only Olympic gold medal Argyle has ever earned, and has dozens of world records for his swimming exploits. The day that he earned the world record for longest unassisted open-ocean swim is a national holiday in Argyle every year.
My father is right. He’d be the people’s King, if they had a choice. His daughters are the jewels in his crown. Cara, the youngest and most beautiful, would be the natural choice even if the other daughters were still available.
As much as I hate to admit it, marrying Cara would help unite the Kingdom. It would make the start of my rule a lot smoother.
But it would kill my brother. It wouldn’t be easy for Cara, either.
The King shifts in bed with a grunt, pushing himself off his pillows. His movements are becoming more labored, and I think he’s in more pain than he lets on. He nods to me, his eyes dark.
Wrong Prince: An Accidental Pregnancy Romance (Royally Unexpected Book 6) Page 5