The Wicked Prince

by Wood, Vivian

  He pushes his mostly full plate away. I want to ply him with a million questions about how he is feeling, but I have a feeling that he won’t like that. It’s normally fairly awkward between us, but today… it’s tense.

  “So. Have you heard anything conclusive from the doctors?”

  My father scratches his dark beard. “No.”

  I sigh silently. “May I speak openly?”

  “I wish you would.” He looks off into the distance at the verdant gardens below the terrace. I can’t read him; I think I know exactly where I inherited my remoteness.

  I take a deep breath. “Are you still stepping down? Because if not… I have a number of loose ends still that need to be tied up. If you are going to keep the throne— “

  “No. You are still on track to be king.”

  My expression tightens. “Ah.”

  My father looks at me for several long beats. “You don’t desire the crown?”

  I give a dry chuckle. “No.”

  “Mm. I didn’t either.” He looks down at the glass of orange juice in front of him, turning it slowly by the rim. “What would you do if you had more time?”

  Margot’s face flashes in my mind. Frowning, I shake my head. “I don’t know. I made some decisions recently that may have been hasty…”

  I trail off and drum my fingers on the tabletop. My father spears me with his frosty blue gaze.

  “You are talking about Margot?”

  I can feel my neck heat. “Among other things. But yes, I would do things differently if I had more time.” I scrunch my face up. “And if I had a time machine, I guess.”

  My father’s eyebrows lift slightly. “How so?”

  I shrug, uncomfortable. “I don’t know. I would put less pressure on her to accept my marriage proposal, I guess.”

  He looks surprised. “I didn’t realize that you had asked.”

  Pursing my lips, I shrug again. “I didn’t ask her officially. I asked her what her answer would be… and she took weeks to reply to it.”

  He looks dubious. “Her reply was no?”

  Heat creeps up my neck, coloring my cheeks. “Her reply was just that she needed more time.”

  “And you felt that you were running out of that resource,” he comments, fixing his gaze on his orange juice glass again.

  “Well… yes,” I admit. “If I had it to do over again, I would do it differently.”

  My father sighs. “Stellan. Let me give you some advice. If you find a woman to share your life with, and you’re sure that she’s the one, you don’t halfway ask her to marry you. You grab onto her and you don’t ever let go.” He coughs. “I consider myself insanely lucky to have found your mother. She is passionate. She is loyal. She fights for the causes she believes in. But most of all, I know that she’ll stick by my side. No matter what. That’s worth more than all the gold in the world.”

  I’m a little taken back by his words. My father and mother obviously love each other, but I have never heard my father talk about her for any length of time.

  Letting that sink in, I take a deep breath. “I’m glad that you found Maman.”

  He snorts. “You’d better be. I never planned on having a bunch of children. That was all your mother. She wanted a big brood. And what your mother wants, she tends to get.”

  “That’s… bordering on being too much information.” I wrinkle my nose.

  My father rolls his eyes. “That is neither here nor there. What is certain is that you need to contact Margot. If she is your great love, she will be glad to hear from you.”

  I give him a skeptical look. “Has Erik been talking to you about this? Because he said exactly the same thing.”

  My father sighs. “No. But there must be something there if we both have the same advice for you, Stellan.”

  Sitting back in my chair, I shrug. “I don’t know.”

  “Do you love her?” My father cocks his head.

  “Of course.”

  His gaze narrows on my face. “I don’t understand. What is the issue?”

  I grow embraced. “I don’t know. What if she can’t accept my lifestyle? I mean, the media scrutiny is already intense and we aren’t even publicly a couple. What if she says yes and then changes her mind in a couple of months?”

  He shakes his head. “If that happens, you can deal with it together. Don’t be a fool. Take this risk, son.”

  I look down at my lap. He’s right, of course. I have been a fucking idiot. I love Margot so deeply that she haunts my dreams.

  “It’s a big risk,” I say, my voice growing rough. “But you are right… I have to put it all on the line. Otherwise she might leave Denmark altogether. And that… that would just crush me.”

  My father smiles. “Good. In that case… I think you are ready to read today’s issue of Politiken.” He pushes his chair back and stands, gesturing to a servant. “Bring him the newspaper, will you?”

  The servant scuttles forward, offering me the newspaper on a platter. I frown and accept it, noticing the photo on the main page a few seconds later.

  It’s a gorgeous portrait of Margot, her expression sad. A tear tracks down her face as she contemplates her hands.

  The headline is simple. Dear Stellan, I love you.

  My heart starts pounding. “What is this?”

  My father touches my shoulder as he heads inside. “I’ll leave you to read it by yourself.”

  “Thanks,” I murmur, unfolding the newspaper. Margot’s letter is printed just below the fold. Not quite believing what I’m seeing, I start to read.

  Dear Stellan,

  We met one warm summer night in New York City. The attraction was instant, the chemistry between us so potent that a few sparks grew into a raging, untenable fire.

  I knew from that moment — you were special somehow.

  When I arrived in Copenhagen, I hated you. Or at least I thought I did. The news of us being tied together — me as the journalist, you as the subject of my research — hit us both hard.

  I come from nothing. You come from the kind of privilege and wealth that makes my head spin. And yet… we found common ground.

  You let me in. I dropped my shields, became vulnerable with you.

  And somewhere deep inside, a begrudging respect turned into a breathless, wild, restless kind of love. It wasn’t my choice.

  I couldn’t help but fall in love with you, my wicked prince. The world tried to turn us against each other… wanted us to dance to its beat.

  I thought I couldn’t do it. I ran, I hid. But in my heart of hearts, I know one thing is absolutely true: I will move mountains for you. I will walk across endless deserts, dive into the deepest oceans.

  My love for you knows no bounds.

  Now I stand here waiting, holding my breath, hoping desperately that you will read this… and you will meet me at Fredericksberg Gardens today. I’ll be there at three in the afternoon, and I’ll wait all day for you.

  I hope to see you there, Stellan.

  With undying love,

  Margot

  I sit back, floored. If there was ever a doubt about anything related to Margot, now I know exactly how she feels. She’s assumed so much of the risk without realizing that I was only steps behind her.

  God, I love her so much, it makes me feel sick. It is almost overwhelming in the entirety of it, hitting me like a tidal wave on an otherwise perfectly calm day at the beach.

  I stand up, tucking the newspaper by my side.

  “Well?”

  I turn to find my father and my mother standing at the doorway of the terrace, looking expectant. My neck heats.

  “I didn’t realize you were there.”

  My mother stomps her foot. “Tell me your reaction to reading Margot’s letter! I am dying over here.”

  “I… I’m going to go meet her,” I say, swallowing. “Papa was right… no half measures this time. I’m going to the gardens alone and leaving with a fiancée, come what may.”

  My mother thr
ows her hands up, squealing with glee, and bounds over to me for a hug. “That’s so wonderful, Stellan!”

  My father digs in his pocket and pulls out a ring box. “You will probably need one of these.”

  My eyebrows fly up. “A ring?”

  He coughs. “Your mother dragged me along to the Copenhagen treasury after we met Margot for the first time. Your mother knew that you would need a ring.”

  “Ohh, and it’s so perfect! It was your great grandmother’s ring. Sparkly and pretty. It will look great on her delicate little hand, ja?”

  Pulling me over to my father, my mother opens the ring box. I look at the ring with wide eyes.

  “This is really happening,” I say.

  “Yes!” my mother sings, beaming so wide that it’s hard not to get caught up in her happiness. “I’m so happy for you, my Stellan.”

  She cups my face, kissing me on the cheek. I smile, rolling my eyes a little.

  “She hasn’t said yes yet.”

  My father smiles softly. “I think we all know just what she’ll say.”

  Shaking my head, I tuck the ring box in my pocket and wish my parents goodbye.

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Margot

  There is something tranquil about standing just where I am with my eyes tightly closed. The scent of gently blooming jasmine rises to my nose. Birds chirp from the perfectly manicured greenery all around me.

  I exhale slowly, my hands still trembling. Opening my eyes, I take in the beauty of the romantic gardens with the soft pink wild roses growing up and around the natural wood gazebo.

  I’m so nervous that I can’t think straight. What if Stellan never saw my letter? Worse, what if he did and still doesn’t show up?

  This whole idea was really romantic in my head, but now… standing here in the same outfit I was wearing when we met, sweating through my clothes…

  It seems destined to fail. Biting at my thumbnail, I pace the gazebo. Eight steps one way, eight steps the other.

  This plan was not well thought through.

  I hear a rustle and whirl around. The rose garden just beyond the gazebo is still. The tree lined path leading away is long, empty, and all but silent.

  I check the time on my phone. 3:15.

  God, Stellan isn’t coming. I signed myself up for waiting all night for him… but I am as sure that he’s not coming now than I have been about anything in my whole entire life.

  I head to the steps, sitting down and burying my face in my hands. I suck in a shaky breath.

  “What are you doing on the ground, skatter?”

  My heart pounds. I look up and my eyes widen. Stellan strolls down the path, looking as dapper as he’s ever looked in a tuxedo and a crisp white shirt.

  One of my hands clutches my chest over my heart. “You came,” I whisper.

  He covers the last few steps, stopping right in front of me. “I saw your letter. You asked me to meet you. How could I say no to you?”

  His eyes sparkle with humor. I’m still petrified. I make a promise to myself that I wouldn’t cry.

  Instead, I climb to my feet, looking up at him. “I should’ve written a speech. I didn’t get past the point of you showing up.”

  He smirks. “I think we’ll manage.”

  Reaching out a hand, he gently touches my shoulder. I don’t know what comes over me, but I jump onto him, climbing his big body like a tree.

  Stellan chuckles, the reverberations vibrating his chest. “I guess it wouldn’t be real if you didn’t make it awkward, would it?”

  He slides his hand along my cheek and cups the back of my head, lowering his mouth to mine. I make a soft sound as his lips touch mine; he tastes sweet and clean, like fresh mint. When his mouth opens and his tongue touches mine, sweeping the inside of my mouth, I put my arms around his neck and plow my hands into the back of his hair.

  I’ve missed this so badly.

  He groans against my mouth. “I’ve missed your scent.”

  My lips curve upwards. “Is that all?”

  He pulls back, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face. “No,” he says quietly. “I’ve missed everything about you. Your smile. Your sense of humor. Your moral outrage. My body craves yours, skatter.”

  I’m left breathless and wide eyed at his openness, his vulnerability in this moment. His ice blue eyes are so earnest that it almost makes me cry.

  “Stellan…” I whisper, my voice breaking. “I love you so fucking much.”

  He presses his lips to mine with such passion and intensity that I feel stunned. “I love you too, Margot. I know that my life is complicated, but I don’t think I can go on without you.”

  I draw in a breath that turns into a hiccup. “I meant what I wrote to you. If you need me to, I’ll move heaven and earth to be yours.”

  He exhales a shaky breath. “I think you know what I have to do, right?”

  I arch a brow. “What?”

  Pushing me back a step with gentle hands, he clears his throat and digs in his pocket. Then he kneels down on one knee. My hands fly up to my mouth.

  He pauses for a second, lowering his dark head. When Stellan looks up at me, he gives me a tense smile.

  “Fuck, I’m so nervous,” he admits.

  My eyes well up at that. I brush my hand against his shoulder. “Don’t be.”

  He bites his lip and holds up his offering, a small dark blue velvet box. When he cracks it open, a dazzling diamond and sapphire ring sits cushioned there.

  Oh god. Is this really happening?

  Stellan reaches for my hand. “Margot Keane. You are the most challenging, most wonderful, most amazing woman I’ve ever met. When I think of the future, the only one I can see clearly is one with you by my side. Will you please do me the enormous honor of being my wife?”

  My heart beat drums its rhythm in my ears. I dash away tears from my eyes, nodding. “I will.”

  His expression is glorious. He beams as he pries the ring from the box. Setting the box aside, he takes my hand and slides the ring onto my finger.

  I reach down for him as he stands up. He kisses me and slips his arms around me, lifting me up in his arms. He’s marking me for the whole world to see: I’m his now.

  His, and his alone, until the end of time.

  I finally pull away with a giggle. “Is this real?” I wonder. “I feel like I’m high on something.”

  He sets me on my feet, grinning. “I was just thinking the same thing.”

  My cheeks hurt from how hard I grin. I definitely look like a lunatic but I don’t care. I glance at my hand and the ring takes my breath away again.

  “Who do we tell first?” I wonder aloud.

  He scrunches up his face. “My parents already know that I was planning to propose. They encouraged it, actually.”

  A hand flies up to cover my heart. “They did?”

  He nods. “Ja. And Erik told me to quit being so stubborn and call you.” He squints. “Everyone in my circle is very pro-Margot, it seems.”

  I smile at that, but I suck in a breath. “Everyone but your grandmother.”

  Stellan shrugs. “When she finds out that I have proposed to you and you said yes, she will change her mind. She wants the best for me. And you are what’s best for me, skatter.”

  I grin. “Yeah?”

  He pulls me against his hard body, smirking. “Ja.”

  I put my arms around his neck and press my lips to his again, inhaling that clean masculine scent that is purely him. When he finally pulls away, he takes me by the hand.

  “Are you ready to be my princess now? Because the second we leave this spot, the press will be all over us. The Gardens kept them outside just because I asked but you know they’ll be waiting just past the gates. They’ll have a million questions and generally be pretty invasive.”

  I smile up at him. “As long as you’re by my side, I can face them. I can face anything.”

  He twines his fingers with mine, kissing my hand. “Okay. I promise not to
leave your side. You have my word on that, skatter.”

  I blush. “I love you, Stellan.”

  He gives me a wicked grin. “I love you too. Just wait until we get back to the palace, where I can show you just how much…”

  My heartbeat thrums. “I can’t wait.”

  Stellan winks at me, leading me out of the gazebo and down the tree lined path toward our future.

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  Margot

  My feet ache in these staggeringly tall high heels. But that’s what you get when you give your own fabulous designer free reign. I’m wearing what has to be the biggest, goofiest strapless ball gown ever created, dressed in head to toe pink crinoline. I looked in the mirror and gasped about how I look like Barbie threw up everywhere…

  But when Stellan saw me in this dress, the way his eyes lit up told me I was wrong.

  I lift my head, trying to look poised. A thousand faces stare back at me from the ballroom floor, making me want to squirm. I shift my weight onto one foot, prompting Stellan to look down at me.

  “What are you doing?” he whispers. “You’re thinking of running away, are you? This whole engagement party was your idea.”

  I wrinkle my nose at him. “You’re stuck with me now. Sorry.”

  Even though we are on a dais, with probably a thousand people looking right at us, Stellan kisses me on the lips. Several cameras flash and I blush.

  There is really no way of getting used to being watched every second that we are in public. At least I have Stellan here to keep me from lunging at reporters who ask me obnoxious questions.

  Prime Minister Finley, who is front and center at the podium, clears his throat. “So I am quite proud to be here at the announcement of the engagement of our own Prince Stellan and his bride-to-be, Margot Keane. After the Prince’s coronation next week, Miss Keane will officially set to marry the king…”

  It’s the hardest thing ever not to look down and hide my face from the cameras that go absolutely mad just now, flashing brightly for a full minute. I put my hand into Stellan’s and he gives it a squeeze. Prime Minister Finley drones on for another minute but I don’t hear much of what he has to say.