Scandal and the Runaway Bride (Heirs to an Empire 1)

Charlotte grabbed her handbag and headed for the door. “I’ve heard enough. If you can dig your head out of your little love nest long enough, I’d like a meeting early this week. In my office.”

“I appreciate the summons.”

With one last scathing look, his sister slammed out the door.

He looked down at Gabi, who was sitting looking a bit shell-shocked. “I’m so sorry. She let herself in with her key and you came out before I could get her to leave.”

“It was bound to happen sometime. And like I said, I expected it. And more. Stephen will lose his mind and I’m sure your mother will be equally angry.”

“Arabella might be okay. She’s more the type who listens to all sides and makes up her own mind. Not that it won’t be weighted against us. I know that. But Bella is reasonable. And Christophe...he tries to please everyone. He’ll stay quiet and out of the drama.”

Will knew his cousin had never quite felt like a brother, even though he’d been practically raised by Aurora and Cedric. Mostly he tried to not make any extra waves, which Will thought was a shame. His cousin was smart and far more savvy than most gave him credit for.

Gabi slumped in her chair and took a drink of cooling coffee. “So what do we do now?”

“I don’t know. Let’s sit tight for a while and see what happens. For once, getting ahead of the story might not do us any favors. Charlotte is probably already on the phone with Stephen. Let’s see how this all plays out before we make a plan to change minds.”

She put down her cup and looked at him sadly. “It is worth it, right?” she asked, her voice wobbling. “I do love you, you know.”

“It’s worth it,” he confirmed, sitting next to her again.

“I won’t let you have to make a choice.”

His heart warmed. “Oh, darling, I know that. If anyone forces a choice, it’ll be my family. And that makes me sad. But it can’t stop me from loving you. I never had a choice in that.”

Still, the atmosphere in the apartment had turned to one of sadness and worry. Will had made all sorts of romantic plans for the day, but pushed them aside. What they needed now was to stick together. And so they went back into the bedroom, crawled under the covers and held on to each other while they waited for the storm to break.

CHAPTER TWELVE

IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG.

First Bella called, asking if Will was sure about what he was doing, at least attempting to be fair as she agreed that there seemed to be more to the story than a runaway bride and the groom’s brother. Will hung up not quite sure he had an ally, but at least one person who was willing to listen.

The next phone call came early in the afternoon, and was from his mother. It didn’t go as well as the call with Bella. It became clear to Will that Stephen had not enlightened anyone as to the original agreement between himself and Gabi. It was very difficult to hear Gabi spoken about in unfavorable terms, and to have his own family loyalty questioned. Gabi was right about one thing. The truth about the fake marriage would end up making her look like a gold digger.

Gabi was unusually quiet, her face pensive. Their romantic weekend was a disaster. Would their entire relationship be this way? Could they handle it, especially living so far apart? Will listened to his mother’s voice in his ear and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. He and Gabi were supposed to work this out gradually. Tell people when they were ready, when they had a handle on their relationship. Will, who prided himself on his ability to clean up messes, now found himself in the middle of the biggest one yet, and no clue how to fix it, other than let Gabi go.

He pondered it for exactly two seconds, before his stubborn nature rose up and rebelled. If he buckled under the pressure now, he’d regret it forever. He was not the same boy who’d been rash and impulsive and seeking attention. He was a grown man who’d worked very hard to become who he was. He wouldn’t let anyone put him back in that box.

“Maman, what I’m saying is you need to talk to Stephen. Can you do that and then we can talk again?”

He listened to her for another moment, then replied, “Because it is his story to tell, not mine.” William had never been, and never would, be a tattletale, even now that they were grown men.

The call ended and he sighed deeply.

“I’m so sorry, Will. I should go home. This is causing nothing but strife.”

“I can handle it, but I understand if you want to go home. This is not the weekend I promised.”

Instead of getting out of the bed, she slid closer and wrapped her arms around his middle. “It was going to happen eventually. We just thought we had more time.”

“It’s a lot of pressure on a new relationship.”

She nodded against his chest. “Yes, but we’re not exactly conventional.”

He chuckled at that. How did she have the ability to make him laugh in the midst of such a horrible day?

His phone buzzed and he looked down. It was a text this time, not a call, but it hurt his heart more than any conversation he’d had thus far today.