The Crown Prince's Bride (Royal Duology 2)

His brother looked happy, and grown up. It made Raoul proud, and also, for the first time, a little out of his depth with his brother.

“I’m glad you came,” Diego said, holding out a hand. Raoul shook it, felt a reassuring connection there. Diego had become a man he was comfortable with, and he was glad of it.

“I figured you’d want to talk after you met with Steph. She told you everything?”

“Congratulations,” Diego offered dryly.

Raoul pulled his hand away and went to the wall as well, needing to feel the wind and sun on his face. “I’ve messed things up in a big way. And I’m sorry about your project.”

“Don’t worry about that. Brenna’s still keeping things going and she’s going to look at hiring. I’m more worried about you.”

“Don’t worry about me. Worry about Steph.”

Diego sent him a sideways glance. “Steph has her shit together. You don’t.”

Raoul bristled, said nothing. The lecture was starting, it seemed.

“Stephani will have this baby with or without your help.”

“She knows I’ll help her. Mierda, Diego, I would never shirk my responsibility.”

“She doesn’t want your responsibility, brother. You’re always responsible. You take care of things and she knows you’ll make sure neither she nor her baby want for anything. Except your love.”

Raoul turned sharply to look at Diego, only to find his brother watching him with a mild look in his eyes.

“I offered to marry her.”

“Begging your pardon, and correct me if I’m wrong, but you offered to minimize the scandal with a slapped-together wedding.”

Raoul rubbed a hand over his face. “For God’s sake, it’s not that simple.”

“But it is,” Diego replied. “Do you love her?”

“Again, not so simple.”

“And again, that’s bollocks.”

“You’ve been spending too much time with your British friends.”

Diego laughed. “Actually, that’s too much time with my British wife, and there’s no such thing, because I adore her beyond reason.”

Raoul’s heart thumped. “I know you do.”

“That’s right. Because you loved Ceci that way.”

“Ceci’s gone.”

“Yes, she is, hermano. And you’re alive. And you have a woman who loves you, who is carrying your child, and you are too afraid to love her back.”

Raoul’s insides trembled.

“I’m not ready,” he answered, his voice barely a whisper above the breeze.

“No one is ever ready. It just happens. And either you reach out and grab it or you mess it up and regret it for the rest of your life. Steph doesn’t care about a crown or a palace or any of the things you offered her. She wants you, and just you. She wants you to look at her and say you love her, and to mean it. She wants you to make her feel like she matters, more than any crown or royal duty. She’s looking for a partner, Raoul, and you have to prove yourself worthy of her love. Because make no mistake, that woman loves you. She loves you for the man you were and the man you still are, in here.” He thumped a hand on Raoul’s chest. “But you can’t have her and protect your heart at the same time.”

“I’m scared,” Raoul admitted finally, letting out a long, shaky breath. “I never want to go through something like that again. And the children . . . how do I tell them I’m going to love someone else? Max has nightmares still. Emilia clings to the memories she has left.”

“You stop doing what you did to me.”