She sighed. It wasn’t the first time and wouldn’t be the last. She loved her apartment in this older building, especially because of the breathtaking view of the royal palace on the hill and the river winding its way through Drago. But sometimes the inconveniences—such as the elevator breaking down with regularity, or the hot water turning ice-cold without warning—made her yearn for something more modern, more reliable. Although she’d long since accepted the sacrifices she had to make for her charming home, that didn’t stop her from muttering maledictions as she began the trek up eight flights of stairs.
Then she consoled herself with the reminder that she needed the exercise anyway. She’d had to cut her jog short this morning because the overnight snowdrifts hadn’t been cleared yet, and the footing had been hazardous in the extreme.
Still, Angelina was glad when she reached the seventh-floor landing and knew she had only one more flight to go. She turned the corner, her hand on the railing, and stopped short at the sight of Alec sitting on the top step, his head and shoulder propped against the wall. Fast asleep.
Her heart had already been pounding from exertion, but seeing her indomitable Alec waiting for her, his face soft and vulnerable in sleep, kicked her pulse into overdrive and sent a wave of tenderness through her body. She knew—because she’d suffered from the same lack of sleep as he obviously had—that his decision to break things off with her had cost him dearly since she’d last seen him a week ago. Mentally. Emotionally. Physically.
She also knew there could only be one reason why he was here—somehow he’d found out she’d resigned her commission before she could tell him. And he’d come here to...tell her what? That he wasn’t worth the sacrifice? That he couldn’t accept it?
Alec had unilaterally decided to end their relationship the first time around. And though she understood why—because of the way he’d been raised—it was time he learned there were some things he was going to have to compromise on. And a life-altering decision was something that had to be made by both of them...together.
The stairwell door on the bottom floor slammed shut, and faint footsteps mounting the stairs could be heard in the distance. Alec jolted awake, his hand reaching for his SIG SAUER in the same instinctive move Angelina herself would have made.
Their eyes met across the distance that separated them. But instead of the despairing expression she remembered from the last time she’d seen him, now his face glowed with hope. And Angelina’s hope was kindled, too.
She rushed up the stairs, but Alec met her halfway, his arms closing around her in a bear hug that lifted her feet from the ground and threatened to crack her ribs. He did nothing else, just held her tight, not saying a word. But the tiny flame of hope in her heart was fanned into a blaze.
Angelina didn’t know how long they stood there on the stairs, lost in each other’s embrace, but when the footsteps mounting the stairwell below them grew closer, she murmured, “This is not the place. My apartment, yes?”
Somehow they made it into her apartment without letting each other go. And as soon as the door closed behind them Alec was kissing her as if his life depended on it. Angelina matched him kiss for kiss, understanding his fierce need the way she understood him.
When Alec finally released her long enough for them both to catch their breaths, he pressed his forehead against hers and his eyes squeezed shut. When they opened again she saw that same dampness in them she’d seen when he’d listened to Caterina’s story unfolding. Only this time the emotions he was fighting weren’t painful to watch. This time they gladdened her heart.
“You resigned for me,” he whispered.
“Yes. And no.”
He pulled back slightly and his brows twitched together. “I don’t understand.”
She smiled a little at his bewilderment. “I resigned because I love you, but not only because I love you. I also resigned because this is work that must be done, and you must do it.” She drew a deep breath. “Even though I always intended to eventually resume my career in the law, Alec, it was not an easy decision. Even though I have been seeking job counseling from some of my former law professors, it broke my heart to resign now. But I did not want to put it off, because—”
Air gusted out of Alec’s lungs. “That’s just it, Angel. You’re not going to believe this, but neither of us has to resign. Neither of us has to sacrifice our honor...our duty...to be together.”
Her smile faded. “Now I do not understand.”
Alec explained. Quickly. Succinctly. “So you see, there’s no need for you to resign after all. And the king refuses to accept your resignation anyway.” Then he said in a low voice, “I love you, Angel. No one will ever love you more than I do. Please believe that. I just couldn’t ask you to give up everything for me—”