The Prince's Scandalous Wedding Vow

“I am.” She hadn’t even realized just how deeply upset she was until he stepped through her door looking even more handsome than she remembered. He’d been beautiful to her in her father’s faded chambray work shirts and linen shorts, but now in elegant trousers, dark shirt, and dark tailored blazer, he looked powerful. Magnetic. He was a man of position and wealth. And he knew it, too.

“You didn’t have to reach out to me,” he said, slowly walking around the central room, studying everything as if he’d never seen it before.

She hated his slow, lazy perusal because she was sure it wasn’t lazy at all. He was doing his best to remember details. Or perhaps he was checking details against his memory. Either way, he had no right to be so relaxed, so indolent, in her home.

Her arms crossed over her chest, fingers curling into small, tight fists. “Does Princess Danielle know you’re here?”

“We’re not married yet.”

“What does that even mean?”

“She doesn’t get access to my personal schedule.”

“Does she even know about me?”

“The palace hasn’t released any information about you.” He gave her a considering glance. “Unless you’d like the palace to release information?”

She shot him a furious look, giving him the full measure of her wrath. “When did your memory return?” She asked, her voice flat, hard. “At what point on Khronos did you know who you were?”

“The day before your father returned.”

She stared at him, clearly struggling. “You should have told me.”

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“Because at that point I wasn’t ready to lose you.”

Her mouth tightened; her jaws ground together. She was not going to cry. She would not allow herself to show any weakness or emotion at all. “You mean you weren’t ready to stop having sex.”

His black eyebrow lifted. “Is that what we were doing? Having sex?”

“Unprotected sex. And there were...are...consequences.”

“I suspected that was why you reached out to the palace.”

“You’re not shocked?”

“As you said, there are consequences.”

“You sound so cavalier,” she gritted out. “You must have a plan in mind. A suggestion for managing this complication.”

“Are you enjoying yourself?”

“No. I’m sick and heartsick and I should have heard the truth from you. I should have heard the truth, if you knew it.”

“Agreed. I was wrong. I am truly sorry.”

His apology caught her off guard and she felt herself sag, so she sat down in the chair at the table, her hands balling in her lap.

He crossed the floor, approaching her, so tall that she had to tip her head back to look him in the eye.

“I didn’t tell you,” he added, “because I was determined to find a way to save us.”

“Save us?” She made a soft, hoarse sound of protest. “How? You were engaged to someone else. Your wedding was weeks away. You weren’t free to be with me. You weren’t free to make love to me.”

He crouched in front of her, his hands on her knees. “I can’t change what happened when I didn’t have my memory—”

“No, but that doesn’t mean I don’t regret it.” She pushed his hands off her knees, feeling burned. “All of it.”

“No.”

“Yes. I hate that week we spent together. I hate that I fe—” She broke off, swallowing hard, smashing the words that had nearly escaped her lips. I fell in love with you. But she couldn’t love him. Not anymore. She’d smash her feelings now, just as she’d suppressed the words. What had happened was history. The past was behind them. The only thing to do now was move forward without him. Somehow.

“Have you seen a doctor?” he asked.

She shook her head.

“Then how do you know?”

“I took a test in Athens yesterday, and I took it because I’ve never been late, and my body is different. Everything feels different. I’m violently ill, sometimes in the morning, sometimes at night. The only time I seem to be okay is in the afternoon and early evening.” She fell silent for a moment before drawing a breath for courage. “I wouldn’t have reached out to you if I wasn’t certain. I am pregnant. And I intend to keep the baby. I don’t need anything from you—”

“Of course you do. It’s my child, too.”

“I’m not asking for support. I’m not asking for—”

“Anything, yes, I know. But it doesn’t work that way, cara. You are carrying my child, my heir. You might not ask for anything, but that doesn’t mean you don’t get everything.”

She blinked, not understanding. “I’m sorry. I don’t follow. What is everything?”

“Marriage. My home. My kingdom.”

“But I don’t want any of those—”

“I knew you’d say that. I was actually counting on you saying that. You didn’t sleep with me to become pregnant. You didn’t make love to me for any ulterior motive. You are not one of those women that try to entrap a man.”

“Maybe it’s time for you to go. You know the truth. I’ve kept nothing from you—”

“We need you to see a doctor. We need to be sure.”

“I am sure.”

“Yes, but I can’t end my engagement to Danielle without proof. It wouldn’t be fair to her.”

“I don’t want you to end your engagement to her. You’re engaged to her. You must marry her—”

“I can’t, not if you’re carrying my child.”

Her lips parted but no sound came out.

“The babe you’re carrying is Aargau’s future king or queen.” Alexander rose. “I shall go look for your father and let him know you’ll be returning to Roche with me.”

He was so very different from her Alexander. But then, on the other hand, he wasn’t. He’d always been rather imperious, if not downright commanding. She’d known from the moment he’d first spoken to her that he was a man familiar with authority and accustomed to being obeyed. But that didn’t mean she had to fall in with his plans. She’d fallen in love with a man, not a prince, and she wanted the man, not the prince. “No, I’m not going.”

His mouth tightened. Creases fanned from his eyes. He looked as if he was hanging on to his patience by a thread. “I’ll explain to your father—”

“No need to look for me, I’m here.” Her father stepped through the doorway. “I’ve heard most of what’s been said. And I agree with Prince Alexander. You should see a doctor. You should

be certain. Feelings are not facts, and what you both need now are facts. Having clear facts will help you make the right decisions.”

CHAPTER SIX

SUNLIGHT PIERCED THE TALL, narrow windows of the tower suite. Holding her breath, Josephine watched the light pattern the smooth stone floor, focusing on where the blue-gray fieldstone disappeared beneath the pale ivory-knotted fringe of the burgundy and peach antique carpet.

If she stayed very still and very calm, she could lose herself in the streaks of golden light.

If she stayed very still and very calm, she could almost believe she hadn’t been locked for days in a high tower without any connection to the outside world.

And then, since she was pretending, she could pretend her room, with its high vaulted ceiling, lovely, narrow leaded windows, and imposing four-poster bed in the middle of the floor, was a luxurious historic hotel room, and she was a guest at this stunning five-hundred-year-old castle, making her much envied by those who loved luxury travel. She would also pretend that the man who’d locked her here, the man she’d fallen in love with, was a handsome, kind prince instead of a cold, heartless one.

Unfortunately, Josephine wasn’t good at sustaining the pretend game. It wasn’t that she didn’t have an imagination, but being the daughter of two scientists, she was more practical than impractical and loathed everything about her tower, and the man who’d locked her here.

Jo sat up straighter as she heard the scrape of the key turning in the lock. She fought a momentary panic because once the door opened, she couldn’t play her games of pretend. It was so much harder to manage her emotions with Alexander in the room.

Four weeks ago Josephine wouldn’t have believed any of this was possible. But then, four weeks ago she hadn’t known who Alexander was.

Four weeks ago, neither had he.

Now she wished she’d never told him she was pregnant. She’d thought she was doing the right thing, the honest and fair thing. But Josephine regretted her decisions with her whole heart as Alexander was neither honest nor fair, as it was his decision to put her here in this tower suite. It was his decision to lock the door. It was his decision to cut her off from communication with the world, but locking her away wouldn’t help his cause. If he imagined that a few days of solitary confinement would weaken her resolve, he was painfully mistaken. She’d spent weeks, months, alone on Khronos while her father was off teaching. She wasn’t afraid to be alone, and she wasn’t easily intimidated.