Page 45 of The Billionaire's Royal Secret

Elena rolled her eyes. “Yes. Nathan insisted.”

“Was he duly impressed?”

“No,” she said with a sigh, “he remarked about how royalty was nonsense.”

“Won’t he be surprised if he finds out.”

The words made her stomach twist into a knot. “That’s what I’m afraid of. Hiding this from him–”

“Is a recipe for disaster?” Caroline asked, snagging a handful of popcorn.

Elena snapped her gaze to her ladies’ maid. “No. I was going to say difficult and emotionally taxing, not disastrous. But…now you’ve ruined it and struck fear into my heart.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, my dear.” Caroline said as she patted Elena’s cheek. “But it is a possibility you must face. If you plan to continue this relationship, you must tell him eventually.”

“I suppose you are correct. But I do not need to tell him yet. I still…want to make certain he loves me for me.” She dusted her hands after eating her last piece of popcorn. “And now I’m off to bed. I plan to deal with my dear cousin, Julian, as soon as I can.”

Caroline pushed herself up from her slouched position.

“No, no. I can manage to change myself. Watch your film.”

“I am still your ladies’ maid, no matter what you’d like to pretend. I will ready you for bed same as I have every other evening since you were eight years old.”

After her nightly routine, she settled in her bed, stretching out and forcing her mind to recall their carousel ride earlier rather than her wayward cousin. When she awoke the next morning, she stretched and firmed her resolve to stop Julian’s antics.

She spent her morning distracted until she finally hit the sidewalk, her feet pushing her toward the Royal Arms. Her heart thudded harder with every step.

When she arrived at the ritzy hotel and pushed into its opulent lobby, she was ready for the fight. She scanned the space, hoping to find her cousin in the lobby but she didn’t spot him. She approached the desk, requesting his room number.

“I am sorry, miss, but I cannot give out that information. I could call and leave a message.”

Elena gritted her teeth, her fingers curling into fists. “Please. Tell him his cousin has arrived to see him.”

“Of course, miss.” The front desk attendant dialed a number and waited a moment. “Hello, this is the front desk. I have Prince Julian’s cousin waiting for him…Yes, I understand. I will pass that along. Thank you.”

The attendant replaced the receiver and flicked his gaze to Elena. “He will be right down.”

“Excellent. I shall wait.”

Elena stormed to one of the armchairs and plopped into it, crossing her arms as she stared at the bank of elevators. Within minutes, one slid open and her oily cousin oozed from within the car.

She narrowed her eyes at him as he scanned the lobby before his thin lips curledinto a smirk.

He strode to her and eased into the seat next to her. “Elena. How lovely to see you.”

“Sir? Tea?”

“No,” Elena said, her eyes never leaving Julian’s sharp features.

Julian waved the staff member away before he settled back in the chair. “In a hurry?”

“I would very much like to end this encounter, yes,” Elena retorted.

He tented his fingers, studying her with his dark eyes. “Really? How unfortunate. It’s so lovely to see my cousin.”

“Stuff it, Julian. I don’t believe it. If you had your way, I wouldn’t exist.”

He shrugged. “It would put me one step closer to the throne, but here you are.”

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