Page 53 of The Billionaire's Royal Secret

Elena blew out a shaky breath. The sense of being off-balance faded, and her heart returned tonormal speed. She glanced over her shoulder again at the building. The ghosts hidden in the shadows reminded her of the secrets she kept.

Would she be able to push past them and find the cool night air again or would she remain trapped in the haunted house forever?

Before she could answer her own question, Nate tugged her toward the Ferris wheel.

As they joined the line, Nate glanced at his phone again, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

“Nathan? Are you certain you’re all right?”

“Yeah,” he said. “Just…family stuff.”

“Oh. Something that requires your attention? If you need to go…”

“No, no, I just…” They shuffled forward to the front of the line. Nate never finished his statement, and Elena furrowed her brow, but before she could ask about it, the attendant waved them forward.

They climbed into the bubble-like car, and the door slid shut. The car bobbled around as the ride advanced forward before grinding to a halt to load the next passengers.

Nate settled into the seat across from her, leaning forward, his elbows on his knees.

“You seem a bit distracted. Do you hate Ferris wheels?”

“No,” he said with a slight chuckle. “But I am distracted. I…uh…there’s something I need to tell you, Ellie, and I’m afraid it’s going to make you hate me.”

Elena’s stomach didn’t just drop, it plummeted. The words made her chest tighten as she stared at him, a lump forming in her throat. “All right,” she said her voice a whisper.

Her mind raced ahead, wondering what it could be. Was he breaking up with her? Was her world about to crash down?

CHAPTER 12

NATE

Nate tried to stop the trembling in his hands, clasping them together tightly as he balanced his elbows on his knees. He gauged her delicate features after he’d issued his warning shot.I’m afraid it’s going to make you hate me.

The concern etched into every line of her face made his stomach clench into a tight knot. How could he find the words to say what he needed to say?

The Ferris wheel pulled them upward again before it skittered to a stop. Their car wobbled back and forth as he tried to find his voice. “Ellie, I…”

She reached for his hand, squeezed it. “Nathan, whatever it is, I’m certain we can face it.”

He breathed out a shaky breath. “I really want to believe that because…I…Oh, Ellie. I’m over the moon for you. I’m…I love you.”

Her features melted into a smile at the words. “I feel the same. Which is why we can face anything.”

The car slid forward again before jerking to a stop. Her expression changed from happy to concerned in an instant. “You don’t seem relieved.”

“I’m not because I haven’t told you what I need to say. I just…I wanted you to know how I felt before I said it. I…”

“What?”

As Nate struggled to form the words, memories of Chloe’s betrayal flashed before his eyes. The sting of her deceit, once a sharp pain, had dulled over time but never fully disappeared. He feared not the revelation of his wealth, but the possibility of losing Elena, the one person who saw him for who he truly was. “I told you about Chloe, about how she cheated with my brother. How she wasn’t interested in me for me, right?”

Elena nodded. “Yes, I remember.”

“She was interested in me for a specific reason. And I…umm…the thing is, Ellie, I haven’t been honest with you. Not totally honest, anyway.”

Shock and fear flickered through her eyes as she stared at him. The Ferris wheel whisked them upward, finally spinning in a smooth, constant motion. His words flowed along with it.

“When we first met, I was so concerned that what happened with Chloe would happen again that I…lied about who I am. I’m…my name is not Nate Parker. It’s Nate Kingsley.”

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