Page 110 of Royally Rivalled

“No, Parker, it’s for the best. I love you. I want this to work, but it won’t. I won’t hold you back, and you won’t hurt me.”

“So, you’ll wound me first?” I said, tears welling.

“It’s for the best,” Astrid assured, now fully clothed.

She grabbed her handbag and went to the door.

“Astrid, if you leave?—”

“I’m gone. I won’t darken your doorstep anymore. We will have to make it through—as co-workers. I can manage that if you can.”

I couldn’t. She’d broken me.

“Fine, have it your way! Run away like a coward!”

My sadness presented as combativeness.

“Fuck you, Parker Westfall!” Astrid slammed the door.

All I wanted was for her to come back.

sixty

ASTRID

“Fuck you, Parker Westfall!”

The words were loud, harsh, and finite. Broken and battered, I sobbed as I raced outside. I fled up the street to my place, racing past Niall’s shoes by the door. I left Amara out of it, hearing them laughing in the den as I grabbed a beer and climbed the back stairs to my room.

A mess, I dialled Alexandra.

In French, I rambled, “Alex, sorry to call late. I need to cry, okay? Can I just cry?”

“Asti, sorry. Alexandra is passed out,” Rick said. “ Are you okay, sweetheart?”

It was like heknewsomething was wrong. Rather than be a loveable asshole, he flew into big brother mode.

“No,” I sobbed. “I am sorry. I’ll call back.”

“You don’t sound okay.”

“I just broke up with Parker, I think.”

“What? Why? You don’t have to tell me, but I’m up with a sick baby and… I have nothing but time.”

“She won’t go down?”

“She wakes herself up. She’s got a fever. Lex and I are paranoid. Alexandra is so sick still. I told her to go to bed.”

“You have a nanny, remember?”

“When you have babies, you’ll understand, Astrid. It is scary.”

“I must take your word,” I said. “Fine, I just… I need to talk to someone.”

“Shoot, kid.”

I took a deep breath. “I love Parker—more than I could imagine loving anyone—but our advisor is moving to Edinburgh. He insists I come with.”

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