Page 87 of Trapped with the Undercover Prince

Zar grinned. “So, about those heirs...maybe you’re the one who should be giving it some thought.”

“What? No, I would never... She’s royalty, and I’m—”

“A good man,” Zar said, clapping him on the back. “Times have changed, my friend.”

Nicolas shook his head. “He hurt her, and she not over it yet. I doubt if she’ll ever be over it.”

“She lost a baby, and the man she loved turned out to be a social-climbing jackass, so yes, she needed time to heal.” He met his friend’s gaze and saw a need a want there he fully understood. “But I think you’ve missed something. You’re the only man she trusts other than me.”

Nicolas shook his head.

Zar nudged the other man with his shoulder. “I’m not the only one who’s noticed it.”

Nicolas’s head came up fast enough to give the man whiplash. “Who else?”

“Gabby, Estelle, my mother.”

Nicolas closed his eyes tight for a second. “I’m fired,” he said on a grunt. “Fucking fired.”

“Has anyone said anything to you?”

“No.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

He thought about that for a moment. “Zar, I... She’s...”

“Yeah, I hear you, brother,” Zar said as he caught sight of Anna, his sisters, and his mother coming toward the ballroom. “It’s hard to admit someone matters as much as she does, but the risk is worth it.” He hoped.

He sucked in a deep breath as the ladies all entered the room and followed the queen toward the podium. They arranged themselves in wings of two to either side of the queen.

The room quieted, and the queen began to speak.

Zar watched Anna, who darted nervous glances at him when she wasn’t looking at the back of his mother’s head.

Zar wasn’t sure what she said, but people applauded, so he did, too.

Anna came forward then to face the queen. She curtsied and stayed low long enough for his mother to put a necklace around Anna’s neck. A necklace that matched the ring he had in his breast pocket.

After the queen stepped back, Anna turned around and curtsied to the crowd, who responded with another round of applause.

His mother looked at him and nodded.

Zar stepped up to Anna and held out his hand. “May I have this dance?”

As if on cue, the quartet providing music began a waltz.

Anna, with a smile pinned to her lips, said, “I don’t know—”

“I’ll keep it simple, I promise.” He leaned toward her and whispered, “Just follow my lead.”

She sighed and put her hand in his. “You’re too cute to reject in front of all these people.”

He stepped up close, put his arm around her, and pulled her into his body. She fit like she’d always been meant to be in his arms. “People?” he asked with a straight face. “What people?”

“Don’t make me laugh. I’m sure it’s against the law to laugh at a formal ball.”

“Not that I know of,” he said slowly. “Though, I should probably check before I try telling jokes at the buffet table.”

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