Page 79 of The Billionaire's Royal Crown

Nate pressed his lips together, shifting again as it seemed that the Nays had it.

“Abstentions?”

No one abstained.

The man at the podium twisted to a woman furiously typing on a laptop. “Roll call, Mrs. Montgomery.”

The woman bobbed her head, clicking with her mouse for a moment before she began to call out names. “Mr. Abernathy.”

“Nay.”

Nate slid his eyes closed as the first vote came out negative.

“Mr. Armstrong.”

“Nay.”

Another knife to his heart as the second nay came out. They were already down two votes.

“Ms. Attelier.”

“Aye.”

His heart lifted slightly.

“Mr. Ayers,” Mrs. Montgomery called.

“Aye.”

Nate sucked in a shaky breath. They were neck in neck. He tried to keep track of the no votes, counting them in his head as the woman continued to call out names and record votes. Each no vote felt like a physical blow, his stomach tightening with each one. He gripped the armrest, his knuckles white, as the reality of the situation pressed down upon him.

He lost track somewhere in the D’s. He licked his lips, glancing to Alexander who sat expressionless.

How could the man sit there without reacting at all? Or was it because they were behind in the vote?

He glanced further down the aisle, finding Isabelle with a similar expression. His gaze strayed to King Frederick. The man also stood, hands clasped behind his back, with a completely stoic expression on his chiseled features.

Maybe it was the American in him, but he was barely able to contain his agitation, and he’d been through tough boardroom votes in the past. Emotions often ran higher in the boardroom, though, than they seemed to with the royals.

He shifted in his seat as they reached the L’s in the alphabet, votes pouring in one after the other.

His forehead creased as he faced the possibility that they may have a majority, but not a super majority. Most of the legislature may agree with the measure, but possibly not two-thirds of them.

They reached the S’s, each name being called out in what seemed like an agonizingly slow process.

His chest constricted as the voting continued, and he shimmied around, suddenly finding the seat too hard.

Mrs. Montgomery peered up over her glasses as she called out one final name, “Mr. vanWhyte.”

“Aye,” the man answered.

The woman noted the response before she clacked a fewmore keys. The moderator stepped over, peering over her shoulder at the screen.

She shifted it toward him, leaning closer to whisper the results. Nate narrowed his eyes, attempting to read her lips, but he couldn’t manage it. Whatever she said would remain a mystery until the man announced the results.

Finally, he nodded and straightened, approaching the podium again. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your votes today. We have our decision.”

Blood rushed through Nate’s ears as he waited to hear what it was, his legs feeling wobbly and his heart hammering.

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