Page 59 of Modern Romance Collection December 2024 Books 5-8

He shook his head. ‘I climbed onto the podium to take the gold, so proud of myself and what I’d achieved and sure he had to be too. In that moment, I had all these wild fantasies, that he would come up to me, that he would offer to be my dad, that he would apologise for never being there for me...’ He cursed under his breath.

‘My mom was there and she spotted him, too. She saw how devastated I was when he looked at me like I was nothing, as he left with his “real” sons,’ he added, lifting his hands to do air quotes. ‘It gutted me, that he still didn’t want me. But it crushed her, too—which was worse somehow, because she had always been there for me and he never had.’ He turned back towards her. ‘Ever since then, I made sure never to open myself to that kind of rejection again. It was just me and my mom and we were fine. And when she was gone, it was just me. And that was the way I liked it...’

He headed towards her. His gaze roamed over her face, and made her feel truly seen—not just the competent queen, but the strong woman beneath, and the vulnerable, terrified girl too—as he always had.

‘Until you came along and blew that I’m-the-only-person-I-need crap to smithereens.’

She gripped his hands, held on tight. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘Sorry he was so unworthy of you. You deserved a much better father than that.’

‘Yeah,’ he said. ‘We both did... But don’t tell me you’re sorry, Belle, just tell me I haven’t spilt my guts for no reason.’

She felt the smile crack her face—at the forthright way he spoke to her—and the smile reached into her chest to wrap around her heart. They had a long way to go yet. She had never loved anyone before, never needed them the way she needed him. And never trusted that they could love her back with the same fervour.

But the hope felt worth the pain now. And the obstacles ahead of her, ahead of them, didn’t feel so scary any more, if they could face them together.

‘You didn’t,’ she said. The tear that edged down her cheek, though, didn’t hurt any more. ‘I want to make this work, to build something better, something that could last. You mean so much to me, too. I need you with me, Travis,’ she said, the hope in her heart obliterating what was left of the fear.

‘Thank God,’ he murmured, then covered her mouth in a furious kiss, which showed her not just how much he wanted her, but how much he needed her, too.

She kissed him back, with the same fury. The same fervour. But as her mind drifted towards pleasure, her heart continued to thunder against her ribs.

She drew back, forced to confront the whole truth.

‘I want to make this a real marriage, more than anything in the world,’ she said. ‘To make us a real family. But how do you feel about being Androvia’s consort for ever?’ she asked.

She loved him beyond reason, but her life was not her own in many ways. And he would be taking on a commitment far greater than simply loving her, if he were to join his life to hers, fully.

She held her breath, scared to hear his answer.

But he only grinned, and cupped her cheek in his rough palm, his expression unguarded, and so full of love she thought she might burst from the sheer wonder of it all.

‘I love you, Belle,’ he said. ‘Your fierceness and your compassion and your determination to see the best in everyone and I especially love that reckless, artless, passionate girl you keep hidden from everyone but me.’ He wrapped his arms around her, to hold her close, and pressed his lips to her hair. ‘But I also love your loyalty, and your steadfastness,’ he murmured. ‘And your selfless dedication to this country.’ He pulled back, his expression intense, but still full of that charming irreverence she loved.

‘I’d like to make it my country, too,’ he added. ‘But be warned, I’m never going to be great at dealing with the press, or sitting for hours on end listening to boring speeches, or handling all the other protocol and security stuff that goes with your job.’ He planted a fierce kiss on her lips, rueful amusement shining in his eyes when he spoke again. ‘But if you can handle how crap I am at being a consort, I can sure as hell handle living in a palace and having my wife being the Androvian queen.’

She beamed back at him, so moved by his declaration, she felt as if her heart were going to explode out of her chest now with sheer joy.

She knew, too, he would be a much better consort than he believed, bringing his own special brand of authenticity and approachability to the role, which she already adored and she knew her subjects would adore, too.

‘Understood,’ she said solemnly. ‘I love you, too, Travis.’

He tugged her back into his arms, his gruff chuckle reverberating in her heart.

But then he slayed her all over again.

‘Before we get to grips with any of that, though,’ he said, his tone sobering, ‘we need to find the rest of your family for you, first.’

‘Yes,’ she whispered, banding her arms around him and blinking back tears again at the realisation he already understood exactly how important Mel was to her. And how anxious she was about her disappearance. But as he held her, and she listened to the sure steady beats of his heart, she somehow knew they would find a way through this, together.

And whatever it took, he would help her to bring Mel home.

A home that meant so much more to her now, because he was in it, too.

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