Page 24 of The King's Fake Bride

“You don’t know her, so you can’t make that assessment,” I say, tone sharp as I glare at them. “You’ll both need to take a step back. Amy can handle herself, and she is going to be a good queen.”

“Who are you trying to convince?” Aunt Meri asks, her smile smug as she stands and heads for the door. “We’ll see you at the party, Xander. Hopefully your fiancée doesn’t make a fool of herself.”

Uncle Stavros follows her, the door shutting behind them.

I get up and lock the door, needing some time to myself.

Convincing the pair of them that the marriage is real will be the most difficult part of the entire plan. Both are skeptical by nature, and Uncle Stavros has always looked for a reason to assume the crown.

If I’m forced to abdicate, he’s the next in line.

I need public approval to go up.

And I need to make sure that the sharks circling Amy don’t eat her alive.

I stand at the foot of the spiral staircase, adjusting my gold cufflinks as light music comes from the ballroom. Soft voices flow through the hall above me before Amy appears at the top ofthe stairs, wearing a deep emerald gown that forms to her body like it was made for her.

She grabs the railing like she’s afraid she’s going to fall, turning to look at Daphne over her shoulder. Daphne motions for her to keep going and she finds her footing, starting her way down the stairs.

I stop fussing with my sleeves and take the stairs two at a time, never taking my eyes off her. The bodice of her dress is structured, but the panels of fabric are sheer along her stomach. With each step, the slit that travels up to her thigh shows off her long leg and matching heel.

When I reach her, she looks at me with dark-lined eyes.

“Hi,” is all I’m able to say, so overcome with her beauty.

That’s the best I can come up with?

I’m not supposed to be attracted to her or get attached.

This marriage is only for show. Amy is going to leave at the end of the contract, and I’m not going to see her again. We’ll both go back to our separate lives.

Except, when her full lips part and she sighs, all I want to do is lean in for a stolen kiss.

We reach the bottom of the steps together and she stops, taking a deep breath. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

“You can. Just be you.” I hold out my elbow for her to take, and she slips her hand through it.

Her fingers tremble against me. “I don’t think they’re going to like that very much. I don’t have a clue about your politics oranything else about Katastinia, even though Daphne has been trying to teach me. What am I going to talk to people about?”

“You can talk to them about the wedding or what you used to do in America. Maybe about your family.”

“Ah yes, everyone loves a good dead family story at an engagement party. Will you be telling yours?” she asks, amusement in her voice.

I shrug. “Pity points really couldn’t hurt us right now. People might be nicer if we remind them that we’re just a couple of orphans trying to do our best in the world.”

Amy laughs and shakes her head as we stop outside the pair of towering double doors leading into the ballroom. “We’re not going to go around telling everybody that we’re orphans. We don’t need to put that on everyone else.”

“I don’t know about you, but it’s still my backup plan. If anyone starts to bother me too much, I’m going to launch fully into theI’m so sad my parents couldn’t be here to see thisspeech.”

“That’s cold.”

“Does it matter if the sentiment behind it is true?” I nudge her with my hip, trying to get her to laugh again.

She struggles to smother her smile. “I don’t think that’s the point.”

“But it made you laugh.” I give her hand a squeeze as the music pauses. “That’s our cue.”

The doors swing open as I put on the smile I’ve rehearsed since I was born.

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