Page 77 of A Royal Disaster
“You’re really in love with that woman?” his mother said, wrinkling her brow. She leaned back in the chair and shook her head. When she spoke again, her disbelief was clear. “I was certain it was just a ruse to avoid your duty.”
Maybe it had started out that way, but he wasn’t about to admit it.
“I am in love with Elena,” Liam said, turning from his mother to his father. “And so are the people, judging by the latest Griffin polls.”
His father waved a hand dismissively. “Those bloody polls are meaningless.”
“Really?” Liam challenged. “Because they predicted the outcome of the last two elections for Prime Minister.”
“It doesn’t matter. We need the support of the noble families, and the best way to forge an unbreakable alliance is through marriage.” His mother sighed. “Frankly, I think we’ve been more than reasonable in giving you several options.”
Reasonable? They’d been anything but, not that he hadn’t anticipated this reaction.
“Perhaps instead of relying on the same political alliances and elitist attitudes that got us into this mess, it’s time to show the people a more human side of the monarchy. The polls clearly show the people have embraced the prospect of a common queen. Win their support and we won’t need the nobles.”
“You want to marry a commoner?” His father pinched the bridge of his nose. “Absolutely not. It breaks with tradition.”
Liam rose to his feet and picked up the files he’d dropped on the table. He strode to his father’s desk and dropped them on the blotter. “Tradition has its place, but there is more than one way to win over the people, and perhaps if you weren’t so focused on the past, you’d be able to see your way to a better future for Valeria. This,” he said, stabbing the files with his pointer finger, “is the path forward. While you’ve been playing royal matchmaker, I’ve been working on a project that will actually improve Valerian lives.”
His father studied him, an inscrutable look on his face.
Bloody hell. Why was the old man so damn stubborn?
“Let me be clear,” Liam said, straightening his tie and enunciating each word carefully. “I love Elena and one day, when the time is right, I am going to ask her to marry me. If you do not give me your blessing, I’ll abdicate to Alexander.”
The queen sucked in a breath as if she’d been slapped. The king grasped the arms of his chair with a white-knuckle grip. Liam felt as light as air.
“You. Wouldn’t. Dare.”
“Try me.” He held his father’s gaze, unflinching. He wanted to rule Valeria with every fiber of his being, but he wanted Elena more. Their love was the one concession he would not make. Not for his parents, not for the crown, not for anything. It was a calculated risk but, given Xander’s problematic relationship with the media and his devil-may-care lifestyle, there was no doubt that if he was next in the line of succession, Parliament would succeed in grabbing power from the crown.
For the first time in his life, Liam truly felt like a king standing before his father.
An indiscernible look passed between his parents and the moment felt stretched to eternity, but when his father finally spoke, his gamble was rewarded.
“She’ll need a proper introduction at court. And for God’s sake, get her a decent wardrobe. Valeria’s future queen can’t be seen parading around in stained dungarees.”
It was the closest his father would ever come to admitting defeat, but it was enough.
His mother smiled and if he didn’t know better, he’d have thought it was full of genuine pride. “I look forward to meeting Elena and having her stay at the palace.”
Liam grimaced. He’d convinced his parents, but Elena wouldn’t be so easily swayed. He’d fucked up royally and he didn’t have a clue how he was going to prove his love, but he wouldn’t rest until she was back in his life and in his bed.
…
“Mierda,” Lena cursed, huffing out a breath. The loose strands of hair that had slipped loose from her bun fluttered up and fell right back in her face. “Goddamn-stupid-freaking-torture device.” She tugged on the corner of the fitted sheet, trying to stretch it over the last corner of the bed. If she didn’t know better, she’d have assumed the damn thing had shrunk in the dryer.
Jinx leaped onto the bed, landing on the opposite corner. Lena watched in disbelief as he began to paw at the edge of the sheet, which promptly snapped back, causing her to lose her footing as the tension on her own corner gave way. Lena landed on her ass on the hardwood floor and pain ricocheted up her spine.
Sheet: One—Lena: Zero.
“Puñeta!” She threw her hands up in the air, no closer to making the bed than she had been five minutes ago. “That’s it, I give up.”
Who needed clean sheets anyway? Not her. She’d be sleeping alone for the foreseeable future, so what did it matter if only half the mattress was covered? She’d just toss a blanket over the other half and call it a day.
Lena climbed to her feet, massaging her tailbone and glaring at the cat.
“Bad kitty,” she said, scolding Jinx. As usual, the cat was unfazed by her reproach. Ignoring her, he pranced to the center of the bed where he stretched his limbs and flopped down for an afternoon nap. “Oh, no you don’t!”
