Page 79 of A Royal Disaster
“I won’t be the reason you abdicate the throne,” she said, knees wobbling as reality set in. Although she’d challenged Liam on this point once before, the truth was, she couldn’t bear the thought of costing him the throne. Even if his country’s laws were archaic. “You’ve spent your whole life preparing to rule Valeria, and you will be a good king when the time comes.”
Liam nodded, pride shining in his eyes. “You were right about Valeria’s laws. I hope to correct them someday. When I’m king, with you at my side.”
“How is that—”
“Let me worry about that part,” he said, flashing a devilish grin. Lena suspected he was holding back a vital piece of information, but he continued before she could ask. “If you love me half as much as I love you, I assure you things will work out brilliantly.”
Lena chewed her bottom lip. She did love Liam, with all her heart. She loved him so much it felt like the sensation might burst out of her chest like a ray of freaking sunshine. But she wasn’t sure it would ever be enough. This was real life, and there were no guarantees, least of all when it came to happiness.
She knew that hard truth as well as anyone.
“There’s only one thing I need to know,” he said, taking her hands in his and pressing a kiss to her knuckles. “Do you love me?”
“Yes,” she said, the truth of it softening her words. “I love you more than anything, but I don’t know how this could work when I’m such a hot mess and you’re…” She waved her hand to indicate the full length of him. “You’re you.”
“The people of Valeria will love you as much as I do—just as you are—because you’re genuine and sweet and mine.” He inched so close that just a breath separated them. He smelled of peppermint and sandalwood and she wanted nothing more than to lose herself in his touch. “Give me another chance, Elena. Come to Valeria. Stay at the palace this summer, and I promise you won’t regret it.”
The old Lena would’ve scoffed. She would’ve argued until she was blue in the face, listing all the ways things could go wrong, but Liam was right. Her craptastic luck was as much a part of her as her Nuyorican-Irish heritage or her love of art, and if she didn’t embrace it now, she’d spend the rest of her life regretting her choice.
“Yes.”
“Yes?” His face lit up and he crushed his lips to hers without waiting for confirmation. Heat crackled across her skin like wildfire and his mouth moved hungrily over hers, reminding her just how good it was with Liam. The sex had been amazing before, but makeup sex? It could be life-changing.
Good thing she didn’t have any classes this afternoon.
Lena parted her lips, inviting him closer, and his tongue skated across hers, the promise of pleasure in every thrust and parry. God, she needed this man. Not just in her body, but in her life. No one had ever made her feel as beautiful and treasured and perfect as he did. She’d been a fool to think she could walk away from him. From them. From this.
Crown or no crown, she needed Liam by her side. And against all reason, this powerful, sexy, charming man needed her, too. She didn’t know how it would work when her life was in New York and his was in Valeria, but they’d figure it out. Together they could face the politics and the tabloids and whatever else life threw at them.
When Liam finally pulled away, Lena was breathless. The man could kiss, that was for damn sure. He gave her a knowing smirk and slipped his arms around her waist. “You do realize this means I was right about Murphy’s Law.”
Lena quirked a brow. “How so?”
“Think about it. If I hadn’t trespassed in your alley, if you hadn’t turned me into an eggplant, if the story hadn’t gone viral—if we hadn’t gone through all that—we might not have found each other.”
“True,” she said, warmth flooding her body as the truth of his words sank in. For the first time in her life, Lena didn’t think of Murphy’s Law as a curse. Liam was right. Their disastrous meet-cute had been a blessing in disguise. Without it, she might never have found the man of her dreams and she wouldn’t be standing here, wrapped in his warm embrace, looking forward to the future for the first time in her life. “And I’ll be sure to remind you of this moment the next time I accidentally ruin one of your suits, trip over my own two feet, or, you know, catch the stove on fire.”
He pulled her in tight and brushed his lips across hers. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Epilogue
Liam strode through the palace gardens, breathing in the scent of roses and freshly cut grass, the palace photographer quick on his heels and Jinx tucked securely in the crook of his arm. The gardens were in full bloom, showcasing the skill and dedication of the palace gardeners. He didn’t frequent the gardens often—they were his mother’s domain—but after spending the week locked in meetings with the Spartan executive team, the fresh air and hot summer sun were a welcome change of scenery. He’d fought tooth and nail to ensure the online giant selected Valeria as the home for their new European headquarters, and the gamble had paid off.
Spartan HQ2 would bring tens of thousands of high paying jobs, improved infrastructure, and opportunities that would keep college grads from leaving the country in search of better employment prospects. When the deal had been signed, no one was more surprised than Liam that the king gave him credit for having the vision to spearhead the initiative and move Valeria into the twenty-first century. He was proud of the work he’d done and the vote of confidence—from his father and the people—had all but cemented his position as a capable future monarch.
The only thing missing? His queen.
Something he intended to rectify—as soon as he found Elena.
Liam grinned. The fact that his girlfriend was MIA might’ve deterred a lesser man, but determination—and the massive rock dangling from Jinx’s collar—spurred him forward. Besides, when had anything in their relationship gone according to plan?
“Where could she be?” he asked the cat. “We’ve checked her favorite spots: The Rose Garden, The Topiary Garden, and The Royal Fountains. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she didn’t want to be found.”
Jinx yowled in agreement.
“Just our luck, huh, buddy?” For weeks he’d been trying to come up with the perfect proposal. The ring had damn near burned a hole in his pocket as he’d wracked his brain for the right words and the perfect setting, determined to give Elena the picture-perfect proposal she deserved.
But then it had hit him. He and Elena weren’t about picture-perfect perfection. They never had been and likely never would be. Everything about their relationship was in-your-face and over-the-top. The way they lived. The way they laughed. The way they loved.
