Page 49 of Royal Bosshole

The elevator opened up right outside of his place, and I was breathing hard by the time I gained the courage to knock on his door. When it swung open, and I saw his face, everything ached inside of me. There was a rush of desire, but also of affection, as I saw the distress in his face.

“Are you okay, Lily?” he asked, looking the most nervous I’d ever seen him.

“Yes,” I said, coming in and pushing past him. I didn’t want to waste any time. If I stayed too long, I might do something I would regret. “I needed to talk to you about this.” I held up the folder, and he frowned as he backed into the door to shut it.

“What is it?”

“The papers that tell me who I am, and that I am meant to marry you to save your country.” I kept my eyes down as I spread the papers on his coffee table and pointed at them. “Is this true? Did you know about this?”

He nodded, and I could tell by the tick in his jaw that he was upset about it. Of course, he was. What prince would want me for a wife? I was just a woman who’d barely gotten back on her feet.

“I found out when I saw your birthmark.”

“Dear god.” I sat down. “That’s why you ran away. It’s no wonder, you would be disgusted by me being the one woman you were meant to find.”

“Lily, please—”

“Why didn’t you just tell me?”

“I was scared.” He cleared his throat. “It was all so…unexpected.”

“Geez, ya think?” I rubbed a finger over my temple as I stared at the papers. “Why did you hire me, then? Was it just about the business? Then why did you have to seduce me?”

“Me seduce you?” he asked, looking genuinely surprised. “I felt like I was pulled into your sphere. It was unavoidable.”

Frowning, I stood up. I had no idea what to say to that. They definitely weren’t words of love.

“Why did you hire me?” I asked again.

“I wanted the recipe. I wanted your business. I didn’t know you were the princess, but it was always on my mind. I wanted to find her, marry her, and save my country. The other things were just…”

“Just what? Just a bit of fun before you had to do your real duty?” I could feel the tears coming, but I held them back as hard as I could.

“No, please Lily, let me—” He paused. “Would you ever consider marrying me in a loveless marriage? You could do as you please, of course. But then the country would be saved. We could finally set things straight in Lenovia, and I would be able to change the law for the next prince.”

“The next prince. Meaning our child?”

I blinked, wondering how this man could speak so casually about such things. Loveless marriage? The next prince?

He nodded. “The choice is yours. You are Lenovia’s last hope, but I will respect any answer you give.”

I crossed my arms. I wanted to scream. This man, whom I’d grown to care for, to love, despite all my efforts was asking me to do something in his usual cold and callous way. It would be torture to be in a marriage with someone I loved who did not love me.

“I cannot, James. I can’t be the person you need me to be.”

He looked down and nodded again, looking almost remorseful. “You’re a wise woman.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because I’m not worth it. I do not deserve to be king anyway.”

I wondered if he was just asking for compliments, so I remained silent.

“Just listen for a few minutes, Lily, and then you can go. I have a story to tell you.”

JAMES

Slowly, I lowered myself to the chair, and she sat back down. Her refusal felt like a hole had been dug out of me. I wanted to save Lenovia, of course, but I wanted her to be happy too. The marriage wouldn’t have been loveless for me, but I could give her a life of comfort and security, and I’d thought maybe for one stupid second that that would be enough for Lily. Only it wasn’t. I should have known. She had dreams, hopes, and plans. None of them included me.

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