Page 19 of Engaged to the Mountain Man

I push to my feet and stomp out the door, leaving her behind. I don’t know how she’ll get home. But I know Roman will look after her.

She storms after me and yells my name.

I stop and turn to her. Tears are streaming down her face, and it’s a knife to the chest. There’s too much pain competing for my attention.

“Rafael, wait. I want—”

“My name is Rafe,” I grind out.

She reaches out a hand to touch me. I step away, not letting her make contact. I can’t feel her hands on me right now. “Your father was a horrible person, but don’t throw us away.”

The anger consumes me, burning me from the inside out. “I don’t want anything to do with any plan that came from him. Sorry about your kingdom, but you’re on your own, princess.”

With those words, I walk away, leaving her in the middle of the forest.

10

AURORA

I stareafter his retreating figure. My heart is breaking in two. I thought I found forever with him. I thought he was meant to be. But now here I stand, rejected again.

Pain lances through my heart, deeper than anything I felt for my mother. Still, I recognize this pain so familiar. It’s grief. Grief for what could have been, for what we lost.

My phone rings in my pocket, but he doesn’t turn around. He’s disappeared into the trees, and I fumble with my phone through my tears. Agony is making my fingers and heart numb.

When I see it’s Violet, I answer immediately asking her, “What’s wrong? Is it Father’s health?”

Her voice is shaky, as if she’s been crying. “You must come home immediately, Princess. Your father’s illness is getting worse.”

“But Rafe—”

“It’s too late. You have to come now,” she insists.

I square my shoulders. I can’t help Rafe through his pain. He’s not willing to let me, but there is a kingdom that needs me. “I’ll be there.”

I end the call and turn in a circle, realizing that I don’t know the way back.

Roman is standing on his porch, regarding me with a mixture of pity and compassion. “Give him time. He’ll come around.”

“There isn’t time. I have to get home. Father is—” I press a hand to my mouth. It feels like everything is crashing down on me at once.

“Got it.” He pulls his keys from his pocket. “Are you sure you don’t want to try to say goodbye?”

The weight of the world rests on my too-tiny, too-frail shoulders. “He won’t hear anything I say right now. He may never be ready to hear me.”

I can’t imagine how deep is pain must be. All those times he thought he wasn’t good enough. Now it seems as if his worst fears have been confirmed.

I wish he would let me in, that he would allow me to go through this with him. But he’s rejected me. He’s rejected my love, and I can’t wait. Nico will use this opportunity to take the crown.

I look to Roman and give him a resolute nod. All I can do at this point is stay focused on saving my kingdom. I can’t think about how the love of my life walked away from me.

Roman drives me to the airport in stony silence. I appreciate the fact that he doesn’t try to drag me into conversation.

As we near the airport, his vehicle makes a clunking noise, and I look to him. Guilt flickers across his features. “I guess, it backfired on me this time.”

“What do you mean?”

He doesn’t answer me. He mutters something about it would teach him to sabotage his own vehicle. Still, we manage to arrive at the airport safely, and it’s then I realize I have no money or means. I lost my return ticket in the rain with my luggage. As it is, I’m lucky to have my phone and passport.

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