Page 12 of The Princess Sister Swap

He sensed Clem catch up beside him and they walked along in silence for a little longer. ‘I understand better than you know,’ she said at last, her voice quiet. ‘I’ve only met my father a handful of times, he’s never seen me act, never said well done after an exam result, he wasn’t there the day I buried my mother. I should hate him, sometimes I do, but more than anything I want him to notice me, want him to be proud of me. I want him to acknowledge I exist.’

Akil didn’t know what to say, so instead of words he reached out and took her hand. It was warm in his, fitted him as if made for him to hold. ‘I’m sure he knows. He’s like my father, not a man to show his emotions.’ Akil reluctantly dropped her hand, his own instantly cold.

‘True, but knowing it’s not personal doesn’t make it any easier. I hate that I care. I’m twenty-seven, a grown woman. I shouldn’t let the way I feel about him affect my life. But it does. Sometimes I think the only reason I became an actress was to be seen. For the moment the applause rings out for me and I relish the validation that gives me. Pathetic, isn’t it?’ She shook her head, her mouth compressed tight.

‘Not at all,’ he said softly. ‘We all need validation. What about your mother? Did you have a good relationship with her?’

Clem stared down at the sand, digging into it with her trainer toes. ‘I did, we were very close, and I miss her every day. But my mother, she was a force of nature. Not many women would take in their ex-lover’s daughter every summer, but my mother loved every waif and stray. Every cat we owned was a runaway she ended up feeding. She was a woman who embraced causes, was at the heart of every campaign, her life was big and filled and sometimes it felt like there was little room for me. Everything was open to anyone who needed it, from Christmases to time together. She just had this endless capacity to scoop people up and look after them, but it meant I always had to share her.’ She gave a little laugh. ‘I know that I sound so selfish, so spoiled. But sometimes I just wanted to be first with one of my parents just once. If I ever marry, if I ever have kids, it will be different. Maybe it’s boring, but I want the house and garden and the kids playing on the trampoline and a husband who loves me. Who sees me. And I want that for Rosy too, because she needs it just as much, more in some ways.’

Akil turned to face her. ‘Are you warning me off?’

‘No.’ She shook her head. ‘Not at all. And I’ll tell Rosy all about this conversation. I just want you to know that there’s more to her than the practical Princess and I bet there’s more to you than the ambitious politician and you both need to take that into consideration.’

‘I will,’ he vowed, and he meant it. ‘Come on, I’d better get you back.’

‘Have I frightened you off?’

He laughed at that. ‘No. In fact you’ve intrigued me. I’m glad I met you today, Clem. I can’t help thinking that in another time, another place, we might have been friends.’

That was only partly true, because in another time and another place he would have liked to have known her a lot better, to have explored the attraction he could feel building between them.

‘Friends?’ she echoed. ‘Yes, I would have liked that. Thank you for today, Akil. Not just for the trip and the food, but for listening.’

‘Any time.’ And he meant it. It was just a shame their paths were unlikely to cross again.

CHAPTER FIVE

HEARTPOUNDING,LEGSACHING, Akil reached his apartment door, opened it and staggered in to collapse on the sofa, his water bottle within reach. Ten miles in the heat of the early afternoon at that pace had been foolish but he’d needed the exercise.

Needed to get Clem out of his mind.

It had beenonemeeting. One afternoon. Just a few hours spent together. But somehow in those hours he’d been more honest with her than he had been with any other human being for years—including himself. He couldn’t hide from the question she’d asked him. Instead it swirled throughout his mind relentlessly.

What was in it for him if he married Arrosa?

The answers came quickly and glibly. The same answers he’d given her: power, the ability to get things done, a place at the heart of all decision-making, marriage to someone compatible without any of the emotions or passions that could so easily turn dark and disrupt the equilibrium he craved. And most importantly of all, a chance to show his father that he was not only a true Ortiz, but he was better than him, had achieved more, to not just keep his promise, but to surpass it. Surpass him.

To show himself that giving up his own dreams had been worth it. Arrosa would never have made the suggestion if he’d become a doctor, no matter how skilled or successful he might have been.

Akil sank onto the sofa. They were all compelling reasons, but no matter how often he repeated them he couldn’t make them ring true. He liked Arrosa, respected her, but he couldn’t imagine spending a lifetime with her. Couldn’t imagine treading someone else’s path, not again. He’d already compromised his life’s purpose once and had vowed never again.

And there were other reasons to refuse, as compelling as those in favour. The Ortizes were an old family but not known outside Asturia. Whoever married Arrosa would be instantly targeted by the world’s press. Look what that meant for the royal family, even the unacknowledged daughter: Clem never having the opportunity to build a real relationship with her father, Arrosa resorting to subterfuge to get time alone, bodyguards always around. It wouldn’t take much digging to uncover the truth about his family, about his mother’s drinking and his father’s affairs. There was no way Akil wanted their dirty laundry spread all over the Internet.

At that moment his phone rang and Akil reached for it, only mildly surprised when he saw the Princess’s name flash up. She’d messaged him yesterday in reply to his question checking in on her, but of course she’d have had the opportunity to speak to Clem since then. The question was, what had Clem said about their time together? Would the Princess want to pursue her idea or was this call to let him down?

Either way his mind was made up.

‘Your Highness, you’re alive,’ he said as he answered it. ‘I have to say it comes as some relief. I’ve been hoping that I wasn’t taken in by a very clever con artist.’

Arrosa laughed, sounding far more relaxed than he’d ever heard her sound before. ‘Clem is definitely good enough an actress to be a con artist, but she’s far too straight talking.’

Akil smiled wryly. ‘I noticed that myself.’

‘Yes, I bet you did. She gave me a very interesting account of your conversation. I’m not going to apologise, it’s nice to know that someone is looking out for me, but I hope it wasn’t too bruising.’

‘Bracing maybe, but not bruising. She certainly made me think.’

A trace of caution entered Arrosa’s voice. ‘She’s good at that. That’s why she insisted that I take some time away, to givemetime to look at what I really want for my future. And I have. I know I’ve only been gone a couple of days but being away from Asturia, away from the court, away from all the pressure and hysteria around the ratification, has been exactly what I needed.’

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