The chef had prepared the steak as I had requested. That was part of being royal. I got everything I wanted. Right now. I wanted Elena.

She sat across from me at the dining room table, wearing my T-shirt. I didn’t think she could be any cuter.

“I know I said I wanted tonight to be about us, but I need to check my messages. Montclair promised me the first update before midnight.”

“There could be information about Sophia and the baby? Check. You have to check,” she urged.

I walked to the dresser where I left my phone and returned, scrolling through messages.

There was one from Johannes.

“I have something.”

“What is it? What does it say?” Elena placed her goblet of water on the table. She leaned forward.

“It says she’s in the States.”

“America? Which state?”

I sat in the chair. “Well. This is strange. Isn’t my sister-in-law from South Carolina?” I asked.

“Yes, the queen is from the coast there. She was here studying at the Conservatory.”

I rubbed my jaw. There wasn’t much to go on. But Johannes Montclair had a location at least. He worked fast. I had hired his best security agent for a reason. I needed someone with discretion and expertise.

“Well, that’s where they are. Sophia and the baby are in South Carolina.”

Elena looked at me. “You want to go, don’t you?”

I sighed. I didn’t know what to do, only that I had to see my daughter. She wasn’t two yet. There was still time to get to know her. Sophia had stolen her first eighteen months from me. I couldn’t let her steal anymore. She had no idea she was raising a bear cub. There would be no sign of her shifter instincts until my daughter was five. I still had time to intervene and prepare them both.

“Yes.”

“An international royal trip would need to be coordinated.” I knew she was thinking through what this kind of travel would require. Her brows narrowed. “And we would need a viable reason. Also, we would have to keep Sophia away from the media.”

I nodded. “I agree with everything you’ve said.”

“I can start right now. I can look at your calendar and block off a few weeks.”

“No.” My voice was firm. I rose from the table and walked around to Elena. “That’s not the role I want you to play anymore.”

She closed her eyes. “I am your royal manager. This is what I’m trained to do. No one can handle this situation better than I can. This is what I do. This is how I help you.”

“No.”

She continued in complete defiance. “You also have to have the king’s approval. Maybe this is a time we could benefit from having the queen as an ally. Maybe she’d like to go home? We could work a full royal Galona-U.S. publicity tour. We could travel to several states and include the queen’s home state as the starting point. It’s been years since the Marquiss have planned anything.”

“Elena,” I warned.

She looked at me, full of questions. “I think it makes sense. The queen can travel with a full royal caravan. What don’t you like about it?”

“She’s not going.”

“Why not? It’s perfect.”

I shook my head. “I can’t ask the queen to do that.”

“But if she knew the circumstances. If you told them it’s to bring the princess home. The king isn’t going to deny his own niece.”

“Elena, Eden is pregnant.”

She gasped. “What?”

“They told me at dinner last night. No one knows.”

“Wallace?”

I shook my head. “He doesn’t have a clue. They don’t want him to ruin their excitement with royal decrees.”

The recognition shifted. “This means you’re no longer next in line to the throne.”

“True. But I was never going to be king. I don’t want it.”

“But why not? You’d be an amazing king.”

I huffed. “I’m two days out of rehab. Only you would think I would make an amazing king. I have a child that’s been hidden from me because I wasn’t a fit parent.”

“That’s not true. Sophia gave up on you. She hid your daughter because of her fear of the press. Not because of you.”

“I live in a damn fishbowl. She couldn’t be with me without the constant pressure this life requires.”

I couldn’t believe we were discussing my ex. It was strangely uncomfortable. I had always been able to tell Elena everything, and now bringing up someone who hurt me, who broke my heart, didn’t seem right. The last thing I wanted to do was defend Sophia’s choices.

I knew what my life did to her. The day she left was the day the drinking became something it never had before. Nightcaps became full bottles. Cocktail parties meant staying until the bar was closed. And managing me, meant watching me destroy myself. I looked at Elena. She had endured so much.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“No. Don’t apologize to me.” I lifted her chin. “Never apologize.”

My chest hammered with how much I wanted her. I still had the rest of tonight to prove to her she could leave her commitment behind her.

I had a better offer. One that put her in the middle of everything royal. My bear knew exactly what we had to do.