I’d had my ass handed to me many times as a boy. I’d always been the unruly prince. There was the dinner my parents had with Lord and Lady Cavanaugh when I let two lizards I found in the garden loose under their chairs. The lizards were both green and it wasn’t until they captured one that they realized it had a twin that was still hiding under the center pedestal.

Then there was the time Juliette’s friends were swimming at pool on summer break and I stole all their clothes and threw them over the racquet court fence. The nets were littered with cotton pink and white bras.

Not to mention, I had scared off every private tutor assigned to me. I put them through the wringer.

Wallace had witnessed all my pranks. And many times, he had stepped in, instead of my parents. I’d heard the lectures. The speeches about what it meant to conduct myself as the true prince of Galona.

But now, I didn’t care about his bullshit. I hadn’t for a long time. He was the last person who was going to stand in the way of what Elena and I had. And there was no way in hell I was going to let him shame her for going after what she loved.

She clutched my hand. “This is so strange.”

“What?” I asked.

“I’m not used to summoning Wallace. I always have to go to him. It’s protocol.”

I laughed. “Get used to it. This is the day the tables have officially turned.”

“He’s not going to like any of this. You realize the world is changing around him faster than he can adjust.” She sighed. “He has the family’s best interests at heart, despite what a grump he is. I don’t think he’s appreciated enough. And he’s fighting to keep the old ways in place.”

I huffed. “He’s not appreciated? What are you talking about? He has the run of this palace. He’s the only one Alaric retained from my father’s reign.”

Elena had always been direct with me. She was an honest and straightforward manager, but now that we had come clean with our feelings, she had let down another set of barriers. She spoke to me unfiltered.

“I realize you don’t have time to worry about the things Wallace does. That’s not how the crown works. The royal family can’t function if they have to deal with the everyday minutia. But what he takes on would crush most people. And he does it day in and day out with the most honorable intentions. Yes, he’s stuck in the old ways. And yes, he’s abrasive and stuffy, but he rarely hears a thank you.”

I stared at her. “And here I thought he just needed to get laid, when really the old man wants gratitude.”

She swatted my chest. “Cor, I’m serious. He sees his culture dying out. He doesn’t like it.”

“Who would?” I shrugged.

She sighed, exasperated I wasn’t budging.

“Maybe I should speak to him myself,” she offered.

The protectiveness curled around my ribs. I wasn’t about to let her be in his line of fire, even if she thought Wallace was a misunderstood old goat.

“No.” I pressed my lips together. “I will handle the news.”

“Fine.” She threw her hands in the air.

We didn’t have more time to argue. My butler announced Wallace’s arrival. I looked up. He tugged on the lapel of his burgundy suit. It signified he held the highest rank of anyone in the royal family’s employ.

After Elena’s speech, I recognized the jacket might have more meaning than I had ever considered. There was a new aura of pride I hadn’t picked up on before.

“Thank you for joining us, Wallace.” I invited him into the sitting room.

“Your Majesty.” He bowed slightly. His eyes immediately darted to Elena. “Miss DuBois, you are out of uniform in front of his majesty,” he rebuked.

She pulled her shoulders back. “I am.”

“Royal managers should never—”

I held a hand in the air. “Before you launch into a tirade about protocol, you should know Miss DuBois has handed in her resignation this morning.” I gave him the letter. “The king has read it and accepts her resignation.”

His cheeks reddened. “But why?”

I clasped Elena’s hand in mine, threading my fingers through hers. “Because we’re a team. But not the way we used to be.”

His eyes bulged. “You can’t be serious.”

“Dead serious, old man.”

Elena broke from my hold. “What Prince Corbin is trying to say.” Her eyes cut to mine. “Is that after careful consideration it would be best for the crown if I resigned so that I didn’t bring shame to the royal managers’ program.”

“You made a commitment.” He clenched his teeth. “You took a vow, Miss DuBois, swearing to serve the crown.”

“And she did serve the crown with grace and dignity. But I can’t ask the woman I love to serve me as an employee. Surely, you wouldn’t want me to pay her to be in my bed, Wallace?”

His eyes narrowed. “I can’t accept that you would do something like this. Such dishonor. Such blatant disrespect for the boundaries you swore to observe.”

“It wasn’t intentional. I never set out to embarrass you or our position.”

“No one is embarrassed,” I interrupted. “I need a list of replacements before the end of the day,” I reported. “Elena will hire her replacement. Everything goes through her until I have a new royal manager.” I rubbed my jaw. “And while you’re at it, she is going to need her own manager. Send candidates in pairs.”

I had finally said something that made the old man speechless.

Elena spun in my direction. “We haven’t discussed anything like that.”

I shrugged. “The queen had a manager before she was queen. Cosette serves her well. I don’t see why you shouldn’t have the same treatment. Wallace, make sure Elena has everything Her Majesty does.”

He bowed stiffly and backed out of the room. His face had grown redder, enough to come close to the hue of his jacket.

“You completely insulted him just now.”

“I did not. I asked him to do his job.”

“He’s not used to the queen and you just told him to double the awkwardness. He’s never going to see me as fitting of a title, and especially not worthy of my own manager.”

“That’s his problem. Not ours.”

Elena pressed, “You’re going to lose him, Cor.”

“We leave for the States tomorrow. I don’t know how long we’ll be gone, but I’ll patch things up.”

Then we both realized what part of the conversation we had left out.

Elena looked at me. “We didn’t tell him about the baby.”

I shook my head. “He doesn’t need to know.”

“It’s going to send him over the edge,” she pleaded. “Think about it.”

I slipped a hand around her waist. “We have bigger things to worry about than Wallace’s delicate feelings.”

“Then you should let me get started.” She tried to wiggle free, but I held her close.

“Something you should probably know about me, baby.”

Her eyes widened. “I don’t know everything?” She pressed against my chest with her palms.

I leaned, brushing a kiss over her pouty lips. “Where you are concerned, I’m not going to repeat the mistakes of my past. I’m not going to let this thing with Wallace turn into an argument between us. I have enough to battle without allowing a disagreement push you away from me.”

Her gaze softened. “It’s not. I’m not going anywhere, Cor.”

“I think the sooner you start to realize what side of the crown you sit on now, the sooner you’ll understand my perspective. It’s going to take time. For me too.” My hands snaked over her body, cupping her ass. “But you and I are unstoppable, Elena DuBois. Nothing can get in our way. Not anyone. Not a single law. Or decree. Together we’re going to be ok.”

She nodded slowly. “Together.”

I kissed her, drinking in the warmth of her lips. It was as if she had dipped them in honey. I couldn’t get enough of her. I didn’t think I ever would.

I groaned at the growing length of my dick. “Shit.” I gritted my teeth. “I need to go. I have meetings all day.”

“I have a million arrangements to make,” she whispered, unzipping my zipper and sliding her hand to my cock. “So much to do.” She wrapped her palm against my shaft.

I looked over my shoulder. The apartments were open for royal business. Staff could come and go at any time they needed. There was mail drop off. The plants had to be watered. Maid service and the royal laundress usually came by in the morning.

“But my dirty princess wants to play?” I almost chocked on the words when she tugged lightly on my balls. What had gotten into her?

She nodded.

Well, fuck. How could I say no to that?