The next morning, there was more movement in the palace than I’d ever seen before. Servants rushed around, completing their tasks, while I was utterly lost and I had no idea what to do with my hands, never mind my body.

Luke explained that everything was taken care of, but I still felt as if I should be doing something.

Early that morning, two servants came into the room carrying several different options for the funeral. They all looked the same to me as they were black and heavy on the fabric. I chose the lightest one that covered every inch of me, other than my hands and the neck up. It came with an accompanying headscarf. I didn’t try that on, not wanting to embarrass myself if I arranged it incorrectly. Luke would help me later on if necessary.

Luke kept me at his side the entire day, enough that I felt like an accessory more than his girlfriend. I wondered if he was protecting me from his Mother or if I was his main support system. Either way, I didn’t mind.

Guests arrived all morning and afternoon. I recognized a few, but Luke and I didn’t stop to chat with anyone.

After the funeral, a banquet in Erol’s honor would be held in the palace. Luke informed me that we would have plenty of time to speak with the guests then.

---

The actual funeral was a cultural shock and one of the saddest events in my life. As much as Gia hated me, I didn’t like seeing her devastated with grief. The events of the funeral were not familiar to me, but Luke jumped in with explanations whenever he could. There were so many people in attendance. I supposed it made sense since the country was losing a king, along with this family losing a father and a husband.

There wasn’t a dry eye the entire night during the service. I was choked up for most of it, even though everyone spoke an unfamiliar language. Many people mourned loudly during the ceremony. Their wailing reverberated in my chest, making it even harder to breathe a full breath.

Luke was stoic for most of the time. I knew everyone was looking at him as their next ruler, but no one spoke the words. The funeral was about Erol, but I knew the conversation would come up soon after. Since I was Luke’s girlfriend and I never left his side, I knew I would be a part of that conversation.

I was ready for anything when it came to Luke, but I wasn’t sure if he wanted me as his queen. A distinct divide separated us on that fact. If he did want me as his queen, I would have a lot to consider. If he didn’t, then I was about to go through this thing with his family and then be sent off back to Dallas without a story.

I doubted Mr. Fraser would care about my sexual encounters with a prince—that story might work at a woman’s magazine, but not the Dallas Post. And anyone could research Muslim funerals to get the scoop.

I was between a rock and a hard place, and the space between quickly closed in around me.

Luke and I had a private car on the way back to the palace. Once we were inside, both of us sighed.

“How are you holding up?” I asked.

He wiped a hand over his face, his fingers scratching against the stubble on his cheeks. “I just want this to be over.”

“I know,” I said. I had to think of a way to distract him in the time we were alone. I had no idea when we would be alone again. “What’s next?”

“Everyone will go back to the palace for a banquet,” he said.

I already knew that was happening, but I nodded my head as if I didn’t.

“It’s going to be an all-night thing,” he said. “If you want to go to my chambers, I’d completely understand.”

“No way,” I said. “I’m here for the long haul. You didn’t bring me here to sit in your bedroom, did you?”

“If I could join you, then yes.” A hint of a smile touched his lips. It was nice to see it after the day we’d had.

---

When we made it back to the palace, it was much later than I realized. We headed into one of the main ballrooms, which was already starting to fill up with guests. Even though we’d been up for a while that day, there was no ending in sight. While I wasn’t at all tired, I could have used a little more time alone with Luke to figure out what he was thinking about all of this.

Luke had an iron grip on my hand as we entered the banquet. The feeling in the room was much different than the last time I attended a banquet with Luke. That time had been all about Luke showing me off in front of influential people.

Now, all eyes were on Gia. Everyone made their way over to her and Abir—he hadn’t left her side either—and offered their sympathies.

We were approached as well. The tone was a little different when Luke spoke with these people. He remained stoic and spoke with them as if they were business associates more than family and friends. I supposed that was his way of dealing with everything. I imagined that him stepping up to the throne was in the front of his mind. The suggestion lingered on everyone’s lips, but no one flat-out asked him.

While they didn’t get the answer they were looking for, everyone who approached us was friendly toward me. They acknowledged my presence, much to Gia’s disappointment. I felt her heated stare from across the room more times than I could count. While I appreciated the kindness toward me, I wondered if it was just them being polite or if they thought I would be their future queen.

I had to immediately shake away that thought. I didn’t want to be with Luke just to become his queen. I wasn’t sure if I wanted the position at all. Erol’s funeral was not the time to consider it. Luke wanted his space when it came to the throne, and I would comply, if not for my own selfish reasons as well. When it came to any future between Luke and me, I knew it involved a crown on one or both of our heads.

When there was a little break in the crowd coming to speak with us, Luke pulled me aside. We stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows on the other side of the room, opposite from Gia and Abir. I wasn’t sure if he’d seen her death-stares or if he wanted a breather. Either way, I wasn’t going to speak with him about his mother’s attitude at that moment.

“How are you doing?” I asked. “Can I get you anything?”

He smirked.

“What is it?”

“The last time I let you get me something, Mother spoke with you, and you ran away from me.”

It seemed like a lifetime ago, but we were also reporter and subject at that time. Now, I wasn’t going anywhere unless Luke wanted me to. At least, not until after the funeral events.

“I could use a break,” I said, noticing some of the guests trying to catch Luke’s eye. “How about I stay here while you mingle for a little while? I’ll catch up in a minute.”

The cool air coming from the windows beckoned me to stay near. Even though the dress I wore was light and flowed around my legs, the temperature in the room had spiked significantly after all the guests arrived.

Luke leaned closer to me and cupped my cheek. I leaned into his warm hand, even though my body was already on fire. Luke ignited something else inside of me, and for that brief moment, the entire world fell away, and we were the only two people in existence.

“How did I get so lucky?” he said.

“I’m the lucky one,” I said, speaking from my heart.

His lips met mine in the most chaste yet erotic kiss of my life. I wasn’t sure if it was because he was claiming me in front of everyone in the room or the fact that we hadn’t kissed since early that morning before breakfast.

I vowed not to let that amount of time pass again.

When he pulled away from me, I sighed and shooed him away. My cheeks flushed, and I needed a minute to compose myself.

Watching Luke speak with others was different than standing next to him. I felt as if I were a voyeur, watching a regal prince schmooze with his subjects. His chin was high, and he commanded the conversation, even though I couldn’t hear exactly what they were saying.

Someone cleared her throat next to me, and I instinctively moved aside, thinking that I was blocking their way.

When I glanced over my shoulder, my stomach plummeted, and I drew in a sharp breath.

“Gia,” I said.

Luke’s mother turned her body so she stood next to me. Her mouth pressed into a thin line.

I looked around for Abir, but I had the idea that she sent him away so she could have another conversation with me. This time, it would end differently. I wasn’t going to be rude to her, but I also wasn’t going to allow her to speak with me as she’d done before. No matter what Luke said to her, she continued to look down on me. I wasn’t that girl anymore, at least not when Luke wanted to be with me.

“I know you don’t like me,” I said. “But I’m not here to cause problems. I’m here to be with Luke and give him whatever he needs at this difficult time.”

“I know,” she said.

I snapped my head in her direction. “You do?”

She nodded slightly, still focusing on the crowd in front of us. Her hands clasped in front of her, and they weren’t tight fists as I’d seen on numerous occasions in my presence. “From what you and Luke insist on repeating, I know that you both want to be with each other. I’ve tried to put sense into my son’s head, but it hasn’t worked.”

“I’m not sure what to say to that,” I said. I knew she didn’t want me to be with Luke, but hearing her speak so bluntly was a little off-putting.

“I’d like to know what you’re going to say when Luke becomes the king,” she said.

“I’m not sure I understand what you mean,” I said. “Do you think I would tell him not to take the throne? I would never.”

“I’m not talking about him,” she said. “He’s going to make the right choice. But I do wonder if you’re willing to give up your life for him.”

“My life?” Was I missing something?

“If you’re so invested in my son’s life and you want to be there for him, there is the eventuality of you rising to the throne with him. If you’re serious about him, then you must be serious about letting go of your life to shoulder the responsibilities of the throne.”

This wasn’t where I thought the conversation was going. Had the room become warmer in the short time since Gia started speaking with me?

I couldn’t allow her to get under my skin, but from the satisfied expression on her face, she knew she already had.

“Do let me know if you have any questions about being queen,” she said and then flitted away.

I watched her leave, my chest heaving with effort as if I’d just run ten laps around the palace.

Glancing at Luke, he was still in a conversation with the same group as before. And just like the first banquet, Gia had ended our private conversation, leaving me with a lot to think about.