It’s been two weeks since the storm, and two weeks since I’ve seen William. It’s been easy to avoid him, really. I made sure I was assigned far away from him when I was helping with the cleanup in the city, and there’s been so much to do with planning the upcoming conference that I’ve been spending my nights working until I drop from exhaustion.

I’ve moved into a guest room near my office. And it isn’t as though William has tried to come and find me—he probably wants as little to do with me as I want with him. Thankfully, dinner has been canceled each night since the storm—my father has been out of the country on some business thing and my mother… Well, let’s just say she’s probably been drinking her meals.

It’s just as well. Keeping myself busy has made the time pass more quickly. Until my run-in with William at the shelter two weeks ago, I’d thought that perhaps we might have a chance at something more than hatred for each other—perhaps we might even be able to like each other, if not fall in love. I can’t deny the attraction I feel for him, but it clearly takes something more than sexual chemistry to make a marriage work.

I’m still not sure what William intended when he confronted me about my relationship with my professor. It was not my idea to ask him to come to this conference. My schoolmate insisted that I invite him as the keynote speaker, which makes sense, given that James is a world-renowned poet.

But he betrayed me. He left me in my time of greatest need and crushed my heart.

It really wasn’t until William’s confrontation that I allowed myself to feel anything about having to see James again at all. My stomach has been a hard knot for two weeks now, dreading the moment when I’ll have to greet him. I had thought it would be easier having my husband at my side when he and I had to meet again, but it’s become clear that William wants nothing to do with me now.

No, I’ll have to figure this out on my own. I can keep my walls up, as I have for most of my life. I don’t have to allow myself to feel anything at all when I see James again in a few days, just as I’ve tried to keep myself from doing since the last time I saw him.

And I don’t need a husband. William can keep on doing whatever it is he’s doing. The last I heard, he was still helping with repairs around the city. And as much as I respect the fact that he’s taking care of the people of Rosvalia, he clearly has his own reasons for doing it.

I make my way over to the guest suite where I’ve been staying. I’m exhausted—I feel like I haven’t slept in the past two weeks, and there’s little chance I’ll sleep at all tonight. There’s too much to do—between ensuring our citizens have all that they need after the storm, preparing the venue for the conference, and actively trying to avoid William, sleep is at the bottom of my priority list.

A light is on when I open the door to the suite, and it is only a moment later that William speaks. “Hello, Princess.”

It feels as though my head might touch the ceiling when I startle at the sound of his voice.

William stands from the sofa across from the bed. This is one of the smallest guest suites in the palace—it’s little more than a bedroom and bath. He crosses the room in an instant and stops in front of me. “We’ve played this game long enough.”

My gaze narrows and I glare at him for a moment. “I assure you, Your Highness, I’m not playing any games.”

“Really? I haven’t seen you in two weeks.”

“Nor I you.”

William’s gaze narrows to match mine. “I’m not the one who hasn’t been sleeping in our suite.”

“And yet, I gave you the option. You were the one who decided not to take the opportunity to—”

“What are you doing?”

I take a half-step back and motion to the bed. “I’m attempting to go to sleep.”

His gaze narrows even farther. “You know what I mean.”

“I’m afraid I don’t, Your Highness.” I motion to the bed again. “As you can see, the bed is too small for two to share.”

He takes a full step toward me, coming closer than he was before. “Why are you here? In this room? By yourself?”

“I thought that would be obvious.” I take another step back. “I was giving you your space.”

“I don’t recall asking for space. In fact, I thought we’d shared a moment—”

“A moment? The moment when you confronted me about my former lover in front of my citizens?” I nod a few times. “Yes, Your Highness, that was some moment.”

He takes another step toward me. “Before that.”

“Ah, yes. The night before that when I begged you to fuck me. I do apologize for that, Your Highness. I was out of my mind. Delirious, even. You can rest assured that it will never happen again.” I take another step back, but now I’m out of room and my back is pressed against the wall, giving me nowhere to go. I motion to the door. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I really am exhausted. I only have two days—”

“And apparently, I only have eighty.” He takes another step toward me. “Why are you avoiding me?”

It’s not as though I can simply tell him the true reason. And I’m not sure I understand it myself. I only know that I can’t allow myself to be betrayed again. I can’t let him see that I’m terrified of things getting any more serious between the two of us than they already have. It will only end with my having another broken heart.

I lift my chin. “I’m not. I’m simply working—”

“You moved out of our suite while I was helping to reconstruct the bridge—”

“And I hear you did a fine job. I know our citizens are appreciative—”

“I don’t need appreciation. Not from them.” He takes another step forward so that he’s almost touching me. “I want to know why—”

“It took you two weeks to decide that, Your Highness?”

He takes another partial step toward me, and his body is so close to mine he’s almost pressed against me. The electricity between us sends a pulse through my body, and I wonder if he can feel it, too.

He lifts his hands to rest on the wall on either side of my head before he tips his forehead to mine. “I’m tired of this game, Princess.”

My heart feels as though it might beat out of my chest. “As am I.”

“Then let’s play a different game.”

My breaths are coming too fast, and it’s too difficult to speak.

He tilts his head and leans forward in what seems like an attempt to kiss me.

I’m not sure what happens—I must panic because I duck under his arm and out from against the wall. I back myself toward the door instead. “I don’t think I want to play that particular game either, Your Highness.”

He smooths his clothes before he runs a hand through his hair. “Fine.”

I nod. “Fine.” I turn and open the door, motioning for him to leave. “I think it’s time you go.”

He shakes his head as he walks to the door, tearing it out of my hand as he slams it closed and locks it. He turns to me. “No, I won’t be leaving tonight. And neither will you. Neither of us is going anywhere until we talk.”

I roll my eyes. “I have never met a man who wants to talk as much as you do, Your Highness.”

“And I’ve never met a woman more infuriating than you, Princess. Now…” He motions to the sofa. “Have a seat.”

“I think I’d rather stand, thank you.” I cross my arms over my chest. “What is it you want to talk about so desperately that it couldn’t wait till morning? What was so important that it waited two weeks for you to come and discuss it with me?”

“Oh, that’s rich. You’re blaming your disappearance on me?”

“I did not disappear. You would have only needed to speak with someone—”

“No one speaks to me in this palace, Princess. I think you know that better than anyone.”

I’m sure he can see the look of confusion on my face. “Why would I know that better than anyone? I’ll admit that I didn’t want to see you—”

“I think you’re in on this. The whole eighty more days thing and the whole no one in the palace is to speak to me thing.” He nods. “I think you arranged it all with your father. I think—”

“I think you’re having paranoid delusions.” I frown, narrowing my gaze. “You really think so little of me? You honestly believe I could be capable of doing such a thing to anyone—?”

“That’s just it though, Princess. I don’t know what you’re capable of. You don’t speak to me. You avoid me. You’ve moved out of our suite, for God’s sake—”

“I moved out because you wouldn’t. And because you accused me—”

“I never accused you of anything, Princess. I would never—”

“You did.” I nod, folding my arms tighter across my chest. “You accused me of lying. You—”

“You were lying.” His gaze narrows again. “You did lie.”

“I never lied to you, William. Not once.” I stare at him for a moment. “I would not lie to you any more than I would try to make you feel uncomfortable here. And I can assure you, I am not in on any conspiracy to do that.”

“Hm. Forgive me for not believing you, Princess.”

“Then why did you come tonight, Your Highness?”

“I told you—”

“You told me nothing. And you still haven’t said what was so damn important that it couldn’t have waited until morning—”

“You want to know why? Why I came here? Why I couldn’t stand being alone a minute longer?” He flings his arms over his head and flails about as though he’s lost his mind. “You really want to know?”

“I think you need to see one of the palace physicians. I think—”

“I think I married you. I married you and promised to be your husband. And you… You promised to be my wife.”

Something twists in my stomach and my chest burns. “And neither of us has met those obligations. I can be the first to admit that—”

“Come back to our suite tonight.”

I shift, crossing my arms over my chest again. “No.”

“No? Why the hell not?”

“Because I don’t want to. Because—”

“Because you’re still in love with him.” He nods and drops onto the sofa. “That’s it, isn’t it? You’re still in love with him. And now that he’s a free man… Now that he’s actually divorced—”

“Is that what you’ve been telling yourself these past few weeks? Even though I assured you—?”

“You’ve assured me of nothing, Princess.”

“Well, I’ll assure you now—”

“Prove it.”

“Prove what?” My brow wrinkles with confusion. “That I’m not in love with James Camden?”

He nods. “Yes. Prove it.”

I can’t believe he would think I could actually still love that man after what happened between us. If he only knew what had transpired, he would never be able to accuse me of such things.

I shake my head at him. “And how exactly do you want me to do that, Your Highness, when my word isn’t good enough for you?”

“I…I don’t know.”

I shake my head again. “You’re delirious. Or insane. Or both.” I stare at him for a moment. “You need to go back to your room and go to sleep. You need—”

“You have no idea what I need, Princess.”

“I think I have some idea.”

He stands again, crossing the room to stand in front of me. “Prove it to me.”

“I’m not in love with him. That’s the only proof you’re going to get from me. You’re going to have to take me at my word—”

“I’ve already told you, I don’t trust your word.”

“Then there’s nothing else I can do.”

He lifts a brow. “I can think of many things you could do—”

“Having sex with you doesn’t prove anything. It doesn’t prove I’m not in love with him.”

“I wasn’t asking you for that.”

I shake my head. “Then what were you asking me for, Your Highness?”

“Come with me.”

“What?” I take a step away from him. “W-what?” I take another step back. “You said you weren’t leaving the room until we talked. You said—”

“I changed my mind.” He nods and motions to the door. “Come with me.”

“Where? I thought you didn’t know how I could prove anything to you—”

“Just come with me, Princess.” He grabs me by the wrist, sending a bolt of electricity up my arm. “Come with me.” He pulls me by the arm as he opens the door.

“Where? Where are you taking me?”

He turns to face me, grinning. “Just come with me. I have an idea.”