I startle when the compartment door opens, blinking a few times before I jolt upright.

I must be having a dream—William is standing at the door. My heart speeds in my chest for only a moment, until I realize he looks anything but happy to see me.

“What the fuck?” William almost growls the words.

Carter sits up, too, rubbing at his eyes. “What—?”

William glares daggers at him before he interrupts. “I should have finished you when I had the chance—”

I stand, walking over to block William from entering the compartment. “Leave.”

“I will not.” He turns his narrowed gaze to me. “You are my wife. And I’ll not stand for this…this…this person to kidnap my wife—”

“He hardly kidnapped me, William.” How does he not understand? His actions are what caused me to leave. William may as well have abandoned me, the same as every other man in my life has done.

I lower my voice when I notice there are people beginning to crowd into the hallway outside my compartment. “You are causing a scene.”

“Let them stare.” He growls at me. “Let them all know that my wife decided to run off with some…American—”

I interrupt by grabbing his arm and pulling him into the compartment with me. I slam the door closed behind him.

There’s a light rapping on the door as soon as I close it, and I can see through the small window that Princess Sophia has joined the melee, too. I shake my head, opening the door to allow her to enter.

She smooths her dress as she walks in the room. I’m not sure what is going on here, but both Sophia and William appear to have what look like grease stains on the front of their clothing.

Sophia seems to notice, and she rubs her hands on the sides of her dress, smudging more grease on the garment.

I turn to see William with Carter’s collar in his fists. In the few moments I’ve been neglecting to pay attention to him, he’s already attacked my poor friend again.

“William.” There is nothing but sternness in my voice. “Unhand him.”

William glares at him for a moment, then shoves him away by the throat. He takes hold of my forearm. “Come with me.”

“I will not.” I try to twist my arm out of his grasp, but he only tightens his grip.

“You will—”

“I will not,” I repeat. “It isn’t as though you own me, William.”

He stares at me for a moment. “Then it isn’t as though you can stop me from joining you if you won’t come with me.” He glares over at Carter. “And if I find that he’s laid a single finger on you—”

“You’re being ridiculous. I’ve already told you Carter is a friend from college.” I let out a sigh. “We’ve been though this. I’m not going to keep explaining myself to you.” As much as his jealousy might be a show of his affection for me, it is entirely misplaced.

“I…” He lets out a huff, and his gaze narrows to near slits as he continues to glare at Carter. “You know what I mean.”

“Do I?” I shake my head. “I don’t know anything about you, William. I thought I did, but clearly I was wrong.”

“Is that so?” He turns his gaze to mine, giving me a few fake blinks of innocence.

“Actually, I suppose I know you’re a pompous, jealous ass. And that is truly all I need to know—”

“And what of this man?” Sophia interrupts. “He knowingly took you from your husband. Right after you and William shared a moment, he swooped in and took you—”

“May I get a word in? Please?” Carter rubs at his neck where William had been choking him a moment earlier. He pauses, waiting for anyone else to speak, and when they don’t he begins. “Good. Now as I was saying—”

“As I was saying.” William interjects again. “I’m taking my wife back to the palace in Rosvalia.”

The way he says the words my wife sends a jolt through me that I didn’t expect. Even still, I try again to twist away from him, but it’s no use. He has a tight hold on my arm, and I can tell there is no way I’m going to be able to run from him this time.

“I think your wife needs a break from the jealous histrionics of her husband. I think—”

“How dare you?” Sophia interrupts. “You have no right to decide what Justine needs. Her place is at her husband’s side. He deserves—”

“Enough!” I’m sure the sound of my voice shouting over the other three in the room will do nothing but draw more attention from the crowd outside, but I don’t care. “All of you…” I shake my head. “I will be the person deciding what is best for me, regardless of who I unfortunately married.” I’m finally able to twist my arm from William’s grasp. “I will decide where I go, who I see, and what I am doing.” I glare at William. “And I suppose if you have a problem with that, you can take it to my father.”

William reaches again for my hand, but I snatch it out of the way just in time. “Justine—”

“Carter is right—there have been far too many of your histrionic episodes. I don’t…” I shake my head, wishing for a moment that we had some privacy so I could at least attempt to explain things more fully to him. “I don’t care what might have happened between us, William. It still gives you no right to—”

“No right? That’s rich.” William scoffs.

“I don’t think you’re helping your case, Your Highness.” Carter is staring at William now. “I’m not sure how they do things in Montovia, Your Highness, but Princess Justine—”

“You aren’t Rosvalian. And you certainly aren’t Montovian. I’ll kindly ask you one last time to remove yourself from this compartment.” His voice lowers. “And I’m not going to ask you again.”

Carter holds up his hands like he’s surrendering. “Fine. Fine.” He lets out a long sigh.

“No. It isn’t fine.” I glare at William again. “I am not your property, and I’ll do as I please.”

“Over my dead body. If he won’t leave, you’ll come with me now.” He tries to pull me toward the door, but Sophia stops him.

“Brother, we should sit down until the next stop. Where are you planning to take her?”

“Finally someone with a sense of reason.” Carter rolls his eyes. “I was beginning to wonder what the hell was wrong with you Montovians.”

William glares at him for another moment before he yanks my arm, pulling me over to sit next to him on the bench where I’d been sleeping only a few minutes ago. “We are not done with this.”

“Oh, we are done.” I try again to twist my arm from his grasp, but it’s too tight.

“We’ll discuss it in private at the next stop.”

Sophia sits down across from us, next to Carter. “What were you thinking? Were you trying to cause an international scandal—?”

“Why would going to an art gallery opening of one of my former classmates cause an international scandal, Sophia?” I try again to get my arm from William, but it’s no use.

“Because you’re with a man who is not my brother.”

Sophia’s words send another jolt through me. She’s right of course. But it doesn’t forgive the jealous fit William seems to be throwing.

Sophia’s eyebrows draw together and she turns to the man sitting next to her. “And you. You should have known better than to coerce a married woman—”

“I’ve had enough.” I edge myself as far away from William as I can—he’s still holding onto my arm tightly, as though I still might run away from him.

Perhaps he’s right to hold on. But neither William nor Sophia understands. I had wanted to make things work with William, especially after what we shared a few hours ago. No one in my life seems to comprehend how difficult allowing myself to open up—even a little—has been for me, especially in the last two years. I’d like nothing more than to be William’s wife—and for him to be my husband—but the risks are great. Our marriage might be over in less than two months—and then where will I be? Even if William chooses to support me and come to America with me, there’s no guarantee that my father will allow it. And William could lie to me—he could pretend he supports me and leave right when I need him most…

Perhaps Carter is also right—maybe I should tell William what happened. Maybe then he might understand why it’s nearly impossible for me to allow myself to be close to him, no matter how much I might want to. But we have to stop with the resentment and jealousy. And it all needs to end today.

I turn to face my husband, tears welling in my eyes. “I’m tired of the constant games and jealousy and—”

“You’re being ridiculous.” William is muttering under his breath. “Fucking ridiculous.” I could swear I almost sense something pained beneath his anger, and it makes my stomach churn with guilt.

But he has behaved out of turn, no matter how romantic his jealous gestures might have been. “Fine. I’m ridiculous. I’m not the one who’s punched two men in the past few days. And for what? For—”

“Touching you?” He nods, his heading bobbing up and down like he’s gone mad. “Yes, Princess, I lost my mind because someone was touching my wife. I’d imagine that if one of my former lovers touched me—”

“I wouldn’t lose my mind the way you have, I assure you, Your Highness.” I shake my head. “When are you going to wake up? I’ve done nothing inappropriate. I’ve never given you any reason to doubt my word.” I wish he could understand. I wish he could see how much this is killing me.

He shakes his head slowly from side to side, and I’d swear I see the pain in his eyes as much as must be able to see it in mine. “Don’t you see, Justine? You have now.”