I waited. What else could I do? I thought she would throw her arms around me and tell me yes a thousand times over. No, I thought as I looked at her wrestling with my proposal, Rose would never throw herself at anyone. She was level-headed and smart about everything she did. I couldn’t imagine exactly what was going on in her mind right then, but no doubt she was rationalising and considering every aspect and whether they made sense or not.

Damn her ex. Those pictures were supposed to be a way for me to show her that she was beautiful and to break her out of her shell, not shame her publicly and drag her into the nasty world of the tabloids that I already lived in! I could kill the bastard for what he was threatening to do to the both of us. And her worry about me was ill placed at best. While Father would be pissed about the newest scandal, we could weather the storm as long as she accepted my proposal. Without it, well, the entire ordeal was about to be ugly. And I would be lost without her.

“Edward…”

“Please, Rose. Don’t leave me hanging here.”

She reclaimed her hands and stepped away. “It’s not being engaged to you that has me worried,” she finally said, a nervous tremble in her voice that had me on high alert. “It’s the thought of people actually believing it.”

“The hell with all of them,” I said, annoyed that she was worried what others thought, but I could read between the lines, too. She didn’t think I meant it. Thought I was just trying to protect her. But the thought of marrying her, making this real, made me feel like the luckiest fucking man on the planet. “I didn’t ask them for their opinion, I asked you.”

“Edward,” she said, exasperated with the situation. “Can we just slow down for a moment and rationally think through this?”

I ran a hand through my hair roughly and stalked over to her, settling my hands on her shoulders. “I’ve thought about it,” I said, looking into her unusual eyes. “And it’s a damn good plan, Rose. Let me protect you. Let me help you through this. Let me be yours?”

“What if he’s calling my bluff?” she asked softly, her eyes searching mine. “Then you would have done this, shackled yourself to me for no reason at all.”

“What if he isn’t?” I shot back gently. “Worst case is that he doesn’t do it and we break our engagement quietly after a period of time… if that’s what you wanted.” If she was so damned determined not to be engaged to me, I could let her go in the end regardless of the outcome. Hell these tender feelings were new to me, as well. I wanted to shelter her in one instance and let her go so she could be happy in the next. Shit, she scared the hell out of me.

“We really need to think about this, I need to think about it. Alone,” she said, exhaling. I stepped away from her then and gave her a shrug, trying hard not the let the hurt of rejection shine through.

“Sure, anything you want.”

“Can I give you an answer tomorrow?” she asked. I nodded and she turned toward the lift, jabbing at the button like she was trying to flee the devil’s lair.

“It’s going to be okay, Rose,” I called after her, causing her to turn to look at me. “I will protect you; we can make this work. You can trust me.”

“I know,” she replied softly as the lift doors opened. I turned away then, resisting the urge to run after her and force her to accept my proposal.

I waited until she was fully out of the building, watching her from the window until she disappeared down the road sheltered by big elm trees. I picked up my phone and dialled my brother’s number.

“Hello?” he answered.

“Andrew, I need your help,” I said, struggling to contain my anger and frustration. “Can you meet me at the club on St. James’ in a few minutes?”

Andrew sighed and I knew he was looking at his watch, no doubt checking to see if he was going to be late to any appointments if he gave in to my request. That was another difference between the two of us. I could barely make anything on time, and Andrew liked to arrive ten minutes early. “White’s? Yes, I have some time. Should I bring any bail money?” he said, laughing.

“Funny. Just get there—oh actually, I do need something,” I said sharply and explained what I needed him to do. His help would be paramount to me being able to weather this scandal. It was only a matter of time before Rose saw that this was going to be the best thing for her, and I wanted to be prepared for the backlash that was going to happen from my own family as a result.

Shoving a hand through my hair, I stood in my living room, then smoothed down the creases of the suit Rose had forced me to wear for the charity meeting that morning. It was a good thing, too. It saved me from having to get changed to be allowed into the exclusive gentlemen’s club that was White’s. They just barely tolerated my existence and membership, but it wouldn’t do to go in there in my scruff—a jeans and t-shirt… that would’ve turned into a scandal in itself.

With a plan forming in my head, I felt like I was actually on the edge of something great. I truly wanted to be engaged to Rose. Hell, I was both ecstatic and sick to my stomach at the same time. I didn’t want to fail her. That was the thought that was popping into my head now. I didn’t want her to see me as a complete and utter failure as the man in her life. I wanted to wow her. I wanted her to be proud to be by my side. I wanted to be the man she dreamed about at night. I wanted to be her everything.

Exhaling a slow, steady breath, I walked to the lift. It was time to meet my brother, break the news to him, and get him on my side.

“What the hell were you thinking? I thought you were trying to get on Father’s good side, not drive the wedge in further!”

I polished off the last dram of whisky and sat back, lacing my hands over my stomach and looking up at the barrel-shaped roof of the club’s coffee room, where lunch was being served. Usually I would’ve joined Andrew and had a serving of grouse, but I opted for a liquid lunch instead. I needed to keep my nerves steady and my courage up as I delivered the news to him. It wasn’t a rare occurrence for Andrew to be in attendance at the club, so most of the members paid us no mind, but as soon as my words registered, Andrew’s outburst had heads turning. Of course, they didn’t dare say anything about it—he was, after all, in line for the throne. They merely carried on with their own meals.

“I know it sounds crazy, but if those photos go out, it’s going to be a shit storm, Andrew.”

“How the hell do you get yourself into these messes? It’s like you purposely seek them out,” he said roughly, his cooling meal all but forgotten. “Are you sure she didn’t set this thing up herself to get her hooks into you?”

“Don’t,” I warned, my voice low. I had complete faith in the fact that Rose had nothing to do with those photos getting into the hands of her ex. It had been my idea to take them, and I remembered her reluctance to allow me to do so in the first place. No, she had nothing to do with it.

“You have to at least consider it—”

“I have. And no. She would never do that.”

“Fine,” Andrew said, slumping in his chair. “But Father is going to hit the roof. If I didn’t know better, I would think you were trying to give him a heart attack.” I sighed, my patience wearing thin. “However, I do think that you are right by trying to take some of the heat out of the potential scandal.” He then reached into his jacket and pulled out a packet of papers. “Here. I got the information you asked for on that boyfriend of hers. He won’t be too hard to intimidate. I have a few friends in MI5 who’d jump at the chance to do me a favour.”

“Ex-boyfriend,” I muttered, taking the papers. I had texted my brother to do some research before he came to meet me so that I would have ammunition when I met with the asshole who was threatening to ruin Rose’s life. And I planned on meeting with him in the very near future. “Thanks, Andrew. But that’s a little heavy-handed, don’t you think? I’ll take care of it myself now that I have these.”

“Well, if you’re sure, just let me know if you change your mind,” my brother responded, cocking his head to the side, then adding, “You’re really into this girl, aren’t you?”

“Damn right I am,” I said, setting the papers down beside my empty glass. “Rose is… she’s everything. I would like for you to meet her properly this time.”

Andrew nodded, and I thought back to how she and I had left it that morning. I knew no amount of talking with her or showing her the benefits was going to persuade her that this was the right thing to do. Rose was going to make up her mind when she was good and ready. I just hoped it was soon, before my heart shattered into a thousand tiny pieces.

Andrew took a sip of his water and then stood, smoothing out his jacket even though there wasn’t a wrinkle in sight. “I better go. Someone has to warn Father before it leaks.”

“Don’t tell him yet,” I begged, wanting to give Rose some time to think over the proposal and actually accept it before the hounds of the royal family set upon her. “Let her decide first.”

“Then hold off those photos,” Andrew replied. “You know we haven’t always seen eye to eye, Edward, but I only want what’s best for you, brother. I know you have your reasons why you do some things, and I can respect that. Just know I will be here for you. I’ll make sure you’re protected, too, no matter what.”

“Thanks, Andrew,” I said, my throat suddenly tight. It meant a great deal for my brother to show his support. I hadn’t been the easiest of people to get along with over the years, and he had bailed me out more stupid situations than I cared to admit. He nodded and walked off, leaving me to brood in silence. This was going to work. It had to work. If it didn’t, I didn’t know what the hell I was going to do.