Arm in arm with her roommate, Renee relaxed. She needed the support of a friend. Kristin had met her parents so she knew why they made Renee crazy. The men left and Kristin guided them to a side room in the palace. Once the light was turned on, Renee realized this was a library. Pristine books were everywhere behind glass shelves.

Her former roommate and best friend was a welcome sight, far more than her family’s presence would be. Her own mother wouldn't understand at all, but Kristin knew it all and never judged. Kristin led them to a cushy sofa and sat down beside her. Servants came and set water on a table before them. Neither of them said anything until they were gone. Then Kristin broke the silence.

"Renee, your mother pretends we never met."

Her face felt hot. "I have no idea what I'm going to do if they ruin my relationship with Marco."

"That's impossible." Kristin stared at her and her eyes seemed to blaze. "Marco is like his brother—a force of nature."

Right. Renee took a deep breath. "I once thought my ex Tom was an alpha who wouldn't cave." Renee felt the tears but blinked them back. Kristin was the first one she could say anything to. "My mother and father ran him off so fast. I thought I was about to be engaged to a multibillionaire and that he was tough enough, but one golf course meeting with my father and he bailed on me. I was lost and assumed all I could do to make them happy was bring home someone they approved of—Marco doesn’t match. I didn't plan any of this, but I love him."

"Love is all that matters..." The door opened and Kristin stopped speaking. Renee also quieted once she realized they had company. Henri gave her a scowl as he carried a tray. Another man came into view and all of her attention went to him. Kristin offered her hand and said, "Oh, Lucio is here. Renee, this is Lucio. I don’t know if you formally met at my wedding."

"We talked briefly when Marco introduced us, Your Highness." Renee glanced at his black shoes that shone, keeping her head down. Her sandals had scuffs on them. Kristin's Antonio always struck her as handsome but nice, Marco was sexy and hot, but there was something formidable and brooding about his brother, Lucio. Renee immediately realized Marco's personality was part of his perfect package because there was no way she'd ever have spoken to either of his brothers.

Lucio said, "I was looking for my brothers."

"Lucio, have you heard the news?" Kristin placed her hands on her hips. Renee glanced at her friend. Without waiting for a reply, Kristin said, "Renee and Marco are about to marry."

Lucio bowed slightly. "I assumed the announcement was forthcoming the day we met."

Brooding was an apt description Renee surmised but she wasn't sure that was his only reason for being so quiet. She looked into his brown eyes. "You sounded a little like Marco on the phone, but in person you’re all so different."

Marco and Antonio popped their heads in the room. Lucio walked over to them and Marco asked, "Mind if we steal our brother? Soon he’ll be the only one left with the threat of banishment."

"No problem," Kristin said. "We’re going to continue our girl talk."

Marco met her gaze and Renee tried to believe everything would be fine. She also hoped the queen understood and that her parents hadn't upset her. A headache formed in her temples. The men left and the two of them retook their seats. Renee said, "Marco doesn't know how Tom disappeared after meeting my mother."

Kristin opened the water bottle and filled two glasses. "Tom clearly wasn't the one for you. Marco is."

"I get you're in love with his brother." Renee accepted the water gratefully and drained it in two sips.

"I told you I didn’t like Tom the day I met him."

True. The water lessened the pressure on her forehead and she could think.

Kristin leaned closer on the sofa. "So just relax. I'm here. Marco's here. Queen Anna Camilla's here and we're all rooting for you and Marco."

Renee sat back and crossed her arms. "I know this is stupid and that I shouldn't worry. Logically you make sense, but the logic isn't flowing to my emotional state."

Kristin blinked, clearly surprised. "Why?"

Right, her friend had no parents. She slipped her swollen feet out of her sandals and tried to prop them up on the table, but it didn’t seem proper. "My parents were sickly happy with each other and generally liked being together more than anything else. We planned trips on what they'd want to do or not do. My brother Neil is the perfect son and a replica of my father, but me... I'm the screw up. I'm the one who got stood up on prom because my parents talked my boyfriend into going with someone else."

All those tears she shed in high school replayed in her mind, but this time she felt no tears form on her cheeks. She’d not let them bully her into losing Marco.

"I'm sorry, Renee."

Kristin pressed a button and a second later Henri returned. Kristin pointed to Renee's feet and he nodded. Renee tried to put her shoes on, but another servant carried in an ottoman and placed it under her feet, like she was a princess.

Renee pressed her lips together, and let the feel of having servants hit her. Marco had said it was no different than hotel staff. Another servant replenished their liter of water and then they both left without looking up so she couldn’t thank them.

Kristin poked her arm. "So? You were huge on telling me to take a chance and believe in love, when I didn't believe love was possible. Your prom date, Tom, none of them is who you love, right?"

"Love is possible. That's not my issue, Kristin." Renee fixed her gold cross around her neck that she'd worn today. "I can feel my parents here and judging me through the walls."

Kristin scooted closer and smiled teasingly. "Actually, I think they are on a tour of the royal grounds."

Renee shook her head. "I wish I was more logical about all of this."

Kristin sipped her water and Renee did the same. "I guess I should get going and stop delaying the inevitable. I just hope we're friends when this is over."

"Always." Kristin lowered her voice. "And your wedding will be the talk of the newspapers for years. But I sense there is something else bothering you."

The possible pregnancy had to be a secret. Only Kristin would see past the initial wall and assume there was more to it. "The truth is, I don't want to be controlled. While my mother was happy that my father made all the decisions, I'm not like her. I've only ever dated men I thought were stronger, but everyone else failed."

Kristin nudged her shoulder. "You can't give up. I know you believe in love. Look what happened for me, with your encouragement."

Antonio's affairs had all happened before he’d met her best friend. Every news article about the two of them now showed the idyllic royal couple in love. Renee had read those stories too and hoped Kristin was always as happy as the pictures made her seem. Renee already knew her mother would have an opinion on Marco's many exes. "I'm going to find Marco. Thanks for being here."

Kristin hugged her. "Well, I hope you're happy. I am, because I get you as a sister."

Renee hugged her tight. At least she had Kristin and that was something. Soon her mother and father would do their worst. She'd not back out, but the talk had let her air her thoughts. Once the hug ended, she stood, wincing at the tenderness of her feet.. It was time to find Marco and decide when and how they'd meet her parents—together. "Now that might be my saving grace. I’ve missed you Kristin. I hope your honeymoon was great."

"I loved being alone with Antonio." Kristin bounced up. "And I missed you. Let's go see Anna—I bet she’s drilling Marco as we speak."

His mother was another blessing if this all ended well. Halfway to the door, she remembered her shoes. Renee turned to get them, but the moment she slipped the sandals on her feet, a sharp pain went up her leg.

Forget it. She knelt down slowly so that she wouldn’t get dizzy and picked them up. Hopefully Queen Anna Camilla forgave the faux pas. She needed every ally she had because right now she was about to deal with her nightmare.