The party was in full swing, the massive ballroom at capacity with members of parliament, their spouses, foreign dignitaries, and select members of the press.

It was supposed to be one of the best nights of my life—the announcement of my official engagement, and beginning of my unofficial reign.

Instead, I was heartbroken. Leaning back against the wall in the hallway that led to the ballroom, I nursed a scotch and ignored my mother’s every attempt to talk to me.

Oliver watched over me from a distance, giving me the space I needed.

Sophie approached, and I didn’t miss the way Oliver’s eyes followed her the exact socially acceptable amount of time before facing forward again.

Her light blue silk gown was beautiful, graceful, and perfect for her station. I knew that somewhere Brie was probably trying to sneak into the party in leather pants.

“Xander,” she said softly, leaning back against the wall next to me.

“Soph,” I said before taking another swig.

“They’re asking if you’re ready for the announcement.”

“Ready to tell the world that I’m going to marry a woman I love like a sister? That no matter what happens, I’ll forever imagine it’s Willa in my bed? Sure. Why not.” I pushed off the wall, and she clasped my hand.

“Xander. Stop.”

I met her soft, sorrowful eyes. I hated seeing my sister in pain, let alone pain on my behalf.

“You have always been the most responsible of us. You do the right thing, you sacrifice so much for us. I knew it broke your heart to leave your law practice when Daddy died. I know what your plans were. But Xander, there’s something to be said for being happy. For thinking of yourself for even a moment,” she ended on a whisper.

“I love you, Soph. You are all that is right and good with our monarchy, our country, our world. But there’s no getting out of this. I have to marry Charlotte. I’m the heir. It’s my duty.”

She tugged on my sleeve, more forceful than I’d ever seen her. “I’m going to say this one time, and then never speak of it again.”

My eyebrows shot up, more at her tone than anything. “Yes?”

“You’re not the only heir.”

Her eyes bore into mine until I understood what she was suggesting.

I kissed her forehead and walked toward the ballroom, ready to meet my fate, her words echoing inside my head. Would my siblings face this choice? It didn’t matter who Jameson wed, but I’d make damn sure that Sophie and Brie were allowed their own choices. No arranged marriages. No treaties. Fuck that. I was the last Wyndham this would happen to.

“Xander?” Charlotte asked, waiting for me next to the door. Her dress was cream, sophisticated, and elegant, just like she was. Her hair was swept up. She looked every bit the princess she would become.

God, I wished I could love her like she deserved.

“I’m so sorry, Charlotte,” I told her, pressing a kiss to her hand.

She gifted me with a sad smile. “It’s okay. We both knew this day would come.”

“And so they win. The Anti-Monarchists hoping I’ll bring the monarchy to its knees, the traditionalists keeping their rigid rules. Everyone wins except us.”

“Maybe we’re not important in the scheme of things. It’s the nature of our birth, right? To serve the people? Ever the reluctant politicians.”

“How can you resign yourself to a loveless marriage?” I’d asked myself that same question a hundred times.

Her face fell, a look of pure anguish crossing her features before she smoothed her features. Then her chin rose as she met my gaze.

“I tell myself that I’ll be married to one of my best friends. There are so many with less.”

“When we could have had it all?”

“We’ll make the best of it,” she shrugged as if she was convincing herself, but she didn’t fool me. She was as miserable as I was. “And Xander, I’m the one who is sorry. I know how deeply you love Willa.”

I swallowed and forced a nod, unable to say anything else. I tucked her hand into my elbow and walked forward as the footmen opened the ballroom doors.

The music immediately died.

“His Royal Highness, Prince Alexander and the Duchess of Corbin, Lady Charlotte Carlisle.”

I escorted her into the ballroom, my future flashing before my eyes. State dinners. Matters of parliament. Flawless Charlotte with a wrecked me. My eyes raked over the crowd quickly, just like I knew they would always do. I would always look for Willa. I’d look for her in every crowd, every dream, every fantasy in the bed we’d shared. By doing this, I wasn’t just condemning me to a sham of a marriage, but Charlotte as well.

We both knew it.

I left Charlotte standing next to her parents, who had come all the way from the north of Elleston for this. Then I took my mother’s arm and walked her up the stairs to the dais, where she’d stand beside me to make the announcement.

In a breach of protocol, she grasped both of my arms and kissed my cheek. “I love you. You may doubt anything in your life besides that truth. But Xander, be happy. No matter what that means.”

Confusion puckered my forehead, but she simply caressed my face as I pulled away, a graceful smile on her face and tears in her eyes. This was everything she’d planned for me, for our country. Was she really saying…

“Go,” she urged toward the microphone.

I placed my hands on the podium, my fingers flexing on the edges of the polished mahogany, and looked over my black-tie attendees. The witnesses to my execution.

“Thank you for joining us tonight,” I said, my voice strong and sure. “As you all know, the laws of our country force me to take a bride.”

A murmur raced through the crowd.

“And though I had earlier told Parliament that it was a barbaric custom, well, the law still states that I must be wed to a bride of noble birth in order to ascend to the throne of Elleston.” I turned to Charlotte, who sent me a shaky smile.

How could I do this to her? To one of my closest friends? Didn’t she deserve love? The same passion I shared with Willa?

Hell, how could I do this to Willa? She’d only left because there was no hope for a future between us, I knew that. But what if there was? What if I could offer her my heart, my hand, and my name? Wasn’t that worth the chance?

An awkward silence had taken hold while I pondered my next words.

“I love my country. Our land, our traditions, our people are truly a part of my soul. But what good is a soul without a heart? Wouldn’t it be empty?”

Indescribable joy filled my chest as if my heart was cheering at the acknowledgment. Yes. This was right. This was the only way.

I smiled wide for the first time in a month, feeling lighter than ever before.

“A king who leads without his heart is hardly worth the title. And your king will be worthy, I swear it.”

A cheer went through the crowd.

My gaze snapped to where my siblings stood. Sophie petite, but graceful next to Brie, who wore a strapless black dress and leaned back against the wall...and Jameson.

My brother. My best friend. My twin.

His attention was on something toward the back of the room, but sensing my pause, he turned back, and we locked eyes.

“I’m sorry,” I told him softly, but the mic carried my words.

He uncrossed his arms and tilted his head in question, not knowing his fate was already sealed.

Feeling seven feet tall, I looked out over the massive ballroom.

“Ladies and gentlemen, members of the aristocracy and parliament, friends and family. I, Prince Alexander, Crown Prince of Elleston, hereby announce my engagement to the only woman I have ever—or will ever—love: Ms. Willa Collins.”

A collective gasp went up through the ballroom. Heads swung as they all looked at each other, and I saw more than one cell phone appear. The few reporters we’d allowed in were almost throwing elbows to get to the front of the room.

“Naturally I’ll have to find out just exactly where she went when you guys all but ran her out of our country, but I’m hoping that once she sees this blasted all over the internet, she’ll appear.”

“Xander!” The sweetest voice I’ve ever heard called out from the back of the ballroom.

“Willa?” I nearly shouted.

Like it was a fucking movie, the crowd started to part, everyone trying to get a look at her.

There she stood. A ball gown the deepest shade of blue that hugged her perfect breasts before caressing her curved waist and flaring to the floor. Her hair was up, no doubt a rainbow in the back, and her smile tentative but breathtaking.

She was exquisite.

She was here.

She was mine.

I jumped off the dais, landing on my feet like an action hero and sprinted through the break the crowd had given me. Members of parliament, Dukes, Lords—I passed them all without a second glance as I ran to her.

Pausing only long enough to ensure I didn’t run her over, I gathered her into my arms and lifted her against me. God, she felt so right in my arms. In that breath, my heart flared back to life, whole again.

“You’re here,” I whispered in her ear.

“I’m here,” she promised.

We pulled back, lost in each other’s eyes in the best way possible. My whole future was here, in this woman I held in my arms.

A throat cleared next to us, and we both glanced to the side. Holy shit, everyone was staring.

“Xander? Could we maybe take a minute?” Willa whispered.

“Absolutely,” I answered.

As calmly as I could manage, I led her back up to the dais—this time taking the stairs. I kept her hand firmly in mine as if she’d disappear if I loosened my grip.

We looked out over the sea of shocked onlookers.

“We...uh...need a minute,” I said.

Smooth.

I didn’t stop to look at anyone. Their opinions weren’t necessary. Not anymore. I led Willa through the door into the hallway, where Oliver soon followed. He passed us, then cleared the small conference room across the hall.

“You’re good,” he said, holding the door open for us.

“Thank you. For everything.”

“You keep it interesting, don’t you?” He smiled. “Go get her.”

The door closed behind me with a soft click.

“Willa,” I said, her name the best prayer ever. Reaching for her, our mouths met in a fury of lips and tongue as if all the need we’d built up over the last month had suddenly unleashed in this one kiss.

Her arms reached around my neck as I cupped her face with one of my hands, and her waist with my other. Lust raced through me, a desperate need to not just claim her body, but her heart. To know we’d never be apart again.

“Wait!” She gasped, pushing from me and stepping back.

“How long? Another month?” I asked, stalking forward.

“I left for a reason.” She warded me off with an outstretched hand.

“Because I couldn’t marry you.”

“Yes. No. Because I couldn’t watch you touch someone else, marry someone else—” she backed against a wall.

“Nowhere else to run,” I said with a smirk.

“I had my reasons.”

“Reasons to stay hidden? To not take a phone call?”

“I knew I couldn’t stay away, or tell you no if you found me. Hell, Jameson found me, and here I am. The moment I saw him I knew it was hopeless.”

I brought our bodies flush, pressing her into the wall. Her silk skirts swished around my legs. “You came back. You’re mine, and you don’t get to deny that. Never again. You came back to me, and you don’t ever get to take that back.”

I kissed her, thrusting my tongue inside her warm mouth. Our tongues dueled until we both moaned, quickly losing ourselves to the chemistry that immediately ignited the moment we were in the same room.

My hands quested along her dress but her bodice was too tight to fit my hand in to cup her breasts, and her skirts were too damn big to get my hands under.

“This fucking dress,” I murmured.

“Did you mean it?” She asked, panting as I tore my mouth from hers.

“What?”

“The engagement.”

“I will marry you right now if you don’t mind being married in blue, Willa. I’m sure there’s a priest in the crowd somewhere.” Hell yes, I meant it. I was getting a ring on her finger as soon as possible.

“Good, because I’m pregnant.”

My questing hands stopped, and I took a single step backward, my eyes flying to her flat belly. Or at least I thought it was flat. Her dress was a fucking ball gown. “Pregnant?” I asked quietly, my hand reverently covering her abdomen.

She tugged her lip between her teeth and nodded. “I’m just about three months.”

“Three months?” I repeated like a parrot.

“I think so.” She grabbed my hand, pulling it to her heart and her eyes watered. “I couldn’t stay knowing that this child would be some hidden, illegitimate heir. I could stay for you, I could be your dirty little secret, but I’d never let that happen to our baby.”

A baby. A family of my own. A chance to build something of our own that wasn’t based on thousand-year traditions. A fresh start with the love of my life.

“Xander, say something.”

I pulled her into my arms, tucking her head against my chest and held her tight.

“You are a miracle. You both are.”

Pure, unfettered happiness raced through me...until a knock sounded at the door.

“Sir, they’re getting restless,” Oliver said through the door.

“Right. Come with me?” I asked Willa.

“Anywhere.” She held out her hand, and I took it.

Within a few moments, we were back in the ballroom, which had hushed to a tense silence. Charlotte smiled and gave me a thumbs up as we ascended the stairs to the dais. Then she pulled Willa back and hugged her.

I was so fucking blessed.

Willa and I walked up to the podium, and the room became even more silent if that was possible.

“I’d like to present my fiancee, Willa Collins.”

Flashes went off in front of us, but Willa held strong, her head high. She didn’t need a country to be a queen—she simply was one. We smiled at one another, besotted like idiots.

“What about the laws?” One voice called out.

With Willa’s hand in mine, I leaned forward to the microphone.

“Oh, yeah. Those.” I smiled at Willa, and then looked back at the crowd. “I, Prince Alexander, yada-yada, hereby abdicate my throne. Or my right to the throne. Whatever it is.” I gave the crowd a wave, and then swung Willa up into my arms and marched out.

The only sound was the door shutting behind us.

Then a roar went through the ballroom, but I didn’t give a fuck.

“You gave it up? For me?”

“For us,” I corrected her. “I meant what I said. A king is no good with half a heart, and you have my whole soul, Willa. None of this matters without you, and everything else matters with you. Do you mind?” I asked her, concentrating only on her incredible eyes as she looked up at me. She’d never wanted me for my crown, but a small bite of insecurity took hold.

“Mind what?”

“That our child won’t have the throne? I mean, I’m well-invested, so as long as you’re okay with only three or four houses instead of the palace, we’re financially fine, but he or she won’t inherit the crown.”

She stroked my cheek lovingly and pressed a soft kiss to my lips.

“They will inherit something even more precious...our happily ever after.”

Happily ever after. It sounded perfect.

And it was exactly what I would give her.