Prince Player(48)

“How?” I ask. “How can he have this kind of power?”

“I don’t know how,” I admit. “He’s been surveilling the castle for some time. Maybe he has some blackmail on the head of the network. But either way, it’s him, and we’ll do what we can to fight it.”

“I’m so sorry,” I say to him, suddenly realizing how bad this probably is. “You’re trying to win over your father and to get your crown, but I’m not helping.”

“No,” he says. “You’re helping.”

“I’m a distraction. A foreign distraction.” I climb out of bed and walk over to the window. “Why are we even doing this?”

He stands up slowly. “You know why. I need a wife and a child. You can give me both.”

“You can get that from someone else. Why me, Nolan?” I stare into his eyes, not understanding.

I’m pulling him down. I’m a liability. I’m some foreigner married to a royal in a country that hates foreigners. Of course they’re up in arms. Of course they’re calling me a spy and a whore. What else could we have expected?

“It’s you because I want it to be you,” he says sternly. “Stop questioning me.”

“Questioning you?” I laugh at him. “This is serious, Nolan.”

“I know it is. You need to trust me.”

I bite my lower lip, annoyed at the situation. I know it’s not his fault and yet I’m mad at him for choosing me. I seem like such a dumb decision on his part, and I don’t know why he won’t just let me go and find someone better suited.

“Let me help at least,” I say. “We can do something to combat this. Release a statement or something.”

“We already did,” he says. “There’s nothing you need to do. Just relax here and enjoy the stay.”

I stare at him. “We’re here because of this story, aren’t we?”

He hesitates. “No,” he says.

“You’re lying.” I shake my head in disbelief. “You think it’s too dangerous back in the castle.”

“Hazel,” he says. “Please, stop.”

“No, you stop.” I can feel myself getting worked up, but I can’t stop it. “This whole thing is insane. People think I’m some kind of foreign spy and a whore, and you’re supposed to get me pregnant. What the hell am I supposed to do?”

“Hazel.” He steps toward me, but I back away.

“Just stop, okay? Just stop. I need a second.”

He nods and watches as I take some deep breaths, trying to calm the panic that I know is swelling inside of me. I can’t lose it right now. I’ve been holding it together throughout this insane situation this whole time, and I can’t let myself suddenly lose it just because they’re calling me a traitor and a spy on top of everything else. It’s just another drop in the already deep bucket, I should be fine.

But for some reason, I don’t feel fine. Being in this place suddenly feels dangerous. He clearly took me from the castle because of this story, and I’m betting it’s because he thinks my life is in danger if we stay there. That freaking terrifies me. I didn’t sign up for something that could get me killed.

Hell, I didn’t know what I was signing up for. I guess I thought it would be a grand adventure. Difficult, once I got pregnant, but I thought I’d work it out. Now I’m realizing how silly I am and stupid and shallow. I thought it would be fun, but this is serious.

This is the future of a country, and I’m right in the middle of it.

“I just need some time,” I say to him finally.

“I’ll leave you alone.” He turns to leave.

“Wait, just tell me the truth. We came here to keep me safe, didn’t we?”

He hesitates at the door. “Yes,” he says before leaving and shutting the door behind him.

I sit back down on the bed and stare at the floor for a few minutes. Finally, I crawl up toward the control panel and turn the damn television off. I don’t need to keep hearing about how I’m a spy and a whore.

At least he told me the truth, so I guess there’s that. But I don’t like the truth. I wish I could go back to a couple of days ago, when I didn’t feel like I was ruining an entire country forever, just because I am who I am.

I don’t know what to do, so I wrap myself in a blanket and I pretend that I don’t exist, at least for a little while. Once I’ve calmed down, we’ll talk this through and figure it out. But for now, I’m spinning out, and I don’t know how I’m going to stop.





21





Nolan