That thought ached. But she shook it away because no matter what Evelyne was herfriend. They would remain friends.
She rose. “Yes, of course.”
She crossed the room, but Alex did not move. He stood in her doorway, a disapproving, concrete mountain.
But he hadn’t been that in his office this morning. Certainly not when she’d lowered herself to her knees and—
“Before we go down to her room, I would like you to know I’ve given your request the necessary consideration.” He stood there, stiff and formal, hands clasped behind his back. Heappearedto be looking at her, but he was nottrulymeeting her gaze.
She studied his dark eyes, fascinated by this slight change. This slight sign of…cowardice.
“An annulment is unlikely, though not fully out of the question. This delicate situation will require time and thought and careful planning,” he said, his voice toneless. “I do not wish to use my nephew’s birth as a distraction for anything so…distasteful. Since it will take some time, and you no doubt do not wish to remain in the palace, I will arrange somewhere for you to live. Out of the way. Private.”
Her mouth dropped open. She had not expected him to simply sign off on an annulment. She had definitely expected refusal. But this was…
“You’re…sending me away?”
“Not immediately. You will stay put until we know…” He glanced down at her stomach. As he so often had in the past year. They never said words likenot pregnantorno baby. It was all code words and glances at the parts of her body that seemed honor-bound to betray her while offering no medical answers forwhy.
Stay put. He wanted her to stay put. But if she wasnotpregnant in a few weeks, as would no doubt be the case considering the past eleven months, he would send her intoexile. While he and he alone worked out thedetails.
She forced herself to breathe normally as she began to see spots. Perhaps it was rage. Perhaps it was a ragestroke. She wasn’t quite certain. But he turned on a heel and walked away.
To see Evelyne. To meet the baby.
And she wouldstay put, while he adjusted everything to suit himself.
No. No, she couldn’t allow that. The certainty of that was like a tsunami of purpose, but an argument would be pointless. He was the king.
So she said nothing. She followed him to Evelyne and Gabriel’s wing and tried very hard to force a believable smile for the pair as they entered the bedroom.
Evelyne was in bed, a bundle in her arms. Gabriel’s hip rested on the edge of the bed, looking down at both his wife and the baby.
Ines did not look at Alex. She stayed on one side of the bed, while he went to the other.
Ines looked at the baby. Just the tiniest thing. His eyes closed, his round face relaxed and content. It brought a wave of love and envy. Joy and pain. She blinked back some tears, looked up at Evelyne.
Luckily her sister-in-law’s eyes were on her son, so she would not see the tears in Ines’s own eyes. She just looked exhaustedly at peace.
Inesfeltthe love and joy she so wanted to experience. She felt a wave of love for this little bundle who was her nephew.
Or not, depending on how Alexandreworked things out. Detailshegot to choose. Instead of doing thesanething and agreeing to return to theirappointmentschedule, he was going to send her away.
No. No, he didn’t get to do that. He didn’t get to decide. If anything made it clear it was this newlife—a life that brought Evelyne and Gabriel so much joy in the moment. She wanted that.
If Alexandre wouldn’t give that to her, she would not be his pawn, his tool, hisanything. She would not besent away. She would not live her life athiswhim.
Shewas the storm.
For the first time in her life,shewas going to decide.
Chapter Three
IT TOOK NEARLYforty-eight hours to realize Ines was missing. Alexandre had been avoiding her, and he’d been so wrapped up in diplomatic meetings that also required meetings with his bloodthirsty general he was still trying to get rid of without starting a bloodycoupthat he had simply assumed she was avoiding him as much as he was avoiding her.
He had heard no rumblings about missed appointments. He had heard nothing of her not being where she wasmeant to be. And sincehehad avoided meals with her, no one had bothered to inform him thatshehad not been taking meals atall.
Apparently because she had planned it quite carefully. Her assistant—also missing—had quietly and carefully rearranged all of Ines’s appointments—canceling, rescheduling, taking care of them viaemail.
