Was that true of her relationship with Max too? Was she subconsciously rejecting him and pushing him away because she didn’t feel qualified to be his wife and a queen? Maybe she had to stop focusing on all the ways she would fall short of being what he needed and instead focus on all that she could do.
The need to see Max swelled sharply inside her. She wasn’t sure if she could work things out with him. But she had to at least try and couldn’t let her insecurities hold her back.
“Thanks, guys.” She waved a hand to shoo her brothers from her room while crossing toward her closet. “Now you can go tell Mom and Dad I’m fine, that I’m done having a pity party for myself, and that I’m planning to track Max down and talk with him.”
Neither of them budged and instead exchanged glances.
She halted in front of her closet door. “What?”
Kade met her gaze with a seriousness that she rarely saw in his eyes. “That’s why we’re here.”
Her backbone stiffened with protest. “I let you interfere with Ryan, and I’m not doing that again.”
Tyler held up his hands as though in surrender. “We’re not trying to interfere—”
“Then stay out of things between me and Max.”
“I know we need to get better at that,” Kade interjected. “And we’ll try. But—”
“No buts. I can handle this all on my own.” She swung open the closet and began to browse through her outfit choices. “I’m assuming he’s still staying at the house?”
Neither of her brothers answered.
As the silence lengthened, her neck prickled with uneasiness. She spun around and braced her hands on her hips. “What’s wrong?”
Tyler met her gaze head-on. “Max left yesterday.”
“Left?”
“Yep. He caught a plane back to Karltenberg last night.”
She pinched the bridge of her nose. He’d left the ranch? The country? Her?
She shouldn’t be surprised, not after shutting him out yesterday. Even so, she hadn’t expected him to go without letting her know he was leaving. Maybe he was angry with her, had decided he didn’t need her after all. Maybe he’d realized how crazy they’d been to get married so quickly.
Kade’s lips tipped up into a smirk. “Don’t worry. He still loves you.”
“Then why did he leave?” Her voice cracked as the angst from the past day rushed out and attacked her like an army assailing an enemy.
“He met with us all last night before heading out,” Tyler said, “and he let us know he’s planning to meet with his father and the other leaders of his country to officially abdicate his right to the throne.”
“What?” Her pulse began to speed, but it wasn’t from relief. “He can’t do that.”
A crease formed in Kade’s forehead. “He told us he wants to prove to you that he didn’t marry you to gain the throne, that he married you for love alone. I thought you’d be happy about it.”
“No, I’m not happy about it at all.” She stood unmoving, even as her mind raced a thousand miles per hour. Yes, Max was noble in his desire to prove he loved her enough to give up the throne. And yes, he was noble to make such an enormous sacrifice for her. But... she couldn’t let him give up being king. Not when it meant so much to him, and not when he would make such a great leader of his country.
She had to figure out what to do. But what?
She stared at her brothers, then stared at her open closet, then stared at her brothers again.
The turmoil churned faster. Time was slipping away. If he’d left last night, he was probably home by now, or very close to it. Would he go to see his father and parliament today?
No, she couldn’t let him. Maybe she should call him and tell him he was making a big mistake. But what if he didn’t answer her call? What if he wouldn’t listen to her?
There really was only one thing to do to keep him from abdicating. And she would need everyone’s help if she had any hope of accomplishing her mission.
24
