Page 130 of Heavy Crown

“I—” My mother shakes her head. “I don’t remember what we read that well. We were reading so much trying to find something. None of the scenarios we found fit.”

“King George is right,” Julia says, and she holds up her phone. “I have a note here about a pregnancy exception during King Henry’s reign.” She chuckles. “I even wrote here—only valid if Rory were pregnant.”

Nick raises his hand. “Rules change from one king to another, right? Like if Alex takes over or if I take over, we can change the marriage rule. Is it possible the rule was created during Henry’s reign and then declared void somewhere else?”

Julia must have been preparing him in case I changed my mind. There’s not a hint of unease in his tone, unlike the day he walked out of my office when I proposed this.

“Yes,” my father says. “It’s possible.”

“I’ll trace it,” Desmond says. “It may take me a few days.”

“I’ll help,” Brice says. “Reading almost indecipherable handwriting sounds like an excellent way to kill some time. Or kill me. Why hasn’t anyone digitized our history?”

“That hasn’t been a priority item,” Julia says with a huff.

“You might still be able to become king?” Rory whispers beside me. The death grip on my hand has eased.

“It’ll take a while to verify in either direction, but a window might be cracked.” At her panicked expression, I kiss her forehead. “Whatever happens, you’re my priority.”

She curls her fingers into the lapel of my suit, and I drop her hand to loop my arm around her shoulders and draw her to me. Everyone is talking around us about the sliver of hope that’s sprung up, and while there’s a frisson of excitement in me, Rory and I have never talked about an “us” where she becomes queen of Bellerive. Not exactly what she thought she was signing up for.

“All right,” I say, cutting off the chatter. “Priorities. Desmond and Brice—you’re tracing the marriage and heir rule through the generations. In the meantime, I have to meet with the Advisory Council about the referendum and subsequent law that needs to be crafted. Nick, we should probably keep in touch over that process.”

“I’ll talk to Simone,” Julia offers. “If the marriage and heir rule stands, you need positive PR around you and Rory. You had that before, and maybe we can get it back. You think you don’t care right now, but I know you, Alex. At some point, you’ll care. And Rory has no idea how vicious this could get if we don’t manage it properly.”

Rory’s grip on me tightens again. Thank you, Julia, for such a great reminder. While Rory “trapping” me into marriage never once crossed my mind, public perception could be very different. They’ll have no idea I offered to leave everything for her and she said no. If the reveals around our relationship get ugly, we might have to leak real details to protect Rory. I’ll throw myself to the wolves to save her from being bitten.

In spite of the uncertainty over how everything will turn out, I’m feeling hopeful for the first time in months. There’s a chance, however slim, that I might get everything I’ve ever wanted. Now, I just need to make sure Rory feels secure with either outcome.

forty-eight

Rory

The next day, Alex leaves me to get settled in his suite of rooms while he makes phone calls in his office. Slotting my clothes into his massive walk-in closet is surreal and exactly right. Although Alex and I have spent plenty of time together over the last few months, it was always in my cottage. Our bubble. Our safe space.

Here in his suite of rooms in the palace, the enormity of who he is and the life we might lead is causing me a tiny bit of panic. Or maybe my hormones are inciting panic, but either way, I’m on the edge of a freak-out. The bubble has popped.

After I left Derrick, I said I was never getting involved with another boyfriend’s family business. My resolve disintegrated in the face of Alex’s love and devotion. He’s said he’ll make me a priority, and I believe him. While I might be taking on a role in the one of the biggest family businesses in the world, I have a lot of faith in the partner I’ll be standing beside. The bubble might have popped, but he won’t let me fall.

I end my exploration at the doorway to the bedroom where it all began. It’s made up exactly the same as it was when I was here. Stella, who is hovering somewhere unseen, runs a tight ship. Everything has a place, and now it feels like I do too.

On a whim, I lie on the bed and set my hands on my abdomen. There’s a baby in there, which is hard to imagine when the only thing that’s changed is how often I’m staring into a toilet bowl or garbage can.

Months ago I woke up in a strange man’s spare bedroom, and I had no idea our chance encounter would alter the course of my entire life.

Alex appears in the doorway. “Is this some sort of role-play exercise?”

“You be Prince Charming, and I’ll be the damsel in distress.” I bat my eyes at him. “Oh, Alex. Please, save me.”

“We’ve already played that one.”

I prop myself onto my elbow. “It’s a good one though.”

He comes to the bed and hovers over me, one hand on either side of me. “If I kiss you, does it break the spell?”

“You are the spell,“ I say with a grin.

“Hmm.” He scans my face. “Conundrum. To kiss or not to kiss.”