I WOKE TO THE FEELING of Maxon sliding an arm around me. Somewhere in the night, I ended up with my head on his chest, and the slow sound of his heartbeat was echoing in my ear.
Without a word, he kissed my hair and went to hold me closer. I couldnโt believe this was happening. I was here with Maxon, together, waking up in my bed. This morning he would be giving me a ring. . . .
โWe could wake up like this every day,โ he mumbled. I giggled. โYouโre reading my mind.โ
He sighed contentedly. โHow are you feeling, my dear?โ
โI feel like punching you for calling me โmy dearโ mostly.โ I poked his bare stomach.
Smiling, he crawled to sit over me. โFine then. My darling? My pet?
My love?โ
โAny of those would work, so long as youโve reserved it solely for me,โ I said, my hands mindlessly wandering his chest, his arms. โWhat am I supposed to call you?โ
โYour Royal Husbandness. Itโs required by law, Iโm afraid.โ His own hands glided over my skin, finding a delicate spot on my neck.
โDonโt!โ I said, shying away.
His responding smile was triumphant. โYouโre ticklish!โ
Despite my protests, he started running his fingers all over me, making me shriek at the playful touching.
Nearly as quickly as I began squealing, I stopped. A guard rushed through the door, gun drawn.
This time I screamed, pulling up the sheet to cover myself. I was so frightened that it took me a moment to realize the determined eyes of the guard belonged to Aspen. It felt as if my face caught on fire, I was so humiliated.
Aspen looked stricken. He couldnโt even put a sentence together as his eyes flashed back and forth between Maxon in his underwear and me draped in a sheet to cover mine.
My shock was finally broken by a deep laugh.
For as terrified as I was, Maxon was the picture of ease. In fact, he seemed pleased at being caught. His voice was a little smug as he spoke. โI assure you, Leger, sheโs perfectly safe.โ
Aspen cleared his throat, unable to look either of us in the eye. โOf course, Your Majesty.โ He bowed and left, closing the door behind him.
I fell over, moaning into my pillow. I would never live that down. I should have told Aspen how I felt on the plane when I had the chance.
Maxon came to hug me. โDonโt be so embarrassed. Itโs not as if we were naked. And itโs bound to happen in the future.โ
โItโs so humiliating,โ I wailed.
โTo be caught in bed with me?โ The pain in his voice was clear. I sat up and faced him.
โNo! Itโs not you. Itโs just, I donโt know, this was supposed to be private.โ I ducked my head and played with a piece of the blanket.
Tenderly, Maxon stroked my cheek. โIโm sorry.โ I looked up at him, his voice too sincere to ignore. โI know itโs going to be hard for you, but people will always be looking at our lives now. For the first few years, there will probably be a lot of interference. All the kings and queens have had only children. Some by choice, Iโm sure; but after the difficulty my mother had, theyโll want to make sure we can even have a family.โ
He stopped talking, his eyes having moved from my face to a spot on the bed.
โHey,โ I said, cupping his cheek. โIโm one of five, remember? I have really good genes in that department. Itโll be all right.โ
He gave me a weak smile. โI really hope so. Partly because, yes, weโre duty bound to produce heirs. But also . . . I want everything with you, America. I want the holidays and the birthdays, the busy seasons and lazy weekends. I want peanut butter fingerprints on my desk. I want inside jokes and fights and everything. I want a life with you.โ
Suddenly the last few minutes were erased from my mind. The growing warmth in my chest was pushing everything else away.
โI want that, too,โ I assured him.
He smiled. โHow about we make it official in a few hours?โ I shrugged. โI guess I donโt have any other plans today.โ
Maxon tackled me on the bed, covering me with kisses. I would have let him kiss me like that for hours, but Aspen seeing us together was enough. There was no way Iโd be able to stop my maids from gushing if they saw this.
He got dressed, and I pulled on my robe. It should have felt funny, maybe, this little moment in the afterward. All I could think about, though, as I watched Maxon cover his scars with his shirt, was how incredible this was. This thing Iโd never wanted to happen was making me so happy.
Maxon gave me one last kiss before opening the door and heading on his way. It was harder to part with him than I thought it would be. I told myself it was only for a few hours and that the wait would be so worth it.
Before I closed the door, I heard Maxon whisper, โThe lady would appreciate your discretion, officer.โ
There was no response, but I could imagine Aspenโs solemn nod. I stood behind the closed door, debating what to say, wondering if I should even say anything. Minutes passed, but I knew I had to face Aspen. I couldnโt move forward with everything that was going to happen today without talking to him first. I drew in a breath and nervously opened the door. He tilted his head toward the hallway listening for voices. Finally Aspen turned his accusing eyes my way, and the weight of his stare broke me.
โIโm so sorry,โ I breathed.
He shook his head. โItโs not as if I didnโt know it was coming. It was just a shock.โ
โI should have told you,โ I said, stepping into the hall.
โIt doesnโt matter. I just canโt believe you slept with him.โ I put my hands on his chest. โI didnโt, Aspen. I swear.โ
And then, at the last possible moment, everything was ruined.
Maxon stepped around the corner, holding Kriss by the hand. His eyes locked on to me, body pressed into Aspen with the intensity of my defense. I backed away, but not quickly enough. Aspen turned to face Maxon, prepared to give an excuse but still too stunned to speak.
Krissโs mouth dropped open, and she quickly covered it with a hand. Looking into Maxonโs shocked eyes, I shook my head, trying to explain without words that this was all a misunderstanding.
It was only a second before Maxon regained his cool demeanor. โI found Kriss in the hall and was coming to explain my choice to you both before the cameras showed up, but it seems we have other things to discuss.โ
I looked at Kriss and was at least consoled by the fact that there was no triumph in her eyes. On the contrary, she looked sad for me.
โKriss, would you please return to your room? Quietly?โ Maxon instructed.
She curtsied and disappeared down the hall, eager to get away from the situation. Maxon took a deep breath before looking at us again.
โI knew it,โ he said. โI told myself I was crazy, because surely you would have told me if I was right. You were supposed to be honest with me.โ He rolled his eyes. โI cannot believe I didnโt trust myself. From that first meeting, I knew it. The way you looked at him, how distracted you were. That damn bracelet you wore, the note on the wall, all those times when I thought I had you and then suddenly lost you again . . . it was you,โ he said, turning to Aspen.
โYour Majesty, this is my fault,โ Aspen lied. โI pursued her. She made it perfectly clear that she had no intentions of being in a relationship with anyone but you, but I went after her anyway.โ
Without responding to Aspenโs excuses, he walked right up to him, looking him in the eye. โWhatโs your name? Your first name?โ
He swallowed. โAspen.โ
โAspen Leger,โ he said, testing the words. โGet out of my sight before I send you to New Asia to die.โ
Aspenโs breath caught. โYour Majesty, Iโโ โGO!โ
Aspen looked at me once, then turned and walked away.
I stood there, silent and still, afraid to risk a peek into Maxonโs eyes. When I finally did, he nudged his chin toward my room, and I went in, with him following me. I turned to see him close the door and run his hand through his hair one time. He moved to face me, and I saw his eyes catch on the unmade bed. He laughed humorlessly to himself.
โHow long?โ he asked quietly, still in control. โDo you remember that fightโโ I started.
Maxon erupted. โWeโve been fighting since the day we met, America! Youโll have to be more specific!โ
I shook where I stood. โAfter Krissโs party.โ
His eyes widened. โSo basically since he got here,โ he said, something like sarcasm in his voice.
โMaxon, Iโm so sorry. At first I was protecting him, and then I was protecting myself. And after Marlee was caned, I was afraid to tell you the truth. I couldnโt lose you,โ I pleaded.
โLose me? Loseย me?โ he asked, astonished. โYouโre going home with a small fortune, a new caste, and a man who is still pursuing you! Iโm the one losing here today, America!โ
The words took my breath away. โIโm going home?โ
He looked at me as if I was an idiot for asking. โHow many times am I supposed to let you break my heart, America? Do you think Iโd honestly marry you, make you my princess, when youโve been lying to me for most of our relationship? I refuse to torture myself for the rest of my life. You might have noticed, I get plenty of that already.โ
I erupted into sobs. โMaxon, please. Iโm sorry; itโs not what it looked like. I s-swear. I love you!โ
He sauntered up to me, his eyes dead. โOf all the lies youโve told me, thatโs the one I resent the most.โ
โItโs notโโ The look in his eyes silenced me.
โHave your maids do their best. You should go out in style.โ
He walked past me, out the doorway and out of the future Iโd held in my hands only a few minutes before. I turned back to the room, holding my stomach as if the core of my body was about to crack from the pain. I went over to the bed, rolling onto my side, no longer able to stand.
I cried, hoping to get the ache out of my body before the ceremony. How was I supposed to face that? I looked to the clock to see how much time I had . . . and saw the thick envelope Maxon had given me last night.
I decided this was the last piece of him I would ever have, so I opened the seal, desperate.โ