LukeThe thought made me shiver. We were that much closer to solidifying our relationship within the kingdom. I could see our future right around the corner, where everyone would be happy. Abir could be with Alda and stay out of the spotlight as king, and I could hold that position while standing next to the woman of my dreams.I headed back to my chambers. It was a strange thing not to have any specific plans that day. I had cleared much of my schedule for the trip to England—mostly wanting to keep the council at bay when it came to a decision about Sophia and me. They carried on with their duties while I set my plans in stone to convince them that I was the best choice for king and whomever I chose to spend the rest of my life with was no business of theirs.Inside my chambers, the bed was already made up and the surfaces polished. Sophia’s phone and mine sat side by side on my desk, the servants having moved them there so they wouldn’t get lost. Sophia didn’t need her phone, but I

SophiaGia indicated a nearby bench and invited me to sit with her.I sat, and the muscles in my legs twitched. I wished we could have kept walking; it was helping to keep my nerves from overwhelming me. I clasped my hands in my lap and tried to act as calmly as possible.“I dreamed of being a journalist my entire life. But after meeting Luke, things came up at work, and I wasn’t going to move forward in that career.”“So, it was time for a change?” Gia asked.“It was,” I said. “I never would have left if it weren’t for Luke.”“Why is that?” Her eyebrows drew together, and I could already hear the phrase “gold digger” in her mind.“He supported me and my career, but in a way, I was always looking for more. That more turned out to be Luke.”“So, you quit your job for him?” Gia asked.“Not exactly,” I said, treading carefully. I was never the type of person to do something because someone told me to do it. In fact, I was quite the opposite. “I interviewed and got another job with a diff

SophiaOur evening together was one of my favorite nights with Luke. While we’d gone to the most expensive and luxurious restaurants and hotels in the world, I was still that Southern girl who loved to kick back with her man and spend the night with just him.As if the servants were already aware of Luke’s plan, they’d arrived in the room quickly with all the necessary things to turn the balcony into a private dining experience. The table was small and just big enough for our food, offering comfort and intimacy that a meal in the dining room never could.I felt bad for skipping out on dinner with Gia right after we’d started to get along, but once Luke informed her of our plan to get married that weekend, I hoped she would forgive us, knowing that we had wanted to spend one night alone with the secret. I honestly wanted her to fill that mother-shaped gap in my heart.The next morning, my hands shook as we walked out of Luke’s bedroom for breakfast. While we hadn’t stayed up all night

LukeSince Sophia wanted Matt to trek across the world to the palace, I had to give up my private plane for him. He was the only other significant person in Sophia’s life, and I wanted to be sure he would be on time for the wedding.Which was why I had to put Maddox on a commercial flight to Qatar and why I waited for him at the terminal so that he could tell me how much he hated me in person.After he berated me, I could ask for any last-minute advice about the meeting that I was about to have with the council.With Mother’s acceptance of the quick union between Sophia and me, I didn’t feel right about moving forward without informing them that I fully intended to marry Sophia while keeping my position as the king.While I knew they weren’t going to give up without a fight, I had to hold my ground. They would never respect me if I gave up under their wishes, and I wouldn’t respect myself. Sophia and I were meant for each other. We were meant for the kingdom.Thinking about all the po

SophiaTaking the heavy bag from Luke’s hands, my head tilted to the side, and I narrowed my eyes. “I didn’t get you anything.”“I have all I need right here,” he said.I weighed the bag in my hands.“Just trust me,” Luke said and kissed me on the cheek.“Okay,” I said, bringing it over to the bed.Luke turned around. I couldn’t figure out why he was acting so strangely. First a mysterious package, and now he didn’t even want to see me open it?Knowing it was from him, I gently unzipped the bag and moved aside the pink and purple tissue paper. It wasn’t until the silky, white fabric moved under my fingers that I knew exactly what Luke had done for me. “Luke!” I gasped, pulling away the rest of the tissue paper. I couldn’t believe it! It was the dress from the shop in England. “How did you do this? When did you do this?”Luke didn’t move from his spot, and I understood why. I didn’t realize how superstitious he was. “I have my ways.”I rushed across the room and into his arms. He was