“Where’s Cathy?” I should have asked before now. One more thing to feel guilty over.

“She’s here.” He sighed. “She had gone downstairs to grab a friend and Becca had followed her. Neither of them thought you’d leave the VIP room.”

“I’m not mad. I was just worried.”

“You’re worried about them.” He snorted. “They’re fine. I doubt Cathy will ever go back to a club. I’ve never seen her so upset.”

“I’m sorry.” My voice was so hoarse I had to clear my throat and say it again. “I’m sorry I caused so much trouble.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong.” He nuzzled my hair.

“I kicked a photographer in the nuts.”

He grunted a short laugh. “That’s my girl.”

“I really need to get to my dad.” I squeezed the hand of the arm he had wrapped around me. Even though I thought I’d cried all my tears, I got choked up again. “I left him when he needed me most.”

“We’ll leave in the morning.”

“You’ll come with me?” I whispered the question.

“Samantha, you’re never going anywhere without me again.”

“What about the bathroom?”

“Okay. You can go some places without me.” He chuckled. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”

“You were busy.” I hiccupped again.

“I have something for you.” Carefully, Alex dislodged me from his arm and walked across his bedroom. When he came back he was carrying package tied in string. “I was going to bring it to you this weekend but couldn’t get away like I’d intended.” He placed the package on the bed next to me.

“Is this the drawing?” I shifted so I could reach the strings and tugged it open. Under the brown paper was the sketch I had waited so long to see. Tears filled my eyes and I took a deep breath. “It’s me.”

He reached out and tucked some hair behind my ear. “It’s okay if you don’t like it. I’m not really an artist.”

“I love it.” I ran my fingers along the handcrafted frame. It was simple and elegant; he had captured my face and all the emotion I was feeling. “This was when I got out of the car at the airport.”

“There was so much going on in your eyes. You were scared and sad, but there was determination under everything else.” He lifted my chin so I was looking in his eyes. “That was the moment I knew I was lost. You were so strong and beautiful.”

“I’m sorry I tried to keep us a secret.” I hiccupped again. His words made me want to cry, but for a new reason. “If I hadn’t, this might have worked out really differently.”

He took the framed picture from my hands and set it next to the bed. “I understood. I didn’t like it, but I understood.” He snuggled closer. “When I saw you covered in blood…”

“I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“I have never been more afraid and angry in my life.” He pressed his face in my hair and took a deep breath. “I don’t want to lose you and I just knew this was the end. I wanted to kill all those people standing there and taking your picture while you bled.”

“I don’t want to lose you, either.” Tears sprang to my eyes. “I lose everyone.”

“Is that why you were so stubborn?” He rolled me over gently so he could see my face.

“I didn’t think I would make it if you broke my heart. Not with everything else.” A sob caught in my throat. “I guess a part of me always knew it was a long shot for Dad. And I just didn’t think I could lose him and you.”

“Why would you lose me?”

“You have to be king! You have to make little baby heirs.” I sniffled again—the more I spoke, the more tears threatened. “I know I’m stupid for worrying about that, but I knew I’d end up falling in love with you. How could I not? And then you’d have to get rid of me for someone you could marry. And you can’t marry me… I’m just an American. And I know that’s really getting ahead of myself, but why start something if you know it’s going to end? And, and, and—”

“I’m not getting rid of you.” He framed my face in his hands. “You’re it for me. I knew it the moment I saw you tell off the maître d’ at the restaurant. Do you understand? You’re it. I love you. That sketch was of the moment I fell in love with you.”

“You love me?” My brain was mush and I wasn’t sure if it was from his words or the pain pill.

“Yes, I love you.” His eyes bored into mine.

“I love you.” I traced his cheek with my fingers. “Can you tell me again when I’m not on pain medicine?”

“I’ll tell you every day.”

“Maybe twice a day?” I felt my eyelids growing heavy.

“A hundred times a day.”

Chapter Thirty-Three

HRH Prince Alex and the Duchess of Rousseau Leave for the States

—Lilarian Daily

The next morning came quickly. I felt like I had barely fallen asleep before the sun was streaming through the windows. The palace was bustling with activity and it felt surreal to understand the majority of it was because of my family. There was extra security around the gates and the photographers and journalists had been pushed farther away.

While the doctor checked me out, Alex delegated his tasks to other people. Cathy took the brunt of it, her eyes red and watery whenever she looked at me. Even though I told her it wasn’t her fault, I knew she blamed herself. Becca had offered to resign, which I thought was ludicrous. When I told her to shut up, she laughed weakly and promised I would never be out of her sight again. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Alex refused to leave my side and since walking was out of the question for now, we didn’t leave his room until it was time to go to the airport.