The Life She Left Behind by Maisey Yates Page B

to return me?”
    â€œThen I had you. And you left,” he said, continuing as if she hadn’t spoken. “I swore I wouldn’t chase you. I swore to forget you. Still I could not. And when you told me you were having my baby…the chance at last to tie you to me forever. To bring peace to my world. I was happy. Happy because you could not leave me. Because this time you had to stay.”
    He shook his head, a sudden flash of disgust curling his lip. “But something changed. I found myself wanting to give to you. And as I did, I realized how much your happiness meant. How much more it meant than my own. How could I be happy when you were so miserable? How could I hold you prisoner and call you mine?”
    â€œBut…but… Does my father have anything to do with this…has he?”
    â€œNothing,” he said, his voice fierce. “I rejected his offer of a partnership after I lost you. It was I who rejected it, not him. Because I couldn’t face having a connection to you without having you.”
    â€œYou said you kept in touch.”
    His expression turned bleak. “I called sometimes. To see if there had been word of you.”
    â€œYou did?”
    â€œI love you,” he said. “I love you more than I love myself, and I don’t think I have ever felt that way. I’m certain I haven’t. I want…I want your happiness so much more than I want my own. So you must promise me, Angelina, that you will be happy. And then I will let you go with a smile.”
    Angelina’s breath caught, her hands shaking. “You…love me?”
    â€œYes,” he said.
    She shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. “I…I can’t do what you asked just now. I can’t go and be happy.”
    â€œWhat do you need?” he asked, his eyes shining. “What do you need and I will give it to you.”
    â€œYou,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face. “I need you.”
    One of his arms curved around her waist and he lowered his head, pressing his forehead against her shoulder. “Why did you wish so badly for things to be different, then?”
    â€œBecause you didn’t love me. I wanted your love and knowing I couldn’t have that…that’s why I was sad.”
    He raised his head, his eyes meeting hers. “I did love you. I didn’t know what to call it. And I did not love you in the right way. I know with certainty that I’ve loved you since the first moment I saw you. But now I’m ready to love you right.”
    â€œWhat changed?” she asked.
    â€œI did. I think it’s because of you. No, I know it is. You have changed me. You have humbled me. And I needed it, badly.”
    â€œI love you, Taj. I loved you then. But I couldn’t stand the thought of marrying you just because you wanted to strengthen your nation’s economy. I wanted to be more to you than that.”
    â€œYou are,” he said. “Though I could not have said it then. I was foolish.”
    â€œMaybe we both were.”
    â€œMaybe we will be again,” he said.
    â€œBut we love each other. And that’s why we’ll stay together.”
    â€œYou’ll stay with me then? Be my wife?”
    â€œYes,” she said, pressing a kiss to his lips, her heart swelling with emotion, tears sliding down her cheeks.
    He kissed her deeper, tightening his hold on her.
    â€œI’ll get a procession of camels, right, sugar?” she whispered, nipping his earlobe.
    He chuckled. “Nothing is too grand for you.”
    â€œOn second thought, I don’t need the camels.”
    â€œYou don’t?”
    She shook her head, raised her hand and traced a line of moisture on his cheek. “No. I only need you.”
    * * *
    Turn the page to read the first chapter of The Price of Royal Duty by Penny Jordan, the first full novel in The Santina Crown series….

The Price