to return me?â
âThen I had you. And you left,â he said, continuing as if she hadnât spoken. âI swore I wouldnât chase you. I swore to forget you. Still I could not. And when you told me you were having my babyâ¦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.â
He shook his head, a sudden flash of disgust curling his lip. âBut 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
âButâ¦but⦠Does my father have anything to do with thisâ¦has he?â
âNothing,â he said, his voice fierce. âI rejected his offer of a partnership after I lost you. It was I who rejected it, not him. Because I couldnât face having a connection to you without having you.â
âYou said you kept in touch.â
His expression turned bleak. âI called sometimes. To see if there had been word of you.â
âYou did?â
âI love you,â he said. âI love you more than I love myself, and I donât think I have ever felt that way. Iâm certain I havenât. I wantâ¦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.â
Angelinaâs breath caught, her hands shaking. âYouâ¦love me?â
âYes,â he said.
She shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. âIâ¦I canât do what you asked just now. I canât go and be happy.â
âWhat do you need?â he asked, his eyes shining. âWhat do you need and I will give it to you.â
âYou,â she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face. âI need you.â
One of his arms curved around her waist and he lowered his head, pressing his forehead against her shoulder. âWhy did you wish so badly for things to be different, then?â
âBecause you didnât love me. I wanted your love and knowing I couldnât have thatâ¦thatâs why I was sad.â
He raised his head, his eyes meeting hers. âI did love you. I didnât know what to call it. And I did not love you in the right way. I know with certainty that Iâve loved you since the first moment I saw you. But now Iâm ready to love you right.â
âWhat changed?â she asked.
âI did. I think itâs because of you. No, I know it is. You have changed me. You have humbled me. And I needed it, badly.â
âI love you, Taj. I loved you then. But I couldnât stand the thought of marrying you just because you wanted to strengthen your nationâs economy. I wanted to be more to you than that.â
âYou are,â he said. âThough I could not have said it then. I was foolish.â
âMaybe we both were.â
âMaybe we will be again,â he said.
âBut we love each other. And thatâs why weâll stay together.â
âYouâll stay with me then? Be my wife?â
âYes,â 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.
âIâll get a procession of camels, right, sugar?â she whispered, nipping his earlobe.
He chuckled. âNothing is too grand for you.â
âOn second thought, I donât need the camels.â
âYou donât?â
She shook her head, raised her hand and traced a line of moisture on his cheek. âNo. I only need you.â
* * *
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 seriesâ¦.
The Price
Zoe Sharp
Back in the Saddle (v5.0)
Sloan Parker
Morgan Bell
Dave Pelzer
Leandra Wild
Truman Capote
Unknown
Tina Wainscott
Melissa Silvey