Page 69 of Expecting Royal Twins!
“You are not a commoner, Isabel.” Niko waved at a small girl holding a green balloon. “You are the special woman willing to sacrifice your future, your dreams for her country. You are Royal Highness Crown Princess Isabel of Vernonia. It’s time you started acting like her.”
As she blew a kiss to a little boy sitting on his father’s shoulders and holding a small American flag, Niko’s words sunk in. A horrible realization washed over her. “You’re never going to accept Izzy Poussard, mechanic and race car fanatic.”
“It is time for you to leave the past behind and move on,” he said.
“The way you want Vernonia to move on without changing your own outdated views.”
“I told you change takes time.” His gaze met hers. “I know what Vernonia needs.”
My father believes Vernonia needs an heir. He wants one as soon as possible.
Her worst fear was turning out to be true. Niko hadn’t wanted to go on a honeymoon to start the marriage off right. He’d only wanted her to get pregnant. No wonder things were so great in the bedroom, but not anywhere else.
This marriage had been a sham from the very beginning.
“You never really wanted a wife.” Her insides twisted. “The only thing you want is a baby. You said you’d be honest, but you’re no different than your father.”
The silent ride from the village seemed to push Isabel farther away from Niko. He longed to reach out to her, but he couldn’t. Not when he was so on edge. He’d never been in a situation like this. Anger, frustration, hurt and something unfamiliar he couldn’t define swirled inside him. He needed to keep the emotions in check so he wouldn’t lose control.
The limousine stopped in front of the castle. Niko stepped out. Isabel followed. Without a look back, she marched into the castle like a soldier on a mission.
Niko felt the same way. He followed her up to their bedroom and closed the door.
She took a deep breath. “This was all a big mistake.”
Relief washed over him. She understood that she had let him down—and had let herself down. That explained her outburst. “Send a formal apology to the village. Tell them you’re sorry for your lapse in judgment and inappropriate behavior during the parade today.”
Her mouth gaped. “I’m not talking about the parade. I’m talking about our marriage.”
All the emotion he’d been holding in exploded like a volcano. Anger surged. “You mean the marriage I was trapped into?”
“It’s not like I wanted to marry you!” she lashed back. Her eyes glistened, but she didn’t cry. “I want to be in an equal partnership with someone who will accept me, love me for who I am, not for who they want me to be. I want to be a wife, not a duty or obligation that has to be juggled with a bunch of other responsibilities. I don’t want to be married to a man who keeps me at arm’s length and only wants to have sex with me because he needs an heir.”
Each of her emotionally charged words jabbed at him like pummeling fists. Niko could barely think above the uproar in his head. He didn’t know if he could give her what she wanted. He resented her for wanting more already. “We just got married. We’ve only known each other a few weeks. This was never supposed to be a starry-eyed romance or a love match.”
Her mouth twisted. “You’ve made it quite clear that’s not what you want.”
“Would you rather I lie and tell you what you want to hear?”
“I want you to be honest, Niko.”
“I have been honest!” His voice sounded harsh, raw. He didn’t know how to handle all this emotion. “I’ve tried to be honest with you since we met.”
“It’s my turn to be honest.” Her gaze bored into him. “I’m not sure I can do this state marriage the way I thought I could. I just don’t get this whole duty thing. I’m not sure I ever will.”
His heart skipped a beat. “Isabel—”
She held up her hand, and he stopped talking.
“I’m never going to be the perfect princess you want for Vernonia.” Her voice cracked. “I don’t want to be a royal broodmare, either. I need time to think, to figure out what I want to do.”
