Page 70 of Expecting Royal Twins!
His lungs constricted. He struggled to breathe. “Do?”
“Whether I remain in Vernonia or return home to Charlotte.”
Her words stunned him. Whatever difficulties had come between them, Niko knew Isabel had a large heart. She must really be hurting to consider returning to the U.S. “We agreed to figure things out together.”
“The only place we’re really together is in bed. Sex won’t solve anything.” The pain in her pretty eyes was undeniable. “We need to figure things out on our own before we can do anything together.”
“No.”
“It’s time for you to go.”
Unfamiliar panic flared. He didn’t want to leave her. Lose her.
Feelings overwhelmed him, overcame his tentative control. In a swift move, he pulled her to him and crushed his lips against hers in a brutal kiss. Isabel didn’t back away, but kissed him back. He didn’t know the right words to express how he felt, didn’t even understand how he felt, but he could show her. Niko poured all his emotions, all his feelings into the kiss until she clung to him.
Finally, regretfully, he drew back. He saw the same passion, the same confusion in her eyes that he felt. “I’ll leave you now.”
The weeks passed. Izzy remained at her family’s castle. The only contact with Niko had been a month ago when a package of documents arrived transferring her father’s estate, including ownership of the castle, to her. He hadn’t emailed, texted or called her.
Maybe that was why she’d felt so tired and crummy lately. A broken heart. She hoped not.
Izzy hadn’t figured out what she should do or where she should go. She couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss Niko had left her with. His desperation had been so real, palpable, but if that was the case, if that was how he felt, why hadn’t he contacted her?
She decided to stay in Sachestia a little longer to learn more about her father’s family. She spent her days visiting the various villages in the area, meeting the people and even working the land as a harvest came around. Not exactly princess behavior, but slowly she began making some inroads with the villagers after the parade fiasco.
The older generation seemed to have fixed ideas like Niko about what royalty should do, but the teenagers and children didn’t. They accepted her as she was. They wanted to know more about cars so she offered to teach them about basic car repairs. Fifteen children showed up. The village official had told her to expect five.
During the class, she felt light-headed and had to sit down. One of the students, the daughter of the village’s doctor, insisted Izzy see her father right away. Before she could say a word, the children were escorting her across the street to a small medical clinic.
The doctor turned out to be in his mid-forties, very nice and quite thorough with the tests he ran. She sat in the exam room alone waiting for the results.
“I have good news, ma’am,” he said on his return.
“I’m healthy?”
“Yes, but you’re also pregnant.”
Pregnant. With Niko’s child. She sat frozen, too stunned to feel anything.
“How…?” She’d been so overwhelmed and stressed that she hadn’t thought about her period. It had never been very regular before, but still… “I mean, I know how, but how far along?”
“I’d like to do an ultrasound so we can figure that out.”
Izzy nodded, unable to speak. She could easily narrow down the dates to the week, the only week they’d spent together as husband and wife. That would make her seven, possibly eight weeks pregnant.
The royal broodmare had fulfilled her duty without even trying. Izzy didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
A baby.
A surge of love, strong and protective, flowed through her. She hugged her stomach. If only Niko were…
But he wasn’t.
Would you rather I lie and tell you what you want to hear?
No, but still Izzy’s heart splintered. The baby she carried was as much his as hers. Keeping the news from him would be cruel and unforgivable.
As soon as the ultrasound was completed, she would call him with the news. Even if he were the last person she wanted to talk to.
Niko sat behind his desk in his office. The words on the monitor blurred. He rubbed his eyes.
