Page 50 of Breathtaking

“Because I’ll keep you safe. You and our baby. Because no one will ever hurt either of you as long as I breathe.” He presses his lips to my forehead. “Because I don’t play by their rules.”

A shiver dances down my spine with his powerful words.

No one will ever hurt my son.

“Marry you and I can’t legally marry someone else,” I repeat slowly, trying to work it out in my mind. “That could work.”

“We can make it work,” he tries to convince me. Maddox has this way of saying something with such surety, you’d swear it was gospel. “We’d just have to get married before you’re supposed to marry him.”

That’s his first mistake. “We’d have to get married as soon as possible. If not, he’s going to expect me to come home and marry him in a month. He was calling his mother to move up the date this morning.”

A muscle ticks in Maddox’s jaw, and I realize I just confirmed it.

Confirmed without a doubt that Monty was with me this morning.

Damn it.

“Fine,” he grinds. “We’ll get married right away. We can go to the courthouse tomorrow?—”

“No,” I stop him. “That won’t work. He’ll try to get it annulled. I know him, and doing this will be like waving a red cape in front of a raging bull. Telling Monty he can’t have something will only make him want it more.” I hate Montgomery Hastings on a molecular level. I loathe him. But I also know him, and I’ll never underestimate him again. “If we want this to work, it has to be big and splashy and as soon as possible. It needs to be covered by every international news outlet in the world. I need to be as badly damaged goods as possible.”

Maddox’s grip on my waist tightens. “You could never be damaged goods,” he growls.

“They have to think I am.” I pull back, not wanting to be this close. Not wanting him to cloud my judgment. “The world needs to know I’m married to another man. His pride needs to be crushed in a way that would make it impossible for him to marry me.”

“And if I can make that happen?” he pushes, stepping back into my space.

I put my hand out in-between us and wait for him to take it in his. “Then I guess I’m marrying the lesser of two evils.”

Maddox arches his brow in question but shakes my hand anyway. “Then let’s find the nurse so we can get you out of here and get your stuff. It looks like you’re marrying me, princess. Might as well move in. We’ve got work to do.”

“Aww... That’s the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me,” I tell him, sarcasm dripping from my tone. “But I don’t need romance. This is going to be a marriage in name only. I’d say let’s have a contract drawn up, but I’m not sure I ever want to sign another contract for as long as I live.”

“We’ll see,” he murmurs as he heads for the door.

“Where are you going?” I ask, confused.

“To find the nurse and make sure Rome and Maria haven’t killed each other yet. It’s about time I take you home.”

Home. Ha. That’s a joke.

This will never be my home, but it seems I’m out of options.

Once this is done, I doubt I’ll ever be welcome in Mornea again.

I’ll have to give up my inheritance. My title. My right to the throne.

I’ll no longer be any kind of a working royal of Mornea.

But... My baby boy will be safe.

He’ll be raised by a man who loves him.

One who will give him a good life, far from the spotlight.

Far from the crown.

Here, I won’t have to worry about Monty.

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