Page 74 of Modern Romance June 2025 5-8

That fact that it was something he’d rather avoid was immaterial. It would be manipulative and ruthlessly efficient, but then wasn’t he Karl’s son? He swallowed bitterness that perhaps he’d inherited his father’s conniving mindset after all.

‘I have a solution. You’ll get what you want for your province, no dam. I’ll get security of tenure as King. And the country gets the stability and leadership it needs.’ He paused. ‘That’s vital. It’s not public knowledge and I don’t want it to be, but Prinzenberg is facing serious problems. My father and his supporters stripped public assets for their own gain. There are other issues too that will take time to sort out.’

His heart thudded against his ribs. He hated sharing that but needed to make her understand the gravity of the situation.

This wasn’t just about Annalena and Benedikt and their personal preferences. It was about the well-being of their homeland. He couldn’t renege on that responsibility.

‘And I thought it would be straightforward.’ Her mouth twisted. ‘What’s your win-win solution?’

‘Now you’ve opened this can of worms, we can’t pretend it didn’t happen. We have to move forward. We’ll make the best of the situation, for everyone’s sake.’

Her frowning stare met his. ‘I get a bad feeling when you don’t give me a straight answer. What’s so bad you have to cajole me into accepting it?’

Benedikt spread his hands, palms up in a gesture of openness to show he had no hidden agenda.

‘My coronation goes ahead in a couple of weeks and you’ll be at my side.’ He watched her eyes widen. ‘As my bride. We’ll be crowned together.’

CHAPTER SIX

Annalena shot toher feet and across the room. When she reached the window and spun around it was to find him on his feet, watching her.

Did he think she was going to make a run for it?

He had the determined look of a man ready to stop her.

She stifled a snort of despairing amusement. How could she run? She was as mired in this situation as he. All through their discussion she’d told herself there would be a way out. Surely they could control things so everything went back to the way it had been.

But she’d found herself agreeing with every point he made.

Except the last one.

A huff of gasping laughter escaped. She’d been right to worry. His solution wasn’t merely bad. It wascatastrophic.

She folded her arms across her heaving chest, holding in the rackety thud of her heart pounding against her ribs.

‘That’s preposterous.’

‘It’s logical.’

‘Maybe to a robot that doesn’t understand the nuances of people’s lives. Not to aperson.’ She hefted another breath. ‘It’s inhuman.’

She stared at the man watching her so steadily. How could he eventhinkit possible? He looked totally unruffled. Had he no sensibility? No feelings?

Yet there it was again, the throb of awareness that made it seem as though they stood a mere breath apart instead of metres away. She experienced it each time they met. As if there were a link between them. Even his far-fetched suggestion hadn’t dimmed it.

His eyes glowed as they locked on hers and suddenly the tight feeling in her chest and her rapid heartbeat weren’t just about his outrageous idea.

No, he wasn’t a robot. He wasn’t unfeeling.

He was human and very, very male.

A twisting sensation started up in the vicinity of her womb.

A moment ago she’d been shocked. Now she was swamped by the certainty she was completely out of her depth with him.

Her head spun and she planted her feet wider.

‘Actually, it’s a very human solution.’ His voice was low, almost intimate. ‘We both have issues that need resolution. By combining our resources we solve both problems and do it amicably. Then we can move forward and so can our country. You love Edelforst but it’s part of Prinzenberg and I assume you care what happens to the nation.’

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