Page 6 of Powerful Prince
Gio crossed his legs like he’d solved all my problems himself. “No? I didn’t pick out the exact style of woman you want?”
Now my gaze narrowed. There was obviously more to Gio’s story of finding Nicole. And of how he had known how to find me so fast last night in the chapel with Darla, when I’d been drinking.
I always assumed he was my secret bodyguard as well as my butler, even if he was skinny as a rail. I flicked my finger to the wall and let it rest on my cheek as I studied him. “You know me, Gio. She’s beautiful, but what you’re saying is impossible. She doesn’t meet the qualifications.”
His lips quirked up and he reached for the tablet he’d put in front of me. “She’s video blogging right now about her virginity.”
I swallowed. I’d tossed her out on her ear, and she was exactly the woman I needed. The kind I had stopped believing existed. I reached for the tablet. “What? Let me see?”
There she was, the pretty brunette with high cheekbones, and a slender neck that immediately led my attention higher to her full bottom lip, or lower to her perky breasts. She was talking earnestly to the camera.
I wanted to acknowledge my detractors who are calling me out on my virginity. It’s true. I’ve never been with a guy. Sometimes, I think if I had been, I’d be more attractive to men I’m attracted to.
Today has been quite shocking. I’ll talk more about it in my blog later, but I’ve always believed in honesty. So today’s quick vlog was to acknowledge the truth. Yes, I’m a virgin and it’s a choice I made. I’ll explain more. Talk to you soon.
Love always,
Nicole
I rubbed my eyes and my ears burned.
Gio had picked better than I imagined. I rubbed the stubble on my face and asked, “She put that out there?”
Gio reached out and took the tablet back and tucked it under his arm as he said, “Another blog was calling her a hypocrite.”
And exactly as the two of them had planned, my phone rang. Without even being near it, I knew this was my father, the king. I jumped up to answer as I said, “Hold on and we’ll continue this conversation in a moment.”
I trekked upstairs to grab my phone in my bedroom. After my impulsive marriage, I’d expected today’s discussion to lead to me being kicked out of the family for not following orders.
Since mom died, it hadn’t been much of a family anyhow. I’d married Darla because I intended to quit my royal duties and get a regular job. I’d already been offered board seats and spoken to various CEOs about organizing a worldwide competition for finding and funding the best carbon-to-oxygen engine that could power everything from cars, to homes, to anything commercial.
All I needed was for my royal duties to end so I could follow my true plans … to help save the world through funding the best scientists.
And it wasn’t just green tech I was interested in. So far, I’d had less success getting CEOs on board to fund medical research, but on my own, I’d also work to fund more research into curing diseases—research that wouldn’t be weaponized by pharmaceuticals, but instead would offer medicine and vaccines free.
All I needed was my freedom—preferably, freedom that allowed me to keep my title and my fortune, too. But that only came from retiring, not quitting or being kicked out of the family. And the only way to do that was to marry a woman my father would choose for me.
I squared my shoulders and answered, “Hello, Father.”
His gruff voice still sent pins and needles down my spine. I expected him to condemn me, but instead he asked, “Are you in talks with a woman who might be worthy of your hand in marriage?”
I massaged my neck as my shoulders were tight. Maybe I’d made a huge mistake with Nicole Steel earlier. I stilled as I said, “Father, I talked to someone about taking possible life-skills lessons.”
He interrupted me. “She’s beautiful, a virgin, and has a long history of giving back to the environment, helping people. If you don’t want her, keep her there, and I’ll send your brother Harry to Vegas.”
Wow. He’d practically picked her out for me with Gio. Nicole was physically perfect. The only issue I’d noticed was that her ears were slightly too big for her face.
And I’d sent her packing. My heart sped up, though I said, “Don’t get ahead of yourself.”
“You’ve already caused enough trouble for one lifetime. Marry a virgin—that one—and you’ll get your inheritance and your freedom.”
There it was. My freedom. My mouth watered to live my own life. I nodded as I spoke, “If I marry Nicole Steel, you’ll give me the North Castle now?”
I honestly didn’t care about the home so much as the ability to “retire” and control my destiny. I didn’t move, though every cell in my body was on high alert.
Finally my father said, “Yes, and the money to keep your family in royal style.”
Done. I needed to get her on board, then. I swallowed and said, “I will keep you posted.”
