Page 50 of Defying the Crown
He hums contentedly, already drifting off again. "Stay?"
"Always," I promise, knowing I shouldn't but unable to stop myself. "I'll be right here."
As his breathing evens out again, I send up a silent prayer to whoever might be listening.Please let me keep him. Please let him forgive me when he learns the truth. Please let this be enough.
Chapter 20
Harald
Sunlight streams through the floor-to-ceiling windows, painting Daniel's skin in golden hues. I've been awake for hours, unable to stop watching him sleep, cataloguing every perfect detail. The way his dark curls spill across the pillow, how his hand stays pressed against my chest even in sleep, the slight part of his lips.
My phone buzzes on the nightstand - another message from Erik about palace business requiring my attention. I ignore it. This precious moment with Daniel feels stolen, fragile as spun sugar.
He stirs beside me, stretching like a cat before his eyes flutter open. A sleepy smile spreads across his face. "Morning."
"God morgen, skat." The Danish endearment slips out before I can catch it. Another small betrayal to add to my growing list.
Daniel props himself up on one elbow, studying my face. "You look worried. Everything okay?"
My chest tightens. How do I tell him that our love is both perfect and doomed? That each moment I fall deeper for him, I'm also deceiving him? How can I express this sinking feeling that everything we've found together could be ripped away in an instant?
"Just thinking about work," I deflect, running my fingers through his sleep-mussed hair.
"Mm, the mysterious Danish business empire?" He grins, clearly teasing, but the words hit like a physical blow.
I force a smile, hating how easily the lies come now. "Something like that."
Daniel leans in, pressing a soft kiss to my jaw. "Well, whatever it is, it can wait. You're in New York now."
If only he knew how complicated it really was. The Danish press will already be speculating about my absence. Father will be furious about me skipping meetings. Every minute I spend here puts my secret - and Daniel's privacy - at risk.
But when Daniel kisses me properly, warm and sweet and perfect, I can't bring myself to care about any of it. I pull him closer, losing myself in the feel of him, trying to quiet the voice in my head warning me that this can't last.
Daniel jerks away from our kiss as my phone's shrill ring pierces the morning calm. Ella's name flashes across the screen, and my stomach drops - she wouldn't call unless it was important.
"Sorry, I need to take this. It's my sister, it must be important. "Ella?"
"Harry, turn on CNN now!" Ella's trembling voice sends ice through my veins, dread settling in my stomach. With shaking hands, I fumble for the remote, my heart pounding as I click through channels. Daniel sits up, confusion clouding his features. I can't answer him, can't find the words as my world threatens to shatter.
The bold text scrolling across the screen makes my fingers go numb, the remote slipping from my grasp. "Harald?" Daniel's concerned voice cuts through the rush of blood in my ears. "You're scaring me. What's wrong?"
I remain frozen, unable to look away from the devastating news that threatens to destroy everything we've built. The anchor's detached voice fills the room, each word another nail in the coffin of my carefully constructed life. I can practically hear my father's rage already, see the headlines that will flood every newspaper, all because I dared to find happiness with the man beside me.
I see footage of me punching Alex, our private moments now broadcast for the world to dissect. The anchor announces my identity as the first openly gay member of Danish royalty. More photos flash across the screen, each one another violation.
"Harald?" Daniel's voice cracks. "Crown Prince?"
I can't bear to face the betrayal in his eyes. "I was going to tell you," I whisper. "I just wanted a chance to be myself first."
Daniel's emotions crash across his features - shock, hurt, betrayal, anger. The warmth drains from his eyes, replaced by something cold and distant. The wall he'd torn down is suddenly towering between us.
"Everything was a lie?" His question hangs heavy, each syllable striking me like my father's harshest condemnations.
"No, Daniel, please-" I reach for him desperately, but he flinches away. My chest constricts as I watch him retreat, everything we've built crumbling.
"The mental health forum? Was that even real?" His words drip with venom, burrowing deep. "God, I'm such an idiot."
"The forum was real. Everything I told you about myself was real-" My voice cracks with desperation. "Every confession, every vulnerable moment - it was all genuine."
