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The Billionaire’s Royal Challenge (Devotion and Dynasty Trilogy #2) Chapter 2 8%
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Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

NATE

N ate’s stomach twisted into a knot again as he stared down at the two shirts, one clutched in each hand. At the last minute, he’d torn his suitcase apart and repacked it…twice.

Now, he stood frozen, trying to decide between two blue shirts. Would royals even like blue shirts? Maybe they preferred white. Or off-white. Did they dress formally all the time?

His mind whirled with questions. What he’d known of Elena hadn’t been anything like what he expected of a stuffy royal.

In fact, he’d never suspected the shell-shocking news that had been delivered after he’d proposed.

He eased into his armchair, the shirts still clenched in his white-knuckled grip. The moment he’d proposed raced through his mind .

She’d scared him for a minute when he thought she wouldn’t accept. Then, she had, but she’d insisted she had something to tell him that would change his mind.

She never got the chance.

Instead, her royal father had arrived, making the shocking announcement for her. His Ellie, the woman he’d spilled coffee on, the woman who had enchanted him from the moment they’d met, the one who had shared a hot dog with him, who had giggled with his sister over a slice of pizza, the woman who had changed his life, was Princess Elena Montclair of Eldoria.

And not only was she a princess, but she was the princess who would ascend to the throne, the person who would one day reign as Queen of Eldoria.

The thought made his stomach clench even tighter. He wanted desperately to marry her. But the pressure of her royal life frightened him. Could he be a good husband for her?

Funny, how when he’d assumed her to be a normal woman, he’d thought he could give her the world. Now knowing her royal status, he wondered if he’d drag her down.

His faith in his ability to win over her royal family and showcase his ability for royal duties was waning. Fast.

He puffed out his cheeks as he let his chin sink to his chest. The knock at his door pulled his attention from his own ruminations.

“Yeah?” he called, rising and stalking back to his suitcase with a frown.

The door creaked open, and his mother and sister peered in. “Still packing?”

“For the eighth time,” he said with a sigh.

Victoria flicked her eyebrows up as she stepped inside and stared at the mess in his suitcase. “Eight? ”

“I suddenly understand women when they say they don’t have anything to wear. I feel like none of this is going to pass muster with the royal family.”

Victoria chuckled as she pulled both of the shirts from his grasp. “I don’t think they walk around in gowns and royal mantles all the time, Nate. They’re normal people, too.”

“Yeah, didn’t Ellie wear jeans when we went for pizza?” his sister, Maddie, chimed in.

“Yes, when she was…pretending to be just Ellie. What does she wear when she’s Princess Elena? Probably not jeans.”

“Which one of these did you want?” Victoria asked, holding up the shirts.

“I don’t know. Neither. Both.”

She flicked her gaze between the two before she tossed one on the bed and folded the other. “Nate, I think you’re tying yourself into knots for nothing.”

“Yeah, you should be excited to see Ellie again, and that she’s a princess. You’re going to be a prince, Nate.”

“If I’m approved. Remember that. This is…a fact-finding mission.”

Victoria pressed her lips together, offering him a consoling glance. “I don’t think it’s that…clinical.”

“I do. What did he say? We could discuss an engagement after we’d met and they’d seen if I could handle the royal protocol, duties, and life.”

Victoria heaved a sigh as she shot her daughter a glance. “Maddie, can you give us a few minutes?”

“Don’t forget to ask,” she warned her mother with a wag of her finger.

“I won’t,” Victoria said, sliding a lock of hair behind her daughter’s ear. “I’ll meet you back in your bedroom.”

Maddie squeezed his arm. “Don’t sweat it, Nate. You two are perfect together. It’ ll all work out.”

“I wish I had her enthusiasm,” Nate said as his sister left the room, pulling the door closed behind her.

Victoria slid her arm around Nate’s shoulders and led him to his chair, easing him into it. “Nate, if you don’t want to do this–”

“No,” he said with a shake of his head. “No, I love Ellie. I just…want things to go back to the way they were. Things were so easy, and now I’m just…worried they won’t be.”

“Because of all the pressure from the royal family and their lifestyle?”

“Yeah. I mean…when Ellie and I met…” He sank his forehead into his palm with a shake of his head. “We just…did simple things. Hot dogs in the park. Pizza. The museum.”

Victoria sucked in a breath, offering him a tight-lipped smile. “Have you thought about this from her perspective?”

“I know. This royal stuff is all normal to her. She’s not going to understand.”

“I don’t think that at all. And that’s not what I meant.”

He pinched his eyebrows together as he studied his mother’s face. What did she mean?

Victoria leaned closer to him, narrowing her eyes. “Let’s pretend Ellie is just a normal girl. The girl you thought she was when you met her. Now…how do you think she felt when she found out you weren’t who you said you were?”

“But I was still the same person. I only lied about my name…and bank account.”

“Maybe so, but once you told her you were a Kingsley, everything changed, whether you want to admit it or not.”

“No, that’s not true,” he said with a shake of his head.

“Isn’t it? Do we have no commitments? You have no social constraints as a Vice President at GenoTech?”

His shoulders slumped as his eyes rose to the ceiling. She had a point.

“Imagine Ellie…not a princess…she’s met this average Joe. He’s taken her for hot dogs, pizza, low-key, average dates. And then, suddenly, she’s thrust into a billionaire’s world. Now, it’s not hot dogs anymore, it’s dinners with investors. Replace the pizza with a charity gala.”

“But we still could have hot dogs in the park.”

“And I imagine royals can have average moments, too. But your life isn’t ordinary, either, Nate. You were raised to live a public life. You would have expected her to host dinner parties, contribute to charity events, make small talk with your clients.”

“It just feels…different.”

“Because you’re not used to it. But she wants you to succeed. She believes in you.”

He rubbed his chin, slumping in his chair. “I just don’t want it to be misplaced.”

“It’s not misplaced,” Victoria said with a rub of his shoulder.

He didn’t answer her, his eyes fixed on the thick area rug under his bed,

“Are you at least looking forward to seeing her?”

The image of her smiling face appeared in his mind. He’d missed her, missed her beauty, her calm support. He missed being able to touch her hand or kiss her lips. He desperately wanted to see her. “I am. If we can actually see each other without some crazy royal protocol where we have to be chaperoned or sit six feet apart.”

Victoria threw her head back with a laugh. “Oh, Nate. I’m certain things will be very structured, but I’m also certain you’ll have some time alone. I think Ellie will insist on it.”

“That’s another thing,” he said. “Do we call her Ellie? Can we call her Ellie? Or is it against the rules because she’s Princess Elena?”

“Maybe we should ask her what she prefers. She didn’t seem to mind Ellie. Maybe her parents call her that.”

“I think they call her Elena. But I can ask,” he said with a sigh.

Victoria wrinkled her nose as she winced. “Can you ask her one other thing?”

Nate snapped his gaze to his mother. “What’s that?”

“Are there any colors that we should avoid for the royal ball? Maddie read somewhere that we cannot wear red, and now I’m second guessing my black dress and her red one.”

Nate chuckled as he pulled his phone from his pocket. “See what I mean about overthinking things?”

“Well, it’s different for women. You, your father, and Stephen aren’t going to be wearing a red suit. Dark suits are always appropriate for men. For women, the spectrum is so broad. And I don’t want to offend the royal family.”

“You and me both,” he answered as he tapped on his phone.

“I’ve been practicing my curtsy,” Victoria answered.

Nate winced at her. “I’m afraid my bow is woefully lacking. I can’t tell if I’m doing too little or too much.”

“Let’s see,” Victoria said.

Nate puffed out his cheeks, tossed his phone onto the cushion beside him, and stood up. He bent at the hips, nearly touching his toes.

Victoria winced. “Okay, umm, that’s…a little much, I think.”

“Really? I didn’t want it to look half-hearted.”

“Maybe stop at the hip. You know? Kind of like this.” Victoria rose and bowed.

“Oh, okay, uh, let me try that.” Nate tried again before he straightened and glanced at his mother with hopeful eyes.

“Better, yes. And don’t worry, I checked this against royal protocol because I’ve been helping your father.”

“And Stephen? Does he have to come?”

“Nate, he’s your brother. But please do not get into a fist fight with him while we’re there. We don’t want the royals to think we’re typical Americans. All violence and crudeness.”

“I won’t, as long as he doesn’t cause any trouble. Which is what I’m worried both he and Chloe will do. They don’t know how to behave. I don’t want to be sent packing because my brother is an–”

“Don’t say anything you’ll regret,” Victoria said with a wag of her finger.

“I wouldn’t regret it.”

“Well, treat it as a lesson in patience. As a King Consort, you’ll have to deal with lots of people you don’t like. You can’t punch them all.”

He sucked in a breath, mulling the words as his doubts swirled inside him again. The chiming of his phone split his thoughts, and he snatched it from the cushion. “Okay, Ell…Elena says there are no off-limit colors. She says you are both welcome to wear whatever formal attire you prefer.”

“See? They can be reasonable.”

“I wasn’t worried about offending them with a dress color, Mom,” he said as he typed a message back.

Victoria settled her hands on his shoulders as he kept his gaze on the floor. She gently raised his chin. “Nate, you are a wonderful man who I am proud to call my son. You’ll be fine. You can handle some formal rules. I know you can.”

He nodded as he sucked in a breath. “I just want to be perfect for her. I want her father to have no doubts about me.”

“I know she has no doubts,” Victoria said. “And I’m certain she will guide you to make sure everything turns out fine.”

He blew out a breath as he nodded. “You’re right. I need to trust our relationship. I think being away from her for so long has just made me…nervous.”

“Mm, yeah the two weeks she’s been gone have been far too long.”

“Very funny, Mom. It’s been long enough for me to start to question everything. I mean, we barely had a chance to discuss things.”

“But you did discuss them, right?”

He sighed as he tossed his phone on the bed and straightened up a few items in his suitcase. “Yeah, we did.”

“And I thought that set everyone’s nerves at ease?”

“I’d rather look in those sparkling green eyes when she tells me she still loves me, and that the royal protocols won’t be impossible to get through.”

“Soon, you will. Unless you don’t finish packing.” She waved a finger at his messy suitcase.

“I’m going to finish now.”

“Good. We’re going to be fine, Nate. You’ll be fine.”

He offered her a smile, though he felt anything but fine, but he’d put on a brave face. He wanted to be the man Elena deserved.

He made his final choices, trying to practice his decision-making skills he was certain would come along with being a royal. He shook his head at himself. He was a Vice President at a billion-dollar biomedical corporation. He had a degree in bioengineering.

He was not stupid. So why did he feel so nervous?

With the final items stowed in his suitcase, he zipped it shut and hauled it to the hall to be taken to their private jet.

He snatched his phone from the bed as he collapsed onto it. Just finished my packing. I can’t wait to see you. Any last-minute advice before I arrive?

She answered him within a few minutes. I can’t wait for you to be with me. Everything will be fine, my love.

He smiled at his phone, the message reminding him of their texts from a simpler time. She made things seem so easy.

A knock sounded at the door. His grin stayed on his face as he climbed off the bed and crossed to it. “I’m really feeling bet–”

His voice cut off as he stared at his brother’s features. “Stephen.”

“Hey, Nate,” his brother answered as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

He sucked in a breath, wondering what his brother wanted. They’d been through a rough patch lately. Their fist fight had been the worst of it, but they’d never patched things up.

He desperately hoped Stephen didn’t continue his antics while they were in Eldoria. He didn’t want any more incidents.

“Uh, come in,” he said, trying to think of a way to offer his brother another olive branch. He’d done it once, though they’d argued after it again.

“I’d rather not,” Stephen said.

Nate flicked his eyebrows up. Their conversation was going swimmingly so far.

“I’m just here to…there’s something you should know.”

Nate narrowed his eyes at his brother. “Look, if you don’t want to go to Eldoria, I get it. And–”

“No, that’s not it at all,” Stephen said. “Plus, Mom said it wouldn’t look right if I didn’t go. She doesn’t want it to seem like there’s a rift in the family.”

Nate bobbed his head up and down. “Right. Well, I’m sure we could–”

“Nate, that’s not it. I just…” Stephen licked his lips before he settled his eyes on Nate. “Chloe and I…”

Nate’s stomach clenched at her name. Had his brother finally seen the light about the woman? She’ d bounced from him to his brother, desperately trying to keep herself tied to the Kingsley money.

The next words out of Stephen’s mouth stunned him, though.

“We got married last night.”

His stomach twisted into a knot. His brother had married his former fiancée?

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