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

Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22

NATE

N ate threw another shirt into the suitcase, allowing some of his frustrations to seep out with his actions. The fight he’d had with Elena had rattled him to his core.

He’d said things he probably shouldn’t have but he couldn’t stop them from slipping out.

Maybe it was for the best. They clearly didn’t belong together. And she’d walked away pretty easily, too.

Was his statement about her correct? Had this all been about avoiding a marriage to Prince Eric?

He sank onto the edge of the bed, his chest heavy with the weight of his emotions. Clutching a tie in his hands, he couldn’t shake the feelings of despair that consumed him.

He ran his fingers along the silk, recalling when he’d selected it to pack. He’d been filled with nervous energy then, and determined to fit in.

He’d also been excited to see Elena again .

But when he’d arrived, it had been one issue after another. He imagined their royal life would be like this, too.

They’d had fun when they hadn’t had any pressure on them. They’d fallen in love, but as soon as the walls of reality closed in around them, their relationship fell apart.

And there was likely no salvaging it.

They’d both made their final feelings clear. With a disgusted grimace, he tossed the tie into his suitcase and rose to collect more of his things from the drawer he’d stowed them in.

A knock interrupted him, and he dumped the clothes on the bed and crossed to open it. His heart pounded against his ribs as he wondered if he’d find Elena on the other side. What would he say to her?

He tugged the door open, finding his mother. “Hey, honey, how are you–“

Her words stopped as her eyes fixed on the suitcase on his bed. “Going somewhere?”

“Home,” he answered.

Her eyebrows shot up, and her eyes went wide at the words. “Home? We’re not scheduled to leave for another week.”

“I’m leaving now. You, Dad, and Maddie are probably welcome to stay, but you may want to check on that.” He shuffled back to the pile of clothes he’d left behind and tossed a few more things into his luggage.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” his mother said, catching another tie as it went into the bag. “What’s going on? Did something happen?”

“Oh, yeah, something happened.” Nate scoffed and shook his head.

Victoria’s eyebrows shot up. “Do you want to clue me in, or am I supposed to guess?”

“What do you think?” Nate snapped, tossing down a shirt in frustration.

“Whoa!” Victoria said, her eyes going wide. “Tone down the attitude. I didn’t do anything to you.”

He licked his lips, frustrated with everything from the situation to the lecture his mother just gave him. “I’m not a kid. But…I’m also sorry. I know it’s not your fault.”

“It’s not. Now, what happened?”

Nate heaved a sigh, his eyes squeezing closed. “It’s over, Mom.”

His voice cracked with emotion as he said the words aloud.

“King Frederick said no?” Victoria’s jaw dropped open as she waited for an answer. “Does he know we think you were set up?”

“I was set up,” Nate answered. “Ellie said my blood test proved it.”

Victoria pressed a hand against her chest as she blew out a breath. “Oh, thank goodness. Well, that’s great news, honey.”

She tilted her head as she studied his features, which he was certain remained etched with pain. “But there’s something else, isn’t there? Why don’t we sit down?”

He nodded as she slid her arm around him and led him to the chairs. They settled into them, and Nate stared into the cold hearth, the dark stones mirroring the darkness in his heart.

“What happened, Nate?”

“Ellie came by to tell me she’d told her father that I’d been drugged. She said her father hadn’t made a decision on our relationship yet.”

“Okay, I don’t see why you’re packing if he hasn’t made a call. ”

“I asked her what would happen if he said no. Because, honestly, that felt like where we were headed.”

“And?”

“And she couldn’t answer that.” He snorted a laugh as the conversation replayed in his head. “Or wouldn’t.”

“There may be no need to answer it.”

He finally flicked his gaze to his mother. “But that’s the point. She won’t answer, but it’s a very real possibility. And what’s going to happen if he says no? Is our relationship over just like that? And she couldn’t answer.”

Victoria offered him a consoling glance.

“And so, then…” He sucked in a deep, shaky breath. “I…said she was just using me to get out of marrying Prince Eric.”

Victoria clicked her tongue.

“Well, Mom, honestly, she’s been pretty cavalier about this whole thing. She won’t talk about what it means if her father says no.”

“I’m not surprised,” Victoria said. “Honey, do you think maybe this is your upset from Chloe talking?”

Nate’s jaw tightened, his nostrils flaring as he gripped the chair arms. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean…you were used by Chloe, and now you see that everywhere.”

“I don’t. I didn’t see it before until we came here.”

“I don’t think Ellie was using you, Nate. She seems to genuinely care about you.”

Nate shrugged, flicking his gaze back to the fireplace. “Well, it doesn’t matter. We decided to end things. I told her it may be best if I left, and she agreed. That’s how we left it. So, I’m leaving.”

Victoria leaned forward, taking his hand in hers. “Honey, you had a fight. Your first, and that’s always tough. Emotions are running high. It’s been tense, and stressful. But I think you’re overreacting here.”

“Am I? I don’t think so, Mom. I don’t belong here. Her father is right.”

“Honey…I understand there are so many rules and protocols coming at you right now that it’s tough, but–”

“No, it’s not…it’s not the forms of address, and the pomp, and the protocols. It’s…us. We’re not right. We’re not compatible. At least not in this environment. When we first met, things were simple and easy.”

“Well, of course. You had no responsibilities. You had no expectations.”

“And we had a nice time, but when life came at us, we fell apart.”

Victoria patted his hand. “I don’t think you fell apart. I think you had an argument. Maybe a bad one. Maybe the worst one you’ll ever have, but if you love each other, you work through it.”

Nate didn’t answer, letting his gaze lower to his feet.

“I know it feels raw right now, but honey, please don’t do something you may regret. If you walk away from this right now, you may never get another chance.”

Nate shifted in his seat. “That may be for the best. Like I said, if you, Dad, and Maddie want to stay, I’m sure they won’t kick you out–”

Victoria huffed out a breath as she shook her head. “If you’re going, we’re going. Maddie will be disappointed, but she’ll live. But I think you should think about this. Nate, life isn’t going to be easy no matter who you marry. Your father and I have had some major arguments over the years, especially when you boys were growing up. Life is messy.”

“And if we can’t make it past our first argument, Mom, then we’re not meant to be. It’s as simple as that.”

“Are you saying that for my benefit or yours? ”

He leapt from his seat, shaking his head. “I don’t know what you want me to say. This life isn’t for me. I mean, we can’t even decide we’re right for each other without having it go through the country’s legislature.”

“It’s not that bad,” Victoria said, shooting him an incredulous glance.

“Close enough,” Nate answered. “I just don’t like that. I don’t like the control over our lives. Okay? I tried it. I gave it a go. It doesn’t work for me.”

Victoria rose, holding her hands in the air. “Okay. If that’s what you think, that’s fine. It’s your call. But please, Nate, before we walk out that door, please be sure. What you seemed to have with Ellie is not something you’re going to find every day. If you’re certain you can walk away from it, then by all means, get on that plane and leave Eldoria behind. But if not…”

“What? Go find out I don’t have the choice anyway because her father doesn’t approve?”

His mother heaved a sigh before she squeezed his arm. “Just think about it. She brings out the best in you, Nate.”

She kissed his cheek before she strode from the room, pulling the door closed behind her.

He collapsed into the chair, his head pounding from the left-over effects of the drug and the emotional toll. He chewed his lower lip, his hands clasping and unclasping as he sorted through his feelings.

Was he being hasty?

He swallowed hard, trying to determine which decision was the mistake. Was it leaving or staying?

His hazy mind couldn’t think anymore. He forced himself to stand. He’d made a call, and he wasn’t going to second guess himself.

Another knock sounded at the door, and his shoulders slumped. He didn’t want to talk to anyone.

He crossed to it and pulled it open, finding his dad. He held back a sigh as he motioned for the man to enter.

“I assume Mom told you,” Nate said with a huff.

“She did. I’m not here to tell you what to do.”

“Good,” Nate said as he let his door swing shut. “Because I made up my mind.”

Charles bobbed his head. “Okay.”

Nate stalked to his suitcase and started to fold a shirt, his gaze lingering on his father. “So, what are you doing here?”

“Well, I’m not going to tell you what to do. I’m not going to try to change your mind. But I am going to give you a piece of advice.”

Nate stopped his folding, tossing the shirt down and setting his hands on his hips. “Because you know more about my relationship than me, huh?”

Charles wagged his head with a frown. “Nope. I don’t. But what I do know is you. And you tend to make these hotheaded decisions–”

“Hotheaded? Dad, we literally don’t even have a relationship right now because we don’t know if we’re allowed. And Ellie just has nothing to say about that.”

Charles sucked in a breath as he nodded. “Again, I’m not saying you’re wrong. This is stressful. And very different from what we are used to. But, son, you do make quick decisions. Look at what happened with–”

“Chloe? Yeah, you mean the rash decision to get engaged?”

“And the one to go after your brother. All I’m saying is to take a minute. Maybe stay away from her for a day, but don’t leave. Take some time to really think, Nate.”

Nate chewed the inside of his cheek before he shook his head. “Thanks for the lecture, Dad, but my mind’s made up.”

“All right. Well, we’ll support you no matter what you decide, Nate.” His father shuffled to the door. He twisted, his fingers lingering on the knob. “Just make sure you can live with your decision.”

Nate slid his eyes closed, and his stomach twisted as the door clicked shut. He opened his eyes, staring at the half-packed suitcase.

Was he making a mistake leaving? Should he try for one final conversation with Elena?

Maybe with tempers cooled, they’d have a different outlook.

He sucked in a breath, leaving the suitcase open and his room behind. He slipped into the hall and headed for Elena’s room.

Every step he took weighed on him. What would he say? Was he making a mistake?

He rounded the corner, spotting a figure coming toward him. His stomach clenched and his heart plummeted at the sight of Prince Eric.

His muscles stiffened as the man approached him. “Mr. Kingsley, I am happy I’ve run into you.”

“Oh? You planning on drugging me again?”

Prince Eric frowned as he clasped his hands behind his back. “No. And I owe you an apology for that.”

Nate swallowed hard. “Yes, you do.”

Prince Eric bobbed his head. “I am sorry. I…lost sight of myself in a desperate attempt to win Elena’s hand.”

Nate snorted in frustration.

“Though I also feel I owe you a debt of gratitude.”

Nate’s eyebrows pinched as he raised his gaze to Prince Eric. “Oh? Grateful that you have seen the light?”

Prince Eric’s lips tugged back into a smirk. “No, of course not. Grateful that I have won.”

Nate wrinkled his nose as he tried to figure out what the man meant.

“Well, of course you haven’t heard. Elena has accepted my proposal. We announce our engagement tonight.” His smug grin widened, his eyes gleaming with triumph.

Nate’s heart pinched at the words as he stared at Eric. Surely, the man was lying. He’d already proven he’d stoop to any level to win. But what if he wasn’t?

Had Elena already moved on?