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

Chapter 26

NATE

N ate’s heart hammered against his ribs as the car navigated closer to the palace. He stared at his cell phone, waiting for an answer to the frantic text he’d sent.

It chimed, and he nearly dropped it as he swiped with shaky hands to read the message from Caroline. Anything you need.

He typed back as quickly as he could. I made a big mistake. I need to talk to Ellie. Any way you can arrange that?

His phone rang a moment later, and he answered Caroline’s call. “Caroline, please tell me you can help me.”

“I can get you to her, yes, but please, please tell me you are on your way back already. She plans to announce her engagement tonight, and they have just left the dining room.”

His heart rose into his throat. “We’re nearly there.”

“I will meet you at the front door.”

“Thanks.” He ended the call, his stomach twisting into a knot as he waited to arrive. “Can he drive a little faster? ”

His father passed the request along. The man offered him a nod, the engine revving as he squeezed out more speed from it.

Victoria’s voice cut through the tension in the car. “Is Caroline going to help?”

He nodded. “Meeting me at the door, but…she’s supposed to announce her engagement in like…minutes. I just hope we get there in time.”

He drummed his fingers on his thigh as they passed through the gates. He tried to plan what he’d say to her, but his mind couldn’t think past stopping her from announcing her engagement. As long as he did that, he hoped the rest would just flow naturally.

The car began to slow as the doors came into sight. Before it stopped, he bounded from the vehicle and raced toward Caroline, who waited inside the open door.

“They are in the sitting room. Hurry, Mr. Kingsley. Prince Eric will not dally in making the announcement.”

Nate’s heart raced as he sprinted down the hall. He had to reach her in time, he thought, his fingers trembling as he flung the doors open, breathless.

Elena stood at the piano with Prince Eric clasping her hand in his.

All eyes turned to him as he burst into the room. “Ellie, stop, you can’t do this.”

King Frederick rose from his seat, his forehead crinkled as King Henry leapt up, his features pinched.

“What is the meaning of this?” he questioned.

Nate kept his gaze focused on Elena, his eyes pleading. “Please, Ellie. Can we speak for a moment?”

She opened her mouth to answer when Eric stepped forward, placing himself between them. “No,” he answered.

She snapped her gaze toward him, her eyebrows squashing .

“Excuse me?” Queen Sophia said. “I believe he was speaking to my daughter.”

“Yes, your daughter. Who is about to become my fiancée.”

King Frederick shot Elena a questioning glance.

“Yes, that is correct, Your Majesty. Elena has accepted my offer of marriage. We were just about to announce it when this…man burst in. How did you get in here, anyway, Kingsley? I thought you had left.”

“I had,” Nate answered. “But…I…please, Ellie, can we talk?”

“I have already said no,” Prince Eric shot back.

Elena’s jaw dropped open, and she fluttered her eyelashes. “You do not speak for me.”

“We are about to become husband and wife, Elena. It is my duty to–“

“Oh, shut up,” Queen Sophia said. “You have made no announcement as of yet, so you are not duty-bound to do anything. Besides, Elena has her own mind.”

Prince Eric sucked in a breath, his nostrils flaring. “We have already agreed privately. Elena, are you telling me you will not keep your word?”

“Elena, is this true?” Her father clasped his hands behind his back as he set his gaze on her.

Nate’s stomach twisted again. If she admitted it was, would she be held to it? Was he already too late?

“May we have a private word, Father?”

“Yes,” he answered, waving toward his wife. “Sophia, if you would join us.”

“Wait, just a moment,” King Henry said. “I would like to hear Elena’s answer to your question.”

“And you shall, after our private discussion,” King Frederick answered. “If you will excuse us.”

“No, we will not,” King Henry answered. “My son has made an offer. An offer it seems that has been accepted. I demand an answer from your daughter at once. If she refuses…”

King Frederick arched a graying eyebrow.

“The offer will be withdrawn, and we shall leave Eldoria at once.” The King bobbed his head emphatically, his face red.

Elena’s eyes widened as she glanced at her father, awaiting his response. Nate shifted his gaze from king to king, wondering if he’d just created an international incident.

King Frederick sucked in a deep breath, his chin lifting a little. “You must do what you feel is right, Henry. Please let one of the staff know if you need a car. Come along, Elena.”

Elena skirted past Prince Eric and scurried after her father and mother.

“Mr. Kingsley, despite the urgency of your request, I trust you can wait to speak with my daughter.”

Nate bobbed his head at the man, swallowing hard.

“Good.”

Caroline approached him as the royal family disappeared behind another set of closed doors. “You made it.”

“Did I?” He peered in at the Corinthian royals. “They don’t seem happy.”

“Their loss,” Caroline answered as she pulled the doors closed, shutting out his view. “Please tell me you plan to rekindle your relationship.”

“If she’ll have me,” Nate answered with a sigh and a weak smile.

Caroline offered him a furtive grin as she raised a finger in the air. She bustled down the hall, disappearing into another room for a moment before she reappeared. “Give her this. Remind her of all the reasons she fell in love with you. ”

Nate glanced down at the object in her hands, his heart lifting as he spotted the carousel he’d given her after their first date. Paired with the new horse, it would be the perfect reminder of their relationship from start until now.

“She wanted it removed from her sight, likely because she was so broken-hearted.”

He took it, pressing it against his chest as doubts gnawed at him. “I hope she’ll take me back.”

“She will,” Caroline said with a grin.

“I don’t know what to say to her. I’ve been so stupid.”

“Just…let the words flow. Tell her everything. You can do it, Mr. Kingsley. She loves you, I know it.”

Nate offered her a tentative smile and a slight nod as the doors opened to the king’s private office.

His heart pounded against his ribs again and his knees wobbled. Suddenly, he seemed far less certain.

“Mr. Kingsley,” King Frederick said as he stepped from the room, “may I have a word with you?”

Nate swallowed hard, his chest tightening. “Y-yes, of course.”

“Please, step inside.”

“Good luck,” Caroline whispered as he stepped forward.

With a curt nod, he continued past her and into the office. He expected to find Elena and her mother, but neither was there.

King Frederick closed the doors behind him before he circled around Nate. “I am somewhat surprised to see you back, Mr. Kingsley.”

“I’m very sorry for interrupting your evening, but–“

King Frederick held up a hand, stopping his words. “May we be frank with each other, Mr. Kingsley?”

Nate’s parched throat nearly choked him as he said the word, “Yes.”

“Good. You may be sorry for interrupting our evening, but I am somewhat glad that you did. I am hoping the reason you did this is because you wish to work things out with Elena?”

Nate shifted his weight, his sweaty palms slipping on the carousel he held in his hands. “I hoped to, yes. I know I haven’t made a very good impression, but I…well, if we are being frank, Your Majesty, I have been a complete fool.”

King Frederick offered him a smile that seemed warmer than he’d expect from the man. “We all tend to have our moments, Mr. Kingsley. I will not speak for my daughter, but I do hope you are able to work things out.”

Nate tried to keep his features neutral, but his eyebrows pinched slightly.

“Yes, Mr. Kingsley, I am giving my approval. I came to the conclusion earlier today but before I could speak with you…well, let us put what happened earlier behind us, shall we?”

“I certainly hope we can,” Nate answered, his pulse racing. He’d earned the king’s approval. Now, he just needed to earn Elena’s back.

“Well, hopefully Elena will see what I have come to recognize. And with that said, you will find her in the private sitting room beyond those doors. Good luck, Mr. Kingsley.” The king waved to another set of double doors hidden behind thick, velvet curtains.

Nate offered him a fleeting smile. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

He crossed to the doors, his hand lingering on the cold brass knob as his heart rose into his throat again. He eased it open and slipped into the well-appointed sitting area.

Elena stared out the window across the room. She twisted to face him as he entered, her features registering a mix of emotions .

“Ellie…” He tried to stop his voice from shaking, licking his lips as he sought words.

“Nathan, I–“

“No, please,” he pleaded, his voice cracking with emotion. “Please, let me talk.”

“All right,” she said, her voice soft.

He glanced down at the carousel and lone horse in his hands, reminded of all their special moments together, and of what had driven him to return from the airport.

“Ellie, I’m…sorry. I know that doesn’t mean much, just saying the words, but I…was a complete idiot to have pushed you about what would happen if your father didn’t accept our relationship.”

Elena sucked in a deep breath as he spoke, her arms crossed tightly.

“And I was an even bigger fool to have accused you of just wanting me because you didn’t want to marry Prince Eric.”

“Yes, you were,” she answered.

“I can’t take back what I said, but I can say I’m sorry. And I can tell you that I love you. And that…if there’s any chance you’ll take me back, I’ll spend the rest of my life proving it to you.”

Elena eyed him, her features still a mask of stoicism. He searched her face for any sign of forgiveness.

“Ellie?” he prodded, feeling like he was quickly losing control of the situation. He shifted the two gifts in his hands before he thrust them forward. “I…Caroline gave me this, and I…I want to give it back to you along with this new horse. Please don’t get rid of it. Please don’t get rid of us.”

She sucked in a deep breath, not taking the items. “Nathan…”

“Please, Ellie.”

“You’ve had your time to speak, now, please let me have mine.”

His gaze sank to the floor as he realized he was about to get the boot.

“I appreciate your apology, and the declaration. And I do know that my father approves of our relationship, so our first argument is a moot point now.”

He swallowed hard, waiting for the “but.”

“I desperately want to put this behind us. But I…worry.”

“About?” he asked.

“What hurdle will we face next that will leave you reeling and questioning?”

He shook his head, closing the gap between them. “Nothing, Ellie.”

“How can you be so certain?”

“Because I learn from my mistakes. I may be an idiot, but at least I learn. And like I said…we can face anything together.”

“But we didn’t face this. At the first sign of trouble, Nathan, you ran. I can’t have that in a husband.”

He swallowed hard, trying to find a way to convince her. “Ellie…please, give me just one more shot at this. I…will admit I was really stressed. Especially with that drug floating around in my system, but I won’t do that again. I’m with you, Ellie. We’ll face everything together.”

She glanced down at the carousel in his hands. “We had so many good times.”

“And we can have so many more.” He dug in his pocket, pulling out the ring he’d been carrying since he arrived in Eldoria. “Please say you’ll marry me.”

She stared at the emerald sparkling in the soft light before she raised her tear-filled eyes to his.

He held his breath, waiting to find out his fate.

Her forehead crinkled before her head gave a slight bob. “Yes, I will.”

His heart could have burst from the joy of the answer. She took the carousel and single horse from his hands, cradling them in one arm as he placed the ring on her finger for a second time, this time for good.

“I love you, Nathan Kingsley.”

He pulled her closer, letting his lips brush hers. “And I love you, Ellie…”

His voice trailed off as he offered her a wide-eyed look. “Oh, your name is so long, I’ve forgotten the entire thing.”

She giggled at him. “Ellie is fine,” she said before she leaned in for another kiss.

“Right. I promise I’ll learn your full name.”

As he held her close, a soft knock interrupted their conversation. The door opened slightly, and Queen Sophia poked her head inside. “I am sorry to interrupt, but we are all dying to know if there is reason to open champagne.”

Elena grinned at her mother, flashing the emerald engagement ring. “There is every reason. And the Kingsleys will need their rooms back, I’m afraid.”

“Caroline has already handled that,” Queen Sophia said. “Please join us in the sitting room, after you have finished your own celebration.”

Elena’s smile faltered, concern flicking in her eyes. “Oh, but what of the–“

“The royal family is packing,” Queen Sophia answered. “And after what Prince Eric did, they ought to be leaving in shame. Welcome to the family, Nathan.”

Nate grinned at her and offered a soft, “Thank you,” before the door closed behind her and he refocused his attention on Elena.

Their future would have bright moments and difficult ones, but they would survive them all together .

To be continued…

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Read The Billionaire’s Royal Crown

One billionaire, One princess. Together, they’ll risk it all for love...

Nate Kingsley, billionaire CEO, has finally won the chance to marry his princess, Elena of Eldoria. But just when their storybook engagement is about to be announced, murder strikes Nate's family. And with his own kin at the top of the suspect list, Nate fears this scandal could destroy any chance of happiness with his bride-to-be.

Meanwhile, in Eldoria, Princess Elena faces a royal nightmare of her own. Her conniving cousin unearths an ancient decree that could strip Elena of her crown if she weds a ‘commoner’ like Nate. Suddenly, her marriage—and her kingdom—are in jeopardy.

In a wildly romantic adventure spanning two continents, Nate and Elena desperately try to reunite, solve the mystery, and clear the way for their Christmas Eve wedding. But with a murderer on the loose and a devious prince vying for Elena's throne, can their love really conquer all?

Or will their fairy tale ending turn into a happily-never-after...