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His brows furrow. "She won't tell you? You're a fucking prince. Command her."
"We're not in Stonehaven. I have no authority to command her."
"You do if you're doing it right," he smirks.
I growl wordlessly.
He chuckles. "Fine. If you can't figure out the mechanics of that one, bring her back here and then command her to tell you what you want to know. Problem solved."
"She won't come." I pace in a restless circle, thrusting my hand through my hair. "She's hiding something from me."
"Interesting," he murmurs.
I cut a dark look in his direction. "This is serious, Samson."
"I can see that." He cocks his head to the side, studying me. "I've never seen you like this before. You're actually worried about her."
My heart pounds a frenetic beat. "Yes," I rasp. "I'm…Christ." I exhale a breath, admitting the truth out loud. "I'm in love with her."
"Jesus Christ."
"That's the other reason I'm here today," I say. "I intend to tell my father that I've met someone and I'm marrying her. He can marry the princess if he wants to follow through on this contract. I'll abdicate before I do it."
Sam's bloodshot green eyes widen in shock. "You're serious."
I nod, meeting his gaze. "As a fucking heart attack. I'm not marrying his pawn of a princess."
That was never an option. But I've had a week to consider this from every angle. I've thought through every possible scenario. This is the best option. If he forces my hand, I'll abdicate. I don't need the throne. I don't need the kingdom. I have my own money—the inheritance my mother left me and what I've amassed from my own ventures. I'm more than capable of taking care of Thalia.
He can say whatever he wants and do what he wants. He won't win. I'll exile myself to Fable Forest or some other kingdom if that's what I have to do.
Whatever it takes.
"Jesus, Troy," Sam whispers, clearly shaken. "If you abdicate, the entire kingdom will fall into chaos. You know he's in no condition to rule."
"I'm aware." I shrug. "But I won't be his pawn. I won't play his game. If he insists on following through on this, it'll be his problem to solve, not mine. I've been cleaning up his messes long enough. I'm done."
Samson eyes me, more serious than he's ever been. "Give me a week," he says after a moment. "One week before you tell him."
"Why? If he won't listen to me, he won't listen to you."
"Perhaps." Samson shrugs, scrubbing a hand down his face. "But fucking hell, Troy, you're talking about leaving the kingdom with no heir. You've got to let me at least try to make him see reason. Besides, if she's hiding something from you, don't you think you should know what it is before you throw the kingdom into chaos to marry her?"
I hesitate for a long moment, not because I think anything he might find would change my mind about her—there's nothing capable of that. I don't care who she is. I don't care what he discovers. She's mine, and that won't change.
I hesitate because I'm unsure whether I want to give him or my father another week. That's seven more days for something to go wrong, seven more days for her father to continue believing he has the right to try to force her into a marriage she doesn't want. I don't like it.
"Please," Samson says softly. "One week, Troy."
"Fuck. Fine," I growl, giving in only because he's the one asking. "One week."
"Thalia," I whisper late that night, running my hand down her side when I slip into the bed with her. "Are you awake?"
"No."
I grin, pressing my lips to the back of her neck. "Hmm. Really?" I walk my fingers across her hip, heading toward her pussy. "Are you sure?"
She doesn't say anything.
