Player's Princess (A Royal Sports Romance)(90)

"I've heard that my entire life. I don't want to hear about you dying anymore, Mother."

"I know, my child. That is why I must give up the throne. I would wish to see you come into your own as queen. The crown will suit you better than it ever did me. You will have your… your husband with your by your side as I never did. You will be a better queen than I could ever be, Ana. Never before today have you been so regal as you are now."

I pull my tiara down and strip my veil off, and walk up to meet her. I throw my arms around my mother and hug her hard.

"Will you ever forgive me?" she whispers.

"I will try," I tell her. "You have much to beg my forgiveness for, Mother. Perhaps you will be a better grandmother than you were a mother to me."

She blinks. "What? Are you—?"

"I don't know," I say with a smirk, touching my stomach. "It was only the one time, but if I am not soon, it will not be for lack of trying."

Thorlief growls.

I rise on my tiptoes and kiss him on the cheek, and take his hands.

"Thank you for being more of a father to me than I deserved."

He nods, and I see something I never imagined could even happen. Thorlief sheds a tear.

Mother looks at him with a knowing smile.

"How is it you never told me?"

"You are my queen. It is not my place."

"Your place is where I say it is. Right now I say it is in my bedroom. I have had a, what do they Americans call it?"

She looks at me.

"A loooong dry spell."

As they leave, I am left alone in the Great Hall. I walk up to the throne, but I do not sit on it. It is not time.

I have homework to do.

I sprint out of the throne room. Jason catches me and twirls me in the air, and raises me in his arms.

"Put me down," I command him.

He lowers my feet to the floor.

"Let's go home. We have to turn in our assignments."



Jason



Okay, so, ah, we're heading back to America.

We should be landing in an hour or so. Thanks to the time difference, it will be the dead of night when we land. Ana is fast asleep, her head pillowed on my shoulder. She's wearing her hair down now, and it spills across my chest like glacial melt.

She looks so sweet and innocent when she's asleep, like an angel. Both of her arms wrap around mine, and I can feel the soft rhythm of her breath against me. Nothing makes me feel more content.

I could stand to sleep myself, but then I'd miss out on watching her. As the plane starts to turn, she stirs in her sleep, licks her lips, and buries her face in my arm, as if somewhere deep down she knows she has to wake up soon and she's fighting it.

The plane jumps a little and the pilot makes the announcement. She slits up slowly, blinking and yawning, and as soon as her mouth closes, I dart in and kiss her on the lips.

"What was that for?"

"Because I wanted to."

I lean back in my seat and crush my fear of flying with a mental fist. I can't let myself look weak in front of her.

Ana takes my hand, or rather, she slips her delicate fingers through mine. I squeeze without thinking, and she squeezes back.

When our eyes meet no words are exchanged. She just smiles, and I start to tremble. She squeezes my hand in both of hers, and I press my eyes shut.

No, I can be afraid in front of her. I don't have to hide anything.

After the landing, as the plane taxies into position to let us off, Ana goes back to leaning on my shoulder. We sit there while everyone else climbs off. Queen Karen was kind enough to charter busses for us to ride back to campus.

Ana and I go last. When we get on the bus, I feel every eye on us as we walk to the back and drop down into the rearmost seat.

She clings to me for the entire ride.

When we get back to campus and the bus lets us off, we're the last to leave.

"All of my things are gone," she sighs.

"Doesn't matter. You're staying with me."

Thorlief stayed behind, and her other guard, Bjorn was his name, isn't coming anywhere near her again. She has two new ones now, Ragnar and Sven.

No, really.

They carry her suitcases as we walk back to the house. My house that I share with the Thunder Brothers. After her things are deposited in the living room, the two guards sit on the couch. I'm not sure where we're going to put them.

"Go get settled in," I tell Ana with a kiss on the cheek. "I'm going out."

"Aren't you tired?"

She tugs on my belt, trying to take me upstairs.

I don't think sleep is on her mind.

I grasp her wrist and gingerly pull her hand away. The look in her eyes could melt steel, and her half-embarrassed, half-aroused little smirk makes me start to stiffen, but I have something I have to do first.

"I'll be right back. I promise."

"Hurry up. That is a royal command."

I nod and slip out of her arms. Truth is, I'm exhausted, but she gives me an energy that seems to be without limit. Once I'm outside I run out to the Cadillac and borrow her, drive across town, and pull through the Burger King drive-through.

I return only ten minutes later carrying a bag containing two double Whoppers with cheese, a large order of French fries, and two chocolate milkshakes.