Page 72 of The Prince Falls First
She ignored his possible joke—it was a joke right? —and kept going. “—and I’ll never live it down, and neither will this child, and they’ll have me for a mother, and I don’t know what a mother should do, and what if I turn intomymother, and?—”
He tilted her head up and kissed the tears from her cheeks. “Take a breath, my love.”
She inhaled a shaky breath, then buried her face against his chest again.
“First of all, you won’t be like your mother. You’re already not like her, and you won’t treat our children as she does hers because you’ll remember the pain she caused you for the rest of your life.”
As she was trying to take that in, he continued. “Second, I am sorry you might walk down the aisle pregnant. I know how the public and media will look on it, and I would spare you from it if I could. Third?—”
“Did you get me pregnant on purpose?” she interrupted, peering up at his face. “Tell me the truth.”
He looked so annoyed that it immediately set her heart at ease. “Of course I didn’t. Do you really believe I’d do such a thing? That I’d force your hand that way?”
She shook her head. “No, I don’t. I’m just…frustrated. Nothing is turning out like I wanted it to.”
His hand shifted to her lower stomach, while he leaned down to whisper in her ear. “I can’t deny that I love the thought of you pregnant with my child. I even love the idea of filling you with my seed over and over again and watching it drip out of you, knowing we could create yet another life.”
A heat was spreading through her and she shook her head against his chest. Why did she like the sound of that too? It didn’t make sense to her.
He kissed her temple. “Perhaps one of the condoms failed, but I would never force you or your body through something you didn’t want. Even if you decided not to marry me, I’d let you go, though you’d take my heart with you. I’d never marry another.”
“You don’t know what the future holds. Your parents might force you to marry someone else.”
He shook his head, his hair brushing against her face, his mustache still tickling her ear. “I’d say no. I have siblings who are likely to marry. One of their children could rule.”
She didn’t believe him though. He was too much a ruler, too dedicated to duty. He may say he was fine with his niece or nephew running the show while he was some interim king, but she didn’t believe he’d want that.
“He’s coming.”
She took a deep breath and pushed back from him. Slipping from his lap, she slid into her own chair next to his. He gripped her hand as the doctor knocked and Gabriel bade him to enter.It was the man’s own office, but when a prince was inside, you waited for permission to enter.
Soon, she would also command such power. Was she ready for it? Ready for this? For all of it? She wish she knew for sure.
“Your Highness.MissRuffin.”
What a fucking asshole. He had been pleasant and professional towards Gabriel the entire visit but treated her as if she’d done something wrong.
It took her a moment to realize that Gabriel had gone still beside her, except he was holding her hand more tightly. “What was that, doctor? Surely you aren’t disparaging the future princess andqueenof Valleria.”
The doctor looked away, pursing his lips.
“Well?” Gabriel pushed.
“I apologize, Miss Ruffin,” the doctor eventually said through a forced smile that didn’t mask the anger in his eyes. This man was not a fan of her, and maybe not even the royal family.
The doctor cleared his throat and opened a folder in front of him. “The test was positive. You are pregnant.”
“Oh fuck.” She clapped a hand over her mouth; she hadn’t intended to say that out loud.
The doctor’s hands tightened on the folder, crushing it slightly, but he didn’t call her out for it.
“I’d say you’re still in your first trimester. I’d like to do an exam to?—”
“No,” she said immediately.
The doctor scoffed. “I am your physician. I must be allowed to examine you. You could be carrying the country’s heir.”
“You are ‘a’ physician. You are notmyphysician, and you must be delusional if you think I’ll let you anywhere near my vagina. I’ll take a copy of those test results and I’ll see my own doctor, thank you very much.”
