Page 26 of Her Royal Cowboy Billionaire

Next,Alex called Michele. He hadn’t seen her for two days. He was going to give her the ring, but changed his mind. Now, though, he needed her to come with him. He needed her by his side.

“Hello, Alex.” Her voice was deep, smokey, and sexy as hell.

“Michele. Darling. I am on my way to your house. I have much to tell you.”

“What’s the matter?”

He tried to control his voice. “I must talk to you in person. Please. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

“All right. I’ll be waiting here.”

“Thank you.” He ended the call.

He couldn’t tell her his father had died over the phone or that his uncle was responsible. That had to be in person. She needed to understand why he had to go home now and he would do his best to convince her to go with him.

* * *

Michele watchedAlex’s candy-apple-red pickup truck pull to a stop beside the house.

Alex got out of the truck and immediately thrust his hands in his pockets. He looked down as he walked to the door.

Something was very wrong. Alex never looked down when he walked. He looked up, self-assured and ready to take on the world. This Alex was sad. She went out the front door and met him.

“What’s wrong? Alex. Look at me and tell me what’s wrong.”

He stopped and looked at her. His eyes had a sheen of unshed tears in them.

“He is dead. My father is dead.”

“Oh, my God.” She wrapped her arms around him. “I’m so sorry.”

He enclosed her in his arms and just stood there. Holding her. He buried his face in her neck.

She felt the tiny tremors in his body, realized he was crying, and held him tighter.

“Come inside.”

He released her, wiped a hand against a cheek, and took her hand with the other.

She led him into the living room and sat with him on the sofa. “Tell me everything.”

“He was murdered…by my uncle…his brother.”

Her eyes widened, and her mouth fell open. She grabbed his hand and held it. “Oh, my God. Why? He can’t become king. Why would he kill him?”

“He has lost his mind. He thinks by marrying my mother, he will be king. Of course, he has to kill me and my siblings first. The crown passes equally to the males and females of the line. That was another of the things my mother changed. It used to be males only.”

She laced her fingers with his. “I think I’d like your mother.”

“That is what I have come to ask you.” He dropped her hand and slid off the sofa to his knees on the floor and reached into his pocket. “Michele, please say you will marry me and be my wife. I can see only you by my side.” He opened the jewelry box and showed her the engagement ring. “It was my grandmother’s and now I want it to be yours.”

The ring was beautiful. An old-fashioned setting with five baguette-shaped white diamonds on either side of a huge princess-cut pink diamond.

Yes, I want so much to say yes, but I’m afraid.“I don’t know what to say. I—”

“Say yes, my darling. Say yes.”

She looked into his eyes. She loved him, but was that enough? He’s told me he cares for me, but never that he loves me. Could they have a good marriage where the love was one-sided? Was caring for one another enough and was she willing to try?