Page 50 of A Royal Mistake

“I’m just saying,” Dom panted as Henry increased his pace again. “This will not end well.”

“Noted.” Like hell was he going to risk his identity being leaked just so Pippa could cast him aside with the other blue blood suitors. She’d made her feelings clear last night and he sure as shit wasn’t going to throw his lot in with the rest, hoping to change her mind. Not when he’d seen firsthand how the tabloids abused Valerian royals. If his identity were revealed, the press would turn his life upside down. He’d be shackled with his own security team faster than a sex tape gone viral.

As if sensing he was done with the topic, Dom switched gears. “How are the negotiations with Prince William proceeding?”

Henry cursed.

“That well, eh?”

“I realize the man is busy running a country, but he’s blown me off several times. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was dragging out the negotiations on purpose.” He exhaled through his nose and sucked in a sharp breath. “Every time I turn around, he’s nitpicking trivial details. It makes no sense, but I’m too invested to walk away.”

Dom snorted. “Invested in the deal or the princess?”

He rolled his eyes and kicked up the pace. It was that or shove his brother into the rosebushes. “I’ll race you back to the palace.”

It was a solid plan. If Dom was fighting for breath, he wouldn’t be able to speculate on Henry’s love life. Or lack thereof.

His brother didn’t respond, just put on a burst of speed and took off running at a full sprint.

Henry grinned. Dom was fast, but he lacked stamina. The pace wasn’t sustainable and Henry would overtake him before he made it halfway across the lawn. Dom might be ambitious, but he was no strategist.

He trailed Dom, saving his final burst of speed until they were a few hundred meters from the palace. As they approached the patio, he noticed a lone figure leaning against one of the limestone pillars. Tall, blonde, and hostile.

Prince Alexander.

Scheisse. It was bad enough he had to deal with his own brother’s chastising. He had no interest in going another round with the Valerian spare.

Prince Alexander watched their approach, ankles crossed, leaning against the pillar as if lying in wait.

Henry slowed to a walk, hands resting on his hips. He sucked in deep gulps of air, heart hammering against his rib cage. Beside him, Dom bent over at the waist, panting as if he’d just completed a marathon.

“Von der Recke.”

Henry gave a curt nod, but made no move to approach. “Your Highness.”

Prince Alexander straightened and took a step toward Henry, his mouth set in a grim line. The fair-haired prince was known for being the wild child of the royal family—hell, the populars had dubbed him the royal rogue—but from the looks of it, a good time was the furthest thing from his mind.

“You’ve been spending a lot of time with my sister,” the prince said, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “What are your intentions?”

He grinned. It was the same disarming smile he used when travelling abroad or greeting potential donors. No sense getting in a pissing match with the prince, and really, it was sweet of him to look out for his sister. Henry would do the same in his position.

“I’m helping Pippa with the business case for Stanley International.”

Best to keep it simple and stick to the facts.

“Really?” The prince leveled him with an icy stare. “Because that didn’t look like business planning in the garden last night.”

So much for sticking to the facts.

Dom’s head popped up like a bloody whack-a-mole, brows so high they disappeared into his hairline.

Verdammt. What did the prince want him to say? That seeing Pippa dance with another man had rubbed him raw? That he’d wanted to rip that damn dress to shreds so he could taste every inch of her? That if he’d arrived even a minute later, Henry may very well have given in to those desires?

No. Now was definitely not the time to get into what he’d been thinking—or doing—in the garden. Not with his brother and Pippa’s staring him down.

“If you have questions about my arrangement with Pippa,” He said, keeping his voice neutral, “I suggest you speak with her.”

The prince narrowed his eyes and took a step closer, closing the gap between them. “I could do that, but I’d rather speak to you. Man to man.”