Page 40 of Duty and Desire

Chapter Thirty-Six

Nick

M y heart sank. “Where was this published?” I scanned the page. Whoever had written it had outlined details of times Gio and I had been together—in bars, restaurants…

We didn’t hide a thing, did we?

We’d thought we were safe.

“I saw it ten minutes ago. So far it seems to have been posted on only one site.” She frowned. “I’ve already shown it to the Prime Minister. He and other members of your cabinet are waiting for you in the Council chamber.”

Cold spread through me. “Now? But the ball?—”

“We’ll make excuses for your absence, and I’ll see to it that there’s plenty of champagne for your guests. But we must deal with this immediately, Your Majesty. Because this could be disastrous.”

I gaped at her. “I think that’s a mild assessment of the situation, don’t you? ”

And right then, wherever he was, my father was probably raging at me to do something.

“The journalist… His name wouldn’t be Hans Hasler, would it?” Gio asked.

Daniela froze. “How do you know that?”

I jerked my head in his direction. “You know this man?”

Gio nodded, his expression miserable. “He was sniffing around after you left, asking a lot of questions.”

“How much did he pay you for the story?” Daniela demanded.

I gave her a scornful glance. “Gio would never betray me in that way.”

I knew that with every cell, nerve, and fiber.

“Well, someone did. But this is not the place for such a discussion.” She gestured toward the palace. “Your Majesty.”

“I’ll see you when you’re done.” Gio sounded numb.

I shook my head. “I want you there with me.”

“But—”

“Gio.” The word came out with a firmness that surprised me. “This is non-negotiable.”

“Your Majesty, I must advise against that,” Daniela interjected. “We have serious matters to discuss.”

I pulled myself up to my full height. “Advise all you like. I say he’ll be there.” I indicated the path that led back to the palace. “Shall we go?”

Daniela led the way, and I yearned to take Gio’s hand in mine as we walked. I needed the comfort of his touch.

This is beyond a mess.

By the time we reached the council chamber, I was shaking and doing my best to hide it.

Every chair but two around the oval table was occupied, and everyone rose as we entered.

No one said a word as we approached, but I couldn’t miss the raised eyebrows and shocked expressions when they spotted Gio.

Franz stood by the door, his hands clasped in front of him, and our eyes met. He gave me a slight nod, his expression careful .

Then it hit me. This had all taken place under his watch.

As soon as this fiasco was under control of some kind, I had to make sure his job was secure.

I touched Gio’s arm and pointed to a chair by the window. “Sit there, please.”

His face tightened. “I still think?—”

“I know what you think, but…” I looked him in the eye and lowered my voice. “I need you here, okay?”

Gio’s breathing hitched. “Okay.”

I waited until he was seated, then took my place at the table, Daniela on my right. As soon as I sat, the Prime Minister glanced at Gio before addressing me.

“Your Majesty, I don’t think it is appropriate for your guest to be here, especially in the circumstances.” He arched his eyebrows. “He is the man named in the article, after all.”

“Which gives him the right to hear what is said,” I countered.

Several voices rose all at once.

“Your Majesty, then this is true?”

“Any hint of such a story could be disastrous. We must make moves to suppress it immediately.”

“Your Majesty, the public backlash could be enormous.”

“Can we sue this gutter press journalist?”

“Can he be bought off? Paid to remove this libelous piece of fiction?”

I held my hand up, and silence fell. I took a deep breath.

“Let me answer your questions as clearly as I can.” I gazed at their anxious faces. “Yes, it is true, all of it.”

Uneasy murmurs rippled around the table.

“As for buying Hasler off, or paying him to remove the story, that would serve no purpose. The damage has been done.” I picked up a pen and tapped the polished surface with it. “We are not na?ve. We all know the internet is forever.”

Across the room, I heard the buzz of a phone. Gio gave me an apologetic glance as he removed it from his pocket. A moment later, he froze, and I tensed.

What else does the Universe have left to throw at us?

“Your Majesty.”

I snapped my attention back to the Prime Minister, who regarded me with furrowed brows. “We must quash the story before it spreads. We must issue a denial. The people?—”

I blinked. “The people have a right to know the truth, don’t you think?”

His expression was that of an indulgent father. “Your Majesty, there is nothing in the Constitution to say that is the case. Citizens don’t have rights, only privileges.”

I stiffened. “Then it seems we view this situation from opposing sides.” And if that was truly how he felt, then I needed to choose a new Prime Minister.

“Your Majesty, I beg you to be reasonable. You are going to marry Princess Karoline. There can be no question of this… relationship continuing. You have to issue a statement denying these rumors.” The Prime Minister’s tone was deferential, but his words stung.

“But they’re not rumors,” I exclaimed, louder than I’d intended.

“They will be if that is how we paint them. We show the article for what it is—journalistic garbage—and then hit the media with a blizzard of articles and posts showing you and Her Highness, happy together, contemplating your upcoming marriage.”

The hypocrisy made me nauseous.

“Your father would want it this way,” Daniela murmured.

Ice filled my veins. I’d heard enough.

I rose, my stomach churning. “We will speak more on this tomorrow.” I couldn’t think straight right then. Gio followed me from the room.

When we were outside, he stopped me with his hand to my arm.

“I’m sorry. By coming here, I’ve made your life so much harder.”

I sighed. “Your coming here has nothing to do with this situation. Hasler would still have published his trash if you’d stayed on Bora-Bora.

” I scowled. “What I want to know is how he found out.” Gio dipped his chin to his chest, a tide of red staining his neck and face.

I stilled. “Gio?” When he didn’t look at me, adrenaline shot through my system. “What do you know?”

“Kai messaged me. He said Aulani had been to see him today.”

“Was it her?” I wouldn’t have believed her capable of such a betrayal.

Gio shook his head. “It was the woman who took care of your house—Malie, right?”

“And how did she find out?” I couldn’t recall sharing any personal details with her. I’d spent too long in hiding to do that.

“I don’t know, but Kai said she was the source. Then he said Hasler went all over the island, flashing our photos, to see if he could dig up any more dirt. Apparently he found some.” His face was a picture of misery. “I’m sorry.” He lowered his arm.

My hand ached to cup his face.

“You have nothing to apologize for.” I glanced along the hallway. Faint strains of music could still be heard from the ballroom.

That was the last place I wanted to be.

“I’m not going back to the ball. I need to think.” I managed a half-smile. “And I can’t do that with you around. You’re too much of a distraction. Get some sleep. There’s nothing we can do tonight.” I huffed. “As I said in there, the damage has been done.”

“Hey, Nick…” Gio’s smile held a hint of sadness. “Was that our first—and last—dance?”

Right then I didn’t know how to answer that question, and it was one of many I was adding to a growing list.

I wanted to kiss him, but I didn’t dare.

“I’ll see you in the morning.” And with that, I walked to my rooms, my limbs as heavy as lead, my heart aching.

I don’t know what to do.

I shut the door behind me and went over to the chair by the window. The events of the evening collided in my head: watching Gio from across the ballroom, Karoline’s views finally revealed…

Except you weren’t really surprised, were you? Your father had to have chosen her family for a reason. He must have felt they were of a similar mindset to himself.

Unfortunately, I could see that might have been likely.

I had no idea how long I sat there, my thoughts tumbling over and over. The faint noises of the ball had long since faded to nothing, but the silence was broken by the voice echoing in my mind.

What disturbed me was that it was my father’s.

You must accept your fate.

You must embrace the weight of the crown.

Except it wasn’t just the crown that loomed over me—it was my duty to my people, my obligation to lead with strength, dignity, and power.

There was another voice too, speaking a truth I could no longer ignore.

You love Gio.

His name was a soft whisper in my heart. I knew we shared a love that defied tradition, a love that was reckless in the eyes of my ministers and subjects.

It was also a love unlike any I’d ever known.

Gio is my equal, my partner.

But Gio was not of royal blood. Gio wasn’t born to walk beside a king; he wasn’t trained to live under the scrutiny of the court, to attend lavish banquets and sit beside the most powerful leaders in the world.

Is that enough reason to give him up? To walk away from him?

I raked my fingers across my scalp. The people would never accept Gio as my consort, not in the way they would accept a princess, someone born to fit the mold.

Can I bear to live a lie, to choose the throne over the one person who makes me feel whole?

I had a kingdom to consider .

What will happen if I defy the expectations placed upon me? Can I risk destabilizing everything for the sake of one man? For my own happiness?

I closed my eyes, and Gio’s face swam there, his warm smile, the light in his eyes—eyes filled with love for me. I thought about the way he made everything feel possible.

Gio believed in me.

I can’t lose him. But I can’t abandon my people either.

My heart ached at the thought of walking away from that love, from the man who had made me feel whole.

Then it hit me.