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He looked as if he wanted to argue with her. She shook her head and closed her eyes. Another tear trickled down her cheek, but she ignored it.
“And I think it would be better if you don’t visit me again.”
“I can’t accept that.”
“Please, Gabriel.”
He exhaled harshly. “I’ll get your father.”
She waited to open her eyes until his soft footfalls receded. Her fingers tingled from contact with Gabriel’s cheek. It brought to mind all those times when her hands had roamed over him, exploring his masculine contours, learning all the delightful ways his body differed from hers.
Reaching toward a nearby box of tissues exhausted her. The weakness was frustrating. Before she had the chance to lose herself in the black cloud of misery that hovered nearby, her father entered the room. His embrace stirred up her emotions again and Olivia began to cry once more. This time, however, she didn’t feel the need to hold back. His shirt was soaked by the time she ran out of tears.
“I want to go home,” she told him, making use of the tissue box once again.
“The doctor wants to keep you in here for at least a week.”
“Can’t I be transferred to a hospital in London?”
“You are in no shape to travel.” He patted her hand. “It’s just a week. Then I’ll take you home.”
A week. It was too long. More than her body needed to heal and that wouldn’t be possible until she was miles and miles from Sherdana and its prince.
* * *
Shortly after speaking with Olivia, Gabriel returned to the palace alone, his emotions in turmoil. Staff scattered as he crossed the expansive foyer, heading for his office. The way they disappeared he must have looked like the devil himself had come calling.
It had shocked him that after she’d survived her brush with death, her first act would be to end their engagement. She’d done it gracefully, shouldering the responsibility, leaving him free to move on with a clear conscience.
“Move on.”
He spat out the words like the foulest curse. No matter how angry he’d been when he found out about her medical condition, he’d not really considered ending things. How could he ever replace Olivia in his life after making love with her? Watching her with his daughters? Seeing that damned tattoo. Hope. He could sure use some right now.
Entering his office, he flung himself into a chair near the cold fireplace. He’d been up all night. Exhaustion should be eating into his bones and muscles, but rage burned white-hot in his veins. He massaged his temples where a headache had begun the minute he’d walked out of Olivia’s hospital room. Or perhaps it had been there all along. Up until that moment, he’d been completely focused on Olivia.
But after leaving her bedside, he realized that his role in her life was over. As was her role in his. From now on they would be nothing more than familiar strangers. He would probably not exchange a dozen words with her before she left for England and her old life.
God, his chest ached.
“Your Highness?” Gabriel’s secretary had poked his head in the door.
“Not now, Stewart.”
He needed some time to adjust. How much time, he didn’t know. He’d never imagined having to live without Olivia and he wasn’t going to pretend that he could just shake off this tragedy and continue on.
“Your Highness,” Stewart persisted. “Your father, the king, wants to speak with you.”
“I know my father is the king,” Gabriel said, taking his annoyance out on his private secretary. He pushed out of the chair, deciding to face whatever his father had to say now rather that make the king wait until he’d showered and changed.
He found his father on the phone in his office and went to pour himself a shot of scotch while he waited for him to conclude the call.
“A little early for that, isn’t it?” the king demanded as he hung up.
“I think a man’s entitled to a drink after his fiancée breaks up with him, don’t you?”
The king shot him a hard glance as he rose to his feet and crossed to the tray with the coffeepot and cups. Pouring a cup, he plucked the crystal tumbler from Gabriel’s finger and replaced it with bone china.
“I just got off the phone with Lord Darcy. He told me you and Olivia ended things.”
