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An intense possessiveness he’d never felt before hardened inside him like granite.
No, she wouldnotbe giving his child to strangers to be brought up. Not the heir to the throne. He had a duty to his people to provide them with an heir, and while he’d been prepared for that heir to be Philippe, he knew he couldn’t do that now. Not in good conscience.
The next heir would be a Solari.
There would be no argument.
Something in his face must have distressed her because abruptly those long lashes swept down, veiling her gaze. There were tears sparkling on the ends of them and he was conscious all of a sudden that they were still on the floor and he could feel the swell of her stomach pressing against him, the little bump where his child lay.
So much for protecting them.
The thought was a bitter one, making his jaw harden. Perhaps he couldn’t, but he’d be damned if he wouldn’t at least try. He could do that much at least.
He moved, shifting off her before dealing with his clothing. She sat up, trying to smooth her skirt down with shaking hands, but he gently pushed them aside so he could adjust her clothing for her.
‘You don’t need to do that,’ she murmured.
He ignored her, helping her to her feet instead then doing up the tiny buttons of her blouse methodically.
‘I can manage,’ she protested.
‘I’m sure you can,’ he said. ‘But you will not need to manage today.’ He couldn’t stop his fingertips from brushing her skin as he did up her buttons, relishing the way she shivered as he did so.
The certainty of his decision was harder than rock now, sitting inside him like the foundation of a castle. For the past five years everything had felt tenuous, precarious. As if he was an imposter in his own life, doing a job he wasn’t suited to any longer, and barely scraping by. Hiding his failings every day as he tried and failed to meet the standards his father had set.
But providing an heir, a Solari heir, was one of the prime duties of being a king, and this was one thing he could do. His own reign might be mediocre, but he could ensure that the next one would not be. He could ensure that the next ruler of Isavere would be the one his father had always hoped for.
And as to marrying Freddie, well, there were bonuses. She knew everything about him, at least she knew the extent of his disabilities, so he wouldn’t have to hide them from her. Plus, she’d also be a joy to take to bed.Thathe had no problems accepting.
When her buttons were done, he straightened and gestured at her to sit on the couch once more. But, again surprising him, she shook her head, folding her arms across her beautiful breasts. The steely determination was back in her eyes, hiding the fear that lurked beneath it. ‘Now what?’ she asked before he could say anything.
No, she’d never been a pushover, but she’d certainly never used her teeth on him. Now it seemed she’d had a change of heart. That was going to make things interesting.
Augustine studied her a moment, feeling more relaxed than he had in months. A likely combination of that incredible orgasm and the decision he’d made about his child. He felt as if he had a direction and a purpose now. No longer was he merely waiting and holding on for grim death until Philippe came of age. Now he had a child he could teach, an heir who could be the ruler he couldn’t.
‘Now what?’ he echoed. ‘Now, Freddie sweetheart, you are going to put aside your adoption plans.’
‘But I—’
‘No,’ he interrupted, all his certainty and the command of the king in his tone. ‘You are having my child. The heir to the throne. You do understand that, don’t you?’
‘Yes, but—’
‘The heir to the throne you were going to adopt out without telling me, I may add.’
Her jaw firmed, her eyes looking black in her pale face. ‘That was... I didn’t mean...’
‘We’ll talk about that later,’ he said decisively. He didn’t like the pale cast to her cheeks, or the traces of fear in her eyes; he didn’t want her being afraid of him. ‘Sit down. That’s an order.’
An oddly mutinous look crossed her face, then abruptly she turned and sat down on the edge of the couch. ‘So? I’m sitting. What now?’
‘As I said, there will be no adoption. The child is mine and I will claim it.’
‘The child is also mine,’ she said.
‘I realise that.’ He paused for effect. ‘Which is why I will be claiming you too.’
This time her eyes went wide. ‘What? What do you mean?’
