The Royal Heir Read online

  I blew out a breath. “There is no other woman, I swear it.”

  “Where is this going from here Erik?” she asked, wrapping her arms around herself. She looked so unlike the Carrie I knew, and I wanted to pull her into my arms, tell her it was all going to be okay. But even I couldn’t make that promise. I didn’t know myself.

  “My uncle is an asshole. He’s just trying to tear us apart,” I tried again, letting her feel my anger in my voice.

  She looked up, and I felt like someone had kicked me in the stomach. “I don’t think there ever was an us.”

  I reached out, but she retreated backward, clearly not wanting me to touch her. “Are you telling me that you have no feelings for me?”

  She swallowed hard. “O-of course I do, but.” She paused and looked away, her jaw working. “You’re going to be leaving tomorrow anyway. Why does it matter?”

  I dropped my hands, absorbing the hurt of her words inside so she wouldn’t see them. She was telling me exactly what I had wrestled with for the last twenty-four hours, not wanting to tell myself that it was coming to an end. My mouth opened but I couldn’t form the words that I wanted to tell her, to lie to both of us. I was leaving tomorrow, and I would be leaving without her. It was a harsh reality.

  Without a word, I turned and walked away, finding the stairwell with some difficulty. I needed a quiet room where I could think and a great deal of fucking alcohol to make this ache in my chest go away. She cared for me, and dammit, I cared for her too, but it wasn’t enough. Hell, there was about to be oceans separating us tomorrow.

  For the first time in my adult life, I didn’t know what to do.

  Chapter 17: Carrie

  I pushed open the door to the lobby of the hotel, feeling as if someone had run me over. After my sleepless night, the last thing I wanted to do was come to the very hotel where it would all end today, but I had bills to pay, a life to get on with. Just because Erik was leaving today didn’t mean that my world stopped as well.

  Blowing out a breath, I thought back to last night when he had come to my apartment, attempting to explain what his uncle had fractured. I truly believed him when he said there was no one else, but he and I both had realized that whatever this was between us was about to end. Nothing he could say was going to change the fact that he was leaving today and nothing I did was going to prevent him from doing that.

  Plus, he was a damn prince, soon to be king of a small country, something I couldn’t even fathom, much less compete with. I had seen glimpses of the prince of Maltan, and they were far different from the Erik I knew.

  But the pain in my chest wasn’t going to disappear anytime soon. I walked over to the office and put my stuff in my locker, straightening my jacket and preparing for another day. That’s all it would ever be from this moment forward, another day.

  “Oh honey, you look terrible.”

  I looked up to see Jeanie in the doorway, a sympathetic look on her face. “What are you doing here so early?”

  She pushed away from the doorframe, walking into the office. “I have training this morning, and I had wanted to catch you before you left the apartment, but you were too quick. What happened?”

  I shook my head, feeling the sudden rush of tears crowd my eyes. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  She laid a hand on my shoulder, squeezing it gently. “It’s the prince, isn’t it? I tell you, I had the shock of my life passing him in our apartment hall the other morning.”

  I gave her a slight smile. “It was everything and more.”

  “I knew it,” she said with a nod. “I’m glad it was you, Carrie. I would have just swallowed him up and spit him out.”

  “Maybe I wish that it was someone else so it wouldn’t hurt as much.”

  She made a sound and pulled me into a hug, squeezing me tightly. “I’m so sorry. It’s always the ones we least expect that’s going to give us the biggest heartache. We will drown your sorrows in plenty of ice cream and action movies tonight, okay? I don’t have to work.”

  I returned her hug. “Thanks, Jeanie. It means a lot.”

  “Carrie?”

  Jeanie released me and Jarred came into view, a concerned look on his face. Jeanie gave me a look before disappearing through the office door, and I was surprised to see Erik’s uncle behind Jarred, a satisfied look on his face. Crap. This could not be good. “Jarred, good morning.”

  Jarred looked at me sadly. “I wish it was a good morning. This man has been making some strong accusations against you Carrie.”

  “Oh?” I asked, glaring at him. “Like what?”

  “That you have been interfering with his nephew’s official visit.”

  Ooo, that snake. I wanted to reach out and slap the man, but I didn’t want to go to jail. It seemed I was about to find myself out of a job as well. “I’m sorry if he feels that way. I’ve only been helpful to the prince.”

  Jarred blew out a breath and I waited for the gauntlet to fall. “I’m sorry Carrie, I really am, but I am going to have to ask you to leave.”

  The words hurt. I nodded stiffly and gathered my things, keeping the tears at bay. I should have seen it coming, especially after last night. His uncle was going to do everything in his power to ruin my life and Erik’s leaving today wasn’t enough to satisfy him. He wanted me to suffer. I turned back to Jarred, giving him a look. “I’m sorry too.”

  He nodded, looking like he was going to be ill. I had worked with Jarred the entire time I had been at the Bismarck, and we knew each other well enough for me to know that this was killing him. He hated letting anyone go. I gave him a nod and pushed past him, glaring at Erik’s uncle as I pass him.

  “I told you to leave him alone.”

  I acted like I didn’t hear his parting jab, holding my head high as I walked through the lobby one last time. This place had been my second home, the staff like family and I didn’t know what would happen when I woke up tomorrow and didn’t walk through those doors.

  But it had all been worth it. That was what was the weirdest part of it all. I was hurting horribly, but I wouldn’t trade it for my job or anything else. I had given Erik the best trip he likely would ever have and lost my job and my heart in the process. What would he say if he knew what was happening? Would he stick up for me or would last night’s parting words cause him to stand idly by as I was fired by his uncle, literally?

  Squaring my shoulders, I walked out onto the sidewalk, heading for the subway. Jarred would have to pay me for today, which meant I was about to spend the entire day at home and still get a paycheck. After that, I had no idea what I was going to do. I would have to find somewhere else to work to keep my half of the apartment. There was no way Jeanie could keep up the rent without my half.

  Dejected, I entered the station, swiping my metro card before standing on the platform, my mind drifting back to the one time that I had stood here with Erik. Would I forget him anytime soon?

  Chapter 18: Erik

  I zipped my suitcase closed and straightened, looking around the room for anything I might have left. Today was the day I would go back to Maltan and continue my life there, though I knew there was a piece of myself I would leave behind in New York.

  After leaving the apartment building, I had wandered the streets a bit, my detail close behind, attempting to think of a strategy that would have a difference outcome. I found none. I had to go back, and Carrie belonged here, amongst her beloved city and her friends, the hotel. I couldn’t just take her with me, could I?

  The thought had crossed my mind more than once during that walk. The palace had plenty of room, and my father would likely love the hell out of her. There was only my uncle to contend with, and I was intending on giving my father a full report of what my uncle had done here. I would have him removed from his position if I had to. He was family, but family did not ruin someone’s happiness for spite.

  With a heavy sigh, I left the suitcase on the bed and walked out into the common area, knowing I had to at least
say goodbye to Carrie. I wanted to see her one more time, savor her presence to last me for quite a while. There was a card in my jacket pocket with my personal cell and email to give her, hoping that she would at least reach out to me after I was gone. We could figure out the rest.

  With the detail not far behind, I walked down the stairs to the lobby, locating her office. It was empty of Carrie, but another woman was there, placing things into a box. “Oh!” she said as she saw me in the doorway. “You scared me.”

  “I apologize,” I said, looking around the office. “Is Carrie here yet?”

  Her expression grew sad, and I felt the first stirring of concern in my body. “Oh, your majesty I wish she was. She was fired this morning.”

  Fired? From what I could see, Carrie was the backbone of this hotel. “Do you know any of the details?” I asked.

  She touched her hair nervously. “I’m Jeanie, her roommate by the way. I had stopped by to check on her this morning and overheard Jarred telling her she was interfering with your visit. I-I know Carrie, and the last thing she would have done was interfere with anything.”

  Rage filled my body as I thought about exactly what had happened. Damn Uncle Fredo and his meddling! “Do you know where she is at right now?”

  Jeanie gave me a look. “Probably at the apartment. That’s where I would be.”

  “Thank you,” I said, turning on my heel and pushing past the startled detail as I walked toward the stairs once more. He had gotten her fired. That was the last straw. I would have her job back before I left New York, but my uncle, he might not have one.

  I pulled open the stairwell door and walked to the suite, demanding one of the detail to open the damn door before I walked in. My uncle was standing near the window, a glass in his hand and it took all I could do not to go over and strangle the bastard. “Why did you get Carrie fired?”

  He turned toward me, and I saw the glint of satisfaction in his eye. “I didn’t get her fired Erik. She got herself fired. Do you know the hotel has a clause about staff members fucking their guests? Too bad Ms. Wallace violated the policy when she slept with you.”

  I clenched my hands into fists. “You will get her reinstated.”

  He laughed and set the glass down. “Now why would I do that?”

  I forced myself to relax, remembering something I had learned a month ago, before this trip, about my uncle. “I will move ahead with foreclosing your yacht.”

  His face went pale. “What are you talking about boy?”

  I grinned, though there was no warmth in my smile. “Your bill of sale came across my desk a month ago. You’re behind how much on that precious yacht of yours?”

  His expression was murderous, and I knew I had him by the balls. My uncle’s yacht was his pride and joy, but his stipend he got from my father wasn’t enough to cover the payments alone. The letter had stated that he had named my father as the one who would front the payments and since I was handling all of my father’s financial business, naturally I had seen it first. I also knew that his young girlfriend wasn’t going to be around much longer if he didn’t have the yacht to float her around in. “You wouldn’t.”

  “No, I normally wouldn’t, but that was before you meddled in my damn life.”

  He rubbed a hand over his face, and I knew that we were going to have the quietest plane ride home later on. “Fine, I will get her job back. But you can’t keep her Erik. She’s not like us.”

  “Even more reason to keep her,” I answered, turning toward the door. I wasn’t going to leave until I knew for certain she wasn’t interested in pursuing this further. If she said no, then I would accept it. Living a life of a royal was difficult, and I couldn’t imagine what she would have to go through by being involved with me. People were going to talk, and some would even rile up against me, I was certain of that. Carrie would be caught in the middle, and that was more than enough reason to not wish to be part of this crazed life. I wasn’t worried about my father’s reaction as much as I was worried about how I was going to be over the next few months. If my uncle was true on his assumption about my father handing over the crown, my life was about to change.

  And I would give up the damn crown to have more time with Carrie.

  Chapter 19: Carrie

  Self-pitying was a horrible thing to do.

  I put the spoon back into the carton and set it on the coffee table, wishing that I was a drinker instead. The last thing I needed to do was pack on the pounds, but something told me that one carton wasn’t going to be enough. There were going to be months ahead that Erik would cross my thoughts and for every heartache, another pint of ice cream was going to be the soother.

  I was going to be as big as this damn room before the year was out.

  With a sigh, I leaned back on the couch, willing for Jeanie to come home so I could spill my guts out to her as well. The sun was starting to sink low in the sky, and I wondered if Erik had heard the news already, boarding his private jet to Maltan. Surely by now, he was gone. The thought made me want to throw up. He was gone, out of my life forever and I was here, jobless and heart broken.

  My life royally sucked.

  A knock sounded on the door, and I pushed off the couch, grabbing the money off the counter as I passed. Ice cream wasn’t my only vice when I was attempting to get over a broken heart. Pizza was my comfort food, and I had ordered the biggest one from my favorite pizza joint, half hoping I would go into a junk food coma for a little while.

  Reaching the door, I threw it open, my smile dying as I saw Erik’s serious face before me. “W-what are you doing here?”

  He looked a sight nervous as he held out a bouquet of flowers. “These are for you.”

  I swallowed and took them. “They are lovely, thank you.” What was he doing here still? He should be long gone and not seeing me like this!

  He cleared his throat. “Can I come in?”

  I wanted to say no so badly that I could taste it, but my heart, oh my heart was screaming yes. “Sure,” I finally said, stepping aside. He walked past and tears crowded my eyes as I smelled his cologne as he passed. My entire bed still smelled like him. “Ignore the mess.” And the hundred ice cream cartons on the table. No, there really weren’t one hundred.

  He walked into the living room, and I followed him, clutching the flowers like they were a shield between us. Part of me wanted to run into his arms and never let him go, but the sensible part of me reminded me that he wasn’t going to stay. So why was he here?

  He turned, and the ache in my chest throbbed as I took in his appearance. God, he was every inch of the prince that he was. “First of all,” he said, his voice low. “I want to apologize for my uncle. He had no right to have you fired from your position. You have been reinstated at the hotel. Jarred said for you to return to work in the morning and that he is sorry.”

  I bet he was. I had my job back. There was a secret thrill inside me knowing that I wasn’t going to have to go looking for a job now. I could go back home. “Thank you.”

  “No reason to thank me.”

  I swallowed and set the flowers on the counter, my hands sweating too much to hold onto them any longer. “Why are you not on your way to Maltan?”

  He ran a hand through his hair; his eyes focused on me. “Because I couldn’t leave without seeing you, Carrie. Do you not realize what you have done to me?”

  I shook my head. I hadn’t done anything except maybe fall in love with a man I couldn’t have. “Erik.”

  He walked over and took my hands in his, and I was surprised to feel his tremble. “Carrie, I can’t just walk away from this. You are the only person in my entire life that treats me like a man and not my damn title. Do you know how precious that is to me?”

  His words were full of emotion, and I blinked back the tears, looking down at our joined hands. “We can’t, I mean I can’t go, and you can’t stay.” It was like a bad romance movie where the happy ever after didn’t happen.

  His thumbs stroked over the
backs of my hands lightly, tracing lines into my skin. “I wish I could say this is going to be easy, but it’s not. I have obligations, things I will be responsible for in the coming months.” He then swallowed hard. “But I am willing to give this a shot.”

  My eyes flew to his face. “What?”

  He smiled at me, uncertainty written all over his face. “I’m willing to work on it if you are Carrie. I would love for you to come to Maltan, see my world and we will go from there.”

  He wanted me to come with him. I couldn’t breathe. This wonderful prince wanted to continue whatever this was between us and take me with him. “I-I can’t just leave,” I said with a heavy sigh. “I have my job and my life.”

  He nodded, his jaw clenching. “I know but if you can just come for a visit, we, it’s going to work out Carrie. Please say you will at least give it some thought.”

  “Erik,” I breathed, falling into his arms. They tightened around me, and I felt some of the hurt melt away. This man was willing to give this a shot. He wanted me, Carrie Wallace, to be with him. It was hard to believe.

  His hand came up to stroke my hair, his lips brushing over my cheek. “Of all the things in my life, I’ve never felt anything more real than what I have felt with you these past few days, Carrie. Please say you feel it too.”

  “I-I do,” I sniffed, wrapping my arms around his waist and holding on for dear life. He was right. What we had experienced in the short time we had been together was something rare, something special. “I’ll have to get a passport.”

  He groaned, and I smiled against his chest. This was going to work.

  Chapter 20: Carrie

  I really can’t believe I am here.

  But those are Erik’s arms around me, and I am smelling his cologne. I want to freak out and cry at the same time.

  “God, I missed you,” he said again, pressing a kiss to the side of my neck. My body does some delicious shivering, and I can feel the anticipation of what is to come flowing through my veins. After a month of waiting and talking about it, I was here with Erik.