‘You have a duty to your son.’

‘As you have a duty to the child who will be Crown Prince. Snap.’

‘But…’

‘There’s no but, Rafael,’ she said grimly. ‘I have no idea what I’m getting into. More than anything in the world, I want to be with Matty, to watch him grow up, to be his mother. I’m willing to sacrifice a lot for that. But not everything. He will not be the total royal focus.’

‘You can’t ask that of me.’

‘I’m not asking. As you’re not asking me to be Matty’s mother. I’m simply stating facts. You came here to offer me my child back. That’s what you said. But you’re making no such offer. Not really. You’re simply blackmailing me into returning to the castle.’

‘I am giving you Matty back.’

‘With no strings?’

‘He’s the Crown Prince of Alp de Ciel. Of course there are strings. Hell, Kelly…I didn’t come here to be pressured.’

‘No, you came here to pressure me. If you don’t like what I’m saying, you can leave. I’ll do what I think best with Matty.’

‘Which is?’

‘It’s none of your business.’

‘It is my business,’ he snapped, exploding. ‘Hell, woman, I have total control. According to the contracts you signed, I can take him back tomorrow. I thought I’d give you the choice.’

‘No, you didn’t. You thought you’d persuade me to come.’

‘You’re supposed to be meek!’

There was a loaded pause. It went on. And on. And on.

‘Funny, that,’ she said at last, almost cordially. ‘I’m not.’

‘I can see you’re not,’ he snapped, goaded.

‘You want me to be meek?’

‘I want you to be sensible.’

‘What’s sensible about living as royalty?’

‘It’s every girl’s dream.’

‘Hey, I’ve lived the dream, remember?’ she said. ‘It’s not a dream. It’s a nightmare.’

‘Which is why I don’t want…’

‘To be part of it. Neither do I.’

‘You have to be.’