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An air of incredulity surrounded Stella. ‘Am I supposed to lay my happiness down on the altar as I’ve done everything else? Marry a man I can’t stand for the sake of duty?’
‘You don’t hate me, Stella. You know that’s a lie. And it wouldn’t be like that,’ Kostas said. ‘You told me once your dream was to become a human rights lawyer, to effect widespread change. Becoming my Queen would allow you to do that. You would be altering the course of history. Bringing happiness to a people who have suffered enough. Can you really tell me that’s not worth it?’
Her lips pursed. ‘Pulling out your trump card, Kostas? Now I know you’re desperate.’
‘We both know that isn’t my trump card. We’ve proved we could be very good together. More than good.’
Jennifer Hayward invites you into a world of …
Young royals in reckless pursuit of passion!
When a centuries-old battle between the kingdoms of Akathinia and Carnelia is reignited the nation’s young royals find themselves on the brink of war. But their kingdoms aren’t the only thing at stake …
Soon these young monarchs are facing an unexpected royal baby, the appearance of a lost princess and an alliance with the enemy.
Can love conquer all? Find out where it all started in:
King Nikandros and Sofía Ramirez’s story Carrying the King’s Pride
Princess Aleksandra and Aristos Nicolades’s story Claiming the Royal Innocent
Available now!
Marrying Her Royal Enemy
Jennifer Hayward
JENNIFER HAYWARD has been a fan of romance since filching her sister’s novels to escape her teenage angst. Her career in journalism and PR, including years of working alongside powerful, charismatic CEOs and travelling the world, has provided perfect fodder for the fast-paced, sexy stories she likes to write, always with a touch of humour. A native of Canada’s East Coast, Jennifer lives in Toronto with her Viking husband and young Viking-in-training.
A special thanks to Captain Steve Krotow, USN (ret.), for his insight into naval aviation. You were so helpful and fascinating! Now I really want to land on a carrier someday.
And to my brother Andrew for being the most awesome brainstorm partner.
Contents
SO THIS WAS what freedom tasted like.
Princess Styliani Constantinides, or Stella, as she had been known since birth, lifted an exotic rum-based cocktail to her lips and took a sip, the contrasting bitter and sweet flavors of the spirits lingering on her tongue before blazing a fiery path down to her stomach, where they imbued an intense feeling of well-being.
The perfect combination for this particular moment as she sat in her friend Jessie’s tiny, local bar on the west coast of Barbados, halfway around the world from her home in Akathinia, contemplating her future.
Sweet, given the burnout she’d been suffering from after the hundred-plus public appearances she’d done last year, in addition to her work chairing the boards of two international youth agencies. Bitter because her brother Nik had accused her of running away from the issue at hand.
As if it had been just yesterday she’d ditched her Swiss finishing school to spend a month in Paris when she’d thought the stifling formality of her studies might suck the very life out of her. As if every sacrifice she’d made since then had meant nothing...
“How’s that?”
The testosterone-laden, dreadlocked bartender rested his forearms on the gray-veined marble bar and cocked a thick, dark brow at her.
“On the nose.” The smile she gave him was the first real one she’d managed in months. He offered a thumbs-up in return, then moved on to serve another customer.
Relaxing back in her stool, she cradled the tulip-shaped glass in her hands and studied the fiery jewel tones of the cocktail glowing in the fairy lights of the beachside bar. She deigned to disagree with her brother, the king. She was not, in fact, running, so much as drawing a line in the sand. She may have given up her childhood dream for her country and sacrificed the freedom that was like oxygen to her, but her brother’s latest request was over the line. Untenable. Out of the question.
She wouldn’t do it.
Her breath left her