Roman rubbed his jaw. “All right. Aunt Rebecca, can you convene an emergency council meeting? We need to resolve this quickly.”
“Yes, I will. But also, I have another solution.”
Roman’s brows drew down. “What do you mean?”
“Well, just in case, we can help London find someone.”
Breck snorted. “Have you met London? Her dating life is a disaster under the best of circumstances. What? You’re going to find a ready-made royal somewhere who is her type? Which means, really, too pretty to be useful for anything. He has to be eccentric and quirky and like going on adventures with her. Oh, and we have to approve of him. Good luck, Auntie.”
Aunt Rebecca released my hands and crossed her arms. “Well, are you offering a solution? I have someone London could meet. She’s actually met him once or twice already. He’s lovely. You spoke to him tonight, even.”
Roman’s eyes went wide. “You’re serious? You’re proposing we marry London off?”
“Well, none of you seem to be doing your duty. And Roman, honestly, I know how difficult things have been for you. But you left it too long, and now it’s up to your sister. Can any of you have a baby?”
My brothers all shuffled on their feet. Assholes. “Aunt Rebecca, I love you, but it’s not happening.” I gestured toward my lower belly. “Nothing is coming to live here. It’s inhospitable. Babies don’t go well with photojournalism.”
She gave me a soft smile. “I know. But we are in a tight spot now. We’ll try and get the law changed, but we need to prepare ourselves while we still can.”
Roman shook his head. “London, don’t worry. We’ll make sure this doesn’t happen.”
“Roman, I appreciate you wanting to protect her,” Aunt Rebecca said. “But you have to understand, since an emergency appeal was put forth, she has to show that she’s taking this seriously. Otherwise, the Council of Lords will be against her. If she’s making no effort, there are those on the Council who will think that you’re trying to skirt them.”
Roman lifted a shoulder in a nonchalant shrug. “I am trying to skirt them.”
“You can’t. Or at least you can’t be seen as doing so. We have to follow the rules until we can get them changed or re-assessed. London, it’s in your best interest to announce your engagement posthaste.”
My jaw unhinged. “Engagement?”
“Well, yes. If you meet the duke and he’s at least good-looking enough for you, we can start those proceedings and then show good faith… Like you know the rule, you understand the rule, and you’re willing to play ball. And then when we get it changed, you won’t have to get married.”
“I’m not marrying someone I don’t love.”
She sighed. “Sweetheart, you know full well that many royal marriages are not about love.”
“I’m the girl. I don’t have to fulfill the duty. It’s Roman’s job. And Breck is right behind him. Why do I have to be involved? You can’t sell me off to the highest bidder.”
Aunt Rebecca huffed. “I’m not selling you. We have hard truths to deal with right now. What else can we do?”
Breck gasped. “Wait, so the next line, that’s...bloody Barkley?”
Aunt Rebecca winced. “I think everyone in this room knows what would happen to the throne if my son sat on it.”
My brothers all grimaced. Another hysterical laugh bubbled out of me. “Jesus Christ, is this for real?”
My aunt nodded. “Unfortunately, yes.”
My brothers and I just stared at each other miserably.
“Look, I’m going to go speak to some of the lords in attendance and let them know we need to have an emergency session in the morning. Roman, you might as well get some notes prepared on why we’re not going to allow this to occur. Even offer up Wilder and Breck if you have to. Something. Anything. We have to stop this.”
Tears welled in my eyes. There was no fucking way. I was not getting engaged to some random duke, and I was certainly not having a baby. I had plans. Things I needed to do. I didn’t even want to be a royal. So why the hell did I have to suck it up and fulfill the duty? Just so my brothers didn’t have to? “Aunt Rebecca, thank you. What would I do without you?”
She smoothed her hand over my cheek, her thumb caressing my cheekbone. “You’ll never have to find out. I’ll take care of this, okay?”
When she left, I turned around and leaned against the door. “I cannot do this. I’m not getting married. Not to some random duke. I want love. I deserve that.”
Roman sighed. “Relax, I’m not going to let it happen.”
“Okay, then who’s it going to be who’s popping out an heir? It’s not you, Roman, for obvious reasons.”
Breck pepped up. “Listen, I don’t even have anyone on the horizon to marry. Can you imagine me married?”
I rolled my eyes in disgust. There were stories about how Breck lived up to his reputation constantly. So many rumors in fact that I shuddered just thinking of one.
“Roman, I can’t.”
“And you don’t have to. I’m not going to let it happen.”
Breck stepped forward. “All right, so she obviously can’t get married to some random duke. What are we going to do?”
Roman scrubbed his hand over his face. “Well, for starters, she’s going to get the hell out of Dodge.”
My mouth fell open. “Roman, Mr. Follow the Rules, what are you going to do, squirrel me out of here? Didn’t you just forbid me from living my life not thirty minutes ago?”
“If I didn’t, you would just go on your own, right?”
“Do you have a point?”
Breck clapped his hands together. “All right, someone hand me my laptop. I can mess with the cameras to make it look like she’s in her room, at least through the morning. I’ll buy her some time. You’ll need cash and documents.”
“We’ll find you a safe house. There are many on the council who are loyal to us. They were loyal to Mom and Dad. They’ll help. They’ll stall the vote until we can find a loophole.”
I blinked at my brothers. “You’re serious? You’re going to help me?”
Roman’s brow furrowed. “Did you think that we wouldn’t?”
I lifted a shoulder. “I don’t know. You like being a king.”
“Like is the wrong word for it. But no way in hell will I allow Barkley to take this throne. Or anyone else for that matter. I care about the people more than I care about being king. But right now, my personal interests are in line with the common good, so come on. I’ll figure out a way to get you the hell out of here.”
Roman went to the safe behind the massive painting of our parents. “Before they died, Mom and Dad were clear that we all should always have multiple passports. Yours are in here.”
“How is this my life right now?”
“Better you do it with help than on your own.”
Wilder nodded. “I have a list of safe houses we can send her to. America. Hell, let’s go farther. Australia. Ooh, we have Tonga.”
Roman shook his head. “No, she can’t be anywhere that the lords would know because they would summon her right back.”