Marrying Her Royal Enemy Read Online Free PDF

equally as much power over me if we went to bed together, maybe more.”
    Her stomach muscles coiled. It was a seductive, beguiling thought to imagine he might want her. That her desire for him hadn’t been as one-sided as she’d imagined it to be. That by exploring that revelation, she might wipe away the rejection that stung even now in a place that had never healed. But her head, the part of her she was operating with now, realized his tactics for what they were. Negotiation. Manipulation.
    She lifted her chin. “It will be an act, conceiving your heir. Nothing more. I’ve lost my taste for megalomaniacs housed in beautiful packages.”
    “Megalomaniacs?”
    “Yes— you .”
    He studied her for a moment. “Are you including Aristos Nicolades in this esteemed group?”
    She lifted a brow. “Following my love life, Kostas? Aristos was simply the last kick at the can.” Her voice took on a nonchalance that hid the steel underpinning her insides. “I’ve decided to make myself as impenetrable as you when it comes to relationships, as unaffected , because I’ve found, in the end, it’s just not worth it.”
    He frowned. “That’s not you, Stella. You live by your passion.”
    “Not anymore I don’t. You should be happy about my new outlook, by the way. It’s the only reason I’m marrying you.”
    “That and your desire to do the immense amount of good I know you will.”
    “Don’t patronize.” She took a step back because oxygen was necessary for breathing and she couldn’t do that near him. “I’m already on board if you agree to the conditions I’ve laid out.”
    He nodded. “Agreed. Shall we go over next steps, then?”
    Her head spun. This was actually happening. “Go ahead.”
    “I fly back to Carnelia tomorrow for a summit of regional leaders. It would be ideal if you accompanied me so we can make the engagement announcement and begin preparations for the wedding.”
    Tomorrow? She had been craving this time to herself so badly.
    He read her dismay. “General Houlis, the chief architect behind the military junta, has put his campaign into motion, marshaling strength behind the scenes. His support is by no means solid—he still has a long way to go. We need to neutralize him while we can.”
    “I’m assuming the coming elections will be a major weapon at your disposal?”
    “Yes. I will announce them at the summit this week. There will be a large media contingent in attendance. Nik will also be there. We will provide a united front.”
    “And our engagement? Do we announce that before or after?”
    “I will double-check with the palace PR team, but I was thinking this coming Friday. Start the week with a bang at the conference, end the week with an equally strong commitment toward the future.”
    “And the wedding? When would that happen?”
    “Within two months. Six weeks, I’m thinking. Those who can make it, make it.”
    “Six weeks?”
    “The events team will make it happen. You just need to show up.”
    Like her role in all of this. A chess piece to be moved around at will.
    His expression turned conciliatory. “I know it’s traditional for the engagement party to happen in Akathinia, but in this instance, I think it needs to be in Carnelia with all the key figures in attendance.
    Her mother was going to have a fit. A deviant streak reveled in the thought. She enjoyed every opportunity she had to push her aloof mother out of her comfort zone. A latent lashing out against her childhood perhaps, at the attention she’d never received.
    “That’s fine.” She watched her dream sabbatical fly out the metaphorical window. She could hardly relax on a beach now knowing what was ahead of her.
    “Good.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring. Caught off guard, she was blinded by its brilliance. A square-cut diamond set in an exquisite platinum filigree, it dazzled in the sunlight. Upon closer inspection, she saw it had the Carnelian coat of arms interwoven on both