LITMIR.BIZ

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did he? That was an odd setting for a business meeting. Unless it had nothing to do with business. “And the nature of this meeting?” he asked her.

      “A private matter.”

      Well, so much for believing that this would stay between Sam and Anne. He should have anticipated this. Prince Christian probably considered it his obligation to watch his sister’s back. That didn’t mean Sam would let him intimidate or boss him around.

      “Tell the prince that I would be happy to meet him at three.”

      There was a brief pause, as though the idea of someone actually refusing an invitation from the prince was beyond her realm of comprehension. Finally she said, “Could you hold, please?”

      “Of course.”

      She was off the line for several minutes, then came back on and said, “Three will be fine. The prince asks that you please keep this meeting to yourself, as it is a sensitive matter.”

      This suggested to Sam that Anne probably had no idea a meeting was being arranged and the prince preferred it to stay that way. He didn’t doubt that the prince would try to persuade him to marry Anne. Truth be told, if Sam had a sister in a similar situation, he might do the same thing.

      But this was the twenty-first century and people had children out of wedlock all the time. On occasion, even royalty. Prince Christian’s wife, Princess Melissa of their sister country, Morgan Isle, was an illegitimate heir. In fact, with two illegitimate heirs, and a former king who reputedly lacked the ability or desire to keep his fly zipped, the royal family of Morgan Isle was positively brimming with scandal. By comparison the royal family of Thomas Isle were saints. Would a little scandal be so terrible?

      But was it fair to the baby, who had no choice in the matter? Wasn’t it a father’s responsibility to protect his child?

      But at what cost?

      Sam slept fitfully that night and had trouble concentrating at work the next day. It was almost a relief to leave the office early, even though he doubted his meeting with the prince would be a pleasant exchange.

      He arrived five minutes ahead of time, and the prince was already there, sitting in a leather armchair beside a bay of windows that overlooked the marina. He rose to greet Sam.

      “Your Highness.” Sam bowed his head then accepted Prince Christian’s hand for a firm shake.

      “I’m so glad you accepted my invitation,” he said.

      The Prince requests your presence sounded more like an order than an invitation. “I wasn’t aware it was optional.”

      “I’m sorry if you were given that impression. I just thought it would be appropriate, in light of the situation, if we had a friendly chat.”

      Friendly? Sam doubted that.

      The Prince gestured to the chair opposite him. “Please have a seat. Would you like a drink?”

      A few too many glasses of champagne had gotten Sam into this mess. Had he been sober, he probably never would have approached the princess, much less danced with her. “Nothing for me, thanks.”

      They both sat.

      “No disrespect intended, but if the situation you’re referring to somehow involves my being the father of your sister’s child, we have nothing to discuss, Your Highness.”

      His blunt statement seemed to surprise the prince. “Is that so?”

      “It is.”

      “I’m afraid I disagree.”

      “This is between me and Anne.”

      “No one wishes that were the case more than I. Unfortunately, what Anne does affects our entire family. I had hoped you would do the right thing, but I understand that’s not the case.”

      “Of course I’ll do the right thing. But I’ll do what I feel is the right thing.”

      “And may I ask what your idea of the right thing is?”

      “As I said, that is between me and the mother of my child.”

      His expression darkened. He obviously didn’t like that Sam wasn’t falling into line. But Sam would be damned if he was going to let the prince, or any member of the royal family, walk all over him.

      Prince Christian leaned forward slightly. “I won’t see my sister’s reputation, not to mention that of her child, decimated, because you couldn’t keep out of her knickers.”

      What was that phrase the Americans used? It takes two to tango? “If blaming me for this situation makes you sleep better, I can live with that.”

      “You’re being unreasonable.”

      “On the contrary, I’m being very reasonable. I’m considering your sister’s privacy.”

      “This concerns more people than just you and Anne. You know that our father isn’t well. A scandal like this is more than his heart could take.”

      So now not only was Sam decimating reputations, but he was essentially killing the king? “I’m sorry to hear that, but I’m still not talking to you.”

      “I could make your life unpleasant,” Prince Christian said ominously. “If I feel that you’re disrespecting my sister’s name, I will lash out at you in any way I see fit.”

      So much for their friendly chat. He couldn’t say he was surprised.

      Sam shrugged. “Knock yourself out, Your Highness. I’m still not discussing my and Anne’s private matters with you.”

      For a long moment Prince Christian just stared at him, and Sam braced himself for the fireworks. But instead of exploding with anger, the prince shook his head and laughed. “Christ, Baldwin, you’ve got a pair.”

      “I just don’t respond well to threats or ultimatums.”

      “And I don’t like giving them. But I have an obligation to look out for my family. The truth is, if it weren’t for my father’s fragile state, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. He’s in extremely poor health and it would make him very happy to see his oldest daughter married before she has a child.”

      He found what Prince Christian was doing utterly annoying, but in a way Sam actually felt sorry for him. “I’m truly sorry to hear that your father isn’t well. I hold him in the highest regard.”

      “And I sympathize with your situation, Sam. I honestly do. It’s common knowledge that you intend to follow in your father’s footsteps and I believe you have the fortitude to pull it off. But marrying my sister would make that impossible. For what it’s worth, you’ve built a reputation as one hell of a foreign affairs advisor. If there were a marriage, you would be offered a powerful and influential position within the monarchy.”

      After serving in, and being around, government for most of his life, the idea of taking a position with the monarchy was troubling to say the least. Not that they weren’t on the same side when it came to serving the people of the country. But in Sam’s eyes it had always been something of an “us against them” scenario.

      Not to mention that, while he enjoyed foreign affairs, he had set his sights higher.

      “Have you given any thought to how difficult it could be for your child, being illegitimate?”

      “That’s all I’ve been thinking about.” And the more he thought about it, the more he came to realize that marrying Anne might be the wisest course of action. They may not have planned this pregnancy, but it had happened, and from now on he would have to put the welfare of his child above all else. Including his political ambitions.

      “What’s it like?” Sam asked. “Being a father?”

      The prince smiled, his affection for his children undeniably clear. “It’s exhilarating

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