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She wondered if Landon knew, if one of the reasons he, Dane, and Coop were so zealous in their guardianship was that they had been tasked to ensure she didn’t hit the streets looking for a fix

"I think you should co to spend the winter at the country estate I know ain"

Oliver’s brothers were outrageous flirts She didn’t need that But it did point out a proble that she couldn’t stay in Bezakistan, aimless and lonely, for the rest of her life She hadn’t really left the palace Instead, she’d been hiding here, taking classes online Sure, she could get a degree that way, but ould happen when she graduated?

The door opened again Yasner gown, her pale hair in a perfect upswept do "Oliver? Oh, you’re out here with Alea I thought you had gone back to your roo around him like he was just a piece of furniture Her perfectly manicured hands reached for Alea’s

"Hello, Yas"

Yasmin had been her childhood playmate Their fathers had both been connected to the Bezakistani royal line , so her aunt and uncle, the sheikh and shaykhah, had taken her in, given her the al Mussad name, and raised her at the palace But Alea had always looked forward to the weeks when Yasmin would visit It had been the only tied her briefly "Alea, it’s so nice to see you I tried calling for ages, but no one would putroaned inwardly Yasuilty, even when she didn’t "

"Talib has allowed you to hide away for far too long You’re never going to feel better if you don’t get back to nor a mask of disapproval

"Yas, let it be We talked about this" Oliver reached for his wife’s hand

"I know, but seeing her has uishing here She hasn’t truly suards on her?"

"They’re here for uys, she felt an urge to defend the you of danger, Lea Coland with us You can enroll at university and take up your schooling again Or you can ithAcross Cultures One of the surprises she’d been faced hen she’d been rescued was the fact that Yasmin had taken over the European offices of this al Mussad charity, a job that had been earmarked for Alea

But it wasn’t like she could do the job now, endure all those glittering fundraisers and public speaking engagee to leave the palace?

"I just ht ere going to do this with a little subtlety I’m sorry about the hard sell, love I’ but plot and plan to take you back with us"

Yasmin pouted prettily "I one forever It was like losingdown her face "Lea, Iback with us I want you to be there when--"

"You weren’t going to tell her that, either," Oliver muttered under his breath

"I can’t keep it from her She’s ot married You have to be there when I have my first baby Please say you’ll conant? Silly, superficial Yas a child A little kernel of jealousy weighed in her gut Yas had been the prankster when they were young She’d nearly dropped out of school She hadn’t even thought of going to university So hoas Yas the one with a husband and a career that should have been Alea’s, and a baby on the way?

She struggled to find so to say She looked down at Yasown "You don’t look pregnant"

Yasht She ran a hand down her flat sto You have to come It will be just like our childhoods e spent suland The palace is too insular You need to be out in the world"

Yass they could do in London They would shop, go to the theater, hang out with Oliver’s brothers One was a very fao on a date with him

The idea curdled her stoe of the balcony Out of the corner of her eye she saw Landon surge toward her She quickly edged away fro to her death or so equally dramatic He would think of it as his sacred duty to either save her or go doith her, no doubt

"You’re going to love Calluer than my Oliver"

"Yas, stop I don’t know that I want to leave the palace right now"

When her cousin pursed her lips, preparing an argument, Alea knew she had to come up with some excuse or Yasmin really would set her up with an athlete The paparazzi already swarmed her on those few occasions she ventured out in public They called her the "Prisoner Princess" Tal hadout of the press The world believed she’d sie until the royal fah cash If they knew the truth, they would call her the "Prostitute Princess" The very idea made her stomach turn

Oliver put a hand on his wife’s shoulder "Back off a bit, Yas You’ve just thrown a lot of information her way Give her some time to think"

"You’re not happy for me, are you?" Yasmin stared at her, her doe eyes more than a little sad

"O-of course I am," Alea stuttered "I’m just surprised"

And a bit annoyed, which uilty Yas merely meant to help But she just wanted peace Why had she and Oliver sought her on this balcony? Alea had enjoyed the quiet of her and Lan sharing the space alone

"But I thought you would be happy for ht You’re still in a dark place, and I didn’t realize… This is all my fault"