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But Marko wasn’t looking at the view, because he didn’t really want to be here at all

He wanted to be back in Italy, he wanted to be the man who had just been promoted to Pukovnik—Lieutenant Colonel—and who had been thrilled at his progress in strengthening ties between theCroatia and Italy He also wanted to be the nore the reality of being a prince

Sure, he was treated differently in the army—but it was subtle, now, after years of his adamant refusal to be coddled and protected or elevated to a rank he hadn’t earned He’d earned the respect of his peers through hard work and later through tours of duty He was Lieutenant Colonel Marko Pavlovic first; Prince Marko only really made an appearance at official royal events, and even that was rare, as his brother—King Lukas—seriously had that all in hand

It was the greatest stroke of luck that Lukas had been born two years before Marko, rather than the other way around, as Lukas had been the perfect king-in-training since birth He was everything a king should be, leading Vela Ada through the last few years of political unrest as the Vela Adian parliament had been rocked by scandal and corruption

Now the dust had—alnosed with cancer

In the week since Lukas had called hiue, but it was different froht of uncertainty and fear

Lukas—and the royal doctor—had assured Marko and the royal fahly treatable, and that his prospects of one to great lengths to stress that Lukas’s cancer was unrelated to the cancer that had killed their father, the late King Josip

But Marko couldn’t iht be as different as night and day, but there was no one on this planet Marko respected more than Lukas Nobody

Marko couldn’t say for sure that was how Lukas felt about him—but that didn’t really matter Especially not now

‘I need you to step up for me, Marko,’ Lukas had said ‘The island can’t cope with any more turovernment and know that we—the heads of state—are in control and incorruptible You need to be—for once in your life—respectful of your position Respectful of your responsibilities You can’t run away any longer’

Marko had bristled—despite his concern for Lukas he was unable to leave that coed ‘No one would ever dare question ed

‘Your co all over the world, you mean?’ Lukas had said ‘Italy, Australia, the US, France’

His brother had sighed

‘Look, I’m incredibly proud of what you’ve achieved in your career, and what you’ve done for our defence alliances—but would it have killed you to spend a bit more time in Vela Ada? To actually be visible to your people? To support theible to them? Especially over the past few years? Instead, all they see of you is photos in glossyabout top ten royals in their sear Inumber one and all’ Lukas’s tone had been desert dry ‘but honestly—you ith a different wole photo How do you think that looks to our people?’

‘It’s none of their business,’ Marko said firmly

‘That’s the point,’ Lukas had said—for the first ti as tired and unwell as he really was ‘You’re a prince Their Prince It is their business that you’d rather spend your time anywhere but here and with a different woman every week’

The phone had been silent for long moments

‘This isn’t going to work, is it?’ said Lukas ‘I know you’re capable of caretaking my role, but perception is the problem If people don’t believe in you, they won’t feel safe And I can’t have that We’ve worked too hard to prosecute Senator Božic and his allies and rid Vela Ada of this scourge Look, I know the label’s not entirely accurate, but will they believe in the Playboy Prince? Maybe I can still be active, in between treatments Try and downplay my illness, and don’t mention it’s cancer’

His brother was talking faster and faster

‘Stop,’ Marko said ‘I’ to work out what he could say to reassure his brother He hated hearing his usually impeccably calm and measured brother so anxious He also hated—as he’d always hated—the way his personal life was even relevant to Vela Adians—and that his brother bought into it too Surely his years of hed a selection of photos of him with bikini-clad woed,’ he blurted out the moment the idea even partially formed in his brain ‘I wanted to tell you in person So you needn’t worry The Playboy Prince is no more’