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One

“She’s the perfect choice for you,” Gabriel Alessandro’s brother joked, nudging his shoulder

The two princes were standing at the edge of the dance floor watching their father, the king, sweep Gabriel’s future bride through a series of elegant turns while theirher toes from beneath the prime minister’s clumsy feet

Gabriel released an audible sigh With his future bride’s father building a high-techplant just outside the capital, Sherdana’s economy would receive the boost it badly needed “Of course she is”

Lady Olivia Darcy, daughter of a wealthy British earl, was just a little too perfect While she exuded poise and warmth in public, in private she never relaxed, never let down her guard This hadn’t bothered hie for a wife he’d decided to listen to his head and not his heart Past experience had de but heartache and disappointment

“Then why are you looking so grim?”

Why indeed? Even though Gabriel didn’t have to pretend to be besotted with his fiancée in front of his brother, he wasn’t about to adret that his personal life would have less passion and drama once he was married

Until the wedding planning had begun in earnest, he’d considered hihly lucky to have found a woman ouldn’t drive him mad with her theatrics and demands It was in sharp contrast to his affair with Marissa, which had been a tempestuous four-year romance with no future

Gabriel was not a world-fa Hollywood actor or even a wealthy playboy He was the heir apparent of a small European country with strict laws that dictated his wife must be either an aristocrat or a citizen of Sherdana Marissa had been neither

“How happy would you be if you were er?” Gabriel kept his voice soft, but there was no hiding his bitterness

Christian’s grin was positively wicked “The best part about being the youngest is that I don’t have to worry about getting married at all”

Gabriel muttered an expletive He ell aware that neither of his brothers envied him In many ways that was a relief In centuries past Sherdana had seen its fair share of plots against the crown both from without and within It would have been awful if either of his brothers had schehly unlikely Nic lived in the US, building rocket ships that ular—wealthy—citizens into space while Christian was very happy buying and selling companies

“hot”

“Hot?” Gabriel caught the final word his brother had spoken “What’s hot?”

“Not what” Christian shot hi that you should spend soht be more enjoyable than you

think She’s hot”

Lady Olivia Darcy was eous package of stylish sophistication, she had the fashion designers co to dress her Her features were delicate and feminine, her skin pale and unbleraceful arant neck There was a serene expression in her keen blue gaze

And it wasn’t as if she was a frivolous socialite, spending her days shopping and her nights in clubs She worked tirelessly for almost a dozen charities all focused on children’s causes The perfect future queen of Sherdana

Gabriel shot his brother a narrow look “You just referred to your future sister-in-law and queen as hot Do you think Mother would approve?”