Torque by Gillian Archer (10 ebook reader txt) 📕

Highness. But I will not be forced into some horror show of a dynastic marriage on the off chance you cannot sire a legitimate heir. I won’t.”

I might as well have not said a thing with the way Bastien waved aside my speech with the twitch of a well-manicured hand.

“You cannot behave that way in front of our staff. It’s completely inappropriate for a prince. You know that.”

I gritted my teeth. “I’ll apologize later. That doesn’t negate my point. I will not be some royal pawn you pimp out to the highest bidder. It’s my life, dammit!”

“That’s where you’re wrong, brother. It’s not your life. You live for the Principality of Monaco now. You do what’s right for the country. For our people.” Bastien lifted his wineglass and murmured, “Merde, I’d think after some twenty-odd years of lectures you would finally understand what your function in life is.”

“My function?” I barely resisted the urge to hurl the bottle of wine across the table and directly at my brother’s head. “Up until eight months ago, my function in life was to do whatever my commanding officer wanted. Don’t talk to me about royal duty. This wasn’t my life last year. Considering everything that has happened, I’m doing the best I fucking can.”

“Okay. Okay.” Bastien set his wine down and sat back in his chair. “I understand where you’re coming from, mon frère. This past year hasn’t been the easiest for any of us.”

I laughed derisively. Considering that in one fell swoop Bastien had gotten everything he’d ever wanted, I kinda doubted it’d been all that difficult for him.

Bastien narrowed his eyes at me in the same way our father used to do. “But you have to remember what we’re working against. We can’t have the same sort of scandals that plagued notre Père and our aunts. They made a mockery of the House of Greiner. We must learn from the past mistakes of our elders. It’s up to us to provide a better future for the citizens of Monaco, because otherwise we’re just a couple of pretentious, spoiled brats who literally serve no purpose. And that’s the kind of party that will end with us exiled, at the very least, or imprisoned—if not worse.”

I jerked my head in a nod to indicate that I heard my brother. I knew all this. I’d sat at the same table night after night and heard a variation of the lecture my entire life. It didn’t make the impotent anger I felt disappear. This wasn’t the life I was supposed to be living.

“Look, the real reason I called you to dinner was to ask you to take my place at the Global Gaming Expo at the end of the month. I’ll be busy with press conferences and negotiating wedding plans with Belgium, so I need you to attend in my place and give the keynote speech. It’s already written and been approved by the council.” Bastien smirked. “Think of it as a last hurrah before you settle down.”

My jaw clenched again as I glared at my brother. I really wanted to tell him what I thought of his last remark, but what was the point? I was the spare. I had to toe the line with the ruling monarch. But he really knew how to push my buttons. And the fact that he thought my attending some boring conference was an equivalent exchange for my freedom was laughable. I wasn’t changing my mind. He couldn’t force me into any marriage against my will.

But one thing I’d learned during my time in the armed forces was the importance of retreat. So I let him think I was playing along for now.

I nodded tightly. “Have your assistant send the details to my assistant.”

“Already done.”

“Fantastic.” I walked over to the place where my chair had landed earlier and dragged it back to the table. “I guess all that’s left is to have a drink in honor of your pending doom—I mean, your pending nuptials.”

Bastien toasted me with his wineglass. “And while you’re at the conference, try not to get caught doing anything . . . embarrassing. Let’s leave the scandalous photos to our British cousins.”

Now sitting, I lifted my wineglass and toasted my brother’s loathsome advice. Like I’d ever go bowling, let alone bowling naked.

My brother was an ass, but at least I was getting out of here for a few days, even if only to attend some ungodly dull conference.

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