23. Gianluca

Staringat the laptop screen as I video conference with my parents, and the rebel leader whose ultimate plan it is to overthrow the monarchy so he can have our country, even though he won't admit that outright, I really just feel like I was anywhere but here. Being the charming, butter-wouldn't-melt Prince who can fix anything handed to him is a burden I just can't be bothered with right now. I'm too worried about the shit that's going on here at BlackBriar. Focusing on the conversation, I speak directly to the rebel leader.

"Your demands are outrageous," I say, making sure my accent is crisp, each word laced with disdain. "You're grasping at straws."

The rebel leader, a greasy man named Janko with a laughable sense of self-importance, smirks at me through the screen. "Yet here we are, negotiating."

"My son is right," my father interjects, his voice carrying the weight of decades of rule. "The crown will not be coerced by a group of insurgents."

"Insurgents?" Janko scoffs. "We prefer freedom fighters."

I realise I'm going to have to do something drastic soon if I want any hope of keeping things together over there so I don't have to go and leave Victoria and BlackBriar.

"Enough!" My voice rings out, cutting through what bullshit Janko was spewing. "Janko, you and your men are playing a dangerous game. Be certain you're prepared for the consequences if you lose."

My mother glares at me. I'm supposed to be the ‘good cop', as they call it in the movies, but my patience has worn thin with this idiot thinking he can take what isn't his.

"Trust me, Janko," I add, glaring at him. "You do not want me to come home to deal with this in person. You are treading on extremely hazardous ground, and don't think for a minute that we won't defend our country with everything we have. You need to call a ceasefire, or you will regret it. You are outnumbered, and I can assure you, you will be outgunned."

Janko's grin falters for a moment, the confidence in his eyes flickering before he catches himself. The bastard knows I mean business. My father nods approvingly, his royal poise unwavering. This is what he expects of me—a future king who won't back down. Up to this point, I've tried to do this the nice way, but I'm done being a fixer. Now, I'm being a hardass who doesn't take shit from anyone, including this asshole.

"We'll be in touch," Janko says finally, ending the call. His side of the screen goes dark.

My father turns to me with a stern look. "Gianluca, you must learn to control your temper."

"Dad, these rebels aren't just nuisances anymore. They're becoming emboldened. If we don't strike hard now, they'll think they can walk all over us."

He sighs, rubbing his temples. "You are right, I know, but we must also think of diplomacy. An outright war would devastate our people."

I get up, pacing the room. His words are standard, but they feel hollow; we've had this same conversation too many times. "Diplomacy won't do shit if Janko topples the monarchy and installs himself as dictator."

I'm done with this politicking crap for now. "On another matter. I have chosen my Princess."

My parents freeze. I have no doubt about the connection of our call, this is pure shock.

"Gianluca," Mom starts, shaking her head.

"No," I snap, cutting her off. "Victoria Stroud is everything. She has been tested with your damned contract, and she passed with flying colours. No one, not even that atrocious Maria woman, has been so quick to sign and tell me that only my happiness matters. She will be my wife, bear my children and rule with me one day. No more talking about this. End of story." I slam the laptop shut, cutting off the call. The weight of this conversation has lifted only marginally. This won't be the end of it, I'm sure of it. Right now, I just need some peace and quiet, but at BlackBriar, peace and quiet are as elusive as a ghost in daylight.

Changing into some running clothes, I knock on Luke's bedroom door.

"Yeah?" he calls out.

I shove the door open to see him sitting staring at his phone. "Have you called them yet?"

"No."

"Just do it."

"Easy for you to say."

"Not really. I just yelled at my parents that I was going to marry Victoria, and there wasn't anything they could do about it."

He looks up, startled. "What did they say?"

I grimace. "Well, I kind of hung up after that, but they got the message loud and clear."

"Fuck off. That's hardly the end of it."

"I know, but it's the start of it."

"I hear you," he mutters.

"Look, I need to get out for a run and clear my mind a bit. Are you good to stay here until Cian and Victoria come back?"

"Yeah, I'll be here."

Nodding, I leave him still staring at his phone and head downstairs and out the front door before I turn around and drop my phone on the side table before heading back out. The air is freezing, but it's perfect for focusing my mind.

I set off and head across campus and down the path that winds through BlackBriar's grounds. Each step is a release; the tension in my muscles begins to ease as I push myself harder, faster. Running has always been my escape, and right now, it's exactly what I need.

Thoughts of Victoria flood my mind. Her fire and determination match mine in ways no one else ever has. She doesn't flinch from the darkness that surrounds me. That's rare. That's why she has to be by my side, not just for now but for always.

As I reach the edge of the small wood at the back of the campus, I slow my pace, letting the cool calm of the trees envelop me. It's a secluded area—no prying eyes or ears here. Perfect for some unfiltered thinking and for being left alone.

I lean against a tree, the rough bark pressing into my back, and close my eyes. For a moment, I let the stillness sink in. The chill in the air is almost numbing. Knowing no one will find me here is almost freeing, and I breathe in deeply as I try to relax. Pushing off from the tree, I stretch a bit, feeling the tension in my muscles ebb away. I needed this. I'm sick of always having to be on guard, even among my friends. I should be able to be myself without the fear of judgement or betrayal. But that's not how it works in this world. Not when you're in my position.

Victoria makes things different. When I'm with her, none of the politics and power struggles seem to matter. She sees me for who I am, not what my title dictates, and that's more than I've ever had with anyone before.

Setting off again, I navigate the winding trails of BlackBriar's woods, my mind drifting back to Victoria again and again. The way she fits perfectly against me when we fuck, the way her eyes light up with both fear and excitement when she's challenged, her strength in standing up to me. I can't get enough of her. It's a sweet poison that fucks with my head and my heart, but it feels so good.

As I break through the treeline, heading back to the main campus, I roll my shoulders, trying to shake off the persistent tension. Students are milling around, still attending classes in the late afternoon.

Heading back to the townhouse, once inside, I take the stairs two at a time and strip off my sweat-soaked shirt, tossing it haphazardly onto the floor before crossing to the shower. The hot spray hitting my skin feels like acid, burning away layers of stress and exhaustion that have been piling up over days without a break. Safe under the onslaught of water, my mind wanders back again to Victoria, and my cock goes hard. I can't get enough of her, in my head or out of it.

One hand hits the cold tile of the shower wall as the other wraps around my cock. Letting my head fall back, I jerk myself off to the thought of her bright blue eyes, her full lips wrapped around my cock, that defiant spirit burning brightly in her gaze. Tugging harder, it's only seconds later that my balls tighten, and I burst my load out into my hand with a low growl, wishing I was inside her tight, wet cunt.