A/N: Here you go! I'm sorry its been so long, it's just been crazy with the new move, and I was sick, and yeah...but I will try to get on a weekend schedule. Just bear with me because I am also trying to finish moving into my new place and finish my book...*sigh*

Second, I want to thank each and every single one of you for your reviews. I normally try to respond to all of them if I can, but lately I've been failing miserably because I've been so slammed. You guys have no idea how much they mean to me and how much they inspire me. Thank you so so much!

I was lying in my bed, watching the flames of the fire dance gracefully across the logs. I had tried to get some sleep, but for the past hour, it had evaded me. There were too many thoughts running around in my head. I rolled over again, wishing all the answers would come to me.

What did all of this mean?

Could I really defy the King's wishes and get away with it?

I knew Maxon loved me, that I didn't doubt, but what on earth could he do if the King was working against us? He was the King...he had more power than either of us, and there was no way Maxon could go against his father without consequences. And I didn't want anything to happen to Maxon because of me.

Celeste was right. The King was playing his games, and I had to grudgingly admit that it was smart. What if he got my father involved? My father would arrange the marriage with Count Leger if he was ordered by the king. He'd ask my opinion, and what could I say? Oh, Count Leger is a gentleman, but I kind of fell in love with the Prince, and he's just suggesting it so Maxon can't marry me.

My father would just marry me off so I wouldn't end up getting hurt or killed.

I threw my pillow over my eyes, groaning in frustration. I could still see Maxon and that girl dancing. He looked happy, and who wouldn't want to marry a Duchess? I bet she was perfectly nice, and neither she nor her family would present any kind of burden. Plus, Duchess Ambers was gorgeous. She was far richer than I could ever hope to be, and her family had power and connections that I would never have. From what I had heard at the party, she was related to members of the French court. Maxon didn't need to marry the princess of France to get what the King wanted. Hell, she was absolutely perfect and picking Kriss Ambers would be easy and fulfilling for the country.

If I was him, I'd pick her.

Frustrated tears streamed down my face. I felt angry and hopeless. I wanted to throw something, maybe vent my frustration through music, but it was too late to do that without causing a stir. I couldn't go out into the gardens this late, and I would be seen by someone, which was sure to start talk. I hated feeling this caged, and I pounded the bed in frustration. I had already been here for two days, and I hated court.

There was no point in trying to sleep. I got out of my bed, throwing on my robe over my gown, and walked over to the fire. There was a small bench in front of it, just big enough for two people to sit comfortably. I curled up in it, trying to make myself as small as possible. I wished I could go back to when I first met Maxon. Back to when everything was easy, and we didn't think of how we were going to be together. We just got to enjoy each other, to have that simple pleasure of each other's company…to love each other, without all the games and drama.

A soft knock stirred me from my thoughts. I walked to my door, placing my head against it, but there was no sound from the other side. The knock echoed softly again, and I jumped in surprise.

It was coming from the other door.

I walked over to the bookcase that hid the entry into the secret passage. Before I could slide it open, Maxon came barging through the secret door, blowing past me. He looked around for me, and turned around as I shut the bookcase behind him. He gazed at me, searching for something. He seemed surprised that I was in my nightgown.

"The guard said you had gone to bed," he began. It wasn't a question. He wanted to say more, but he was holding himself back. He looked at me accusingly, but I detected a bit of hurt behind his eyes.

"I did. I grew tired of the party, so I left."

"Without telling me?"

"You seemed occupied, your highness," I finished a little coldly. "I didn't realize that you had noticed my absence."

"Well, I did. I saw you leave with Count Leger," he spat. "That doesn't look like you were retiring for the evening!"

"No, I left on my own," I countered, a little heat leaking into my voice. "I left Count Leger in the gardens, and then I came back to the ball to tell my father I was going to bed."

"And what exactly where you doing in the gardens with him?" Maxon questioned as he took a step closer to me. The nerve of this boy! He could prance around with another girl but I wasn't allowed to do the same?

"He wanted to talk to me somewhere that he could organize his thoughts without the mess of chatter and music."

"And what did he want to talk to you about?"

"It doesn't matter what he talked to me about," I maintained. I didn't know whether I wanted to tell Maxon what his father was doing or not. Part of me wanted to tell him, because I had no idea what to do. The other part of me didn't out of spite. I didn't want to seem jealous. I wanted to seem indifferent.

"You two looked awfully close dancing together," he pointed out. He had finally reached me, mere inches separating us from one another. The heat normally between us was mixed with something darker this time. Anger and jealously loomed between us. It just made me madder, because I wanted him more. I needed to feel him against me, to have the taste of him on my lips, to remind me and him that he was mine, that I loved him and I would fight for him.

"So did you and the Duchess of Columbia," I reminded him. "She's very pretty." Our breath mingled together he was so close. When he breathed, his chest was just shy of touching mine. It felt like something was trying to pull us together, but both of us were refusing to let it. We were both so stubborn! Maxon's eyes darted to my lips, and I balled up my fists. My hands were itching to touch him, but I was too angry to give in just yet. He had no right to get angry at me for talking to Aspen when he had been in the arms of another woman half the night.

"Yes, she is. Kriss is a very sweet girl."

"Then maybe you should marry her, seeing as it would be the easier option," I whispered angrily. Maxon's eyes flashed, and before I knew it, his arms were wrapped around my waist, pulling me to him. Our lips were almost touching, and his warm brown eyes bored into mine.

"You are right. It would be easier, and I could be happy with her I suppose. But I don't want easy. I don't love her. Maybe I could learn to love her, but it would never be the same."

"Same as what?"

"The same as loving you."

His lips met mine, hurried and heated. Maxon's hands gripped into my waist, pulling me so our bodies were touching. He still had on his suit from the ball, and the thinness of my gown and robe letting me feel every delicious inch of him. He ventured down my neck, his lips brushing the edge of my collar-bone. My hand threaded through his hair, holding him close as he worked his way back up to me.

Maxon looked up at me, questioning me. He was an absolute gentleman. He didn't want to go too far or to make me feel uncomfortable. I was shocked when I learned that Maxon was still a virgin. Most of the noble men had slept with at least a few women before their marriage. He said it was ghastly, how if a woman's virtue was taken, it made her a pariah, but a man could do the same and no consequence would befall him. He wanted his wife to be his first, and I admired him greatly for that. I nodded my head, letting him know that I was fine, that I was okay with how things were going. I trusted him.

I wanted him.

He picked me up in his arms, holding me close but never breaking the kiss. He walked over to my bed, laying me gently on it as he lay beside me. I was lost in him; he was filling the void that had erupted in my chest when I saw him dancing with the Duchess. My fingers hesitantly brushed the buttons of his jacket, and after receiving a soft smile from him, I slowly unbuttoned them. Maxon unclasped the banner at his waist and shrugged the jacket off of his shoulder, leaving him in a thin, white undershirt. He fumbled with the knot of the belt that held my robe on my, groaning in frustration as he failed to untie it. I laughed as he struggled with it, and he finally just ripped the thin fabric apart. I sat up, giving him a disbelieving glare, but he just smirked at me before easing it off my shoulders.

"I'll get you a new one," he breathed as he placed his lips gently against my neck. I closed my eyes, falling back on to the bed. I lost track of the time. It could've been hours or minutes we were together. At some point Maxon's shirt had come off, and I memorized every single dip and curve in his torso. He was muscular. I couldn't stop feeling his stomach or his shoulders. His skin was so soft, but his muscles were like iron underneath it. His hands ventured along my waist and hips, touching me through the thin fabric of my night gown. It didn't go further than that, than touches and kisses, but it didn't change how intoxicating he was to me. Every inch of me was covered in a searing heat. With every touch, I wanted more; with every kiss, every moan, we held on to each other tighter, tangling ourselves in each other further.

After what seemed like forever, Maxon pulled the blanket over us, holding me tightly to him. My head rested against his chest. His scent filled me, and I could hear the steady beat of his heart. I smiled, completely and utterly content with the world.

"America?"

"Hmm?"

Maxon tilted up my chin so I was looking into his loving gaze. "I owe you an apology. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-

"Shh," I whispered as I placed my lips against his throat. He rested his head against mine, stroking my cheek tenderly. "I shouldn't have snapped at you either."

"I deserved it," he muttered.

"Well, I wasn't exactly being the polite lady I was raised to be," I admitted. Maxon snorted, placing a soft kiss in my hair. He reached down for my hand that was lying on his chest, twining our fingers around each other.

"You weren't really tired, were you?"

I didn't answer. I bit my lip, wondering what I should say.

"America?" he questioned.

"I was upset."

"Upset? Over me and Kriss? I don't love Kriss, America. She's a nice girl, but I don't want her like that. She's never going to be anything more than a dear friend to me. I only danced with her because father insisted, and it would have been rude to not ask her."

I nodded my head, snuggling closer to him. I felt so safe in his arms. The King couldn't do anything to us here. Here, we were in our own little bubble, taking solace in one another.

"That's not why you left though," he surmised. I didn't say anything. Maxon rolled over so he was looming on top of me. His torso was against mine, sending delicious tingles throughout my body and lighting up every single nerve. He looked questioningly at me as he brushed my hair from my face. I slowly shook my head, but I couldn't get the words out.

"You can tell me anything, you know that right? My allegiance is to you, to you and my country above all other things. If you are worried or scared or even happy, I want to share that burden with you. I want to revel in it with you. I want to be here for you, darling, in every single way," he finished as he lifted my hand to kiss it. I felt tears pool in my eyes. How did I deserve a man like this?

He deserved to know, and I wanted to be honest with him.

"Aspen told me something..."

"He wasn't rude was he?"

"No, he was a perfect gentleman. It's just," I sighed and closed my eyes. "I don't think your father will ever approve of us," I confessed. I told Maxon everything, from the glares from his father to what he said to Aspen. I watched as Maxon's face hardened into something cold and calculating.

"I can't believe him," Maxon growled. He looked away, his expression going from furious to determined. I wondered what was going through his mind. Did he know something I didn't? After a few moments, Maxon looked back at me lovingly and took my face in his hands. "Don't worry about him, America. He's not going to control you like, I mean, I'm not going to let him force you into something you don't want. I will keep you safe and happy, darling. If he's going to play his games, I can play them just as well. Let's see how he likes getting beat at his own game for a change."

I nodded my head. Maxon leaned down, softly pressing his lips against my forehead. "It's late, and we both need to be rested for tomorrow."

"I know, but I don't want you to leave."

"I don't particularly want to leave either," he admitted with a soft and caring smile. I wrapped my hands around his neck, pulling myself up to him.

"Then stay until morning," I pleaded.

"And what if someone found us together? Just think of the gossip! I can hear the maids now: I caught the Prince sleeping in Lady Singer's room last night!"

"I wonder what the King would think of that," I teased. "Hmm, the King's wrath in exchange for one night with the Prince? I'd take the risk."

"Your reputation would be ruined," he murmured sadly.

"Then let it be ruined. But I know you won't let that happen," I bet. He smiled, rubbing my nose with his own.

"No I won't. I won't let anyone hurt you in any way, ever. And I plan on marrying you anyways, so we can think of it as practice," he added with a wink.

I laughed, and Maxon snuggled closer to me. I fell asleep in his arms, knowing that whatever tomorrow brought, it would be okay.

I was not longer scared to fight for what I wanted.

Looks like the fight is about to get started! Please leave a review to tell me what you think and such.

I hope I didn't miss anything big gramatically...this is kind of late for me :P

AND WHO IS EXCITED FOR THE HEIR!? I'm so excited that I called the twins. eek!

Goodnight my lovlies! Until next time!

-Holly