Switching back to their native tongue, Albert asked, “Elias, do you have a few more minutes?”
“My shift is over, but we shouldn’t hang about in the South Courtyard.” He nodded at the steps that led out and up to the path to the rose gardens. “Do you feel better, Papa?”
Albert gave a light swat to the back of Elias’s head. “Do you just want to be told that you were right?”
“No.” Ha! His father would see right through that. “Perhaps. A little.”
Elias didn’t need to be right. He needed to know that the meeting had, indeed, given Albert peace.
“I’m grateful you introduced me to the princess. Being able to tender my apology to her personally was, indeed, satisfying.”
“Good.”
At the landing he paused under a hanging pot overflowing with pink and purple fuchsia, and turned to face Elias. “But you must break it off with her. Today. I beg you. If you’re discovered, it’d be the end. For both of us. Not just the loss of both of our jobs, but also the loss of my pension. We’d be ruined. The Trebantis can’t live down a second family disgrace.”
Damn it, Elias knew all of that.
He knew the cost. The danger of being dismissed from the RPS. Of losing his lifelong friendship with Christian. Of him and his father being left with nothing. His father was close to retirement. And who’d hire a bodyguard that the royal family fired? Not to mention that the humiliation would no doubt break his father. Who would, undoubtedly, never forgive him. So he’d lose all that was left of his own family along with losing the brotherly bond with Christian.
All of this disaster would be his own fault.
But no matter how much he cared for Kelsey, it would be over soon enough. Her position, the revelation to the world of her existence, would make sure of it. As would her return to America, if she chose that instead. So he’d damn well indulge in these last few days possible with her.
She was worth the risk. Worth everything. In fact, Kelsey was quickly becoming everything to him.
So either way, his entire world was about to crash down around him.
The temptation to yank down that damned pot and hurl it across the courtyard with all his strength was…immense. “I’m happy, Papa. Can’t you see that?”
“I do. And it does not matter.”
“Of course not.” Elias didn’t bother to hide the bitterness in his voice. The prioritization of loyalty had been drummed into him for a lifetime. “Because you always put the royal family first, even ahead of your own son.” He should stop there. But frustration, no, anger at his inevitable loss of Kelsey forced out the question he’d never once let slip. “Why must they always be more important than us, every second of every day?”
“Because the Villanis are the very heart and soul of this country. What’s best for them, what keeps them safe and happy, trickles down to the rest of us. The royal family parents us all—the entire kingdom.” He curled one hand around the skinny wrought-iron railing. The other he clawed painfully hard around Elias’s wrist. “See that you don’t let your parents down—the king…or me.”
…
Kelsey glanced out the diamond-shaped window of the staircase. The velvety violet of dusk clung to the mountaintops. That made it…almost lunchtime back home? She reached for Mallory’s hand as they took the final few steps. “Do you think they’re still in New York, or back in Michigan by now?”
“Mom and Dad? I don’t know. With all this talk of Interpol, maybe they even flew them to D.C. to be questioned more?”
“At least we’ll finally get some answers.” She hurried soundlessly down the cream-and-gold curlicued pattern on the carpet. Carpet that was identical to several other hallways, but Kelsey didn’t think she’d seen this one before. “Marko, where are you taking us to do this phone call?”
“Your office, Your Highness.”
Her what now? “Since when do I have an office? Why do I have an office?”
“All the senior royals living in the palace have one.”
Oh, FFS! “I don’t live in the palace.” Not yet. Maybe not ever. “I’m just visiting.” Why did nobody but Mallory believe her? Did they think she’d get tired of repeating herself and just stay?
Marko halted. “Your Highness, you are a blood princess, third in line to the throne of Moncriano. No matter where you may be in the world, you will always have a home, a bedroom, and yes, an office here in Alcarsa Palace.”
“So there!” Mallory stuck out her tongue. “Guess he put you in your highly elevated place.”
“As for why you need one, I’d suggest this call with the Wishners is a perfect example. They are on hold. All you need do is pick up.”
“On hold?” No. Oh no. “How long have they been waiting?”
“The rest of the world—aside from your family—waits for you. Never the other way around.”
Her clever bodyguard had circled the question without answering it. “But they are my fam—” Kelsey broke off, realizing arguing with Marko would be a waste of time she didn’t have. “Never mind. But pick up the pace.”
She and Mallory began running. Sure, their dad had been late to a lot of activities due to medical emergencies. If anything, it made him that much more hypervigilant about punctuality. Waiting for God knows how long would’ve ticked him off…royally. Ha.
Marko indicated an already open door, and they dashed in. Lunging at the dainty desk, Kelsey stabbed at the speakerphone button. “I’m so sorry we’re late!”
“We’re so sorry about…everything,” replied her dad in a low, humbled tone.
What was it with people today? First Elias’s dad rocked the martyrdom, and now her own. Both of which made no sense whatsoever.
She was shutting that down now. Kelsey circled the desk and plopped into the high-backed, white upholstered chair.
“Sorry for what? For loving me? Spoiling me? Paying for braces and the trendy sneakers I had to have? No, Dad, I don’t want an apology from either of you, and I won’t accept one.”
In the deafening silence that ensued, Mallory wiggled onto the corner of the desk. Kelsey promptly shooed her off. The desk—like everything else in her rooms in the palace—looked old and dainty and all kinds of fragile. Its white curved legs and undoubtedly real gold trim along every edge and cutout did not look capable of handling a modern American ass.
Pulling up a fringed footstool, Mallory finally said, “Hi, guys. Is Mom there, too?”
“Oh, sweetheart, yes, I’m here, and it’s good to hear your voice. I’m so glad you two are together.”