Alexander & Rebecca (Royals of Valleria #1) (22 page)

“She’s my Rebecca now,” he said possessively.

“Well, have you told her?”

“Yes, I have.”

Cat let out a sigh of exasperation. “And? Does she love you back?”

“She’s not sure yet, though I think she could be. I think she’s afraid to admit it.”

“Good, then there’s still time to stop this.”

“Stop what?” Alex said and paused. When he spoke, his voice was deceptively low and mild. “Do you mean to tell me that you don’t approve of Rebecca?”

“Look, she’s a lovely girl, very sweet and kind. I certainly couldn’t live without her. I just don’t know if she’s the right woman for you, or the country.”

“Jealous, Cat? I would have thought you’d like my finally settling down. You’ll have much less to do once I’m married.”

“Of course I’m not jealous! What a ridiculous thing to say.”

“I don’t think it’s ridiculous at all.”

“At least you haven’t told Papa or Mama yet.”

“Too late. I already told Papa a few days ago, and I’m sure he told Mama after dinner last night. Marcello also knows and, by the way, they all approve.”

“Papa approves of her?” Cat said disbelievingly. “But she’s common!”

“She’s not common, she’s a commoner,” he said in a swift slash of words. “There’s a big difference. Watch your tongue, little sister. I won’t have you disparage the woman I love.”

“Alex,” Cat said, her voice trembling slightly. “I’m just so surprised, that’s all. I wasn’t sure you’d ever marry.”

Something slammed on a table, causing Rebecca to jump.

“I never, ever expected this from you, Catharine,” Alex said, fury laced through each of his words. “I suggest you take some time and think about why you’re really so upset by this, because I know it’s not because of who Rebecca is.”

Rebecca could not bear to listen anymore. With clammy hands and stuttering heart, she slowly backed away from the dining room and walked down the hall.

Catharine did not approve of her. They had known each other practically their whole lives and, after all this time together, she thought Rebecca was beneath her and unworthy. It was a grave deception she would never have expected.

It was true that Rebecca herself was not sure about her and Alex’s future, but her fears had been exactly this: that people would not think she was good enough for the country, or for him.

With her arms wrapped around herself and her mind in a fog, she walked directionless down the hallway. She felt the walls closing in on her and knew she had to get out.

She stopped beside one of the security agents and asked, “Can you help me leave the castle? I’d like to see my parents, please.”

After a long look at her, the female agent nodded and gestured down a side hallway. As they made their way, Rebecca gave one last look towards the dining room door before turning away.

Alex drummed his fingers on the dining table impatiently.
Where was she?
Rebecca should have been down to breakfast already. His brows furrowed in concern, and not for the first time that morning. He wondered if he had been too rough with her last night, and if that was why she was late for breakfast. He had been as gentle as he could, at least the first time, but the second, well, that was another story.

He took another drink of coffee, now cold, before the cup clattered in its saucer as he put it down again. Cat was shifting her food around on her plate, her mind lost in her own thoughts. He still could not believe that she did not approve of Rebecca. They were practically like sisters already, or so he had thought. He was sure if he asked Rebecca, she would think the same way. Which led him to another dilemma: did he tell Rebecca what Cat thought? Or leave it be until Cat came around?

Another dilemma was work. Piles of it waited for him. Alex should be attending the morning briefing, currently underway, but his father was there today on his own. The only thing Alex wanted was an update on the state of the investigation; everything else today would wait.

Alex had already spoken to Marcello and had an update on the partial fingerprint found on the bomb. They knew the identity of the person and discovered he lived in the Alps near the border shared by Valleria, France, and Italy; Marcello had left to speak with his security counterparts firsthand and coordinate the extraction of the suspect.

Alex could already feel the man’s blood on his hands, for anyone who dared harm his Rebecca or his family would not live, and he intended to see his resolution through.

After another glance at his watch, he signaled for the nearest security agent and whispered his request. With a nod, the agent left to make a phone call, to ascertain Rebecca’s location. Alex had already sent messages to her, to both her personal phone and the phone he had given her, to no avail. He did not like it, he thought as doubt and fear crept in like a fog and chilled his bones; he did not like it one bit.

The agent came in a few minutes later and whispered to Alex, whose eyes blazed black in a calm face. Alex murmured his thanks as he stood and strode from the room without a word to Cat or a backwards glance.

Rebecca had gone straight to visit her parents this morning. What did that mean? Was she upset with him? In more pain than he had realized? Something must have happened, and he intended to find out what.

He strode through the palace, deftly reaching for his phone when it rang, in case it was Rebecca. When he spied the caller as Tavin he sighed, but answered.

“Tavin, I’ve got an unexpected meeting this morning. I won’t be in for some time yet.”

“Of course, Your Highness,” Tavin said smoothly, accustomed to last minute schedule changes. “Have you heard the news, sir? I thought to warn you, in case you hadn’t.”

“What news? Another explosion?” Alex asked and quickened his pace.

“No, sir, nothing like that. It’s about you, sir. Information has been leaked, sir, about you and certain woman.”

A ball of fury formed in his stomach, though his pace never slackened. “What information, and what woman?” he ground out between clenched teeth. “Spit it out and fast.”

“Yes, sir,” Tavin said, his voice trembling slightly. “It about a romantic relationship between you and Rebecca. There’s evidence in the form of text messages between the two of you, sir.”

The messages he’d sent to her unsecure phone. Damn it! Did someone steal her phone? This was not how he wanted Vallerians to learn of their future queen, particularly since she still was not sure about all of it. There was nothing to be done now but to see if Rebecca was okay and spin the press.

“Sir? What should I tell the press?” Tavin asked, reminding Alex he was still on the phone.

“Don’t tell them anything. Let them know I’m doing a press conference later today and I’ll respond to this at that time. Set it up.”

“Sir, if I may, a statement denying the allegations are all that’s needed. An in-person press conference would put more weight behind the allegations rather than diminish them.”

Alex sighed. He had hoped to avoid this a little longer, but it would have to be done. “Tavin, I’m going to remind you that you’ve signed multiple non-disclosure and confidentiality clauses, which permits you from even speaking to others in the office about certain things, including what I’m about to tell you.”

“Sir, I would never break your confidence,” Tavin said, slightly offended.

“Good. The allegations are true. Rebecca and I are in a relationship, an early one, but one nonetheless.”

“I see,” Tavin said, sounding surprised. After a moment, he asked, “The explosion, sir? Was that, I mean to ask if the two are related?”

“I know what you mean, and I can’t be sure they’re not. We should have more information on the investigation by this afternoon as well, hopefully in time for the press conference.”

“I’ll take care of it, sir. And, sir?”

“Yes?”

“If there’s anything you or Rebecca need, you only need to ask.”

“Thank you, Tavin.”

“Is she still at the palace?”

“She’s gone to see her parents. I’m going to speak with her and I’ll let you know when I can be expected back in the office.”

After hanging up the phone, Alex took a shortcut in the palace that led him straight onto a giant courtyard. He slipped into his waiting car and gave his driver new directions.

Rebecca may not be ready for her parents to meet him as a potential future son-in-law, but that’s exactly what they were about to do.

***

Rebecca sat in her childhood kitchen in a scene very similar to yesterday morning’s. A cup of coffee sat cradled in her hands and the scents of a sumptuous breakfast filled the room. Rebecca’s mother sat next to her, gently stroking her hair as Rebecca told her mother everything that had happened.

“I don’t know what to do, Mama. If even Catharine doesn’t approve of me, what chance do I have with everyone else?”

“Do you want that chance? Do you want to be with him, and all that means?”

Rebecca stared into her coffee for answers, and saw only her shadowed reflection outlined in black. “I think I do. Am I just confusing lust and love?”

Her mother chuckled. “Wouldn’t be the first time a woman did that. I did that, but it ended up working out for me. I love the man I lust for. You have to decide if you’re the same. Can you see him as a partner to you and a good father to any children you may have? Would he care for you, in sickness and in health? Be true to you, and only you, for as long as you both shall live?”

“Those are vows.”

“Exactly. They’re the same ones you’ll make in front of an entire country even if they’re just between the two of you. They have meaning and purpose, and are just a few of the promises you’ll make to each other. These promises can’t be broken, can’t be shared. Can you commit to these for him? Can he commit to these for you?”

Rebecca gasped as a well of emotion flooded through her.
Oh, God. Oh, God
. “Yes,” she whispered as tears welled in dark brown eyes. “Yes.”

“Rebecca,” her mother said as she drew Rebecca in for a hug. Rebecca rested her head on her mother’s comforting shoulder and couldn’t stop crying.

“Mama, I’m in love,” she cried.

“I know, my little girl.”

“Then why can’t I stop crying?” she asked on a sob.

Francine laughed. “Everybody cries when they’re in love. Happy tears, sad tears. These are happy tears.” Francine dropped a kiss on Rebecca’s head.

“I’m terrified,” Rebecca said as she pulled back to wipe her face and nose. “I still don’t know if everyone will approve of me.”

“If
you
approve of you, trust me, everyone else will follow suit.”

“You’re saying I need to be more confident.”

“Exactly,” Francine said as she stroked her daughter’s hair again and wondered at how fast she had grown up.

“That’s good advice.”

“I’m full of it.”

“I could have told you that,” Ettore said as he ambled into the kitchen.

“Told me what?” Francine asked.

“That you were full of it,” he said with a smile and jumped out of the way when she tried to slap his arm.

“Stop it,” she said laughing. “Can’t you see your daughter and your wife are discussing something?”

“Yes, I can, though I think I should be part of this conversation if it’s about you and the future king of Valleria.”

Rebecca’s mouth dropped open. “What?”

“You’re seeing each other, aren’t you?”

“We love each other,” Rebecca said, and found that it was not so hard to admit she was in love now that she had accepted it in her heart.

“Jesus. I didn’t realize it’d gone that far,” he said as he ran a hand through his hair and sat down across from her.

“How did you find out?” Francine asked.

“It’s all over the news.”

“What?” Rebecca asked as she jumped up and headed for the family room, where the television was still talking about her. She winced as the video from a few days ago played over and over again. “How did they find out?”

“Something about text messages,” her father said from the doorway.

Rebecca’s head whipped around and she ran the few steps to where her purse lay. She pulled out both phones, which each held a number of messages from Alex, Catharine, and others. “I don’t understand how,” she said shaking her head.

“I know, baby girl,” Ettore said. “Come sit down. Let’s talk about it.”

Rebecca nodded and went back to their cozy table and sat down. “I’m sure you have questions,” she said to him.

“I do.”

She took a deep breath and straightened her back. “Go ahead.” Francine held her hand underneath the table for support.

“First, are you happy?” Ettore asked.

She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “Yes. Yes, I am. I wasn’t sure if I would be, and there’s a lot to sort out still but, yes, I am.”

He nodded. “Did he, I mean, he didn’t force you in any way, did he?” His face turned bright red, but his expression was solemn and severe.

She reached for his hand with her free one and held it tight. “No, he didn’t. Absolutely didn’t.”

“You’re not just loving a man when it comes to him, I know you’re smart enough to know that. So, I’m just going to say one last thing.”

“What?”

“If, at any time, you change your mind, you just let us know. Even if it’s an hour from now or an hour before the wedding, you understand? We’re with you, all the way, either way, and to hell with everyone else.”

Rebecca laughed and kissed her father’s hand. “How did I get so lucky to be born to parents like you?” she asked and hugged each of them. Her father held on a little longer and she did not mind it one bit.

“You tell that man of yours if he wants to marry you, he’s got to come and ask me first.”

“Papa!”

“He’s not joking,” Francine said.

Rebecca laughed, “I’ll let him know.” After a pause, she asked, “Will the two of you be all right? I know I certainly never expected this, so I can’t imagine what you’re thinking right now.”