The Scorsolini Marriage Bargain (23 page)

“You want to stay married to me even if it means not having your own son inherit the throne of
Isole
dei Re.
”

“Sì. This is true. You finally believe me?”

“Oh, I believe you…” And the belief was making her giddy. “I love you,
Claudio
. Yesterday, today and forever.”

The hand curled around her hip convulsed, grabbing her in an almost painful grip. “You can’t.”

“I can and I do.” She took her own deep breath and then plunged into a pool she had never swum in before. “I believe you love me, too. I really do.”

“I do love you, my precious wife. I do. Thank God you believe me…thank God.” He closed his eyes as if sending those thanks on the wings of angels and then opened them again. “From this point forward you will never again have cause to doubt it. I give you my word as a prince.”

“I believe you,” she said again, her heart burbling with a kind of happiness she had never known.

He leaned forward and kissed her. It was the most poignant meeting of their lips they had ever known, for it affirmed in a wholly nonsexual way that they were two halves of one whole. Always.

Epilogue

The surgery was a complete success and, miraculously, so was the IVF procedure performed two months later.
Therese
’s doctor was shocked it had worked on the first try, but she wasn’t. After discovering
Claudio
loved her as she loved him, she didn’t find it all that difficult to believe in miracles anymore.

Her pregnancy was confirmed on the eve of Flavia and King
Vincente
’s wedding. The entire family rejoiced and were still rejoicing seven and a half months later when she gave birth to triplets, one girl and two boys. Although the babies were slightly premature and tiny, they were healthy and strong.

Their daughter was the oldest and when King
Vincente
laid his hand on her head and confirmed the right of progenitor,
Therese
almost fainted.

“I thought only males could inherit the throne.”

“Where did you get that archaic idea?”
Claudio
asked with a laugh. “Just because Scorsolini babies are almost always male, that does not mean we do not allow our daughters to inherit. We are a modern royal family…I keep telling you that.”

“But…you always talked about your nephew inheriting.”

“He’s the oldest.”

“Oh. So, she’s going to be a queen?”

“Just like her mama. Yes.”

Therese
grinned, exhausted from the delivery, but happier than she’d ever been. “It wouldn’t have mattered. I would have loved her the same anyway.”

“Of course you would…our children will know nothing but love from us all the days of their lives.”

She smiled, her heart so filled with joy that some days she did not know if she could hold it all in. He’d been showing her his love in ways she could never mistake. He’d started with allowing his brothers to share more of the burden of leadership while his father was convalescing so he could oversee her return to health with minute attention.

He even stayed in the hospital with her and the tabloids had a heyday with it. Some poking fun, but most saying that it was obvious this royal family did not stick with the tradition of marrying for convenience. He had made huge inroads into spending more time together all the time and now when he traveled, she went with him.

Even when she’d been pregnant.

She reached out and took his hand, loving the feel of his long, strong fingers intertwined with hers. “I happen to know you are an expert at giving love, I have no doubts our children will know nothing but an abundance of that commodity from you.”

He grinned down at her.

And King
Vincente
smiled at them both. “The Scorsolini men are very lucky…we must raise my grandchildren to know the blessing of love the Scorsolinis are known for.”

Remembering the curse the king used to believe it was,
Therese
felt tears fill her eyes. “We’ll make sure they know the blessing of love, Papa.”

And they did…all the days of their lives.

--The End--

About The Author

Award-winning and bestselling author
Lucy
Monroe
lives in the gorgeous Pacific Northwest, surrounded by a plethora of pets and children (her own, the neighbors, her sisters…). She finds inspiration for her stories everywhere as she is an avid people-watcher. So much so that she disconcerted her husband upon first meeting him when she watched the other dancers as much as she watched him. He thought she wasn't interested…silly man.

She believes there is no stronger emotion than love; that it truly can overcome pain, past rejection and the challenge of finding happiness despite the hardest things life has to offer. She believes in the victorious conclusions found in today's romance. To her, the passionately sensual romance novel is a beautiful expression of the reality of love, packaged in a fantasy readers can enjoy.

When she's not writing,
Lucy
likes to read—big surprise, that. She can't tell you the latest show going on television, but she loves romantic movies, action adventure and the theater. She adores her family, and is a smatterer when it comes to hobbies…a little of this, a little of that.

Since selling her first book to the Harlequin Presents line in September of 2002, she has sold more than thirty books to three publishers and shows no signs of slowing down in the near future.

Visit her web site to read about all of her books and see flash movies for select releases, including her Harlequin Presents title. She truly loves to hear from readers, and can be reached at [email protected] .