A Royal Holiday (Royals of Valleria #5) (5 page)

“My dear, of course it is appreciated,” Gabriel said as he took his wife’s hand and tried to soothe her.

“It absolutely is,” Rebecca said. “Alex and I both appreciate your help and guidance.”

“Well, sometimes it doesn’t feel like it.”

“Well, Mama,” Alex said dryly, “then we’ll apologize properly. We are sorry for reminding you that the people getting married are Rebecca and myself, and we do thank you profusely for your unending stream of advice and guidance, often unsolicited.”

The rest of the table burst out laughing, as did Genevieve after a few moments later. “Stop it. I am not that bad.”

Alex rose and walked over to his mother, and dropped a kiss on her cheek. “Of course not, Mama. You’re actually much worse. I was trying to be diplomatic.”

Everyone laughed harder and even Gabriel had a hard time keeping his smile from breaking through.

“Enough,” Genevieve said, still laughing a little. “We all have plenty to do today, so away with all of you. Just make sure you’re back for family dinner tonight.”

All of the siblings groaned. Though they loved the times they spent together, family dinner was usually a form of allowed torture.

“Stop that,” their mother said. “It won’t be a proper family dinner, since Arianna won’t be here, but we’ll make do. Everyone else is here, and I expect full attendance at dinners through the rest of the year. Am I understood?”

A chorus of scattered ‘yes, Mama’ was heard around the table.

“Good. Ladies? We’ll meet at the main entrance at one.”

As everyone rose and went about their various days, Alex held Rebecca back until the room cleared. “Are you sure you’re all right, darling?”

She wrapped her arms around Alex and burrowed against him, inhaling his unique scent. “Hold me.”

“Always,” he said as he wrapped his arms around her in return, and dropped a kiss to her head. “We’ll get through this. I promise.”

“I know we will.”

“I’m sorry.”

She shook her head against his chest, against the silk of his now dark green tie and the smooth, expensive fabric of his suit. “Stop apologizing. It happened. We weren’t together when it did. I don’t blame you for this situation; I blame her.”

He kissed her head again. “Something still doesn’t feel right between us. I don’t know what it is, but there’s something. Isn’t there?”

Fear dropped like a chunk of ice into the pit of her stomach, sending goosebumps scattering across her skin. “I feel it, too.”

He tilted her chin up until their eyes met. “This is the ‘worse’ part.”

“What do you mean?”

“Our vows. ‘For better or for worse’. This is the ‘worse’ part, that’s all. We’ll make it through.”

“Technically, we haven’t said our vows yet.”

“Haven’t we, though? Maybe we haven’t said them in a church in front of the entire world, but we’ve said them to each other through each touch, and in each gesture. Even in the way we’re holding each other now.”

Rebecca let out a shuddering sigh as emotion swept through her. “Yes. Yes, we have. God, I love you.” She pressed her mouth to his, hard and fast. “I love you so much. Don’t forget that. Don’t ever forget that.”

“Never. I love you.” He kissed her back, just as passionately.

“Don’t forget how much I love you, my prince. My one and only lover. My life,” she ended on a whisper.

He groaned and pulled her harder against him. As their mouths ravaged, they didn’t even notice the waitstaff come in, catch them in a heated kiss, and leave barely a second later.

***

Nate walked down the familiar paths to the kitchens. He’d made the journey often enough before he and Charlie had become a couple, so no one batted an eye to see him now. They bowed or curtsied as he passed, but otherwise left him alone; they knew exactly where he was going.

He turned the corner into one of the smaller kitchens and saw her bent over a counter, intently focused on her task. He took a moment to just watch her, taking in the sight of her able fingers efficiently piping an intricate design on a counter filled with petit fours. When she finished, she put down the piping bag and wiped her hands on her white chef’s coat, which had already been spotted with dots of colour and bits of sticky dough. She would say she looked messy.

To Nate, she looked achingly beautiful.

“Miss me, Charlotte-mine?”

Her head shot up, just as it had that morning. She still looked surprised whenever he came to visit her, and he wondered how much longer that might last.

“What are you doing here?”

He walked up to her. “My family runs the palace, remember?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Did you want me to leave?”

“No,” she said quickly. “No, that’s not what I meant. I thought you might be resting.”

The uncomfortable itch of irritation bit through him. “I’m not some fucking invalid. I’m fine.”

“I know you are. I was just worried about you,” she murmured and turned back to focus on the counter.

Nate cursed under his breath and turned her to face him again. “I love that you worry about me. I love you, Charlotte-mine.”

She let out a long breath. “I love you, too.”

“Would you do something for me?”

She narrowed her eyes. “What?”

He couldn’t keep from smiling. “So wary of me. There’s no reason to be.”

“Well, what do you need?”

“I need a great many things, but right now I would very much appreciate it if you’d spend the day with the other women in my family.”

She blinked. “Come again?”

Nate briefed her on the newspaper articles and photos. “All the women are going shopping as a show of support to Rebecca. I’d really like it if you’d go with them.”

“I’d like that, but, Nate, I’ve just got so much to do.” She pursed her lips as she glanced around the small kitchen, taking in the petit fours, along with the supply-covered counters and cake-filled ovens.

“I’m not just asking for Rebecca’s sake. I’m asking for my own, too.”

“What do you mean?”

He wrapped his arms around her, and brought her against him. He was sure errant bits of flour would end up on his clothes, but he didn’t care. “I’m worried about you. I know you’ve got a lot to do, and I’m in no way saying that I don’t think you can do it all. I do wish, however, that you’d pass a little of this on to someone else and take a break.”

“That was a very diplomatic way of saying you think I’m trying to do too much.”

“Can’t get one by you.”

“Nate.”

“Please, Charlie? Just like you want to take care of me, I want to take care of you, too.”

She huffed out a breath. “That’s very clever, the way you just said that.”

“It’s the truth.”

“I know. That’s why it’s clever.” She rested her forehead against his chest and wrapped her arms around him.

“I should also mention that, at breakfast, my father made a very declarative statement about your place in this family.”

She went rigid against him. “He did?”

“He said you were, without a doubt, a member of this family, just like Grace, Rebecca, and Finn, and to hell with anyone who says otherwise.”

“Your father said that?”

“I may have paraphrased it a little, but that was the gist.”

Charlie relaxed against him again. “All right. I’ll go.”

Nate tried to get his broad smile under control, but it was a futile attempt. “Thank you, Charlie.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she said as she pushed back. “What time are we leaving?”

“Around one from the main entrance.”

She looked around the kitchen again. “That’s only a few hours away.”

“Charlie.”

“I know, I know. I’ll be there. Let me just, um, shift some things around.”

He kissed her forehead. “You can also finish your Christmas shopping. Weren’t you complaining a few days ago that you wouldn’t have time to get it all done?”

She sagged a little. “Christmas shopping? Holy shit, I totally forgot about that.”

Nate couldn’t help but laugh. “You don’t have to buy anybody anything, you know that.”

“But it’s our first Christmas as a couple. I can’t
not
buy something for your parents and family.”

“I just told you how much they love you. You don’t have to buy something. You could bake them a cake and they’d love it.”

“Maybe.”

He dropped a quick kiss on her lips. “Think about it.”

“What about you?”

“What about me?”

“You don’t want me to buy you anything?”

He brushed his knuckles over her cheek. “No, Charlie. You love me, you’ve moved in with me, you take care of me. I don’t need anything else but a vow from you.”

She stiffened. “Nate.”

He put a finger over her lips. “Shhh. I’m not proposing. I know you’re not ready, and that’s fine. For now, anyway.”

“I do love you.”

“I know you do.” He kissed her lips again, this time slower and softer. “Now, go. Finish up what you need to so you can be work-free this afternoon. I’ll see you when you get back.”

She nodded. As he began to walk out, she called after him. “Nate? You didn’t buy me anything for Christmas, did you?”

He gave her a sly smile and strode out, leaving the question unanswered.

He’d already arranged her gift. He had a feeling she’d hate it – at first anyway – but hopefully she’d come around.

He needed her to come around.

Arianna walked down the now familiar halls of Brazenbourg Palace, her heels clicking softly against the polished floors, with security agents surrounding her. She still had a hard time believing that it had been barely three months ago that she had first stepped foot inside, and that her life had changed so much since that day.

As she entered Finn’s suite of offices moments later, she was greeted warmly by a few of Finn’s advisors and staff, who had been lingering after the end of a meeting. She was still wary of some of them, as a few had been Henry’s advisors, too.

Finn’s chief of staff, Saskia, came up to greet her and curtsied.

“Oh, please don’t. I told you, there’s no need for that.”

“There is, Your Highness,” she replied with twinkling eyes. “You are still a royal from another country, and you will soon become our royal as well.”

Arianna smiled. “That’s very true. In that case, thank you. Is Finn available? I thought I might steal him away for a quick lunch if there was time.”

Saskia began tapping swiftly away at her keyboard. “I can rearrange his schedule for you.”

“Oh, please don’t do that,” Arianna said quickly. “I wasn’t sure if I’d be feeling up to lunch and, when I was, I thought I’d take a chance. I’ll just pop in for a few minutes instead.”

Saskia smiled broadly. “Too late. I’ve already arranged it. You’ve got a full forty-five minutes before he needs to be back. Enjoy.”

“Oh. Well, thank you.” Arianna would definitely speak to Finn about giving her a raise.

As she walked into his office, she was once again breathless at the sight of him. Finn was on the phone, absently running a hand through his deep brown hair. His dark dress pants hid the legs she loved to feel against hers. His collared shirt was unbuttoned at the top, revealing a smattering of chest hair, and the sleeves had been rolled up to his elbows, revealing a set of strong arms.

Oh, how she loved his arms. They held her through the night, supported her through morning sickness, and had even dug through rubble and saved her life when an explosion had buried her underneath a pile of palace ceiling.

He’d saved her in more ways than one.

Finn’s bright green eyes caught sight of her and he let loose his devilish smile. “Something’s just come across my desk that I need to see to. We’ll discuss this more later.”

As soon as he hung up, they both walked towards each other, like two magnets unable to keep apart. Their arms easily wrapped around each other and he gave her a soft kiss.

“What a lovely surprise, Princess. How are you feeling?”

“Hungry.”

His lips curved into a broad smile, then dimmed. “I wish I could have lunch with you, but I’ve got a meeting.”

“Not anymore; Saskia moved your meetings around.”

His smile grew brighter again. “She did?”

Arianna nodded. “I think she deserves a raise for her exceptional work.”

“So do I. That’s why I’d already arranged it, starting the first of the year. Don’t you remember me mentioning it a few days ago?”

Arianna furrowed her brows as she thought back over the last few days. “No, I don’t. I have been forgetful lately, haven’t I? I wonder if this is the ‘pregnancy brain’ I’ve heard so much about.”

He chuckled, and the low sound sent tremors rippling through her. Her morning sickness had killed her libido for the last several weeks, but it finally seemed to be coming back.

“There’s nothing wrong with your beautiful brain, Princess.” He rested a palm over her womb. “Our baby’s just distracting you.”

“Well, he or she isn’t going to distract me from the lunch I’ve arranged in the solarium.”

“Then let’s go.” Finn took her hand and made his way through the now empty suite of offices; Saskia and the other advisors must have gone to lunch, too.

“Do you want a girl or a boy?” Finn asked, his thumb gently caressing the back of her hand.

Her free hand automatically went to rest over their child; she couldn’t even begin to count the number of times she rubbed her belly during the day. “I just want a healthy baby. Does it matter to you?”

“Well, our succession laws aren’t like Valleria’s, so we’ll need a son to carry on the monarchy. I’m trying to get that changed now, and I’m hopeful we can get it done before the baby comes. The Council of Mayors just needs to approve the resolution and formally pass it.” He lifted their joined hands to his lips for a quick kiss and smiled. “Of course, I’d be just as happy with a little girl that looked just her mama.”

Arianna smiled as her heart melted even more. “Do you really think the Council will pass the resolution?”

Finn’s smile faded into a slight frown. “I think most of them are on board. Having ten mayors means that I get to decide the tie-breaking vote, if there is one. Some of the longest-running mayors aren’t sure about the idea.”

A shiver rippled through her. “You mean the ones that worked with Henry.”

Finn nodded, then let go of her hand to wrap his arm around her, and tucked her close against him. Between him and the trusted security agents that surrounded them and the palace, she usually felt secure.

“Do you think it’s safe for us here? Would they try to harm us?”

Finn kissed her temple. “I don’t know, baby, but I’ll never let anyone hurt you again. A lot of people liked the way Henry did business, and I’m still trying to cull them out. Thank God for your family, though. Your father and brothers have been really helpful.”

“Have they?” She knew they gave Finn advice when he asked, but didn’t realize it went beyond that.

Finn nodded. “I had to clear out all of our security first; too many of them were loyal to Henry. Alex and Marcello – with your father’s approval – provided us with agents and are training more. They’re also helping me as I investigate some people I’m still concerned about in Brazenbourg and abroad.”

Arianna decided not to worry about the investigations until she had to, and focused on the positive. “You sound a little bit in awe of my family.”

“I am. I never thought I’d have a father or brother again, nor a mother or a room full of sisters. Your family’s been so accepting of me, sometimes I feel that I don’t deserve it.”

They entered the lush solarium, its tropical heat a stark contrast to the stone-cold chill outside, and she turned him to face her. “Why do you think that, Finn?”

Finn held her fiercely close, his green eyes bold and intense. “I almost got you killed. If only I’d managed to stop Henry sooner, well, then maybe you wouldn’t have been hurt by the bombs he set in the palace.” Finn brushed his knuckles against her cheek. “I still can’t believe the man who almost killed us was my brother.”

“Stop, Finn,” Arianna spoke softly. “There’s room for a lot of ‘maybes’, but we can’t dwell on them. If I’d been less of an idiot, then maybe I would have recognized my feelings for you before I agreed to a marriage of convenience with Henry, or maybe I would have seen who Henry really was sooner.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“And it’s not yours, either.” She pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “Let’s not focus on the past anymore.” She took his hand and placed it over hers on her stomach. “Let’s just focus on the future as much as we can.”

“I like the sound of that.”

“So do I.” She kissed him again. “Now let’s eat before the baby decides it’s a bad idea.”

Finn held her chair out for her while she sat, then took the seat across from her. “I’m worried you’re not eating enough. What did the doctor say?”

Arianna pulled away the silver domes that covered their simple soup and sandwich lunch and set it aside. “She said I didn’t need to worry just yet. I might need to get another IV drip if the morning sickness gets worse, but she said I’m fine for now.”

“When’s your next appointment?” Finn asked before he sipped a spoonful of soup.

“In a few days. I wanted to fit one in before the holiday festivities start.” Arianna, suddenly famished, began sipping the soup quickly.

“Let me know when. I’m going with you.”

“I will.”

“Are you sure you feel up to celebrating, Princess? I can go to the festivities on my own.”

Finished with the soup, Arianna picked up her sandwich. “I’m sure. I can’t wait to see the capital and countryside all decked out in holiday cheer.”

“Well, you’ve done a great job with the palace. I’ve never seen so many decorations since my mother was alive.” Finn took a big bite of his sandwich.

Arianna furrowed her eyebrows. “Is it too much? Do people think we should have mourned longer for Henry? Should I have some removed?”

“No, baby,” he said as he put down his mostly-finished sandwich and took hold of her hand across the table. “Most of the citizens didn’t want a long mourning period, which is why we went forward with the festivities in the first place. As for the decorations, I love them. The palace is finally starting to feel like a home again.”

“Good, I’m glad.” They let go and continued eating. “Do you think the builders will be done with the repairs by the end of the month?”

Finn wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin and picked up his drink. “Doubtful. The explosions did some real damage, more extensive than I originally thought. I’m glad we’ve moved into this wing of the palace, though. It could be a few months more, at least, before everything’s done. They should be finished before the baby comes, though.”

Finished with her sandwich, Arianna daintily wiped her mouth and took a drink of her fruit juice. “I do like this side of the palace. I especially like that your office is not too far from our rooms.”

The corner of Finn’s mouth curved up. “I like that part, too.”

She extended her hand across the table, and danced her fingers across the back of his hand. “You know, I think I might just be up for some special time with you tonight.”

Finn gripped her hand. “Special as in you feel up to me making love to your beautiful body all night long? Or a different kind of special?”

She swallowed. The man could get her going with just a few words, or even a look. “The first kind of special,” she whispered.

Finn groaned. “How am I supposed to work the rest of the day knowing that?”

Arianna giggled. “Will you be terribly distracted?”

Finn’s green eyes smoldered. “You bet your pretty ass I will, but I’m that way every day.” He took her hand and tugged her up from the table, then settled her in his lap.

“Shall I tell you what I’ll be dreaming of all day, Princess?” he whispered against her ear. “I’ll be imagining your creamy body under mine, your full breasts flushed and your nipples hard and tall after my mouth is done with them. I’ll be thinking of the way your pretty pussy looks when your legs are spread wide and you’re waiting, wet and wanting my cock.”

“Finn, please,” she whispered, her breath coming in short gasps. “Don’t get me started. We don’t have time for that.”

“Later then, baby.” He kissed her long and deep. “Later.”

“If I make it until then. I may just jump you in your office this afternoon.”

He grinned. “I welcome a visit from you anytime, you know that.”

She huffed a laugh and wrapped her arms around his neck. It felt so good to be held by him. She pulled back when her phone buzzed in her pocket with an incoming message.

“Who is it, baby?” he asked while he rubbed a hand up and down her back.

“It’s Mama.” Her eyebrows shot up. “Apparently, Alex is involved in a scandal.” Arianna gave Finn an overview of the situation.