The Prince's Pregnant Challenge (The Royals of Monaco, #2) (7 page)

“Trust me, I said the same thing,” Francesca said.

“Leave me alone,” Macee replied.

“Mum came over,” Liane said.

“Oh gosh.” It seemed every single time she came to the palace, it was never a pleasant visit. Liane told them everything that had just happened. Her sisters were not surprised with how their mother had behaved; however, they were surprised with what she said to Jean Pierre.

“When I got married, it was me who was told not to mess it up with Louis,” Macee said.

“Ooo, she calls him Louis,” Francesca said. Both her and Liane giggled and teased Macee about it. Even the queen still referred to the king as his majesty. She never called him by his name in public.

“What else should I call him?”

“No, it's good that you do,” Liane said. She was really happy for her sister. She seemed to be in a good marriage. Macee groaned in response.

“So you and Jean Pierre will be living together?”

“Yes.” Liane barked.

“Oh, someone is not happy,” Francesca said.

“Of course, I am not happy. I cannot stand him.”

Macee heaved herself up and rested on her elbow. She had a burning question for Liane. “What was sex like with him?” she asked. Both her sisters whipped their heads in her direction.

“Macee!” they both said.

“What? I am curious. Was it good?”

“Oh my God, I cannot believe you,” Liane said. She was suddenly feeling shy as she remembered that night. It had taken a lot for her to try to forget about it and she was unsuccessful. As much as she hated to admit it to herself, she really enjoyed it.

“You cannot put anything past Macee,” Francesca said. “But was it?” she asked.

“See, even Fanny agrees.”

“Maceey, don't call me that.”

Macee started laughing. She enjoyed annoying her sister. She really hated being called Frannie or fanny, and especially Frannie fanny.

“It was fine,” Liane lied. She turned bright red. Her sisters pointed it out and started laughing at her. She was not able to conceal the truth from her sisters especially Macee. She was like a dog with a bone. She would never let it go until she got a proper answer. Fortunately for Liane, she saw Prince Louis walk into the garden with a slightly older gentleman.

“Is that not your husband?” Liane said to Macee as she pointed at the prince. Macee scrambled to her feet and sat on the bench with her sisters.

“Who is that guy?” Francesca asked. He appeared to be in his late thirties. He had a day or two’s growth of beard and stood at the same height as the prince. His body was slightly bigger than the prince’s was and from this distance, Francesca could see that he was all muscle. He wore a suit with no tie. They were walking towards the sisters.

“I have no idea,” Macee said. She had never seen him before. “But he is attractive,” she added.

“You’re married,” Francesca responded.

“No, I agree, that man is sexy,” Liane added. Francesca and Macee turned to look at Liane who never spoke up about such things. “What? He is.”

“Ladies,” Prince Louis said as he offered Macee his hand. She placed her hand in his and rose from the bench. Her sisters stood up also and curtsied to him. The prince kissed Macee's hand and then her lips as she smiled at him. “This is my wife, the princess Macee,” he said to the man he was with who bowed his head.

“Pleased to meet you, your highness,” he said. Macee raised her eyebrows. His voice was very deep and refined. And he had the most beautiful green eyes under a thick head of dark hair.

“This is Lord Jacques. It has been a long time since he’s paid a visit to the palace and I’m pleased to say that he will be coming here more often now.”

“Pleased to meet you, Lord Jacques. These are my sisters, Liane and Francesca.”

“Ladies.” He bowed his head.

Liane and Francesca smiled at him. “Hello,” they said at the same time. Whilst Macee was speaking to her husband, from the corner of her eye, she noticed Lord Jacques looking at Francesca. Macee carried on speaking to the prince. He kissed her when they were done before departing with his friend.

“That man could not keep his eyes off you,” Macee said to Francesca as soon as he left.

“Nonsense,” Francesca dismissed the subject. He seemed a bit too old for her taste even though he was quite attractive.

“I did not even know they still had lords,” Macee said. Her sisters looked at her and shook their heads. As the future queen, she was quite clueless.

9 months later

L
iane had barely survived three months of living in the palace and was dreaming of running away from all the drama, but she was not allowed. She was still a subject of the media. Part of her was glad that she was staying at the palace because she was around her sisters. She could not have gotten through all of it by herself.

She was standing in the corner pouting over a ball that was being held at the palace that evening. She did not want to go but her sisters insisted. They said it was good for her to get out. She chose a black dress hoping it would be slimming, but her baby bump had blossomed considerably and she felt like she had a giant pumpkin for a stomach. Jean Pierre emerged out of thin air as he always did.

“You are always pouting at parties,” he said as he stood next to her.

“As always, you are popping out of thin air,” Liane took a sip from her glass.

“What are you drinking?” He tried to take the drink away from her. She moved her glass from his reach.

“Relax it's apple cider.”

“You are not wearing your ring.” He felt that it was unfair that he had to wear his. He hated wearing a ring.

“My fingers are too fat,” Liane snapped. She had become over emotional about everything in the last few months. “Everything is too fat. I look like a whale.”

Jean Pierre laughed. “Maybe a baby one,” he joked. Liane's jaw dropped open.

“That's not nice, jackass,” Liane tried to walk but she froze.

“It was a joke.”

“A crap one.” Liane frowned and touched her belly.

“What is the matter?” Jean Pierre stood in front of her and looked at her.

“I am trying to figure out if I wet myself.”

“Liane, what?” Jean Pierre frowned. She suddenly screamed. Jean Pierre's eyes widened. He was not sure what was happening or what to do.

“Get my sisters,” she screamed. He nodded and ran to find her sisters. He returned in a few moments with them. They were both panicking and confused. They did not know what was happening. “I think my water broke,” she said.

“Oh, my God!” Both of her sisters screamed at the same time. They linked her arms and helped her out of the room. Prince Louis was talking to Lord Jacques when he saw the three sisters come out. He excused himself and went to Jean Pierre who was trailing behind them.

“What is going on?” Prince Louis asked Jean Pierre.

“Liane is in labour,” he replied calmly.

“Then, let's go, quickly.” He ushered everyone to a waiting car. As he was climbing in, Prince Louis told one of the maids to tell Bridgette and Mrs LeBlanc that Liane had gone into labour.

When they arrived at the hospital, Liane was immediately admitted into a private room in the maternity ward. Her sisters were in the room with her helping her change into a hospital gown. Prince Louis's security team quickly secured the area as he went to speak with the doctor. Jean Pierre waited outside Liane's room unsure what to do. He could hear her swearing and screaming.

“I am glad I am not a woman,” Prince Louis said as he joined Jean Pierre.

“Tell me about it” Jean Pierre replied. Moments later, they heard Liane calling for Jean Pierre.

“Get him in here,” she shouted. Francesca opened the door as Jean Pierre scrambled into the room. Liane started throwing anything she could get her hands on at him. “You bastard! You put me in this mess!” she shouted. Jean Pierre rushed back out of the room and shut the door behind him.

“She's crazy,” he said to Prince Louis who was roaring with laughter.

“She is right,” the prince replied, as he continued to laugh.

Liane's parents and Bridgette rushed in. Mrs LeBlanc went into Liane's room. She wanted to be there when her first grandchild was born. Her daughters found it very difficult to believe, as this was very much unlike their mother.

A little while later, the doctor came to check on Liane. “Please tell me it's time,” Liane said. The contractions made her feel as if there was a bear trying to claw its way out and she wasn’t sure how much more she could take.

“Yes, you are crowning,” the doctor replied. She called for the medical team to come in so that she could deliver the baby. “Do you want them to stay?” she asked referring to her sisters and mother.

“Yes.”

“Okay, I need you to gather your strength because we are going to start pushing on my count to three.”

When Liane started pushing, everyone outside her room could hear her. “Does that sound normal?” Jean Pierre asked.

“I have no idea,” the prince replied.

“It's very normal,” Bridgette said.

“Give me another big push,” the doctor asked Liane. She was getting tired. It was too much effort and pain. She knew it was going to be hard but not this hard. Her sisters and her mother cheered her on. If it was not for them being there, she would have given up.

Soon a different wail pierced the air. “It's a girl,” the doctor said at last. Liane had felt as if she had been pushing forever.

“You did it,” Macee said to Liane as she hugged her. She was really exhausted and sweaty, as she lay there smiling. The doctor gave her the tiny little human being, as Liane looked down at her baby and smiled. Her mother and sisters were all smiling and hugging each other.

“Gosh, I hope she grows up to look like me,” was the first thing Liane said. Everyone started laughing.

“Jean Pierre is not that bad,” Francesca said.

“I know but his traits are.”

Jean Pierre entered the room and approached the bed. Liane handed him the baby. He looked at her smiling. She was tiny and so adorable. The nurse wheeled in an incubator, which she placed next to the bed before taking the baby from him. Everyone crowded into the room to look at the new baby, as Liane closed her eyes, happy that the worst was over.

***

I
t was time for her to leave the hospital and Liane was reluctant to go home. Their house was ready and her sisters had decorated the nursery for their new niece. She was not prepared to start her life with Jean Pierre as husband and wife. Her sisters came to get her from the hospital and take her to her new house. They were excited to see what she thought of her new home.

“We are here!” Macee shouted with excitement as they walked through the door. Liane groaned.

“There are maids here that will help you with everything,” Francesca said. “So you rest.”

They took Liane to her room. She and the baby needed to rest. While she did not want her sisters to leave, she knew they had to go. She couldn’t keep them with her all the time.

Liane later woke up when the baby started to cry. It had already begun, the lack of sleep. She picked up her daughter and started breastfeeding. The door flew open and Jean Pierre barged in. She frowned and asked him what he was doing.

“Well, I heard the baby crying,” he said.

“Come back when I am done feeding her,” she replied.

“Nothing I have not seen before,” he told her as he sat on the bed watching her. Liane covered her breast anyway. He had only seen her once, maybe he did not remember and she did not want to remind him. Jean Pierre felt uncomfortable. He had never sat next to Liane quietly. Usually when he was next to her, they were arguing.

He watched her breastfeeding the baby. She was good with the baby. It came natural to her. “Laura,” he said.

“What?” Liane asked.

“Her name.”

“No, Emma.”

“Too plain, Beatrice.”

“Ew, no! Who still names their child that?”

“It's a unique name.”

“For a sixty year old!”

And the arguing began. Jean Pierre knew it was impossible for them to be around each other and have a sane conversation. How on earth were they going to live as a family? It was a mystery to him.

“What then?” he asked her.

“Liane,” she joked.

“Definitely not.”

She whipped her head in his direction. “What is wrong with my name?” she asked.

“Moving on,” he knew not to answer that question. “Martha,” he said.

“Sandra.”

“Jessica.”

They were not getting anywhere. They were spitting out names but would not agree. Liane stopped breastfeeding the baby and patted her back to burp her. “Do you think she is full?” Jean Pierre asked her.

“I don't know, she stopped sucking,” Liane replied. Jean Pierre started laughing. She narrowed her gaze at him. “Grow up,” she said.

“Lighten up.”

They both looked at the baby wondering if she was full or not. “Maybe I should try to feed her some more?” Liane asked. She put the nipple back in her mouth but she did not suck. “I guess she is full,” she said to Jean Pierre. He shrugged his shoulders. He too had no idea.

L
iane walked into the kitchen breathless, sweaty and tired. She had just finished working out. She was trying to get her figure back, since giving birth. She groaned when she saw Jean Pierre sitting at the table, shirtless and reading a newspaper. She looked away quickly but the image of his toned chest was burned into her brain. She opened the cabinets and pulled out protein powder.

Jean Pierre looked up from his paper and watched Liane making herself a protein shake. He could not help but notice the shape of her bottom in her yoga pants. His expression grew darker as he remembered how it felt in his hands. He cleared his throat and looked away when she turned.

“We still need a name,” he said to her.

“I am aware,” she said before she started drinking her protein shake. They still did not agree on a name. Jean Pierre stood up from the table. Liane suddenly felt uncomfortable looking at his bare chest. She wanted to reach out and run her fingers up his chest but it was Jean Pierre. She could not stand him. At least that’s what she kept telling herself.