Royal Catch, page 17
A maid opens the door, does a quick curtsy, and steps aside.
I follow Gabriel in. His mother sits next to her husband’s bed, her gaze on their joined hands. I see immediately the king’s terrible condition. He has a large wide-shouldered build similar to Gabriel’s, but he’s too thin, shrunken and pale. Gabriel’s ascension to the throne will happen very soon. The significance of Gabriel making the right choice is staring me right in the face.
I bow my head to the king and curtsy. “Your Majesty, thank you for seeing me.”
I turn and do the same for the queen. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
I’m not sure which of them I was supposed to acknowledge first. It doesn’t matter. They both look down their noses at me like I’m a cockroach trying to climb up the throne.
I ease back a step. Gabriel’s large hand immediately pushes against my lower back in a show of support, or to keep me from bolting, I’m not sure.
A tense silence descends. I’ve been summoned, and I dare not speak further and blurt the wrong thing. The king must have something on his mind.
Finally, the king speaks. “Gabriel is the right leader for Villroy.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” I say immediately.
“Good,” the queen says. “Then we have an understanding.”
Gabriel’s voice growls from behind me, a rough authority to it that has me standing straighter. “Let me remind you that when this competition first began as your own version of a reality show, you said fresh blood with fresh ideas was needed to ensure a future for the kingdom. Anna has both. Her idea for helping Villroy may just save us. The fact that she’s not royal matters nothing to me.”
“What idea is that?” the king asks.
Gabriel squeezes my shoulder, silently urging me to speak.
I’m so nervous, the stakes are so high, I can barely get out the words. “It’s a weeklong royal fantasy experience for women or maybe for a honeymooning couple.”
Gabriel speaks in an animated voice. “It’s more than that. There’s room for expansion on the idea, a full spa could be built for day-trippers from the Continent, and a cosmetics line with native ingredients could be used at the spa and sold to guests. Think of the employment opportunities for construction, staff for a spa, small-scale manufacturing—”
“Even the fishermen could get involved.” I can’t help but interrupt because now I’m getting excited about the idea again. “They could gather seaweed, sponges, grow algae, or extract fish oil. There’s a lot you can do with high-end cosmetics. And if the day spa is a success, along with the beauty product line, you could close the palace again and reserve the royal fantasy suite for special guests. Or maybe even use it as a fun bonus for the servants!”
They all stare at me. I clamp my mouth shut.
Gabriel shifts to meet my eyes. “Your ideas are brilliant. I can already see a way forward, working carefully in stages to the ultimate goal of a new sustainable industry for the fishermen.”
My chest expands with pride. “Thank you.”
The queen waves a hand dismissively. “Francesca’s idea was better. She understands the traditional history of Villroy.”
“Francesca offers more of the same,” Gabriel snaps. “And that’s beside the point.”
The king studies me for a long moment, his sharp aquamarine blue eyes assessing, and I try not to squirm. Finally, he asks, “Who are your people?”
“She’s part French,” Gabriel answers for me. “The islanders will like that.”
I shake my head. I need them to know what they’re getting with me. “I’m an orphan, Your Majesty. I’ve never asked anyone for anything. Everything I’ve gotten has been through my own hard work. Only recently I found out I had any people at all.”
“Who are your people?” the king asks impatiently.
“Polly. She’s my sixth cousin. We have a great-great-great-great-great-grandfather in common. My father’s family was part of an emigration to Louisiana from Beaumont during a revolution there in the 1800s. She found me on the AncestryWise website, looking for an American family member for her undercover life.”
Gabriel shifts me to face him. “Anna, why didn’t you tell me this before? You have royal blood.”
“Polly says it doesn’t count. I’m too distant. It’s like one drop.”
“She’s right,” the queen says, sounding victorious. “Anna is still a commoner.”
Gabriel wraps an arm around my shoulders, pulling me against his side so the two of us are facing the king together. “She is what Villroy needs.” He gazes down at me with so much love in his eyes, I instantly choke up. “And what I need too.”
I blink back tears. I can feel myself caving, but I need to be strong for Gabriel. I force myself to turn to the king and queen and try one last time to save Gabriel’s place. “I love him enough to let him go. It would break my heart, but I understand his value to the kingdom.”
“Dammit, Anna,” Gabriel starts, but the king cuts him off.
“Here is how it’s going to be.” His voice catches, and he has a violent coughing fit.
The queen grabs a glass of water nearby and offers it to him.
Tense seconds tick by while we wait for the king’s coughing to abate. The queen looks pained and worried. I understand better the dark place she’s coming from, watching him suffering like this.
I give Gabriel a small sideways squeeze. I know it’s hard on him too. He’s probably spent the most time with his father, more than any of his siblings, since Gabriel is the one who had to be taught what was expected of him as king.
Finally, his father is able to speak again. “Gabriel must remain heir to the throne. To avoid another replay of what happened with my brother’s abdication of the throne, I grant permission for Gabriel to marry Anna.”
The queen’s jaw drops.
Gabriel grabs me in a crushing hug, wrapping me in his love. I’d shout my exultation, but I can barely draw breath. I’m beaming, though, warmth radiating through me, my heart drumming in my chest. He loosens his hold, and I let out a whoop that has my new in-laws staring at me, the queen in open disapproval. It occurs to me she hasn’t spoken yet. Could she still call it off?
The king goes on in a formal tone, all business. “We will announce she’s American, but her people are originally from French Beaumont, and she’s a blood relative of the Beaumont princess. This will please the islanders.” It’s all technically true. He turns to his wife. “Do this for me, Alexandra.”
Gabriel tenses beside me. I hold my breath.
She presses her lips together and nods once. I suck in air. Yes! The love between them is palpable, and I know it must be why they’re allowing Gabriel to marry me. They understand love.
Gabriel hugs me again and then turns to his parents. “Thank you. You won’t regret it. You’ve made the right choice.”
“I don’t need you to tell me that,” his father says. “It’s written all over your love-addled face.”
The queen recovers herself and tells her husband, “She’s completely unprepared for her role.”
The king smiles with a wicked glint in his eye. “Then you must educate her.”
The queen slowly turns to me with a look of horror. “Do you wish to be queen?”
“I wish to be Gabriel’s wife.”
“His wife will be queen.”
“Then yes. But I have a lot to take care of back home first. I’m a beautician and a super. That’s like a handywoman. I can fix most anything.”
Her eyes practically roll back in her head. “Oh, Lord.”
I go over and hug my new mother-in-law, and then I hug my new father-in-law too. “I love your son. I love this place with all its history and traditions. It’s the kind of permanent strong foundation I’ve always wanted. I will put all of my efforts into preserving it. Thank you for making me part of your family. I’ve wanted a family my whole life.”
The queen closes her eyes for a moment and nods once, seeming touched by my sentiment. The king pats my hand, smiling warmly.
Gabriel does a deep formal bow to them both, which they acknowledge with a slight head incline, and then he grabs my hand and walks me toward the door.
“Bye, Your Royal Majesties,” I call over my shoulder. “Can’t wait to start queen lessons.”
“Dear God,” his mother says loud enough to carry.
The king just laughs. I think he likes me.
As soon as we get into the hallway, Gabriel grabs me in a hug, lifting me off the ground and spinning me around. “You were amazing. Completely pulled them to your side.”
I beam at him. “I only told them the truth.”
“Which was exactly what they needed to hear.” He sets me back on my feet and kisses me, a swift hard kiss. “You really are a knight-ess in shining armor. You saved the prince.”
“And I saved a princess too.” I brandish an imaginary sword, and he laughs. I love to see him so happy. I am, too, giddy with it. My limbs are light, my heart so full I could float away from sheer joy.
“What’s next for your knightly acts?” He winks. “I have some ideas.”
I go up on tiptoe and kiss him. “I’ve got to get to work. Give me a tour of this place. I have to figure out where the royal fantasy suite should go.”
“As you wish. We might have to test out a few places if it’ll be used for a honeymoon suite too.”
“Of course! We—ah!” He just tossed me over his shoulder!
His big hand clamps on my ass, and he’s hustling me down the hall. Next thing I know, we’re in a bedroom. He kicks the door closed, sets me on my feet, and before I can check out the room for fantasy-suite potential, he’s got me pinned against the wall.
He flashes a wolfish smile before he lifts me, his mouth devouring mine. I wrap my arms and legs around him and kiss him back passionately.
His hand slips up my dress, snagging on the string of my thong. “Honeymoon suite needs testing,” he says against my lips before giving the thong a sharp tug, ripping it. His fingers slide inside me, pumping into me as his thumb strums an orgasmic tune. “Test, test, test.”
My head arches back as pleasure floods my body. “Yes!” And then there are no words. I’m panting, hurtling toward release, mindlessly writhing against his hand. Everything in me coils tight. His mouth covers mine just as I peak, swallowing my harsh cry, easing me back to earth. Once I stop moaning, he sets me back on my feet.
I’m floating in a pleasant haze, eyes closed, leaning lazily back against the wall while Gabriel does whatever. I assume he’s stripping. I slowly become aware long minutes have passed, and open my eyes. He strides toward me, gloriously naked, condom on.
“Wow.” I’m about to make a joke about the abundance of condoms in the royal guest rooms, but that’s as far as I get because he’s on me. He lifts me up and takes me in one swift thrust. I gasp at the sudden invasion, a shockwave of pleasure rippling through me. He’s hot and thick, an exquisite ache.
He stills, deep inside me, his hand coming up to hold my head, his eyes burning into mine. “Anna.”
I love hearing my real name. I love the passion, love the intensity, just plain love our love. “I love you, Gabriel.”
He kisses me tenderly. “I love you, my queen.”
“You’re the most amazing man I’ve ever met.”
His thumb strokes my cheek, his voice rough. “And you are my heart.”
I blink back tears that quickly vanish as Gabriel’s mouth covers mine, his hips pumping slow and deep into me. Within minutes, the slow tenderness morphs into heart-pounding primal fucking, the wall at my back, Gabriel’s hard body against my front. My world narrows down to the heat in Gabriel’s eyes, his hands gripping my hips, his deep powerful thrusts carrying me higher and higher. A throaty cry rips from my throat, my body clamping down on him as I climax, and then he goes over with a harsh guttural groan.
I go limp, sated and relaxed. He shifts his hold on me, banding an arm around my lower back, keeping me in place between him and the wall.
I smile what I’m sure is a huge goofy grin. “This room totally works for a honeymoon suite.”
He cradles my jaw and kisses me, gentler now, but thorough, like he can’t stop kissing me. I’m drunk on it, drunk on him.
Long moments later, he lifts his head. “There might be a better choice. We’ll have to continue our search for the perfect spot. It could take a while. This is a big palace.”
I rock against him. “I’ll say.”
He smiles against my mouth, kisses me again deeply, and I’m home for good.
Epilogue
Anna
“You’re free!” I grab Polly in the backseat of the rented Hummer with tinted windows and hug her fiercely. We’ve just come from her trial. No jail time, woo-hoo!
She pulls back and smiles at me warmly. “All thanks to you, cousin.” She turns to Gabriel. “And you too. Thank you so much for your help. And your discretion.”
My cousin is the height of royal manners. I see it now in the way she holds herself, the way she speaks more formally to Gabriel, one royal to another. And my wonderful princely fiancé pulled every string he had to get Polly a fantastic lawyer and to keep it all quiet.
Gabriel smiles. “I was happy to help, though I’m afraid you still have the probation tying you here.”
“I don’t mind,” Polly says. “I need some time away from home. Now I have twelve months of mandatory time away. I’ve told my parents I’m getting my MBA. They’re all for education.” She turns to me. “Sorry we lost the apartment building.”
I wave that away. “Don’t even worry about it! It was the thought that counted. You wanted to give me a generous gift, and that means so much. I’m just sorry you lost the money you paid for it.” The judge ruled that the deed to the building return to its original owner, and then Polly’s payment was forfeited to the government.
“I’m fine,” she says. “Now that I’m in touch with my family again, all is well. Okay, maybe I told a tiny white lie about getting my MBA, which, come to think of it, I should’ve went with in the first place instead of this elaborate undercover story.”
“Your story was much more interesting,” I assure her. “Exciting, right?”
She laughs. “It was! I had great fun right up until the arrest.”
We both laugh. Gabriel smiles and shakes his head.
“You should get an MBA,” I tell her. “You’re here anyway. I think you can get one online even.”
“Maybe I will,” she says brightly. “It can only help with the tourism industry back home.”
I give her a fist bump.
“I’ll miss you, Anna,” she says. “I’m coming to visit you in Villroy just as soon as my probation is up.”
“Absolutely! And you have Mike here to visit with.” She’s visited my foster dad regularly, checking in on him. She said he was a great comfort to her during the stressful time while I was gone.
“Actually, Mike offered to let me stay with him if I was granted probation,” she says. “I’m not sure if I should take him up on the offer. I mean, I want to, he’s been so kind, but I know he’s not feeling well, and I don’t want to impose.”
I breathe a sigh of relief. “That’s wonderful. You should definitely take him up on that offer. He’s used to having a houseful of people. He fostered a lot of kids for so many years. And I would feel so much better knowing he has you for company now that I’m moving to Villroy.”
Gabriel and I spent the past two weeks here in Tampa, wrapping up loose ends at work and at my apartment, but mostly visiting Mike. He’s in stable condition and is really happy about my engagement. He approves of Gabriel, which means the world to me because I know Mike always has my best interests at heart. Gabriel offered to let him live at the palace with us, but he prefers to stay in his familiar home. So Gabriel did the next best thing and made arrangements for Mike’s nurse to move in for full-time care. Between that and Polly living with him, I can rest easy. I’ll still visit, of course, and call and text and email. He’s my dad.
“Okay, then it’s settled.” Polly elbows me. “Mike says I remind him of an overly polite version of you.”
“Ha! You’ve got a ways to go to get to my level of…” I turn to Gabriel. “What is it you call me?”
“Brash.”
“Yes, brash. That’s his overly polite way of saying rude.”
Gabriel gives my hand a squeeze. “Not rude. Bold and impertinent, but never rude. You treat people with respect.”
“She does,” Polly says. “I’m so glad we found each other, even if for just a few months. And I’m so glad you two found each other! Anna, can you imagine if I were the one who went to Villroy to compete for Gabriel’s hand?”
“Thank God you weren’t allowed to leave the state!” I exclaim. “You might’ve stolen my future husband!”
Gabriel shakes his head. “You’re not that similar. There’s just a family resemblance.”
Polly takes out her hair clip and shakes out her curly hair. We go cheek to cheek, smiling at Gabriel. “See?” she says.
“Twins,” I say.
“I’m seeing double,” he says, leaning in toward Polly. “Give me a kiss, darling, so I know it’s you.”
“Gabriel!”
He grins and swerves at the last moment to kiss the right woman. Me.
~ ~ ~
Two weeks later at the royal ball…
Gabriel
Some people say I rushed into things with Anna. Those people are wrong. I’ve been waiting my whole life for her, and now that she’s here, I can’t wait to start our life together. I’m the first to admit she’s a unique addition to the family, outspoken and not always aware of the proper protocol. Still, you can’t help but love her; even the queen has warmed up to her most eager student. After wrapping things up at home, Anna spent the last two weeks working very closely with my mother, learning our traditions and royal expectations. They planned this ball together to celebrate our engagement.
Anna’s floor-length gown is emerald green. A halter top goes up to her neck, revealing no cleavage but fitting perfectly to her curves. Her wild dark curls are pulled away from her face by a glittering diamond headband, the length of her hair cascading down her back. The princesses from the barbaric competition were invited—Anna’s idea. They all declined, as I predicted. They don’t want their noses rubbed in their loss. All of my family is here and many of the nobility, who’ve long been friendly with Villroy.
