CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

One day later

LAIASATAT the head of a long boardroom table in the castle in Sant’Rosa. The capital city. But that was a bit of a stretch. It was more of a big town, with a lot of its medieval infrastructure still intact, which was lovely for the tourists but not so much for a modern economy.

Her head throbbed.

About twenty men looked at her with varying expressions of shock, dismay and disgust. There was only one of compassion. From her advisor Giorgio.

He’d called her with the news at the wedding reception. The news that was going to break all over Isla’Rosa’s media. And it had. Yesterday. Luckily it didn’t seem to have filtered through to Ari and Maddi on their honeymoon. Yet.

One of the men stood up at the end of the table. Laia vaguely recognised him as one of her father’s less favoured advisors. She really had to do something about this motley crew.

He was shaking with agitation. ‘Queen Laia, since no one else here seems prepared to say the unsayable, I must. How on earth is it possible that our virgin Queen is pregnant?’

Laia had the absurd urge to giggle, but Giorgio caught her eye and shook his head. She stood up. She needed to get more women into this room.

‘Gentlemen. I know this comes as a huge shock, and believe me, I truly didn’t plan—’

But she was quickly drowned out by a cacophony of voices. All the men were asking questions now, and predicting disaster and destruction.

One man’s voice was more strident than everyone else’s as he shouted out, ‘Who on earth is the father? Is he even a royal?’

Before Laia could answer, the door at the end of the room swung open and a man appeared. Laia’s legs wobbled so much she almost fell back into her chair. She locked her knees.

Dax stood there. In a three-piece suit. Shaved jaw. He’d even had a haircut. He hadn’t looked this suave for his own brother’s wedding.

He said, firmly and clearly, ‘I am the father of Queen Laia’s baby. And, yes, I am royal. For anyone who doesn’t recognise me, I’m Crown Prince Dax de Valle y Montero of Santanger.’

There were a few gasps around the table.

One of the men blustered, ‘You can’t just barge in here like this.’

Dax looked at Laia. This time there was no hiding. His blue gaze was mesmeric. She didn’t want to look away. She felt tired. As if she’d been running for a long time.

He said, ‘If you would all excuse us, please? I would like to talk to Queen Laia in private.’

One of the men gasped in outrage. ‘You can’t dismiss us.’

Laia didn’t take her eyes off Dax. She was afraid if she did he’d disappear. She said, ‘Please leave us.’ And then, more softly, ‘You too, Giorgio. I’ll be fine.’

The men sidled out of the room with lots of mutterings and deep sighs. At last the door closed and they were alone. It was silent.

Dax walked towards her.

She said, ‘What are you doing here? How did you know?’

He stopped a few feet away. ‘I followed you back from Santanger, even though you’d made it clear I was the last person you wanted to see.’

Laia winced. ‘Why?’

‘Because I was worried about you.’

Laia’s heart clenched. ‘You’ve seen the newspapers?’

He nodded. ‘I presume that is the crisis?’

She nodded. ‘I hadn’t been feeling well for the past month...a persistent queasiness.’ She blushed. ‘My period was late. Very late. I suspected what it was, but I was too terrified to get it confirmed. But eventually I had to go to the castle doctor, and he did a routine pregnancy test a couple of days ago. I think he was as shocked as me. One of his staff must have leaked it. Giorgio told me the media had the story the day before yesterday.’

Dax frowned. ‘At the wedding—that’s why you left?’

She nodded.

‘But you already knew you were pregnant.’

Laia nodded. ‘Only just. That’s why I was avoiding you. I couldn’t bear to look at you in case you saw... I was in shock. Trying to get my head around it. I felt so raw. If you’d come near me, touched me, I was afraid I’d combust or fall to pieces, and it was Maddi and Ari’s celebration. I was terrified it would come out...somehow.’

‘I thought you were avoiding me because you couldn’t bear to look at me. Because you were ashamed of what had happened between us.’

Laia shook her head. She stepped out from the table and faced Dax. He came towards her and then stopped. Her hands itched to touch him. Feel him.

‘Dax, I—’

But he closed the gap between them and put a finger to her mouth. Laia instinctively pressed a kiss against it. His eyes flared.

He took his finger away. ‘I just have one thing I want to say.’

Laia swallowed. ‘Okay...’

He cupped her face with his hands. ‘I love you, Laia. I adore you. You changed my life on that island and I never want to return to being the person I was. Cynical and closed off and afraid to ask for more. Afraid to forgive myself. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you this before I let you leave, but I was too scared to admit it.’ He made a face. ‘Okay, that was more than one thing. But I—’

This time Laia put a finger to his mouth. She smiled. She was coming apart inside, walls crumbling, hope rising, joy seeping into her blood and veins.

‘I have a few things to say.’

She took her finger away. Dax said, ‘Okay.’

‘I love you too. I adore you. But I truly believed that you weren’t interested in anything more. And I have to have more...because that’s what is expected of me.’

Dax winced. ‘I felt threatened when you asked me if I was going to let people see the real me. I hadn’t realised until that moment how much I’d shared with you. You knew more than Ari. I’d never trusted anyone with so much. I knew deep down that I wanted you—and not just for an affair. But in that moment the thought of revealing that to you was...terrifying. Because I really believed you wouldn’t choose me for a partner. Why would you? I have my reputation and all my baggage. You deserve someone far more worthy.’

Laia looked at his mouth. ‘You are more than worthy, Dax. I don’t want to ever leave you again. Please, kiss—’

She was in his arms and his mouth was on hers before she’d even finished speaking. It was bliss. She’d never thought she’d experience it again.

She pulled back, breathing hard. Dax’s hair was messier now. Better.

She said, ‘I’ve hated you for ruining me for all men.’

He smiled and it was wicked. ‘Good. Because I’ve been hating you too—for being the only woman I want to have a life with that I never even wanted before. Now it’s all I can think about.’

Laia shook her head. ‘I don’t really hate you. I love you, Dax.’

‘I don’t hate you either. I adore you.’

Dax led her over to the window seat and sat down, pulling her into his lap. Laia couldn’t stop looking at him. Touching his face.

She said, ‘You look so elegant.’

Dax blushed.

Laia laughed, joy bubbling up. ‘What is it?’

‘I knew I had to come here today and I wanted to make a good impression. I didn’t want to give anyone an excuse to say I wasn’t good enough.’

Laia put her hand on his cheek. He turned his head and pressed a kiss into her palm. She said, ‘Oh, Dax, you’re more than good enough.’

Then she bit her lip and brought his hand to her belly and its very delicate curve. ‘We haven’t even talked about this... How do you feel?’

‘How do I feel?’ Dax shook his head. ‘I feel like bursting with pride. And happiness and joy. And I’m also terrified. Because my father was not a good role model, nor my mother... But with you, I want to be a father. That night when we went down to the sea...?’

Laia nodded. Her eyes were already pricking with tears.

‘I imagined a family,’ Dax continued. ‘I imagined you with children, hearing their excitement. And I wanted to be part of that.’

Laia was crying in earnest now. ‘I would love that.’

Dax put his hand over hers on her belly and said, ‘Let’s do it. Let’s do it all together. For ever.’

Laia nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck. Dax’s hands roved over her body, feeling every inch, relearning her shape. Making her blood grow hot. Making her want him. Right now.

She caught his tie, started to undo it. His hands were cupping her breasts, already fuller.

Then he said, ‘Wait. I have to show you something.’ He pushed his tie aside and undid his shirt, pulling it open.

Laia looked—and sucked in a breath. There, high on his chest, near the tattoo of the caged bird, was another tattoo. Identical in style, except for the fact that in this tattoo the cage was open and the bird was flying free.

It was very new. Still raised and dark with ink. She touched it softly, reverently. Tears blurred her vision again. ‘It’s beautiful.’

There was a knock on the door. They looked at each other.

Laia called out, ‘Two minutes.’

Dax gently put Laia off his lap and stood up. They rearranged themselves and Laia giggled. Then she sobered up for a second and said, ‘Are you sure you’re ready for this? You’ll be the Queen’s Consort. You might even have to walk a few feet behind me... I’ve always wanted to change that.’

Dax said, ‘Slight issue, my love. You haven’t agreed to marry me yet. But in theory I will walk ten feet behind you if I have to. That way I can look at your ass and make sure you’re safe.’

Laia giggled again. Then she said, ‘You’d better hurry up and ask me, then.’

Dax got down on one knee, and to her surprise took a box out of his pocket.

He said, ‘This visit was only ending one way or I was never going to leave.’ He looked up at her and said, ‘My darling Laia Sant Roman, Queen of Isla’Rosa, will you please do me the honour of becoming my wife, mother of my firstborn child, and hopefully more?’

He opened the box and Laia gasped. It was a stunning emerald ring, glittering in a diamond and platinum setting. He took the ring out and held her hand, looked at her.

She looked back at him. ‘What?’

‘You haven’t answered me yet.’

She moved down and bowled him backwards onto the floor, her arms wrapped around him. ‘I thought that was obvious. Yes, yes, yes! I will marry you, Prince Dax. Now, can we please go somewhere and make love?’

Dax grinned and put the ring on Laia’s finger, where it shone like the seas around Permata island.

A few minutes later they opened the door to Giorgio, who took a step back at the sight of their slightly dishevelled appearances.

Laia held up her hand with the ring and said, ‘Can you organise a press conference? Say for tomorrow morning? And let’s see how fast we can organise a royal wedding. And cancel all my meetings for the rest of the day and don’t let anyone disturb us, okay?’

Giorgio nodded frantically, and then grinned, and he watched as the Queen of Isla’Rosa led her husband-to-be by the hand up to her private rooms.