Crowning His Unlikely Princess (Mills & Boon Modern)

by Michelle Conder

  ‘I am. I will. Then we’ll talk about what happens next.’

  As far as Cassidy was concerned, she already knew what happened next.

  ‘Your Majesty, I’m sorry to interrupt but—’ Lukas stepped back into the room, his eyes on Logan ‘—Her Majesty is on the line.’

  ‘Fine.’ Taking a deep breath, Logan turned back to Cassidy.

  Unable to stop herself, Cassidy reached out and pushed a lock of his hair back from his forehead.

  ‘Wait for me.’

  She shook her head. ‘This isn’t my home.’

  Tension was stamped all over his handsome face. ‘Lukas, I want you to personally take Miss Ryan back to the palace and make sure she’s secure. Do not let anyone see her enter. I don’t want to fan any more flames about this until I have it under control.’

  Cassidy swallowed heavily. Of course he would be ashamed for anyone to keep associating them together when he had to correct this latest disaster. Her father had felt the same way when he’d returned home from work, asking if it was true that she had sent revealing photos to a boy at school. Having tried to weather the storm of her mother’s desertion and Peta becoming a teenage mother, her mistake had been the straw that had finally broken the camel’s back. And it only made her more resolved about her next move.

  ‘Your Majesty.’ A secret service agent in a black suit stopped beside him. ‘The helicopter is ready when you are.’

  Logan nodded, his eyes never leaving her.

  Close to tears, Cassidy sniffed, her hungry gaze sweeping his face one last time, committing every one of his beautiful features to memory.

  ‘Go,’ she whispered. Go, before the hot tears scalding her eyes leaked out and revealed what she had only, in this awful moment, come to fully understand. That she did love him. Completely, and against all common sense.

  She also knew that he needed to go into damage control for his family. That he would do his best to stifle this latest scandal and protect them. And she would do the same for him, and for her family.

  She’d go home.

  Logan paced his office, his shoulders tight, the muscles in his back aching. This had taken hours to pull together. Hours to ensure that every international outlet had agreed to pull the stories about Cassidy and her family in exchange for a bigger story.

  Once that was done he’d put the world on notice.

  Okay, his methods hadn’t been entirely conventional, but neither was Todd Greene’s revolting exposé.

  But now he was drained and exhausted. He didn’t think he’d fought for anything harder, or longer, than he had to ensure that Cassidy’s decision to sleep with him did not completely destroy her reputation, or that of her family. He knew how important that would be to her. He knew how upsetting if he failed.

  But finally it was done. His team had pulled off a miracle—for the most part.

  The only tiny element of doubt in the whole thing was how Cassidy would react to the method he had used to close everything down. How she would react when he told her, and whether he could convince her that he’d done the right thing.

  He’d never been this uncertain of anything in his life and he hated the voice in his head that said he’d overstepped. That this could backfire sensationally on him.

  As his mother had angrily promised that it would. She didn’t agree with the strategy he had come up with. In fact, she had turned around and walked out after she’d heard it, telling him that he was just like his father.

  That had hurt.

  But he hadn’t let it sway him. He was like his father in many ways, but he knew he’d never betray the woman he had given his heart to. He’d never betray his family by turning his back on them. That was where they differed entirely.

  They also differed in that Logan faced his problems head on and made decisions quickly to rectify them. It was what he did best. He only hoped he had made the right one this time.

  With a few members of his team finishing up, Logan called Margaux into his office. She had done an amazing job of pulling various source materials together and he’d likely offer her the position as his private secretary when everything had settled down. ‘Margaux, it’s two in the morning. You need to go home. And don’t rush in tomorrow. In fact, I’m fine if you want the day off. But tell me, has Cassidy called the office?’

  ‘No, sir. Not that I’m aware of.’

  She hadn’t called him on his cell phone either. She was probably asleep.

  In his bed or hers?

  ‘But Gerome did leave a message earlier to say that he had taken care of Miss Ryan’s request.’

  ‘Request?’ A cold feeling of dread chased away the anticipation firing his blood, everything in him going still. ‘What request?’

  ‘Apparently Miss Ryan left the palace some hours ago.’

  ‘Left the palace?’

  ‘Yes, sir. She wanted to be taken to the airport, so Gerome arranged a car. Is there something wrong, sir?’

  Given his plans, yes. ‘You should have told me earlier.’

  ‘I’m sorry, I only checked the message five minutes ago.’

  Logan dismissed her and turned toward the window, staring out at the dark night sky. She’d left, after he’d specifically asked her to wait. It didn’t make sense. Why would she have done that?

  Apart from the obvious—to get home.

  ‘This isn’t my home.’

  Logan’s jaw clenched. Well, it damned well was going to be if he had any say in it.

  ‘Your Majesty?’ Jason, his head of PR, spoke quietly behind him. ‘If Miss Ryan isn’t here, do you want us to pull the—?’

  ‘No.’ Emotion churned through him. Emotion mixed with a good deal of anger that she hadn’t trusted him enough to sort this. ‘Leave everything in play.’

  A grim smile twisted his mouth.

  In his country they had a saying he’d long lived by: Al hombre osado la fortuna le da la mano.

  Fortune favours the brave.

  He certainly hoped that held true because he had a feeling he would need it now more than ever.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  ‘I CAN’T BELIEVE IT. They’re still outside.’

  Cassidy buried her head under her pillow against the evening sun streaming in through her back window as well as against her sister’s voice.

  ‘You should probably close the blinds,’ she croaked. ‘I’ve heard the paparazzi have telephoto lenses and if they come over the back fence they’ll get what’s called the money shot.’

  Peta glanced out the window, a frown marring her brow. ‘They wouldn’t dare. Dan would take them out at the knees. He’s already nearly come to blows with several of them out the front.’

  Cassidy didn’t want to hear that. The last thing she wanted was for Dan to get into trouble because of her.

  It was all because of her.

  She’d arrived home on a red-eye flight from Arrantino and found Dan waiting to pick her up. It had been such a relief to see him that she’d promptly collapsed in his arms and cried her heart out. All during the flight home she hadn’t let herself think about actually having left Logan but as soon as she’d arrived on home turf it had become real and tiredness and emotional overload had overwhelmed her.

  Dan had ushered her into his jeep and gunned it for the house, covering her with his jacket as they’d pushed their way through the mob of journalists outside her tiny Brooklyn home. The only upside, Peta had said, was that a few of their neighbours were loving every minute of the notoriety, dressing up and parading around just to see themselves on camera. Causing a distraction.

  And telling the press that neither she nor Peta had ever been ‘any trouble’.

  If only that made her feel better.

  ‘You’re going to have to get up. You haven’t eaten in twelve hours.’

  And she might not eat eve
r again. It seemed like a viable solution to fixing the hole in her heart. Not to mention her reputation. Within twenty-four hours she had quit her job, slept with her boss, and become internationally unemployable. Quite a feat really, but not something that would look good on any future job applications. ‘I’ll get up soon.’

  Peta perched on the end of her bed. They’d talked a little the night before, and Cassidy had apologised profusely, but her sister was holding up better than she’d thought she would be.

  ‘I don’t believe you,’ Peta said. ‘The girls will start to know that this is more than jet-lag if you don’t show your face because it’s not like you not to be able to pull it together.’

  ‘I know.’ She never let anything get to her, or at least to let it show that it got to her, but she had no superpowers left. She was like Superman without his cape, or Batman without his tool belt.

  Of course she knew she’d be all right. She knew once the dust settled, life would return to normal and she’d be able to push her feelings for Logan to one side and move on. It’s what she did best. But she could see by the look on her sister’s face that she was going to have some trouble convincing her of that.

  ‘Sorry.’ She pushed to a sitting position and shoved her tangled hair out of her face, grabbing her glasses from her nightstand to put them on before picking up her phone.

  ‘No you don’t.’ Peta grabbed her cell from her. ‘You’ve done enough Internet searches for the time being. It will only depress you.’

  Knowing her sister was right, she subsided back against her pillow.

  ‘I’m just so sorry you got dragged into it,’ she said in a small voice.

  ‘Don’t sweat it.’ Peta put on a brave face. ‘And none of this guilt. I might not like having my life splashed all over the papers, but I’ve never lied to the twins about where they came from. They know their father abandoned them.’

  ‘Yes, but now all their school friends will know. And your work.’

  ‘We’ll deal with it just the way we’ve always dealt with it. We’ll start again.’

  ‘But what about Dan?’

  ‘He already knew everything, of course, but he said that he’d stand by me. He said he’ll go wherever the girls and I go.’

  ‘Oh, Peta.’ Cassidy had to fight back a wave of tears. ‘I love you so much.’

  Peta hugged her tight, stroking her hair. ‘Half the reason this has been such a big deal is because of my wild teenage years. Seriously, you have to stop blaming yourself for everything that goes wrong.’

  ‘You weren’t responsible for that awful photo of me everyone is laughing at.’

  ‘You were only eighteen, and a little too trusting at the time. And you could have been wearing a bikini. Really, Cass. No one will care in a day or two. Maybe a month.’

  Cassidy tried to smile. She knew someone who would care. Logan.

  ‘You’ll see I’m right,’ Peta said.

  Cassidy tried to smile. ‘I hope so.’

  ‘The only question is what you do with yourself once that happens.’

  ‘Move to Siberia.’

  Peta laughed, wiping away a tear that had leaked out of Cassidy’s eye without permission.

  ‘I thought I’d cried out every tear in my body last night.’

  ‘Unfortunately we produce more.’

  Peta touched her forehead to Cassidy’s. ‘You’re in love with him, aren’t you?’

  All the night before Cassidy had denied having any feelings for Logan, but she didn’t know why she’d bothered. This was her sister, after all. ‘Yes,’ she said simply. ‘Silly of me, isn’t it?’

  ‘I think you’ve always been a little in love with him,’ Peta said softly. ‘You never let a single person criticise him in your presence. It was as if the man really did walk on water.’

  Hearing that only made her feel more miserable. ‘Which means you were right to be worried. Something happened and it was my heart that was broken after all.’

  ‘Maybe his is too. Maybe he loves you back.’

  Cassidy sniffed and wiped her nose with a tissue. ‘No. Desire isn’t the same as love and that’s all he feels for me.’

  ‘Maybe you’re wrong, maybe—’

  A knock on the door startled them both.

  ‘Sorry to intrude, ladies.’ Dan poked his head around the door. ‘But the twins just pulled this up on the Internet. It’s an official palace statement. And apparently you can’t find a mention of Peta or the girls on any of the main news sites. And believe me, the twins have searched every site known to man.’

  Cassidy’s heart beat out a slow, sad tattoo inside her chest. So Logan had closed it all down. She was glad. She only hoped the fallout on his side was somewhat mitigated by the lack of information out there now.

  Peta took the laptop Dan held out to her and started to read, a strange smile curving her lips.

  Cassidy gave her a quizzical look. ‘What does it say?’

  ‘It’s a private statement from the King, explaining that his relationship with you is new and deeply private. He’s asked that the media respect your personal space and said he will prosecute any individual or group harassing his fiancée. It then says—’

  ‘Fiancée?’ Cassidy frowned. ‘Are you sure you read that right?’

  ‘I do know how to read.’

  Cassidy held out her hand. ‘Let me see that.’

  She scanned the article, noting the official Arrantino seal and Logan’s scrawling signature at the bottom of the letter. Then her eyes went back to the word fiancée.

  ‘It must be a misprint,’ she murmured. ‘He must have meant assistant, or ex-assistant. He’s probably furious with the error.’

  Both Peta and Dan stared at her.

  ‘Is it possible he thinks you’re his fiancée?’ Dan asked carefully.

  ‘No.’ Cassidy thought back to their last interaction. His anger with her and his intention to close everything down. ‘No.’ She shook her head. ‘The concept is ludicrous.’

  ‘Aunty Cassidy?’ One of the twins poked her head around the corner of the door. ‘Since you’re awake we wondered if you wanted a cup of tea.’

  Cassidy swiped at the tears on her face and gave her niece a hesitant smile. ‘Thanks, April. That would be lovely.’

  ‘And there’s a man at the front door who wants to see you.’ Amber nudged her twin out of the way. ‘He looks sort of like the King of Arrantino, only way hotter.’

  Cassidy felt goose bumps run up her arm, but immediately discounted that it was Logan.

  ‘It’s probably a hateful reporter,’ Peta bit out.’ I hope you didn’t let him in.’

  ‘No. He’s waiting on the doorstep.’

  ‘I’ll handle it,’ Cassidy decided, pushing out of bed and throwing a ratty old sweater over her singlet top and boxer shorts. She was tired of being the victim in this scenario. She’d said she was taking charge of her life and so she would. Starting with the hateful press. ‘They need to understand that there’s no story here and there never will be.’

  Marching through their shambolic living room, she wrenched open the door. ‘You have some nerve. Do you—?’ The words instantly died on her lips as Logan turned back from scanning her street.

  His blue eyes, surely brighter than they’d ever been before, grimly took her in from her awful bedhead right down to her bare toes.

  Cassidy swallowed, wondering if she was dreaming.

  Logan scowled. ‘You didn’t wait.’

  She was so stunned to find him on her stoop she nearly fell sideways as he swept passed her and into her living room. Cassidy followed, finally managing to unstick her tongue from the roof of her mouth. ‘What?’

  Logan eyed her coolly. ‘You said you’d wait.’

  ‘Cassidy...’ Peta’s tentative voice came from the kitchen doorway, and trailed away as
she recognised Logan standing like a conquering warlord in the middle of their tiny living room. Wearing a dark suit, and with legs braced wide apart, he looked magnificent.

  ‘Your Majesty.’

  Her sister dropped into a wonky curtsy, which made the twins, who were stood just out of sight, giggle.

  ‘You must be Peta,’ Logan said, managing to soften his features when he looked at her stunning sister. ‘It’s an honour to finally meet you. Please accept my heartfelt apologies for what the press has printed about you. I’ve done everything in my power to ensure that you, and all of your family members, will not be bothered again.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  Peta looked like she was about to apologise to Logan in return when Cassidy gave her a look.

  ‘I’ll just give you two a minute,’ she said, backing out of the doorway and closing it behind her.

  Reminded of just how Logan had tried to solve the problem, Cassidy frowned. ‘I’m not sure you solved anything. In fact, you’ve no doubt made things worse.’

  Logan turned the intensity of his gaze on her, which made her horribly aware of exactly what she must look like.

  ‘You will not be bothered by the press any more, because I’m assigning bodyguards to all of you.’

  ‘Bodyguards?’

  ‘Yes.’ He let out a breath. ‘It won’t be for ever. Just until the press understand the full consequences of hounding your family for information.’

  ‘Okay, well, that’s very nice of you, but not really necessary. When everyone realises that there’s no story to write about, they’ll disappear. Which would probably happen a lot quicker if you hadn’t actually shown up here today. The paparazzi must have gone crazy when you drove up the street.’

  ‘My men cleared them out first. Although there is no doubt they will go crazy when they learn I’m here.’

  ‘If you leave quickly enough, they won’t.’ Suddenly she realised that he was here and she had no idea why—unless it was just to apologise in person. ‘Why are you here? It’s nice of you to apologise to my sister in person, but a phone call would have worked just as well.’