Queen Her

by Laine, Terri E.

  I followed him inside and he was right about the saloon. What could only be described as a rich man’s version of a shotgun house was long and went up three stories. It wasn’t narrow, it was just not as wide as it was deep. The interesting thing was that you could see up, much like you can in a multi-level mall. Each level had railings all around and many doors.

  “The top floor is the residence for the family. The second floor is where…”

  He trailed off so I finished for him. “Is for the help?” I chuckled, breaking the ice.

  “It’s for guests or live-in help,” he said on a chuckle.

  “That means me,” I said with a broad smile.

  “That sounds bad.”

  “It is what it is. I’m not family.”

  His head bobbed a few times. “It doesn’t matter. Family’s not here anymore. Dad’s up at the estate with the best twenty-four-hour care money can buy. My brothers are staying in the city.”

  “And you? No place in the city?” I asked, hoping to read his thoughts by holding his gaze.

  He glanced away. “I did. I do. For now, I’m here. There is more room here for my fiancée.”

  I might have won an Emmy for the surprise that covered my face. “Fiancée? You don’t sound happy about that.”

  “Let’s just say we all make sacrifices.”

  He had no fucking clue what a prize Natalie was. Though I now believed he wasn’t an asshole. I also didn’t think he deserved her. “Will I be watching her as well?”

  “Honestly, I don’t know what her father has in store.”

  I was eager for more information and probably took my questioning too far. “Overbearing father. That’s the worst. Sounds like you’ve got problems before the wedding.”

  His head snapped up and he opened his mouth. He didn’t answer my question. “Why don’t I show you around and the security room?”

  Damn. Now it was a waiting game. I had no idea what date the wedding was set for. There hadn’t been any leak of it. I could be here for days or weeks before I saw her. Good thing I had patience.

  Seven

  Natalie

  Biding my time wasn’t easy, especially when Valentina was a total bitch at first. She hated me on sight. While I understood I was a living reminder that her husband had cheated on her and probably still did, it wasn’t exactly my fault for being born.

  Over the next few weeks, during her occasional visits, I had been planting little seeds in her mind, hoping they would grow. I’d say things like, I can’t believe you let him treat you that way. At first, she pushed back and told me to mind my business.

  Today, all my hard work paid off.

  She came in with a tray of dishes and silverware. She set it down on the small round table.

  “Set the table properly,” she ordered.

  “I don’t understand why this is necessary. If he’s rich, we’ll have maids to do this.”

  “Yes, but they think people like us aren’t cultured.”

  I wasn’t often referred to as an outsider, but when it happened it was a jolt. “Us?” I asked.

  “Yes. For me, not being American born is frowned on. They think we are barbarians, you know, uneducated and uncultured. It doesn’t matter that my husband has more money than the lot of them. They look down their noses on us like we’re trash.”

  Though I got her reasoning. I was pretty sure they looked at my father like trash because he was a glorified drug dealer no matter how many legitimate businesses he owned.

  “You come from a prominent family in Spain, right?”

  “No, Portugal. My family is descended from royalty.”

  I couldn’t prove her statement was true or if she was playing up her ancestry. “And father doesn’t see your worth?” I tossed in.

  She bit out, “No. He does not.” Her accent came out stronger than I’d heard it before. “He thinks because the Americans don’t recognize royalty, I’m worthless.”

  Though I felt bad for her, the truth was, Portugal didn’t have a current monarchy and hadn’t for a very long time. The research I’d done on the monarchy when I was curious about my father and his wife showed that the last king didn’t have any children and there weren’t other living descendants. Bringing this up didn’t seem wise, so I kept further questions about that to myself.

  “He’s a fool. I shouldn’t be surprised. He treats me like a prized filly and my mother as someone he could conquer when he had you, one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen.”

  That last part wasn’t a lie.

  “He thinks he was my only option for a husband. He’s wrong. There were many others interested. One I thought I could love.” There was a dreaminess to her voice.

  “I wonder where he is now?” I asked. She flushed and I had her. “Has he contacted you?”

  “He’s reached out, not that I’ve responded. It doesn’t matter anyway. He’s back home.”

  I leaned in conspiratorially. “If a guy can make you blush after all these years, he must be worth it. If I were you, I’d make an excuse to go home and see if there’s anything there.”

  She giggled. “I couldn’t.”

  “Why not? If father can have an affair, you’ve earned a hall pass.”

  She frowned. “What’s a hall pass?”

  “That’s a free ticket to do what you want.”

  I could tell she was considering. “It would be unproper.”

  “Like having a child outside of your marriage?”

  A storm blew across her face, and I knew I’d gone too far. “Let’s get back to the table. You need to know when you use what utensil.”

  And I’d lost her. But I had a feeling she hadn’t completely wiped the idea from her mind.

  When the day came to meet my future husband, I looked more like a high-priced call girl than a future wife of one of the Royal family sons. I knew that when my father showed me a family picture of the clan just a day ago. He’d only given me a glimpse, so I didn’t look surprised when I met the guy. I had to admit, David Royal was quite handsome, as were his brothers.

  The dress I wore was too tight and too shiny in my opinion. Father had kept his wife locked up too as she wasn’t in touch with the latest trends. Either that or it was payback. Maybe she wanted me to look like a clown to embarrass my father or the both of us. My boobs were squished so it appeared I had cleavage for days. I wasn’t lacking in that area, therefore it looked obvious my boobs were on display. My hair was teased and had so much hairspray a tornado wouldn’t move it.

  Clearly, this was punishment. Valentina wasn’t a fashion disaster, but today I surely was. Maybe it was a good thing. David would take one look at me with makeup that was shellacked on my face and run. I barely recognized myself when I was given a moment to check myself out in the mirror before I was whisked off to a motorcade.

  In the car, my hands were sweaty. I hadn’t been given details of this meeting. For all I knew, this was going to be my shotgun wedding. I really hoped not. As we drove, I chanted in my head I could do this. For Liam. For my mom.

  I had a plan, and when we arrived at a country estate outside of Chicago nestled in the woods hidden behind ancient trees, I planned to execute it.

  We got out and instead of chains, my father looped his arm through mine as if we actually gave a crap about one another.

  The house was fascinating, as I didn’t think I’d seen another like it. I couldn’t allow myself to enjoy the view. The moment of truth was quickly headed my way.

  A nervous housekeeper opened the door and ushered us in. She asked us to wait as she hustled away to locate a member of the family.

  I looked up and saw through a clear roof that gave what could have been a dark place a lot of light.

  “Hello.” A deep rich voice forced me out of my head and looking forward.

  Well then. David Royal was every bit as good looking as his picture. He stood several feet away with a posse of men that matched those that stood behind my father and me.

/>   “David Royal,” my father said, sounding as self-superior as he always did.

  “Nicolas Cortez,” David said, rising to the occasion and showing he had backbone. “I presume this is your daughter, Natalia.”

  I stepped forward. “It’s just Natalie.”

  My father not to be overshadowed, stepped forward with me. “It’s Natalia.”

  Even the best laid plans can fall to ruin when adrenaline was high. I whipped my head to my father and snarled, “You might be able to make me do this, but I will keep my name. Natalie!” I was shouting by the time I finished my rant.

  Father grabbed my arm so tight it would leave marks as he yanked me so he could whisper. “Don’t ever disrespect me in public again.” He didn’t need to add ‘or else’. That brimmed in his dark eyes.

  I slowly turned to face David. “Excuse me. It’s a lot.”

  His smile was kind. “I get it.”

  “Do you have a powder room I can freshen up in?”

  “Sure.” He turned and the housekeeper who had been hidden in the shadows appeared. “Please take our guest to the powder room.”

  I firmly pulled away from the man that had sired me but not enough to make a scene. Then, I briskly followed the maid. I heard everything that was said until I closed myself into the bathroom.

  “You can leave her here so we can get to know each other.” It was David who spoke.

  Father laughed. “You think I’ll leave my daughter here alone with you? I don’t know you that well. For all I know, you’ll try to blackmail me for her safe return.”

  “Fine. Give us a couple of hours.”

  “I’ll give you an hour and I’ll be here. My men will walk your lovely grounds just in case my daughter decides to wander off. I wouldn’t want her lost.”

  The housekeeper and I reached a door and she waved at it. It dawned on me she hadn’t spoken except to tell us to wait.

  “Thank you,” I said, and went inside the room. For a powder room, it was large.

  I gripped the edges of the counter and took a good look at myself. “What are you doing?” I asked my reflection. What I got back was a pair of sad eyes in a face that wasn’t me. I turned on the faucet, uncaring of what my father would do and began to wash away the heavy makeup job.

  When I was done, my face was flushed, my fake eyelashes were removed, and I was me again. I wasn’t done though. The hair. I twisted and turned until I could wash my hair free of all the spray. The poor hand towels didn’t fare well. Between makeup stains and sopping wet hair, I’d left a mess for someone to clean. I honestly felt bad about it.

  Air filled my lungs with a cleansing breath before I stepped outside. I thought I would face my father, instead, the area was clear, and David stood waiting.

  I glanced down, and then I met his eyes. “I know I’m a fright, but I thought it’s better you see what you are getting.”

  His smile appeared genuine when he said, “You’re stunning.”

  If I’d met him before Liam, the way he said that and how he looked at me might have stolen my breath.

  “You’re very nice.”

  “Please,” he said holding out a hand for me to follow him. I moved in that direction and he met me halfway.

  His hand landed on the small of my back where it should have sent tingles. It didn’t. His hands weren’t the ones I wanted to touch me. I held back the ache in my heart for a man I could have loved a lifetime if I were an optimist. We never had the chance to find out because I’d stupidly called the wrong person for help in desperation.

  We stepped into a conference room of all things. At least it looked like one. I guess it could have been an unconventional dining room. I wasn’t quite sure.

  He closed the door and stood there as I faced him. “I have a feeling you aren’t very excited about this arrangement.”

  I thought about what my father said. I couldn’t ruin things. The man before me wore an earnest expression and was no doubt an honorable man. If I told him no, would he call it off? Did I believe my father would follow through on every threat? Yes.

  “It’s out of the ordinary for sure. But I assume we both have our reasons.”

  His smile was sad. “That I guess we do.” He was about to say something else when there was a knock at the door. When it opened, I gaped.

  Eight

  Liam

  Anticipation can kill a man. I managed not to let it. Instead, I worked on what I would say to my girl when I saw her.

  The time arrived without much fanfare as Natalie and her father didn’t show up. David paced like a caged animal. It was a good thing his brothers were there to keep his mind occupied. While sitting in the security office, I monitored their conversation because I was in charge of their security.

  “She’s a looker,” his youngest brother who’d introduced himself as Dean said. “I’d marry her.”

  “Keep your dick in your hands,” Declan said to Dean. “David, you don’t have to do this.” He was the most sensible of them.

  “And what happens to the family if I don’t?”

  It was true. The Royals were facing mounting financial concerns based on what Connor uncovered. What I didn’t understand was why the Royals had chosen to fix that trouble with the likes of Nicolas Cortez. He wasn’t exactly a shining beacon of purity.

  “She’s a pretty piece of ass but are you willing to give up the rest of your life to fix Dad’s mistakes?” Deacon asked.

  “Very pretty,” Dean added.

  Clearly the youngest Royal hadn’t matured from his college days.

  “It’s done,” David declared. “I’m the oldest and will make the sacrifice.”

  “Great sacrifice, brother, for a dying company. Reservations at our hotels are zero because of this virus. Conferences are getting canceled like crazy. You’re going to marry some woman you don’t know for cash that won’t sustain us in the long-term. We should sell off the properties while we can and leave the management company in place,” Declan said.

  “You know Dad won’t sell. And as long as he breathes and sits on the board, we can’t do shit,” David barked back.

  “You don’t know anything about this woman. She’s likely her father’s daughter,” Declan said.

  “The prenup won’t allow her access to anything involving the company. She’ll have an expense account that will be monitored,” David said.

  “What if they want to use the hotels to launder money?” Declan asked David.

  “As I said, she won’t be involved with the company. She will have no authorization to do anything, including booking a room without my approval.”

  “And you think she’ll go for it?” Declan questioned.

  “I think she’s a registered nurse with no prior history of working with her father in any way. She’s been living with her mother in Maryland.”

  Dean said, “Whoa. You did a background check on her?”

  I wondered the same thing. Though he acted like he didn’t know much about security, the man had done his homework on her. Could I blame him?

  “Of course, I did. I’m not stupid. I don’t think she’s that involved with her father’s business activities,” David announced.

  “Then why would she do it?” Declan asked.

  “That’s what I intend on finding out,” David said.

  Declan looked at his watch. “The arrogant bastard is over an hour late.”

  “It’s a power play. Let him have it,” David responded.

  “Yeah, as money flies out the window for security not needed for an extra hour. Or the helicopter we’re now renting,” Declan complained.

  “You act like we’re broke. We are not. Cash light and investment heavy, yes. Besides, I’m paying for the helicopter. Don’t worry,” David announced.

  Then the doorbell rang. I left the office without hearing the last thing they said. I backed into a heavily shadowed corner in the back of the house after hailing the extra security into place. I’d convinced David it would be better if an
y threats didn’t know that he had personal security, meaning me and what I looked like. That left me better able to protect him if any threat wasn’t looking for me. Thus, I wouldn’t be included in the show of force.

  The housekeeper was sent to open the door. Then, David, flanked by his brothers and security personnel, entered the room.

  I got my first sight of Natalie in weeks. Though the woman that came bared little resemblance to the woman I’d fallen hard for. She wore a dress that was so tight, there was no mistake about her curves. Then, there was the makeup. I honestly couldn’t remember if she’d worn it before. If so, it hadn’t been as noticeable as it was now and not in a good way. Then, there was her hair. It looked like she had stuck her finger in a light socket and her hair froze in place. I grinned. Maybe David wouldn’t find this version of Natalie appealing. I, on the other hand, knew exactly what was under the overdone look and it was gorgeous.

  When Natalie broke ranks and followed the maid, I realized I hadn’t been listening. I was so focused on the woman and drinking her in. I’d failed on the job as head security by not paying attention to the conversation. Natalie looked mad as she disappeared into a side room.

  “You can leave her here so we can get to know each other,” David suggested.

  Natalie’s father laughed. “You think I’ll leave my daughter here alone with you? I don’t know you that well. For all I know, you’ll try to blackmail me for her safe return.”

  “Fine. Give us a couple of hours,” David retorted.

  “I’ll give you an hour and I’ll be here. My men will walk your lovely grounds just in case my daughter decides to wander off. I wouldn’t want her lost.”

  “Mariel, please show our guest to the front parlor and get him refreshments.” The housekeeper nodded.

  Once Nicolas’s security had been sent outside, I came into the light, assuming I had at least a few minutes before her father might come out again. “Two of you stay in the house. One on the front door, the other on the back,” I commanded to the crew. “The rest of you monitor his guards outside. Don’t let them wander. They should remain near or in their vehicle.”