Fully satisfied, Kyra curled her body into Marcus’s. As she drifted off to sleep in his solid arms, a flash of lightning illuminated the room. It wasn’t until that moment before sleep that Kyra realized she’d forgotten all about the storm.
9
“I love pancakes!” Ava exclaimed and slapped her open palms on the kitchen table. Her cheeks were rosy with joy and plumped in a wide grin. Kyra couldn’t help but catch her mood. She smiled at her adorable niece, as Ava shoveled another forkful of breakfast through her lips and then continued her proclamation with a mouthful of food. “I love pancakes and syrup and strawberries and chocolate milk and—”
“Okay, okay, Ava, we get it. You approve of your breakfast.” Kyra held a hand up to quiet Ava. “Stop talking with your mouth full.”
Kyra sipped her coffee and let her mind wander for a quiet moment as Ava finished her breakfast and Marcus packed up his things. Two days at the estate had flown by, and she found herself wishing they had more time here. It was almost as if they were removed from reality out here in the country. Even though they were technically working, the time she and Marcus had spent together had been like a fairy tale. She didn’t want it to end, but reality was calling.
And so was her sister.
Maggie had checked in a few times during the past couple of days. She and Ava had chatted over the phone, and Ava was anxious to see her mom. Apparently, the weather emergency in Barcelona had been dealt with, and Maggie was able to get back to Sovalon where she awaited their return at the hotel.
As much as Kyra wished she could ignore the calls of both reality and her sister, she knew she had to get back into the swing of her daily life. The question was how would Marcus fit into that life? Was there a space for him? If not, was she willing to make one?
It was a question she wouldn’t have entertained a few days ago, but these last two days, Marcus had proven himself in ways she never would have expected. Last night, he’d shared so much of his own life struggles. She appreciated his honesty and his efforts, not to mention his attentiveness in the bedroom.
That man could certainly shake her down and make her toes curl. A wave of desire swelled inside of her as memories of last night’s lovemaking played out in her mind. Marcus’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.
“All set?” he asked and placed a hand on her shoulder. She stood and slid closer to him.
“Not really,” she said and pulled a face. “Wish we had another day or two.”
“Me too.” His grin broadened, and he reached out to tuck a stray curl behind her ear. “I’m glad you feel that way,” he said, and she shrugged.
“It’s been like a dream here, Marcus,” she whispered. “Highly unexpected, but really wonderful. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy spending time with you here.”
“Well, there’s no reason we can’t continue to spend time together back in the city.”
She nodded, but she knew the magic of this place couldn’t possibly follow them back.
“Where are yours and Ava’s bags?” he asked. “I’ll take them out to your car for you.”
“Hi, Prince Marcus!” Ava called out and hopped down from her stool onto her good foot.
“Well, good morning, Ava!” Marcus beamed at Ava, and Kyra noted that his affection for her niece was truly genuine. Marcus really connected with Ava.
“How was your breakfast, my dear?” he asked.
“I love pancakes, and I love strawberries, and I love chocolate milk…”
Kyra laughed as Ava once again proclaimed her adoration of all breakfast foods. She watched as Marcus grabbed a napkin and wiped Ava’s mouth and cheeks, impressed by his fatherly instinct.
Maybe he could fit into her life… Kyra brushed the thought aside. It really was too soon to know.
“Looks like you were saving a little chocolate milk for later,” he said and patted her on the head. She threw her arms around his legs.
“I like you, Prince Marcus,” Ava said, staring up at him. “You’re a nice prince.”
Kyra had to bite her fist to stop herself from giggling out loud.
Marcus got down to eye level with Ava and looked her straight in the eye. “Well, you know what, Ava?”
“What?” Ava placed a hand on each hip and stuck her sassy chin out.
“I like you too,” he said. “In fact, I like you so much, I’d like to crown you honorary Princess of Sovalon.”
He really was too much. But again, Kyra thought, he seemed sincere.
Ava’s eyes stretched wide and her mouth formed into a big O. “Really?”
“Yep,” he said and scooped her into his arms. “We don’t have any princesses here in Sovalon, just me and my two brothers,” he said and winked at Kyra. “I think we could use one. What do you think?”
Ava tapped on her chin for a few seconds, seeming to ponder Marcus’s proposition.
“Do I have to live in your castle?” she asked. “Because I have an apartment at home, and my best friend Serena lives downstairs, and she has this puppy named Jojo—”
“Nope, nope,” he said, interrupting her. “That’s why you’re an honorary princess, Ava. You can live anywhere you like.”
Ava shrugged. “Okay then,” she said. “You got yourself a princess!”
“Oh, my Lord,” Kyra said and shook her head at Ava. “Girl, you are a princess now. Wait until we tell your mama.”
Ava grinned.
“Now head out to the car.” Kyra handed her her crutches and pointed her toward the front door. “Prince Charming here is gonna grab our bags, and I’ll be right there.”
“Okay, Auntie Kyra,” Ava said, then formed her lips into a fake pout. “But don’t keep me waiting. Princesses don’t like to wait too long.”
Kyra shook her head, and she and Marcus shared a laugh. They marveled as Ava used her crutches like a pro to make her way to the limo. Marcus grabbed Ava’s overnight bag and Kyra’s small suitcase and they left the house together.
Once outside, Kyra couldn’t fight the insatiable urge to kiss Marcus. She tapped him on the shoulder, and when he turned around to face her, she planted a sweet kiss onto his lips.
As a smile lit up his face, she heard a clicking noise coming from the bushes beside the porch. Before she could investigate the sound, Ava popped her head out of the limo.
“Are you coming?”
“Yes, Princess Ava, we are,” Marcus said and laughed. He hopped down the steps toward the limo. “Get your seatbelt on. We like our princesses to be safe.” He pushed Ava’s passenger door shut.
Kyra stood on the porch and watched Marcus hand the luggage to the driver. She inhaled the fresh country air and took the steps slowly down to the driveway. As sad as she was to leave, Ava’s antics had cheered her, and Marcus’s interactions with her niece gave her hope that they really might have some sort of future together.
Marcus met her in the driveway and looked her straight in the eyes, a wistful but satisfied look on his face. “You’re all set,” he said. He stood there, looking so sexy with his thumbs tucked into the front pockets of his jeans, his crew neck shirt hugging his chest and abs. Without planning to, Kyra edged closer and planted her lips onto his again. He responded immediately, folding her into his arms and kissing her back sweetly.
Suddenly Kyra heard another series of clicks, and a flash assaulted her eyes.
“What the hell?” she asked, then realized it was a photographer. He must have been hiding in the bushes.
Marcus stepped into action immediately. “This is private property,” he told the man. “I could have you arrested for trespassing.”
“Easy, bro,” the young man said and snapped another picture. Marcus stepped forward to try to grab the camera, but the man sprinted off down the lane.
“Does this happen to you often?” Kyra asked, feeling both annoyed and a little stunned.
“Unfortunately, yes,” Marcus admitted. “No matter where I try to hide, the press finds me.”
“J
esus.” Kyra shook her head. “What happened to respect of privacy?”
Marcus shrugged and made a guilty face. “It flew further out the window every time I gave them another juicy story to run, I guess,” he said. “My social life has always been more interesting than anything else that goes down in the royal family.”
With those words, Marcus leaned in and kissed her goodbye, his lips leaving her both wanting more and worried about the wanting. She slid into the limo and made sure Kyra was, in fact, buckled in.
As the driver descended the long gravel drive, the entrance to the estate came into focus. On either side of the gates were a handful of reporters with their cameras hanging around their necks, just waiting like vultures to scoop up a tidbit of dirt on their playboy prince. A sick feeling came over her as the car passed through the gates and cameras flashed her way.
How could Marcus live like this? She could never get used to being hounded by the media. If she chose to let Marcus be a part of her and her child’s life, would they have to deal with this, too? Was that something she could subject her baby to?
So many questions bounced through her mind. She watched as Ava nodded off to sleep, wishing she could summon the peace she’d felt just hours before as she’d lain in Marcus’s arms.
Even if Marcus could fit into her life, she wasn’t sure there was space big enough for his notoriety. She glanced into the rearview mirror, deflating as both the countryside and her fairy tale disappeared in the distance.
* * *
Marcus turned the radio up as loud as he could handle, hoping that the music would block out his thoughts, but even his heavy metal playlist couldn’t take his mind off of what had happened with the photographers at the estate. He pressed his foot into the gas pedal, pushing the speed limit and beating himself up over exposing Kyra to the paparazzi like that. He winced as he imagined how the press would react if they discovered she was carrying his baby. He could just imagine the headline.
Playboy Prince’s New American Fling—KNOCKED UP.
He closed his eyes briefly at the horrific thought. Maybe his child would be better off far away from Sovalon, sheltered from him and his bad rep. Everywhere he went, he drew the wrong kind of attention, and he didn’t want that for his son or daughter. An innocent child didn’t deserve to have to carry around the weight of his or her father’s mistakes.
He sighed miserably, wishing he could go back and change some of the decisions he’d made. Just then, his phone buzzed with an incoming call. He glanced at the number. It was his father.
“How was your visit to the estate?” his father asked. No hello or how are you, son. King Hanson got right to the point.
Marcus took a deep breath. “The estate is in perfect condition, Father. It’s a great location for the shelter,” he said. “All in all, I’d say the visit went really well.”
“So, I’ve heard,” Marcus detected something snide in his father’s voice, and before he could ask, King Hanson continued. “Word is that you and your fellow board member from America became quite cozy during your stay.”
Marcus ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Of course his father had found out as soon as the paps got involved.
He cleared his throat and tried not to reveal the eye roll in his voice. “I don’t know what you mean by cozy, Father, but yes, Kyra and I have a connection. I like and respect her very much.”
“You respect her?”
“I do,” Marcus said. “She’s unlike any other woman I’ve ever met. She’s—”
“Pregnant,” the king said, interrupting him before he could finish his sentence.
“What?” Marcus went cold.
“The American,” his father repeated. “She’s pregnant.”
“But how did you—”
“A staff member found the test in the trash can, Marcus,” King Hanson said. “At least she had the sense to come to us to see if we would make it worth her while not to go to the tabloids with it.”
Marcus found himself stuttering for a moment, trying to get his thoughts together.
“Well, this wasn’t exactly how I wanted you to find out, Father. Does Mother know?”
“It doesn’t matter, Marcus,” his father said coldly. “Your little American will take this problem back to the US with her when she goes. No one is to know about this. I want it to disappear.”
A chill ran down Marcus’s arms. How could his father be so callous about Kyra’s pregnancy? It was his grandchild.
“Kyra’s not looking for money or status if that’s what you think,” Marcus said. “She’s a good person. We had a nice time together, and this just happened.”
“You hardly know the woman, Marcus. How can you judge her character?” he asked. “Regardless, I don’t need illegitimate heirs running around out there.”
Marcus felt bile rise in his throat, his anger threatening to spill out of him in a host of words he would later regret. He took a deep breath through flared nostrils and blew it out his lips.
“As the youngest son, any children I might have would hardly be heirs to the crown,” he said. He was fuming but trying his best to be logical. “Honestly, Father, this is my situation to handle how I see fit. I’m not asking for your help or permission here.”
“Marcus, please. What do you foresee here? That the two of you will live happily ever after? Get real, son. You know you’ll find a way to mess this up like you do everything else in your life.”
The acid in his father’s voice sliced into him, rendering him silent.
“It’ll only be a matter of time before your American comes looking for a payday after you screw up and cheat on her.”
The words were a punch to Marcus’s gut.
But, he thought, they weren’t undeserved. Marcus was no stranger to screwing up.
“Marcus, I’ve got another call coming in,” his father said sternly. “I’ll speak with you soon.”
The line went dead, leaving Marcus wondering if maybe his father’s presumptions were true. He had known the king wouldn’t react well to the discovery of Kyra’s pregnancy, but he hadn’t expected this. He couldn’t believe his father wanted Kyra and the baby to just disappear. Could he ask this of Marcus?
Then again, maybe Kyra leaving for good would be for the best.
Not for Marcus, of course, but for her and their child.
Maybe a playboy prince like himself didn’t deserve a chance to get it right after all.
10
Kyra stood at the bathroom sink in her hotel suite back in Sovalon, washing the day from her face. She’d unpacked hers and Ava’s bags and changed into a pair of yoga pants and a T-shirt. She was so comfortably tired she felt like she could drift off to sleep any minute. Every muscle in her body was loose and just a little bit sore from last night with Marcus, but she couldn’t complain. It was a good type of fatigue, the kind that lets you crawl under the sheets and drift right to sleep without tossing and turning or overthinking a thing. She yawned and heard the hotel door room click.
“I’m baaack,” Maggie called, and Kyra’s mood immediately went from relaxed to annoyed. She walked into the sitting room where Ava was curled up watching television.
“Mommy!” Ava cried and raced to hug Maggie.
“Hi, baby,” Maggie said and planted a kiss on Ava’s forehead. “I sure missed you!” Kyra saw her sister notice Ava’s bright pink cast. Her expression darkened. “What happened?”
Ava made a fake pouty face. “I broke my ankle,” she said.
Maggie looked up at Kyra with a questioning look on her face.
“I would have told you, but I didn’t see the point, considering you were a few countries away.” The tone in Kyra’s voice was meant to be accusing. She pursed her lips and raised an eyebrow at her sister. “There wasn’t much you could do for her from Barcelona, Mags.”
“I’m her mother!” Maggie seemed incensed. As usual, her emotions went from cold to hot in less time than it took to say the alphabet. Maggie loved drama, and
at the moment, Kyra had no use for it.
“Maggie, can I talk to you in the bedroom please?” Kyra turned and walked coolly into the master suite, knowing her sister would follow. Kyra preferred not to say what she had to in front of Ava. She didn’t want to upset her niece, but Maggie needed a firm talking to.
“Sit down.” Kyra pointed Maggie to the oversized chair beside the desk and Maggie did as she was told. As usual, Kyra was more like the parent than the sister. Maggie crossed her arms over her chest defiantly, and Kyra lit into her.
“When are you going to grow up?” she asked, and Maggie rolled her eyes.
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about your little extended jaunt to Spain. While you were flitting around in bad weather, I had to bring Ava with me on a work trip.” She put air quotes around her weather comment to home in on the fact that she didn’t believe Maggie’s bullshit story.
“Kyra, I’m sorry. I was genuinely stranded. The trains were—”
“The weather wouldn’t have been an issue if you hadn’t decided to put yourself in a different country from your daughter. You could have stayed here with her—or gone to Barcelona and taken her with you. But you made the choice not to. I don’t want to hear your excuses, Maggie.” Kyra placed a hand up to signal that she’d had enough of her sister’s games. “You need to step up and learn some responsibility.”
Maggie’s eyes caught fire at Kyra’s words. “You think I don’t know about responsibility?” She stood from her chair and took a step toward Kyra. “I’ve been working my ass off to try to make a better life for us. I know I’ve made mistakes that got me where I am now, but I’m trying to change.”
Kyra looked away from her sister’s eyes. She didn’t want to be sympathetic. She wanted to be hard on Maggie for once, but it was difficult. She loved her sister and hated seeing her struggle.
“It’s not easy to get where you want to be in life when you’re always trying to play catch up.” Maggie shook her head. “All you ever see is my past mistakes. Every time you look at me, you judge me for the bad decisions I made in the past. Why can’t you see the person I’m trying to become?”
The Playboy Prince’s Pregnant American: Sovalon Royals Book Two Page 6