“Hi, gorgeous.”
“Thank you for organizing this. It’s nice to not have to worry about cameras being shoved in my face.”
“It was all Luca,” I say, opening the door wider for her to come in.
I wrap my arms around Margot, once again feeling the warmth seep into my heart. She leans her head against my chest, sighing.
“You smell good,” she says, her voice muffled against my shirt.
“So do you,” I grin.
We fall into bed together, and for the first time in a couple of weeks, I’m not worried about her safety. I let go of the fears of being watched, and the anxiety that has crept into my heart over the past month.
I just make love to a beautiful woman, and let my feelings for her grow.
We lay tangled in each other’s arms, and I feel happy.
The next day, I slip my hand into Margot’s and bring her outside. As we walk through the well-manicured gardens, I let my shoulders relax. It’s been many weeks since we were able to walk together without looking over our shoulder. Even the thought of someone attacking Luca fades from my mind, and I let myself be quiet, happy, and calm.
We walk into the lush forest that surrounds the castle, eventually walking to the edge of Farcliff Lake. We stand on the shore, silent. She leans her head against my shoulder and I wrap my arm around her waist.
I’ve never felt so comfortable with someone else, ever. I always felt like being around other people was an effort. It was draining. I had to try hard, and then once I was alone, I had to recharge my energy until l was ready to speak to people again.
I thought people were exhausting. I thought I was destined to spend my life mostly in isolation.
Not with Margot.
When she’s with me, it feels better than being alone.
She glances at me, her eyes shining. “I’d like to go to Argyle,” she finally says.
“Yeah? What made you change your mind?”
“Ivy doesn’t need me here. She has Luca. I think, maybe, moving out of my comfort zone would be a good thing.” She glances back the way we came, toward the castle. “Plus, being at the castle is a little bit too stuffy for me. I never know how I’m supposed to act.”
I laugh, nodding. “Trust me, that feeling never goes away.”
20
Margot
Life can change directions on a dime.
I went from being a miserable, self-destructive mess, to realizing that I need to change. I spent months trying to work on myself, only to be thrown head-first into a vat of bubbling feelings for a man I hadn’t even known existed.
Is it too much to hope for that this thing with Dante could be real?
It’s scary to jump into a relationship with Prince Dante. I don’t want to get hurt. I want to protect myself, my mental health, and my baby. I want to make the best decision possible for my future, no matter what lies ahead with my disease.
But what if that best decision includes him? What if he can provide a life that I thought only existed in fairy tales?
Dante gives me one last kiss before heading off into Farcliff Castle in search of his brother. Luca is meeting with Prince Damon to talk about the next steps with regard to our safety.
As I walk back to my guest room in the castle, a smile drifts over my face.
For the first time in a long, long time, I feel good. I don’t mean a chemical, artificial kind of good. I don’t mean a numb kind of good.
I mean truly, deeply happy.
Then, my baby kicks for the first time.
Stopping in the middle of the hallway, joy floods my spirit like I’ve never felt before. A laugh tumbles out of my mouth as I put both hands to my stomach, feeling the quickening of new life inside me.
Right now, it doesn’t matter who the father is. It doesn’t matter that my career is hanging on by a thread, or that I’m not sure if things between Dante and I can really work.
Nothing matters, because my baby just moved. I laugh, alone in the hallway, as tears start to fill my eyes. I know that it’s not a coincidence that the moment I allowed myself to feel joy, the baby moved.
This baby wants me to be happy. It can feel everything I feel, and it’s gone through a tough existence so far. The instant I let myself be really, truly happy, my child let me know that it was right.
That Dante is right.
That what I’m doing is good.
Leaning against the wall, I wrap my arms around myself. My smile practically splits my face in half until the baby stops kicking, and I let out a happy sigh.
That’s the only sign that I need to follow Dante to Argyle.
No more hesitation. No more doubts. No more holding back.
I’m jumping head-first into my feelings, because I know that it’s the only way for me to move forward.
Pushing myself off the wall, I let my feet carry me back to my bedroom. I don’t even remember the walk there. I’m too distracted by the joy exploding inside me like a million fireworks flashing through my soul.
Then, my joy turns to ash when I see a man step out of my bedroom.
I’d recognize him anywhere.
Hunter.
I let out a yelp, stumbling backward. My hands go to my stomach, protecting the life inside me. He’s dressed in a castle valet uniform, wearing a sneer on his face. I never realized how ugly he was until I saw this vindictive side of him.
“Margot, Margot, Margot,” he starts, taking a step toward me. “How you’ve betrayed me.”
“I haven’t done anything, Hunter.”
“I created you.” Another step closer. “And you turned your back on me.”
“You poisoned my sister.”
“I tried to give you a chance to come back to me, but you threw it in my face.”
“How did you get my medical records? How did you get into the castle?”
He spreads his arms, motioning to the uniform. “It’s not hard, when you have the means.”
My heart thumps, and for the thousandth time since I fired him, I wonder who Hunter really is. What did he do to get me to the top? How did I earn the acting roles that I was given?
Was my rise to fame done using dirty, underhanded tricks?
“You were always a fucking idiot, Margot,” he spits. “And whose bun is baking in there, huh? It wouldn’t be Prince Luca’s, would it?”
My jaw clenches. I try to back away from him, but my back hits the wall. My fingers clutch the picture rail as my mind speeds, trying to find a way out of this situation. Hunter is stronger than me. He’s faster than me. I’ll never be able to get away.
Wasn’t the castle supposed to be safer than our house?
Then, Hunter’s eyes brighten. “Not Luca’s. Beckett’s, maybe? The timing would make sense. Luca was never interested in you, anyway. Beckett, on the other hand…”
My heart takes off at full speed, bouncing off my ribcage. A lump forms in my throat as my cheeks flush, and Hunter starts to laugh. He throws his head back, laughing louder and louder.
Before he can say anything, though, a body slams into him. I hear an oof as the air is knocked out of his lungs. A mess of legs and arms falls to the ground, and I recognize Dante as he grapples with Hunter. The sound of boots rushing down the hallway thump in the distance, but they don’t get here before Hunter lands a punch to Dante’s face.
I scream, taking a step forward.
“Stay back, Margot!” Dante says, dodging another punch as he lands one to Hunter’s midsection.
They kick, scratch, and punch at each other until guards arrive to haul Dante off the intruder. Hunter is dragged away, screaming obscenities in my direction. His eyes are blazing. His gaze sends chills down my spine and all I can do is stay rooted in place, watching him be taken away.
I only realize I’m shivering when Dante puts his arms around me. He rubs his palms over my arms, searching my face.
“Are you okay?”
“I should be asking you that,” I say, bringing my fingers up
to the bruise already blossoming on his cheekbone. “You’re going to get a black eye.”
“It’s fine,” he says, grabbing my hand to kiss my fingertips. “There’s only about two hundred photographers desperate to take my picture.”
I laugh shakily, wrapping my arms around my man.
My heart is in my throat. My mouth is dry. All I can do is hang onto Dante and clutch my stomach, fear swirling through my whole body.
My baby doesn’t kick.
Dante holds me close until the captain of castle security brings us down to the offices to take our statements. From then on, everything is a whirlwind. It’s decided that all four of us—Ivy, Luca, Dante, and I—will go back to Argyle. Farcliff Castle has been breached, and they need to protect the royal family. They’ll increase security on the castle, but I get the sense that we’re deemed to be security risks.
We pack bags as Dante calls for the jet to be prepared. I call Felicity to let her know, ignoring her protests.
Then, I call Melissa and ask her to come with me. Even though I’m happy with Ivy, Luca, and Dante, I’d still love to have a familiar face with me.
I’m scared. I need a friend.
“Are you kidding me? Of course I want a tropical vacation and a stay at the Argyle Palace,” Melissa laughs. “Be at the airport in half an hour.”
I let out a relieved sigh. “Thank you.”
Hunter is kept in custody, and I hear the guards talking about charging him with trespassing and possibly even treason. They talk about him being locked up for a long, long time.
The thought of him being behind bars makes me sad for the past that we shared, but also relieved. Even going to Argyle doesn’t seem like enough distance between me and Hunter.
I’m not allowed back in the guest room. The guards sweep it for any dangerous substances and explosives, but nothing is found. Hunter says he was only there to try to find information on me and my pregnancy, which he was planning to sell to the tabloids.
I don’t know if I believe him. The man who helped launch my career is a stranger to me now.
The world he operated in is one of gossip, media, power, and money. He kept the ugly side of fame away from me, until now. When he tried to poison my sister, everything changed.
Now, it’s about to change again.
Luca’s face is grim as we board the plane. He keeps a protective arm around Ivy, and a part of me is relieved that they found each other. At least I don’t have to worry about Ivy’s safety when Luca’s around. I don’t have to worry about her babies being taken care of.
When Dante’s hand slides over my lower back, I let out a sigh.
Is it possible that I’ve found what Ivy has, too?
But as we board the plane and I take my seat beside Dante, the gremlins in my head laugh, whispering that this is just another heartbreak in the making.
21
Dante
The whole point of going to Farcliff Castle was that it was supposed to be safer from the paparazzi, but I knew that we’d be more exposed. There are hundreds of staff at the castle, and there’s evidently a leak somewhere.
The good news is, now that Hunter is in custody, we don’t have to worry about him. The captain of castle security assured us that he’d be locked up for good. It’s one less threat we need to worry about.
Still, it feels good to be going home. As I slide my hand into Margot’s, I realize that it feels good to be taking her back, too.
I want to show her where I come from. I want to take her to white, sandy beaches and kiss her under the palm trees.
I want to take her out of that toxic, gossip-fueled world that she’s used to, and show her the serenity of privacy.
I want to treat her like a princess.
As she leans her head against my shoulder, she lets out a soft sigh. Luca has one arm around Ivy, with the other resting on her belly.
Both sisters’ baby bumps are growing.
For the first time, I really think about what that means. Bottles, diapers, vomit, chubby little feet and hands. Crying, giggling, and the wonder in a baby’s eyes.
Sleepless nights.
Fatherhood.
I never thought that I’d be a father. I gave up on the idea of sharing my life with anyone a long time ago. For the most part, as soon as women realized that I wasn’t going to catapult them into fame and society, they avoided me.
Or maybe I avoided them.
I resigned myself to the fact that I’d spend my days alone. I told myself that I’d be the fun uncle, and I’d take care of my brothers’ kids.
Now, there’s no doubt in my mind that being a father is what I want—and I want it with Margot. Even if the kid isn’t technically mine, it already feels like it is. I care about the child as much as I care about Margot. As the jet takes off, the realization that I love Margot hits me like a bullet to the chest.
I love her.
I love her.
I love her.
Margot shifts, lifting her head up to look at me. “You okay?”
I nod. “I’m great.”
We recline our seats, and Margot snuggles into me. The hostess on the plane brings me a fresh ice pack for my face. The doctor cleared me to fly, but warned me that I’d have a nasty bruise. I settle back into my seat and hold Margot close.
Luca glances at me, and a grin spreads over his face. He gives me a slight nod, and then turns his attention back to Ivy.
We found the LeBlanc sisters at the most unlikely of times, but they complete us in ways we never imagined. It feels good to have Margot—and it feels good to have Luca back, too. For the first time in a long time, I feel like my family is coming back together.
When we arrive at the palace in Argyle, King Theo is waiting for us. He wraps his arms around me and Luca, and then smiles warmly at Ivy and Margot.
In this moment, I’m grateful for Theo’s geniality. It’s what makes him a good king and a great brother. His smile isn’t polite and forced. It’s genuine.
I can see Margot relax as soon as he says her name. The palace in Argyle doesn’t feel like Farcliff Castle. It doesn’t feel like we’re hiding away from anything here.
It feels like coming home.
I lead Margot to my bedroom at the far end of the palace. It’s tucked away from everyone else—exactly how I used to live. She smiles, leaning her head against my shoulder and letting out a happy sigh.
“I like it here.”
“Good,” I say, laying a kiss in her blonde hair.
We get into bed and fall asleep right away. For the first time in weeks, it’s a deep, peaceful sleep. There’s no checking the windows and doors, no security reports to look through at the end of the day, no tossing and turning at every sound.
No nightmares.
Just peace.
Margot wakes up with a smile on her face. She grabs my hand and places it on her stomach, grinning from ear to ear.
My eyes widen. I’ve never felt a baby kicking before.
“Whoa.”
“I know,” she laughs. “It’s so crazy.”
“What does it feel like?”
“Sort of like little flutters.” Margot smiles, shaking her head. “I never thought I’d be happy about having a baby like this. I mean, you know, getting pregnant without being married, and with my life being upside down.” She takes a deep breath, glancing at me. “But it feels right.”
“Is it important to you to be married before the baby comes?”
Margot shrugs. “I thought it was before, but now… I don’t know. All that matters is that it’s healthy.”
A proposal is on the tip of my tongue. I’d marry her today, if she let me. But I know it’s not the right time, so I hold back.
Margot stretches her arms above her head, smiling as my eyes drift down her body.
“You make me feel sexy even as my stomach is growing by the day,” Margot says. “I like when you look at me like that.”
“You are sexy,” I answer. “It’s easy to
look at you like this.”
When we make love, it feels different. It feels like we’re meant to be here, and meant to be with each other. There are no more barriers between us. By coming with me to Argyle, Margot has shown me that she trusts me and she wants to be with me. By sharing her pregnancy with me, she’s telling me that she sees me as a partner.
When we finally get out of bed, Margot walks to the tall French doors that lead out onto my wide balcony. She opens them, inhaling the scent of the sea air. A soft, warm breeze sweeps through the room, and Margot lets out a sigh.
“It’s so hot here. It’s not even nine o’clock and I’m sweating already.”
“You’ll get used to it.”
“Hope you like sweaty pregnant women, because that’s what you’re going to get.”
“I like you however you are, so I guess that means I like sweaty pregnant women.”
Margot laughs, shaking her head. She gathers her thick, long, blonde hair into a messy bun on top of her head and fans herself with a hand. “I might have to chop my hair off.”
“And I’d still love you with short hair,” I say. It slips out of me so naturally that I don’t even realize I’ve said the ‘L’ word until Margot’s eyes widen.
“You…”
My heart stutters. I push myself up on the pillows, leaning against the headboard. Staring into Margot’s eyes, I nod. “I love you, Margot.”
The air thickens between us, crackling with energy. Margot stares at me, wordless.
Maybe it’s too soon. I mean, hell, of course it’s too soon. I’ve known the woman, what, a month? A bit more?
I don’t regret saying it, though. I’d say it a thousand times, because it’s the truth. I love Margot LeBlanc. Maybe I’ve loved her since she mistook me for the pool boy, or since I saw her gather her courage and give a perfect interview after having a panic attack.
I’m not sure when it started, but I know it’s the truth.
Margot’s bottom lip trembles. “How?”
“What do you mean, how?” I laugh. “I don’t know how. I just do.”
Margot slides into bed next to me, staring at me with wide eyes.
Royally Unexpected 2: An Accidental Pregnancy Collection (Surprise Baby Stories) Page 33