“You look amazing, babe,” he whispers, his eyes sweeping over my body.
“What? This old thing?” I say, fluffing the full, white skirt of my exquisite dress, sourced by the castle stylist overnight.
Luca laughs, shaking his head. “I’m the luckiest man in the world.”
“You sure are,” Margot says behind me. The small crowd of friends and family laughs, and the officiant starts the ceremony.
I don’t hear a word. The warm breeze flows through my hair, carrying the scent of the ocean and beaches toward us. The only thing I see is Luca. In his eyes, I see bottomless love. I see a future I never could have imagined, and I see my true home.
As soon as I hear the words ‘husband and wife,’ Luca sweeps his arms around me and crushes his lips to mine. I laugh, kissing him back with the ferocity of my love for him. He drops to his knees, pressing his lips to my growing belly before resting his forehead against it.
Tears stream down my face. My makeup is probably ruined, but it doesn’t matter.
I throw one last glance toward Margot and the twins before wrapping my arm around Luca’s waist and letting him lead me back down the aisle.
I’m married.
We head to one of the large reception rooms in the castle. How the staff managed to rustle up perfect decorations in such a short amount of time is beyond me. The whole room is immaculate, with flowers and lights and fabric draped everywhere. It looks like a fairy tale, and I feel like a princess.
I guess once the King makes it official in writing, I will be a princess.
We dance, and eat, and laugh. I stay on Luca’s arm until the sun goes down, kissing him every chance I get.
For that day, we forget about Beckett. We forget about Hunter. We forget about everything that happened in Farcliff, and we just celebrate love.
My father doesn’t seem too upset about not walking me down the aisle, and he drinks himself to an early bedtime. I even see him laughing with Margot and dancing with one of the waitresses.
For one day, everything is perfect.
“My feet are so sore,” I sigh, resting my head on Luca’s shoulder. We’re sitting at the table after having devoured our wedding cake, watching our guests dance and drink.
“Bedtime, then,” Luca says.
I yelp when he picks me up, hooking my arms around his shoulders.
“I’m taking my bride to bed,” Luca announces to no one in particular. King Theo and Queen Cara smile, leaning their heads against each other as they watch us walk out. I rest my head on Luca’s chest, listening to his heartbeat as he carries me to our wedding bed.
When he lays me down on the soft pillows and kisses my lips, I let out a soft sigh.
“I didn’t know it was possible to be this happy,” I say.
“Me, neither.” Luca’s eyes shine, and he presses his lips to mine again. “You complete me, Poison.”
“I love you, husband.” I smile, shaking my head. “It feels good to say that. Husband. Hubby. Life partner. Love of my life.”
“Mother of my children,” Luca completes, wrapping his arms around me.
He undresses me slowly, kissing every inch of skin that is exposed. We make love that night, worrying about nothing and no one except each other.
My wedding is perfect, from morning until night.
But all good things come to an end, and I don’t realize how quickly my happiness will come crashing down.
24
Dante
The morning after the wedding, I wake up hungover as hell. I didn’t even think I drank that much, but the atmosphere must have gotten the better of me. Celebrating with my brother and Ivy was the most fun I’ve had in a long, long time.
Now, though, my head is pounding and my mouth tastes like stale alcohol and bad decisions.
I groan, turning over to see Margot sitting at the desk in the corner of the room. She types a few things on her laptop before turning the chair to glance at me.
She arches an eyebrow, grinning. “Feeling fresh?”
“Not as fresh as you, obviously.”
“I got you some water and ibuprofen. It’s on the nightstand.”
“You’re a treasure.” I swallow the pills and half the glass of water before laying back down in bed. Exhaling, I stare at the ceiling.
“One good thing about being pregnant is not drinking.” Margot laughs, climbing into bed beside me. “Which means no hangovers.”
“Why did you let me drink that much?”
“I’m not the boss of you, Your Highness.”
“At least I had fun…from what I can remember.”
Margot giggles, laying a kiss on my cheek. “Why don’t you go for a dip in the ocean? I used to love getting in the pool after a big night. You’ll feel better after.”
I nod, turning to stare at Margot. Somehow, when she cut her hair, it made her features stand out even more. Her eyes look like jewels. Her lips are lush. Her cheekbones are regal. It’s like without the long waves always framing her face, I can see her all the more clearly.
She’s incredible.
“You’re probably right,” I sigh. “Maybe a swim would help. You want to join?”
Margot shakes her head. “I have a few things to finish up for work. Felicity wants me to review a bunch of statements she’s putting out about the Hunter situation.”
I nod before pushing myself up to sit. Groaning, I clutch my head when it starts pounding. Margot rubs my back, and I let out a sigh.
I grimace “Okay, well, I’ll be back soon. You have a doctor’s appointment today, yes?”
Margot nods, a shadow passing over her face. “Yeah.”
I take a deep breath. “Can I… Can I come?” I didn’t mean for my voice to squeak so much on the last word, and I clear my throat to cover it up.
Going to her doctor’s appointment with her would feel like a big step. From now on, we’d be doing this together, as partners.
But Margot hesitates. Her brows draw together, and my heart starts to thud. She doesn’t have to say yes. It’s her right to go to the doctor on her own. Maybe we aren’t as close as I thought we were. After all, it’s her baby and her body.
Then, Margot takes a deep breath and drags her eyes up to mine. She nods. “Yeah. I’d like you to.”
“Are you sure? Because it looks like you’re in physical pain at the thought of me coming with you.”
Margot laughs, and the lines on her forehead disappear. She shakes her head. “I’m just not used to having someone by my side.”
Laying a soft kiss on her forehead, I leave her to her work and head to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I avoid looking at the haggard, hungover face that stares back at me in the mirror, choosing instead to take Margot’s advice and let the ocean cleanse me of last night’s overindulgence.
It’s still early, but the palace staff is already up and awake. Grabbing a towel from one of the pool attendants, I hook it over my arm and head toward the private beach near the palace.
“Sir,” the attendant says as I walk away, “would you like me to accompany you?”
I shake my head. “No, thank you.”
“But the King has ordered that—”
“I’m just going for a swim,” I answer, forcing a smile. My head pounds. “It’s a private beach, enclosed in the royal grounds. I’ll be fine.”
The pool attendant shifts his weight from foot to foot, finally nodding reluctantly.
I walk a short way over a berm to my favorite place in the entire world—the Argyle Royal Bay. It’s a sheltered beach, with tall palm trees lining a white, sandy shore. A warm breeze blows through the trees and I inhale deeply, ready for the ocean to cleanse the cobwebs from my mind.
When my toes touch the water, I jump back. It’s colder than I expected.
Taking a deep breath, I set my jaw. Then, I sprint. I crash into the water, diving down below the surface. The cool water shocks my senses. I’m alive. I laugh, breaking the surface of the water and diving back down a
gain.
By the time I walk back out of the surf, I feel fresh, clean, and alive. The last remnants of last night’s drinks are washed away, and I’m ready for some food.
Life is good.
I have a woman that I love, a baby on the way, and my family is happy.
When I reach my towel and shake the sand off it, movement catches my eye on the edge of the beach.
Beckett steps out from behind a palm tree. My heart stutters, and my hands ball into fists. I drop the towel, widening my stance and setting my jaw.
“Beckett.”
“Your Highness,” he drawls, walking toward me.
“What are you doing here?” I scan the beach, wishing I hadn’t said no to the pool attendant. “We’ve been looking for you for months.”
Beckett barks out a laugh. “It’s been entertaining to watch you fail.”
“What do you want?”
“I see Luca’s married,” he says, narrowing his eyes. My heart thumps. Last night was a private ceremony. No one in the public knows about it yet.
Beckett must have eyes inside the palace.
I nod, trying not to let my fear show. “Yes, he is.”
“And you seem to be cozy with Margot LeBlanc.” He spits her name out, his lips twitching into a snarl.
Blood pumps through my veins as I stare at my half-brother. There’s a strange mixture of anger and sadness inside me.
Anger, because Beckett has caused immeasurable levels of pain for our family.
Sadness, because Beckett was my brother.
I didn’t care that we didn’t share the same father. He was my brother. We grew up together. Played together. Became men together.
He has always been my brother.
Just like Margot’s child is my child.
Beckett kicks his foot in the sand, sending a spray of it toward me. “How does it feel to have both Luca’s and my sloppy seconds?”
I freeze, staring at Beckett. My mouth turns dry. I clear my throat, trying to dislodge the rocks that have taken up residence at the base of my throat.
“What are you talking about?”
“Oh, she didn’t tell you?” Becket’s eyes glint. “Margot and me…” He trails off, arching an eyebrow.
“Margot and you, what?”
Beckett’s mouth curls into an ugly grin. “You haven’t put two and two together, have you? To be honest, I’m not surprised she would choose you as a partner. Makes it easier to keep it in the family.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” My heart is hammering, my ribs barely able to keep it contained.
“You know what I’m talking about, Dante.”
“I don’t.” I’m being strangled. I can’t speak, or breathe, or do anything except stand here and stare at the man I once called my brother.
“The baby is mine. I guess even after I stuck a needle in her, she was strong enough to stay alive and to keep the baby. Surprising, to be honest.” He stares at his nails, feigning disinterest. “I thought she was going to die.”
The words hit me like bullets, knocking me back as they pierce my body. Wheezing as I inhale, I stumble back. “What?”
“Margot always seemed like a crafty woman. Smart.” Beckett grins, lifting his eyes up to mine. “I guess since she couldn’t be with me or Luca, she chose the next best thing.”
“You’re lying.”
“Am I?” He arches an eyebrow, his steely eyes trained on me.
“It’s not true. You’re just trying to break this family apart. You couldn’t get to Luca, you couldn’t have Cara, so now you’re going after me.”
Beckett shrugs, his eyes still staring into mine. “Ask her.”
“Why should I?”
“Because you already know it’s true.”
If I was in my right mind, I would chase after my half-brother. I’d tackle him to the ground and call for help. I’d knock him out and drag him back to the palace.
I’d be a hero.
Instead, I just stand there, mouth agape, watching him walk away.
In one, quick revelation, Beckett has made my entire world crash around me.
If the baby is Beckett’s, then it makes sense that Margot wouldn’t want to reveal it. Maybe Beckett is right, and she’s just been using me for my title. She couldn’t have Luca, because he wasn’t interested. She couldn’t have Beckett, because he betrayed us.
So, she chose me.
Lucky last.
She did exactly what my mother did, jumping from one brother to the next. Getting knocked up and not caring about the consequences.
I shake my head. It can’t be true. She told me she loved me. I saw it in her eyes. It’s real. Our love is real. Our connection is true.
But—she’s a world-renown actress. She could have been faking the whole thing.
My mind whirls, bouncing from one idea to the next. Back and forth, I move between trusting Margot and hating that she’s used me.
Stumbling across the beach, I lose my footing and fall to my knees. Sand clings to my damp legs, covering my body as I stand up again. Staring at myself, I frown. I drag my feet all the way back to the palace, ignoring the pool attendant.
Once I get inside the castle, all my senses jolt back to reality. I rush through the hallways toward the main dining room, where I know Theo will be.
He looks up when I burst through the door. “Beckett’s here. He came up to me at the beach.”
Theo’s chair clatters to the floor as he stands up. With one wave of the hand, he sends guards rushing down the hallway.
Between gulping breaths, I tell him where I saw Beckett.
I don’t tell him about the revelation. I don’t tell him about the baby. I don’t tell him that my heart is breaking.
For that, I need to see Margot.
In a haze, I stumble out of the dining room and down the hallway toward my chambers. Toward Margot.
Toward the truth.
25
Margot
Dante’s eyes are blazing when he storms through the door. He stands in the middle of the room, staring at me. His chest heaves and his hands clench and unclench, over and over again.
He doesn’t have to say a word.
He knows.
My heart shatters slowly, bit by bit. One piece at a time, it crumbles in my chest, because I know whatever happened between Dante and me is over.
I stand slowly, forcing myself to drag my eyes up to his. My lip trembles, and I will it to stop. I bite the inside of my cheek until I taste blood, waiting for him to speak.
“Is it true?”
“Is what true?” I ask, already knowing what he means.
“Is Beckett the father?”
In that moment, my world ends. Once again, I was too much of a coward to tell him the truth. He could take the revelation of my pregnancy and tell me that he’d be by my side, but he can’t take this.
Why would he?
The air between us thickens. I can’t move. A weight settles on my chest, and I find it hard to take a full breath.
My baby, which had been kicking merrily all morning, is still. Waiting. Listening.
Dipping my chin down ever so slightly, I nod. “Yes.”
Prince Dante’s face crumples, and the sight of his anguish pierces me like a spear to the chest. My heart bleeds, emptying itself of all the hope and happiness that had started to seep in.
I don’t cry. I don’t speak. I don’t tremble.
I just stand there.
Dante roughs a hand through his hair, his eyes bugging out of his head. He stares at the carpet at his feet, mumbling to himself before looking back up at me.
“Why?” he whispers.
I don’t know how to answer. Even if I knew what he wanted me to say, I don’t know that I could ever speak. How can I explain how much I’ve suffered? What words could possibly convey the guilt that I’ve felt over the one night I spent with Beckett?
I drop my eyes.
“Look at me,” Dante growls.
<
br /> Taking a deep breath, I squeeze my eyes shut for a moment before dragging them up to his.
“Why?”
“I was lonely,” I answer lamely. “Beckett was there. I…” I can’t tell him about the diagnosis. It would sound like I was making an excuse.
Dante’s lip trembles. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I knew you’d hate me for it.”
The Prince’s face twists, and I watch the anger mount inside him. He roars, the sound rattling my bones. I sob, clapping a hand over my mouth. Prince Dante spins on his heels, driving his fist into the wall. I flinch as the plaster crumbles, leaving a fist-sized hole in the wall.
The first tear falls from my eye. I clutch my stomach, turning away from him.
“You used me,” he says to my back.
I shake my head. “Never.”
“You wormed your way into my heart so that your baby would have a father.”
I sob. “No. That’s not what happened.”
“You tried to have Luca, and then Beckett, and finally settled for me. I never meant anything to you.”
“No!”
His words lash my back like an angry whip, leaving long, bloody welts across my body. I clutch the edge of the desk, raking a breath in through gritted teeth.
“I love you,” I whisper, not able to look at him. “I’ve loved you since the first day we met.”
“I don’t believe you.”
I turn to look at him again, and immediately wish I didn’t. Dante’s eyes are dead. Empty.
Angry.
The Prince jerks his head to the door. I stuff my laptop and a few things into my purse, rushing out of the room. My feet take me to Ivy’s room, but I can’t bring myself to knock.
I can hear her and Luca making love on the other side of the door.
She’s happy.
Why would I bring my cursed existence into their life? They’ll be leaving on a honeymoon soon. Turning on my heels, I find the twins. They’re already packed up and ready to go back to Farcliff.
When Giselle sees me, she drops her suitcase and wraps her arms around me.
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