by Ella Miles
He firmly kisses me on the lips, like he has for about the thousandth time since I got back into the SUV after Andy found a bomb attached to my bra. They really were experienced kidnappers. They just made me believe that they weren’t, and I fed right into their plan. It’s something that I don’t think I’ll ever get over. I’ll never forgive myself for having someone use me to try to hurt Luca.
He stops kissing me and lets me sit up. But his hand still firmly holds on to mine. I glance to Andy, who is sitting in the front seat, seemingly preoccupied with driving us to the palace and keeping us safe. And, honestly, after he saved both of our lives, I don’t care if he hears what I’m about to say to Luca.
I take a deep breath and then say, “Luca, I have something I need to tell you. Something that I discovered about myself while all of this was happening.”
Luca looks at me with concern. His eyes narrow at me as he tries to figure out what I’m about to say. But I know he has no way of guessing. He thinks I still hate him for lying. He thinks there is still no way that we could ever be together again. But he is beyond wrong.
“Luca, I lo—”
“Look, the palace,” Luca says, pointing out the window.
I lose my focus and look up to see a mighty castle growing larger over the long drive in front of us. It’s the largest, most beautiful building I’ve ever seen. It’s straight from a fairy tale with the way it seems to rise up into the clouds, overlooking the beautiful lush green forest below it. He’s really a prince, and this is really his castle. His mother’s really the queen, and his father’s really the king. Fairy tales really do exist.
The castle itself takes my breath away. I can’t imagine growing up here. I knew that places like this existed, that people grew up being real kings and queens, but I never realized how close to the fairy tale they really were. It’s something I’ve always wanted—the fairy tale with Prince Charming and everything. It’s not that I wanted to be rescued, just that I wanted to be loved and looked at the way that Prince Charming did with Cinderella. But, when I imagined the fairy tale, I never imagined this.
I look back at Luca. “It’s beautiful. You grew up here?”
He stares out the window at the castle that he calls home. “I spent quite a bit of time here and then spent quite a bit of time in the US with my grandparents as well. They gave up the throne to my parents, and my parents wanted me to have some semblance of a normal life. But this was always home, I guess.”
“Well, you have quite a beautiful home. I can’t wait to see the inside.”
Luca doesn’t say anything after I speak, and after I get another few seconds to take in the castle, I look over at him.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
Luca shakes his head. “It’s nothing. I’m just sorry that I have to introduce you to my life this way. The media is not going to be nice to you. And my parents…”
My eyes widen as I realize what he is saying. I’m going to meet the King and Queen of Monaco today. I’m going to meet his parents today, and I don’t even know what we are. Friends? Lovers? Boyfriend and girlfriend? Or something more?
I know nothing about them. Not even what their names are.
“Are you sure you want me to meet the king and queen today? Surely, we should wait until we’ve had a chance to talk and figure out what we are,” I say.
Luca tucks a strand of loose hair behind my ear. His eyes sweetly study me. “They are just my parents if it makes you feel any better. They are going to love you, no matter what we are, because I love you. We don’t need to figure things out right away. I just want to show you my world and make sure you’re safe. After that, you can decide to go or stay.”
I feel the car slowing as we inch closer to the entrance of the palace. I’m running out of time before I’m sure I’ll be whizzed into a different world. A world where he won’t know if I love him simply because he is a prince or because I actually love him.
“Luca, I need to finish what I was about to say earlier. I—”
Luca kisses me hard on the lips, forcing me to stop mid sentence again. He slowly pulls away when he thinks the thought has been wiped from my brain. The SUV stops, and Andy gets out, leaving us alone in the backseat.
“We’ll talk later,” Luca says.
“But—”
“Later.”
Our doors are thrust open, and hands are extended in to help us out before I can protest any further.
“Welcome to Monaco’s castle, Miss Lane,” the gentleman says, holding out his hand. He pulls me out of the back of the SUV.
I look at the middle-aged man who is dressed nicely in something resembling a suit. He has a large smile on his face, and it’s clear he was expecting us even though I have no idea who he is.
“Thank you, Mr.…”
“Thomas, the butler. If you have any questions at all about your stay, I’m the guy to find.”
I smile. “Thank you.”
I glance up and see more than a dozen staff members standing around me, all with large smiles on their faces.
Holy crap, I think.
My mouth drops open as I stare at all of them. I assumed a large staff would run a castle. I just didn’t realize they’d all be standing outside when I arrived. It’s a bit overwhelming. Luca runs over to my side as he pulls on a shirt that one of the staff handed to him. He takes my hand from Thomas’s, linking our fingers together.
He leans down so that only I can hear and says in my ear, “You’re going to be fine. I’m going to do my best to ease you into this. Just introduce you to everyone for a little bit and then give you some time alone in your room.”
“My room?”
He nods and smiles.
I frown. I don’t like that I won’t be sharing a room with him. But I guess I shouldn’t expect that the Prince of Monaco would want me in his bed every night with his parents sleeping next door.
“Let me introduce you to some of the staff,” Luca says as he guides me forward on the driveway outside of the castle. “This is Sarah, and this is Jamie; both are housekeepers. That’s Jonathan, Jordan, and James; they are some of our groundskeepers. That is Catherine, Kate, and Stephanie—some of the chefs and cooks.”
Luca continues to rattle off names, and each person steps forward, smiling, curtsying, and bowing in front of Luca as he introduces them. I stare, wide-eyed, knowing that I won’t be able to remember everyone’s names. The longer he rambles, the more confused I become.
“And this, everyone, is Ivy Lane. She’s a veterinarian, currently residing in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She has traveled a long way to be here today, and she’s very special to me, so take good care of her when I’m not around. And, if I hear so much as a whisper of gossip about her, anyone accused will be fired on the spot. Understood?”
The staff nods.
Thomas says, “Completely understood. We will treat her as one of the family while she’s here.”
“Good. Now, where are Margaret and Murray?”
“Murray just finished with a meeting and is in his sitting room. Margaret isn’t going to be home for another hour,” Thomas answers.
“When Margaret gets here, hold her off for as long as you can. Let her know we’ll see her around three.” Luca squeezes my hand tighter and says, “You ready?”
I nod even though I feel anything but ready.
He grins. “Come on. Haven’t you always wondered what a castle looks like?”
His grin is infectious. I find myself smiling just as big, despite how anxious I really am. Luca leads me around to the front entrance where we parked.
“Who are Margaret and Murray?” I ask.
“Oh, sorry. Those are my parents.”
I squint my eyes, a bit confused as to why he calls them Margaret and Murray, but I let the thought go as he grabs hold of the big oak front door that is surrounded by stone and pushes it open.
“Holy shit.” I step inside the large entryway as my mouth falls open.
I don’t even
know how to describe it. It’s so beautiful and large and magnificent. There isn’t just one chandelier hanging over the entryway. There are at least five that I can see hanging at least five stories up. A large spiral staircase sits before me with a large balcony leading to who knows how many rooms up above. The stone that surrounds me on all sides is gorgeous and detailed and nothing like I’ve ever seen back in the States.
I look at Luca, who is studying me with a large grin on his face.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
“It’s better than beautiful. It’s one of the most exquisite things I’ve ever seen.”
“Well, I’m not going to let you enjoy it for long.”
“Why?” I frown.
“Because there about one hundred fifty more rooms to check out, if my memory serves me right.”
My mouth drops open again. “One hundred fifty! That’s crazy. Who sleeps in all those rooms?”
Luca shrugs. “Well, my parents, me sometimes, some of the staff. And a lot of people stay when we have parties and banquets and things. We also have a lot of offices and rooms for other royal leaders and presidents to stay and meet with my parents and me when I come home. Plus, at least half of the rooms are designated for my future children.”
I shake my head. “Well, you’d better get to having kids then.”
Luca pulls hard on my hand, pulling me toward his body, before his hand slides over my ass, and he pulls me in for a passionate kiss. “And, if I’m lucky, maybe you’ll give me some of those babies.”
I swat Luca on the arm. “Don’t count on it,” I tease.
“Come on, let me at least show you a couple of the other rooms before I have to take you to meet my father.”
“Don’t you want me to change or look a little more presentable before I meet your father?”
Luca looks me up and down. I’m still wearing my dress but now it’s dirty with a small tear at the hem. I’m sure I smell, as I haven’t showered in over twenty-four hours, and my hair is a mess from the blood and scrape on my head.
“No. Murray will barely notice that you’re a woman. He’s not all there, and even when he was, he didn’t truly care about anything really. I’d rather introduce you and get that over with quickly. Then, I’ll show you the room and allow you to clean up before my mother sees you. She is the one you’ve got to look out for.”
I sigh. “Take me to your father.”
18
Luca
Ivy’s nervous. I can feel it exuding off of every inch of her body and out through her fingertips as I hold her hand and walk her through the castle. I wasn’t expecting her to be nervous. I was expecting her to be skeptical. I was expecting to have to woo her with all the amazing things that come with living in a castle. But I wasn’t expecting her to be nervous about meeting my family. She doesn’t have anything to prove to me. I already know that she’s amazing, strong, and talented.
I, on the other hand, have everything to prove. She’s never known me as anything other than a bum and a liar. But, for some reason, unlike her, I’m no longer nervous. My anxiety disappeared the second I had her back in my arms and when I realized that she would get to live, not die because of me and my selfishness. I don’t care if she likes my family or impresses them. All I care about is that she is still breathing and that I get to be a part of her life for one more day.
I pause outside of Murray’s sitting room and grab hold of both of Ivy’s hands, doing my best to give her a reassuring smile to calm her nerves before she meets my father.
“You have nothing to be worried about. You don’t need to worry about impressing Murray or anyone else. You’re already better than anyone else.”
Ivy bites her bottom lip as she looks up at me with big brown eyes. “But what if I want to impress him? What then?”
I shake my head. “Then, you will.”
She nods and fakes a small smile.
I keep holding on to one of her hands as I lead her into the sitting room. She stops about two feet in, and we separate for just a second. I look back, confused as to why she stopped, and then I see the look of amazement on her face. I glance up at the expansive ceiling that is at least three stories tall. One wall is covered in books, and another has massive artwork done by one famous painter or another. The other two are floor-to-ceiling windows that look out over the hillside and forest that stands for miles. It is a sight to see if you’ve never seen it before. I take a second to appreciate it like she does. It’s amazing how she makes me look at things differently, like I haven’t really seen it in years.
A snoring sound quickly brings me back to reality. I look over at the armchair where I already know I’ll find Murray in. I nod my head at Ivy, pointing to Murray sleeping in the chair.
She stifles a giggle when she sees him with his head back in the armchair, a tiny bit of drool dripping off his lip, while a newspaper is spread out over his large belly. I walk over to the old man, who is sound asleep, and slap him hard once on the shoulder.
“I can see you’re hard at work, as usual,” I say loudly to ensure that he wakes up and hears me.
Murray startles awake, grumbling to himself, and then he sees me. He smiles—or at least, he opens his mouth and shows his teeth in what I know is a normal smile for Murray.
“Good to see you, boy. It’s been a while. And, of course, I’m hard at work.” He begins folding up the newspaper and sets it on the table next to him before he gets up and gives me a rough hug, as usual.
“I have somebody I’d like you to meet, Murray,” I say, running back over to grab Ivy’s hand. I pull her forward. “This is Ivy Lane. She’s—”
“She’s beautiful and talented and smart. I can already see it, just from looking at her. I think you have a good one here, Luca.” Murray holds out his hand to Ivy. “I’m Murray Mores. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ivy.”
Ivy surprises me by hugging Murray, just like I did earlier.
Murray chuckles. “You’ve definitely got a keeper. But I’m sure you’ve already gone and messed it up, like usual, Luca,” Murray says, his eyes going back and forth between Ivy and me.
Of course he already knows that I screwed it up. He can read me that well.
“He hasn’t done anything that is unforgivable. And he’s done quite a bit in these last twenty-four hours to show me that he might be worth forgiving anyway,” Ivy says, looking over at me with a gleam in her eye.
I smile back, but honestly, I would hate it if she forgave me right now. Not until she knows everything. Not until she understands what’s at stake. Then, she can decide.
“Well, you just come and talk to me if he mistreats you in any way. I’ll give him a stern talking-to again, like when he was a boy,” Murray says.
Ivy laughs. “Will do, sir.”
“Please call me Murray. And definitely don’t start calling me all that King and Your Highness nonsense that the staff will try to convince you to say.”
“Thank you, Murray. I have enjoyed the tour of your home. It’s quite spectacular,” Ivy says.
“Has Luca shown you the secret castle ruins yet?” Murray asks.
Ivy’s eyes brighten as she looks up at me. “No. He seems to have missed that stop on the tour.”
“Well, he definitely has to do that. My favorite place on all the grounds. You’ll love it, Ivy.”
“We should make it our next stop,” Ivy says.
I shake my head. “I’m going to show you your room first and give you time to freshen up before Margaret gets back,” I say.
Ivy frowns.
“Oh, yes. My dear wife will definitely have a comment if you meet her in a dress that has a spot of dirt on it, even if you do look beautiful. And I’m sure you want to rest. I’ve heard about your adventures today,” Murray says.
“Adventures?” Ivy asks, a little annoyed that he called her kidnapping an adventure.
Murray sighs as he walks over to the small TV in the corner of the room and flicks it on. Immediately, her face
appears on the screen. The image is most likely from her driver’s license, and it appears next to footage of her shirtless, making out with me on the street. There is no mention of her kidnapping, just that the prince has returned and found himself a rather promiscuous princess prospect.
I run my hand through my hair and then rub my neck hard. I knew this was bound to happen. I was just hoping I could get Ivy settled before she saw this.
“Why are they not mentioning my kidnapping?” Ivy asks as she walks closer and closer to the TV.
Murray and I exchange glances.
“Because we didn’t—” I start to say.
“Because the media are shitheads that only care about selling magazines and newspapers and will paint you in whatever light they feel. Don’t worry; Margaret will have you in a pretty ballgown by the end of the day, and they won’t have any choice but to see you as a beautiful, intelligent woman who made one past mistake,” Murray says.
“But I didn’t make a mistake. It’s not like I just went on the street and took my shirt off to make out with Luca.”
Murray sighs. “Honey, don’t worry about it. This family has seen worse scandals than this. This is nothing. They already think Luca is rather promiscuous anyway, and once they really get to know you, they’ll realize that they don’t have a story—at least, not the one that they think they do. Don’t worry about it. The country will love you if you choose to let it.”
My eyes go from Murray to Ivy, trying to see if she buys it, if she understands, or if I’ll have to explain more of why we aren’t doing anything to clear her name and explain the reason she was half-naked on our streets.
Ivy looks from Murray to me. She looks deep into my eyes, trying to decide if we’re telling the truth or not. I put my hands in my pockets, trying my best not to encourage her one way or the other. All I’ve ever done is lie to her, and I don’t really want to have to do more of that now if I don’t have to. I’d rather let Murray fib a little bit along with the truth other than flat-out lie to her myself. She takes a second longer and then seems to accept Murray’s words.