48
It was a nice day for a procession.
Due to the height of San José, the Aragon summer in the capital was bland and even with the sun blazing down on them from a cloudless sky, the air was fresh and cool.
Ludwig straightened in his seat beside Angelica and watched as the people slowly passed, glad that the sun had made a tremendous appearance for this day. His heart swelled as he watched Angelica, in a sleeveless, low neckline ice-blue dress with an ultra-feminine hat in cream lace with blue and pink floral accents wave at the people she loved so fiercely, happiness rolling off her. That was all he wished for her to be. Happy.
“A great day, eh?” Angus said, giving Ludwig a wink from above the head of the two women between them.
Ludwig returned his friend’s smile, glad to see that he had allowed Siobhan to join her family. They had certainly been happy to see her. He knew that Angelica had been nervous this morning about not only the arrival of Siobhan, but also the parade itself.
As the cars rolled slowly on the main avenue, Ludwig saw the cathedral where Angelica should have married Abelardo. He would make sure not to marry her there. Perhaps they could wed in the open. Or perhaps, he should follow Emma’s advice.
He rolled his eyes at himself as he remembered that barely less than a month ago he was thinking love didn’t exist; that love wasn’t good for people.
His happiness was so great he was sure everyone could see it on his face, in his smile. He felt it inside him, in the thumping of his heart against his chest, as if begging to be let out and brighten the world. And it was all because of the gorgeous and amazing woman beside him.
He snaked his arm around Angelica’s waist, and bending his head, he whispered in her ear, “Have you ever thought of eloping?”
Abelardo’s hands shook as the seconds ticked away and the time came for him to act. It was now or never. His heart beat so hard, he could feel his pulse in his burning ears. He was starting to hate that this had become his fate. That he had to die so that others could have the life they deserved.
He could clearly see the faces of the beautiful people in their convertible town cars, waving at the crowd who stupidly loved them, including the newcomer, Siobhan.
Me cago en la madre que te parió!
He hated her even more than the rest of them. How lucky was she to wake up one day and suddenly find out she was a princess? Rotten little bitch.
He turned his attention to his screen and tapped the telephone number of the cell phone that would detonate the bombs, waiting calmly until all the three limousines were over the sewage holes were the bombs were.
Perfect synchronicity. Now.
He pressed Send.
Unbelievably, Abelardo watched Valantín’s limousine continue to move. “Why the fuck isn’t it exploding?”
He hit End and then Redial. And nothing.
As Princesses Maria and Anchela waved his way, he punched the number again and then Send.
Nothing.
“Vete a la mierda todos!”
“No!” Angelica exclaimed.
He pretended to be hurt for a second and then smiled. “Okay, I’ll marry you here—”
“Look out,” she screamed.
Ludwig turned his head in time to see Abelardo jumping inside the car and launching himself at her, a glint of metal in his hand.
Ludwig growled as he quickly moved to protect her and clashed with the shorter man. The impact threw him back and he lost his balance.
This bastard had finally gone too far and would be incarcerated today.
“Ludwig!” Angelica’s scream penetrated the haze and he heard the sound of gunfire before he crumpled to the floor of the car with Abelardo’s body over his.
Angelica sank down beside Ludwig on the limousine’s floor as soon as Angus pulled Abelardo’s body away.
Panic rushed over Angelica as she saw how much blood was on the floor beneath him and his white shirt was soaked in red. “You’re hurt. You’re bleeding.”
“I am?” Completely dazed, he looked down at himself as Angelica opened his jacket with trembling hands.
A knife protruded from Ludwig’s chest, the blade only half-way through.
Her heart stopped beating. “So much blood.”
“It’s not all mine,” he said idiotically. “It’s also his.”
“Cristo.” She wasn’t even conscious of breathing, and yet her lungs ached fiercely. She would have preferred if Abelardo had stabbed her. Closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath. “Don’t you dare die on me.”
“Don’t intend to.” He blinked, as if fighting to keep conscious.
“Let me see.” Angus probed around the blade. “It seems to be in the pectoral muscle.”
As the ambulance arrived and the paramedics rushed over, the sudden reality of the moment crashed down around her, hitting her like a tidal wave: she loved Ludwig.
Before Angelica realized she needed to brace herself for it, it hit her. She had put herself out there. She had…fallen in love.
There. She’d said it to herself. She’d fallen in love with him.
Angelica just didn’t expect love to be this heavy rock to form in her chest as he reached for her, pulling her close. “Ludwig.”
“Ich liebe dich,” he whispered and then his lips found hers, claiming her, demanding she stay, refusing to allow her to leave when the paramedics put him on a stretcher and loaded him in the ambulance.
He held onto her hand as if for dear life. And nothing in this world would ever make her want to let that man go. A man who had taught and shown her so much tenderness.
The keeper of her heart.
Harrison brought the news as she was still waiting for the doctors to tell her how Ludwig was doing.
In exchange for a plea bargain and a royal pardon—that Chief Bandres had promised without consulting Valantín—Lauriana had confessed to being part of the Dragonslayers group and they did indeed plan on killing the royal family. She also revealed Aguilar’s whereabouts, but when the Spanish intelligence and Roger arrived there, the barn was void of people and things.
Angelica heard it all through a loud buzz. The anguish she felt was worse than any injury she’d ever known. She felt as if she was falling though empty air with no landing in sight. She could have lost Ludwig, the man she loved.
What if she’d been able to come to this realization sooner? She’d have been able to spend more time with him. Sitting with him. Laughing with him. Having sex with him. She loved having sex with that man.
Dancing with him at the Romani wedding.
She smiled in spite of herself. He’d even sung. There had been something magical there.
With him, she’d learned so many things about herself, things she’d never thought possible. She didn’t think she was ready for more but she was.
How had he done that? Settled herself into his life like that? So quickly.
“I didn’t expect to see you smile at a time like this.” Siobhan’s voice was curious.
“I was just remembering something,” Angelica said quietly.
“Share. Please.”
“Ludwig sings.”
Angus snorted. “He does not.”
“Sí. And he does it very well.” As everything else. Angelica ducked her head so they couldn’t see the tears in her eyes. “It was easily the most romantic thing I’d ever experienced.”
Emma, who had joined them as soon as she finished reporting the news outside the hospital, glanced at her from the corner of her eye. “How did you two meet?”
Angelica blinked the tears away before raising her head and pointing to Siobhan and Angus. “At their wedding.”
Emma frowned through a smile. “I hate weddings.”
“I did, too.” Angelica laughed teary. And the words that left her mouth surprised even herself, “Now, I’m anxious to be planning mine.”
Angelica didn’t even know if she was getting married. Ludwig had never asked. But he did ask if I wanted
to elope…that must mean something, right?
“Seriously?” Emma gave her a look of disbelief before her attention moved to the doctor that approached which made her sprung up standing.
“Your Highness? I’m Doctor Crestina Cacho. His Highness was very, very lucky.” A short, smiling woman bowed her head at her and waited for Angus, Siobhan, Jaxon, and Emma to gather around her. “The blade was only two inches from his heart. A few stitches and antibiotics and he’ll be good as new in a few days.”
Gracias a Díos. The relief which coursed through Angelica was so strong, she collapsed in the chair behind her. “Gracias, Doctor. Muchas gracias.”
“De nada.” Doctor Cacho patted Angelica’s shoulder and gave her a gentle smile. “You should go home now and rest. He will be there in one hour all patched up and ready to be fussed over.”
Angelica smiled at the doctor. She did intend to fuss over Ludwig.
Angelica sat in her sitting room with Siobhan, feeling better after a shower and a new change of clothes. “So, how do you find your accommodations?”
“Delightful! I’m an invited guest in a harem.” Siobhan giggled and shook her head. “I can imagine how it was.”
Angelica chuckled. “Quite a barbaric tradition, no?”
“Quite.”
“Siobhan,”—Angelica put her hand over her sister’s—“I do want us to be great friends.” And she meant that.
Her sister went still for a moment, her smile falling slightly. “Do you know what that means?”
“Not fully.” Angelica wasn’t going to lie. “I’ve never really had a friend. I’ve always had Maria, my sister—and my brother, of course, but he’s much older—but I’ve never had someone I would rely on outside of that. I’ve had my assistant, Malba. Mr. Cébrian, our advisor, but he’s not someone I would call a friend. A trusted advisor? Yes. Friend?” She shook her head.
“I also never had many friends.” Siobhan dropped her gaze then looked up with tears in her eyes and threw her arms around her sister. “I would love to think of you as a friend.”
Angelica’s heart lurched as if being released from a leash she hadn’t even realized it had been on. “Good.” She bowed her head as she grinned so wide, she must look like an idiot.
Silence filled the space between them for a moment.
Had she just made things awkward between them? She certainly hoped not.
“As a friend,” Siobhan said hesitantly, “I’m going to ask what you plan to do with Ludwig.”
This had to be what girl talk was, and it was…exciting. It felt so natural and wonderful and Angelica wondered how she’d survived so long without it. She felt like she was touching other people for the first time in her life. Like she was being awakened.
“I’m not sure.”
“Well, I’m a hopeless romantic. But…” Siobhan held up both of her hands, her lips pushed out before she continued. “Why don’t you ask him?”
Angelica frowned, not understanding what she should ask Ludwig. She already knew he loved her. “Ask what?”
“To marry you.” Siobhan gave her a shrug. “We are in the twenty-first century, you know. You don’t always have to wait for the man.”
“I know, but…” Angelica curled up in her chair, feeling comfortable for the first time…maybe ever with another woman who was not Maria. “I’m old-fashioned?”
Siobhan shook her head with a smile. “I have a hard time believing that.”
“I am.”
Ludwig stepped in, his hands clasped behind his back. He glanced at Siobhan. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were busy.”
“We’re just talking.” Angelica didn’t know how she calmly slipped her shoes on and stood up from the chair. All she wanted right now, was jump up from the chair, run the distance between them, hold him tightly in her arms, and kiss him until they were both breathless.
“I’m going to see what Jaxon and Angus are doing.” Siobhan beamed a grin at her and rose to her feet. She gave Angelica a conspiratorial wink as she slipped out of the room and mouthed, Ask him.
Epilogue
As soon as Siobhan was out of her rooms, Angelica rushed to Ludwig’s side. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine.” He smiled at her fussing over him—not that he was going to complain. “It was but a scratch, more a scare than anything.”
“I was worried,” Angelica said, since it took him more than the promised one hour to come back. But it seemed there was no reason to be concerned. Looking at him, no one would know he had been stabbed. Not even a hint of paleness betrayed it. He looked absolutely wonderful in a clean baby-pink button-down shirt and dark gray jeans.
“I needed to take care of one thing before coming back.” He grinned at her mischievously and then gestured to the riad. “Walk with me?”
Angelica couldn’t help herself. She smiled at him, every nerve in her body begging for his touch. She wanted him in every way imaginable. She followed him to the gardens that edged the cliffs.
The light had gone soft as the summer twilight wound down, all brushed with golden-orange tips of fire-red reflecting on the turquoise lake below.
He waited until they were behind a trellis of rose vines before turning to her. “I’ve gone over this moment a hundred times, wanting it to be absolutely perfect.”
She had an idea what he was talking about. She wasn’t going to play stupid. “Perfect is overrated.”
He chuffed. “Good. Because I’m sure I’m going to mess this up.”
She didn’t know how he possibly could.
He took her hand and led her further down the way.
She kept glancing at him, unable to avoid looking his way. It was like the sun, in its brightness, beckoned her, but its brilliance was too blinding.
He cocked his head to the side, licked his lips. “I was going to give you poetry because you seemed to like that, but now that we’re here, that seems stupid.”
“We can do poetry later,” she offered.
“That sounds fine.” He reached into his pocket and came up with a fist. His fingers unfolded to reveal the ring.
Around a large diamond in the center blooming rose petals also made of diamonds made the most unique engagement ring Angelica had ever seen. It was obviously a family heirloom. She whispered, “It’s…exquisite.”
“Angelica.” Those electric blue eyes looking deep into hers when he picked up her hand in his.
Her breath caught in her chest and her hand shook slightly.
“Princess Angelica Rafela di Castella y Aragon, I love you. I have never loved anyone before you. Honestly. This is my first time.” He swallowed, cleared his throat. “Will you marry me?”
She hadn’t realized just how desperately she had longed to hear him utter those words out loud. Not because her brother was asking what his intentions were, not because her mother wanted her to do the honorable thing.
But because he loved her.
Love, she realized, could sometimes come fast, but it didn’t make it any less real. Love could make you hear the cicada buzzing and the breeze singing through the trees and decide it was the most beautiful of symphonies. The sharp smell of pine on the fresh and just cool enough air were the best perfumes in the world.
She nodded, unable to say anything.
“Yes?”
“Yes.”
His face split in a grin. He pushed the ring on her finger and grabbed her to him, twirling her around, before stopping mid-circle with a low curse.
“Ludwig.”
He waved her concern away and kissed her passionately.
Her mouth pressed eagerly against his, and that mouth was warm and soft and fresh as summer rain. He breathed the unique scent of the soap she used which left her smelling of lavender and burnt sugar. Of Angelica. He would forever associate that smell with her.
Her hands slipped on his hair and she stared deep into his eyes and breathed, “Te quiero.”
His blood sang with bliss. He closed his eyes, l
ost in her caress.
He leaned back against the tree, his grasp on her waist crushing. She clung to him, her slim, sweetly curved body melting on his hard length.
“Ich liebe dich,” he choked out the words he had never given any other woman before.
She cupped his face in her hands and brushed a kiss to his lips. “Te amo.”
When he held her tightly in his arms like this no joy could have been more complete. He was complete. “I love you. You will never know how much I love you. There aren’t words.”
“They are not needed.” She knew that as long as they stayed together, nothing bad could happen to them.
He laughed, rested his forehead on hers, and whispered on her lips, “You have stars in your eyes.”
“I can see fine through them.” She smiled at him. “They just brighten things up.”
As the night fell around them and the stars appeared in the sky, their love slid through them in a hopeful promise of a fresh and new beginning.
King Valantín Agustin di Castella y Aragon is trying to quash a revolt in the kingdom. The only thing he has going for him so far is that he hasn't been assassinated. Consumed mentally and physically with preventing civil war, the last thing he needs is a battle for his heart.
But not even a king has authority over the power of love.
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A Note from the Author
Thank you for reading Royal Affair! I hope you enjoyed Angelica & Ludwig’s love story. If you feel so inclined, please recommend this book to a friend and/or post an honest review.
Reviews help other readers find new books to enjoy and I’ll be grateful.
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