Behind Palace Doors

by Jules Bennett

  How was he ever going to get over all of this if she chose to leave?

  * * *

  Victoria couldn’t stop smiling. Finally, she’d managed to take control, shut Stefan up and make him lose his mind all at once. Yeah, she was pretty proud of herself.

  The ride to the library and then home was quite memorable…for both of them.

  As they walked up the brick steps toward her front door, a car pulling into the circular drive had her turning back to see who the visitor was.

  Her heart stopped, her body tensing at the unwelcome guest.

  No. This couldn’t be happening. What was he doing here?

  “Victoria?” Stefan touched her arm. “Who is it?”

  Before she could answer, the car came to a stop and Alex unfolded himself from the two-door red sports car.

  “I’ll talk to him,” Stefan told her, jaw clenching. “You can go inside.”

  Victoria held up a hand and shook her head. “No, you go on in.”

  “Like hell,” she heard him mutter as she descended the steps to see what her ex could possibly want.

  Victoria didn’t want to play the alpha male drama game so she ignored Stefan’s remark. All she cared about now was why Alex had showed up here like he still had a right to.

  “Victoria,” he greeted her as she came to the base of the steps. “You look beautiful as always.”

  Crossing her arms over her chest, she thanked God that seeing him did absolutely nothing for her.

  “What are you doing here, Alex?”

  His eyes darted over her shoulder, then back. “Can we talk privately?”

  “You’re kidding, right?” Stefan asked from behind her.

  Victoria turned, gave him the silent “shut up” look, and turned back to Alex. “Whatever you want to say, say it so Stefan and I can go inside.”

  For the first time in his life Alex looked uncomfortable. Once again his eyes darted from Stefan to Victoria, and she knew he wasn’t going to say anything as long as Stefan was around. This bulldog stare down could go on all night, and she had other plans, which involved her husband getting naked and staying that way for a long time. She wasn’t going to let her ex who destroyed her ruin her evening or her life.

  Victoria spun back around and walked up a few steps to Stefan before whispering, “Give me five minutes. He’s harmless and he won’t talk if you’re glaring at him like my bodyguard.”

  “He hurt you, Victoria. He has no right being here.”

  Funny how Stefan wasn’t being territorial. He was upset because Alex had broken her. God, her heart melted even more. Did he have any idea how romantic, how sexy that was?

  Stefan eyed her and she was positive he was going to argue, but he leaned forward, kissed her slightly and said, “He can’t touch you now.”

  Stefan turned and walked up the steps into the house, leaving Victoria even more stunned. But she couldn’t think right now about all the amazing ways Stefan was showing her love. He may not even know it yet, but he was falling for her.

  It ticked her off that her ex stood behind her. She was supposed to be seducing her husband, showing him just how good they were together. Instead she was dealing with the one man who’d used her, cut her down in public and tossed her aside as if she were useless.

  Shoulders back, head held high, she faced him once again and met him at the bottom of the steps. Stefan was right; Alex couldn’t hurt her again. She refused to let him have an ounce of control in her life anymore. She took pride in the fact she was stronger now, thanks to Stefan.

  “You have five minutes,” she told him, resuming her stance and crossing her arms.

  “I made a mistake.” He took a step toward her, reached out to touch her shoulder, and Victoria jerked back. “Please, Tori.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding me. First of all, I’m married.”

  Alex shoved his hand back in his pocket. “You don’t love him like you did me.”

  Victoria smiled. “You’re absolutely right. What I feel for Stefan is completely different. I would do anything at all for him. I’ve never felt so appreciated and treasured as I do with him.”

  “Is that the money and title talking?”

  Before her mind could process what she was doing she found her open palm connecting with the side of his face.

  “I will not defend myself to anyone, especially you,” she told him, rubbing her thumb over her stinging hand. “Now get out of my sight before I let Stefan come back out and settle this in a very old-fashioned, clichéd way.”

  She didn’t need to tell Alex what that was. Any man would know.

  He rubbed the side of his cheek. “I didn’t come to argue with you. I wanted to know if your marriage was for real, and I just couldn’t imagine you fell in love with someone that fast and married. I mean, you always told me you two were only friends.”

  “We were always friends. Now I realize that Stefan was the only man for me. And this marriage is more real than anything you and I ever shared.”

  She didn’t wait for him to respond. Victoria pivoted on her heel and marched up the steps, running smack into a hard, familiar chest, instantly enveloped by a scent she’d come to associate with her husband.

  Strong hands wrapped around her biceps and pulled her flush with his body.

  “It’s okay,” Stefan whispered. “I’ve got you.”

  He walked her into the house and she realized tears were streaming down her cheeks. Had he heard everything? Fear and worry took the place of the anger she’d felt only moments ago. She didn’t want him to know how she felt yet. She couldn’t chance ruining their relationship.

  Any and every feeling she had for Stefan totally overshadowed anything she’d ever had for Alex.

  “We need complete privacy,” Stefan murmured.

  “Yes, Your Highness,” one of the guards stationed inside the door replied.

  Stefan swept Victoria up into his arms and she settled her face against his neck. Alex’s presence had awakened something in her, something she thought she’d never feel again. Love. But not love for her ex. No, she was utterly and completely in love with the man who carried her, the man who knew when to let silence express his care for her, the man who showed his tender, compassionate side at the shelter only an hour ago. The man who’d taken such joy in pleasuring her, in the bedroom and out.

  Her husband. She knew she’d fallen for him, but this moment solidified the fact she was completely in love. And perhaps she’d been in love with her best friend since they met. On some level she knew that to be true. But now she knew without a doubt that she loved him wholeheartedly and without any reservations.

  He’d given her the control over the end of their marriage and, to be honest, she wanted to make this relationship permanent. And not just permanent because they were friends and they got along in bed, but permanent because she knew Prince Stefan Alexander was her soul mate.

  And Fate had given her the chance to see just how a marriage, a love life should be. Now she just had to show Stefan.

  Eleven

  He was the only man for her?

  Dear God, what a bombshell. When the hell had she decided that? If she were having any notions of love…he couldn’t even fathom where that would put them.

  Stefan kicked the bedroom door closed, crossed the spacious room and gently laid Victoria on the chaise chair in front of the balcony doors. Sunshine streamed in through the windows, bathing their bedroom in bright rays.

  “I’ll get you some water,” he told her, his voice rough.

  “No.” Victoria wiped her damp cheeks and sat up straighter. “I’m fine. Sorry for the tears. I was caught off guard.”

  Stefan stared down at Victoria, surprised that he was jealous over the ex, who was obviously out of her life for good, she was shedding tears over.

  “I’m sorry it upset you to see him,” he told her, easing down on the edge of the chaise beside her hip. “I’ll advise my staff to keep him away if he returns.”


  Victoria smiled. “I appreciate that, but I doubt he’ll come back. He hates having his pride hurt, and my refusal to accept his lame apology and rush back into his arms really damaged his ego.”

  Her silky, golden blond hair lay over one shoulder, and his fingers itched to mess it up, to see it fanned out on her white, satin sheets as he made love to her again. She was always a stunning woman, but since they’d become intimate, her beauty had taken on a whole new level of sensuality.

  But he couldn’t pick up where they’d left off in the car, not when she was so upset and certainly not with the revelation he’d just heard.

  “I wish you wouldn’t cry,” he told her, trying not to think about what he’d overheard. “That’s one thing I cannot stand.”

  “My emotions are harder to hide than yours,” she explained. “I can’t just close them off, Stefan. I have feelings and sometimes they come out when I don’t want them to.”

  He rubbed his hands over his thighs in an attempt to keep from reaching out to her. Treading lightly during these next few minutes was a must.

  “I’m okay,” she assured him, wiping her cheeks and pasting on a smile. “Really. Don’t let Alex ruin our day.”

  Alex hadn’t ruined the day, but her verbal epiphany had sure as hell put an unexpected spin on where they stood with this marriage—and its open ending once the six months were over.

  He hated to bring up what was such a humiliating time in her life, but since Alex showed up, that had to be playing through her mind. What type of bastard would purposely have pictures taken with his new girlfriend, a pregnant one at that, while still engaged to another woman?

  He was quite convinced Victoria’s ex wasn’t a man, but the lowest form of life for treating her the way he had. Stefan felt he deserved a shiny gold medal to add to the collection on his royal coat because he hadn’t busted the guy in the face.

  She turned her head, looking out the double glass doors that led to her balcony. As he watched her profile, he saw her eyes fill up again.

  Well, hell. Now what had happened? This was precisely why he never got too involved with women. He just plain didn’t understand the emotional roller coasters they seemed to always be on.

  “I just had a bit of an epiphany, and it hit me harder than I expected.”

  A tight band formed around his chest and squeezed. Did that mean she truly felt what she’d told Alex about their marriage? Was she going to discuss it now? He sure as hell wasn’t going to bring it up. Yeah, he was being a coward, but there was a first time for everything.

  “Since you’re so quiet, I’m assuming the mood is gone.”

  He nodded and sighed. No way could they become intimate right now, not with her emotions so high.

  “I think we need to take a breather for today.”

  Hurt flashed in her eyes before her defiant chin lifted. “You’ve never been known for running away.”

  “I’m not running.” He was sprinting. “You need some time to think.” Some time to come to grips with her emotions that scared the living hell out of him.

  Before she could guilt him more with her expressive blue eyes, he came to his feet, walked out into the hall, closed the door and leaned back against it. His chest ached, like someone was squeezing the breath from his lungs.

  They’d only been married over a month. How in the world would they make it to the six-month mark with their feelings so at odds? Something about seeing her ex made Victoria realize her emotions were deeper than he’d thought. He only hoped she was just shocked by seeing Alex and once she truly thought about what she’d said, how she was feeling and where they needed to go from here, she’d see that maybe what she thought was romantic love was just a deeper level of friendship.

  He rested his head against the solid wood door and closed his eyes. Sleeping together had changed things, but he’d had no idea Victoria would fall for him.

  Stefan didn’t have a clue about how to proceed from here, but he did know that if Victoria cared for him the way she thought she did, he was going to have one hell of a problem on his hands. And it had nothing to do with the crown or the documentary.

  Love wasn’t something he had ever experienced outside his family or his country. He certainly wouldn’t try it out on the one person who meant the most to him. He couldn’t risk losing Victoria’s friendship by mucking it up with an emotion so questionable.

  Love had no room in this marriage.

  * * *

  “So based on the information you sent us, we completely agree that this story shouldn’t be kept silent.”

  Relief speared through Stefan at Bronson’s statement. He’d called Victoria’s brothers to see if they had time to meet last minute, but Bronson was the only one available. Anthony had to stay home with the kids because the baby was napping and Charlotte was out.

  He’d had to leave the house. He couldn’t face Victoria right now, not with her emotions so raw, so…gut wrenching. They needed a break and he needed to focus because sex and tears could cloud his vision.

  He’d cut off his arm before he intentionally hurt her, but if she had feelings that deep for him, he wasn’t sure how he could avoid damaging her already battered heart.

  “Stefan?”

  He focused back on Bronson, who had switched television shows for his sweet little girl, Bella. She was now enthralled in another program with crazy characters singing and dancing across the screen, making silly faces to get the toddler audience to laugh.

  “Sorry,” Stefan said. “Does Anthony feel the same way?”

  “Absolutely.” Bronson sat down on the leather sofa and stretched an arm across the back of the cushions. “We both believe that this story, if told the right way, would have the impact you want to make. Your father was simply the victim of bad timing, from the affair, to the public argument, to the death of your mother.”

  “So you’ll take on this project?” Stefan asked, hopeful.

  “If you trust Anthony and me to do the documentary justice, we’d be happy to. But, keep in mind we’ve never done this type of film before.”

  Stefan knew the two perfectionists wouldn’t let him, or his country, down. Stefan wanted his people to see his family in the way he did, to see that his father was not a murderer, but a man who was grieving, a man who’d lost his wife after such a public scandal and had instantly gotten a less-than-stellar reputation.

  With the beginning of his reign, Stefan wanted to wipe the slate clean and remove the dark stain from his family’s name.

  “You have no idea what this means to me,” Stefan said. “I owe you.”

  Bronson eased forward in his seat across from Stefan and nodded. “You can pay me back by telling me why my sister called here in tears and my wife is currently on the phone with her.”

  Na pari i eychi. He should’ve known that this meeting wouldn’t be simple.

  “Victoria had a very emotional day.” And wasn’t that a vast understatement. “Whatever she wants to share with Mia, or you, is up to her.”

  Bronson sighed. “I probably don’t need to tell you that Victoria is in this marriage deeper than you think.”

  Stefan swallowed the lump of guilt and fear that crept up. “No.”

  “And I’m the last person to give advice on how to go about keeping a woman happy, but try not to hurt her.”

  Could be too late for that.

  “Can you at least tell me what happened today that got her upset?”

  “Alex came by.”

  Which wasn’t a lie, but it was a combination of Alex’s appearance and her revelation that had her so distressed. Was she upset because she didn’t want to love him? Or was she upset because she knew in her heart that he couldn’t love her that way in return?

  “What the hell did that bastard want?” Bronson all but roared.

  Stefan shook his head. “I let Victoria talk to him alone, but she claimed he wanted to apologize. He didn’t believe our marriage was real and thought she would take him back. I didn’t hear
what all was said, but I did see her give him an impressive slap.”

  Bronson chuckled. “She’s only been that angry twice: once when we were kids and I tried to put her Barbie dolls’ heads in the garbage disposal and once when I was being an ass to Mia. Victoria loves with her whole heart, and once it gets bruised, she’s like a bear. You don’t want to cross her.”

  Well, damn. Victoria hadn’t come right out and said she loved him, but the implication was there. God, he couldn’t do love, had never wanted to. So how the hell had he allowed this to happen? He’d told Tori going in that this wasn’t about love, that the marriage was only about his country.

  Why had she done this to herself and how had he not seen this coming?

  Twelve

  “Guess I had my first emotional breakdown.”

  Victoria sat on the simple white bench across from the guest bath where Stefan had showered after his early morning run. They hadn’t spoken since her crying jag last night. He’d never come to bed and she assumed he’d slept in the spare room, but she couldn’t go on with all this tension inside her body or her home.

  “I guess so,” he replied.

  Stefan leaned against the door frame, all tanned and gloriously misty from the shower. One crisp white towel sat low on his hips, and he’d draped another around his neck. Muscles covered with beautiful tattooed artwork stared back at her, mocking her. No matter her heart’s emotions, her body wanted him and instantly responded.

  “I’m sorry about yesterday,” she told him, bringing her eyes back up to his face. “Seeing Alex threw me off.”

  Stefan’s dark brows drew together. “Why be sorry?”

  Victoria resisted the urge to look down at the floor. Instead she tilted her chin, held his gaze and shook her head. “Because I made you uncomfortable.”

  The muscle in his jaw clenched, and she knew he was still uncomfortable. Was it just Alex’s presence and her emotional breakdown that had made him ill at ease, or was it more? Had he heard what she’d said about their relationship?

  The implications of her outburst to Alex were something Stefan was not ready for. She wasn’t even sure she was ready herself, but she could no longer control her feelings toward her husband. Her heart clenched as if trying to protect itself from the inevitable hurt that would surely consume her once they discussed what her emotions meant to their marriage.