A Royal Holiday (Royals of Valleria #5)

by Marianne Knightly

  Nate sighed and turned to Alex. “I suppose I could start transitioning back to my duties.”

  Alex chuckled. “I’ll say you will. Come find me in the morning.”

  Nate looked at Charlie again. “Do you mind a little more obsession for tonight?”

  Charlie smiled. “I suppose I could put up with it.” Nate smiled back and kept her chair, and her body, flush against his.

  “Shall we retire to the sitting room again? I thought coffee might be better near the fire,” Genevieve proposed.

  Marcello shot Alex a glance. “Actually, Mama, I think it’s better if we split up tonight,” Alex said.

  Genevieve gave him an appraising look. “That’s fine. Ladies, why don’t we meet in my sitting room then, and I’ll have some tea brought around instead. We can finalize our outfits for the ball.”

  “Gentlemen,” Gabriel said. “Let’s meet in my study for a few moments.”

  “What’s going on?” Alex asked Marcello when the room had emptied but for them.

  “It’s Portia.”

  Alex’s jaw clenched. “What now?”

  “She’s here.”

  “That’s not news. You already told me she was in Valentia.”

  “I mean that she’s here, in the palace.”

  “How the fuck did she get into the palace? What is she doing here? Did the paparazzi see her?”

  Marcello held up his hands. “Calm down. No one saw her. I arranged to have her brought here.”

  Alex’s mouth fell open. “You what?”

  “I had someone contact her. No, they weren’t followed to the meet, nor were they recognized as one of my men.”

  “Unless she had a camera or microphone recording the whole damn conversation.”

  “I sent my man with a jammer that blocked any recording equipment, including cameras, nearby. He posed as a reporter from a local paper wanting to buy the pictures.”

  Alex crossed his arms over his chest. “What did she say?”

  “She said she wanted to meet with you as part of the deal.”

  “She actually believed a reporter could arrange something like that? And what possessed you to bring her here? Like hell I’m seeing her.”

  “Hear me out.”

  Alex shook his head. “She betrayed me and, worse than that, her actions hurt Rebecca.”

  “I know how you feel. Believe me, I do. I’d feel the same if this were happening to Grace.”

  “Then why is she here, in our home, no less?”

  Marcello sighed. “So we can search her hotel room while you keep her occupied. I’ve already uncovered two safety deposit boxes under her name, both of which were clean. However, there was a third one she opened years ago using her mother’s maiden name, and she emptied that one out before coming to Valentia.”

  “You think it held the video, and that she brought it with her?”

  “If there is a video, then, yes, I do.” Marcello handed him a small earpiece. “Put this in. My men are searching now. If we find it while you’re talking to her, I’ll let you know.”

  “That may not be her only copy.”

  “And that’s something you can find out during your conversation.”

  Alex nodded and slipped in the earpiece. “And you’re sure no one saw her come in? The last thing we need is more of this scandal.”

  “Especially since the whole country is now abuzz with potential baby news, right?”

  “Shut up.”

  Marcello chuckled. “Just stating the obvious. Look, she doesn’t know the reporter was one of ours. I made it look like he arranged the meet at the palace. We used one of our secure cars that’s disguised like a taxi to pick her up. If anyone saw her, they’d think she was a tourist wanting to see the palace lit up at night and catch a glimpse of the Royal Christmas Tree decorated outside.”

  “I want Rebecca with me.”

  “Are you sure about that?”

  “Yes,” Alex said easily. “Rebecca would kill me if I didn’t bring her.”

  “She told you that?”

  “She didn’t have to. I’m not an idiot. There’s no scenario that doesn’t include Rebecca at this meeting.”

  Marcello nodded, though his creased forehead clearly indicated his displeasure at the idea. “Then you’d better tell her quick. Portia’s already been waiting about an hour.”

  “And you think I care about that?”

  “No, but if she gets spiteful at Rebecca for having to wait, you will. You can’t exactly throw her out of the palace.”

  A bemused expression crossed Alex’s face. “Can’t I though?”

  Marcello shook his head. “Jesus. What idea do you have now?”

  A broad grin split Alex’s face before he outlined his plan.

  ***

  It was nearly half an hour later when Alex saw Rebecca walking down the hall, her security agents trailing her. She’d changed into a fitted dress in dark, bold Vallerian purple, and the pin she wore – the Vallerian coat of arms set in gold and jewels – shone bright against the bold garment. The other significant piece of jewelry she wore was her amethyst and diamond engagement ring, which she was currently twirling around her finger. Despite the confidence of her outfit, she was clearly nervous; he wished he could take her nerves away.

  He pulled her into his arms when she got close enough and let her settle into his embrace. “Are you sure you want to come, darling?”

  She nodded against him. “Are you sure you don’t mind me there?”

  He tilted her chin up with his fingers. “Of course not. I just don’t want you to get hurt. She’s bound to lash out at you.”

  “Clearly, you’ve forgotten that I can give as good as I get.”

  Alex gave her a sly smile. “No, darling, that’s something I never forget.”

  “Stop that.”

  “Stop what?”

  “Stop being so charming. She,” Rebecca said as she gestured to the door behind them, “doesn’t deserve it.”

  Alex gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “No, she doesn’t.” Turning, he gestured to the agent guarding the door to open it, and he stepped inside first.

  Marcello had placed Portia in a small sitting room, far from the Royal Wing of the palace. The fire was lit and she was standing small and slim beside it in a fitted black dress. Her model’s figure had held up over time, though, as she turned to face him, he realized some surgical help may have been involved.

  Her hair was still the sharp, pin straight, raven black he remembered. Her height, barely half of Alex’s, was accentuated by a pair of very tall heels. Rebecca often wore ridiculous heels that turned him on in an instant; Portia and her heels, however, had never held that power. He had once been attracted to her, true, but had never once felt that consuming lust that Rebecca pulled from him.

  The corner of Portia’s mouth tilted slightly upwards in an awkward smile; he guessed that was her post-surgery version of a smile. “Alex. I’m so pleased to see you.”

  As she began to walk towards him, he held up one hand. “Please don’t bother coming any closer,” he said in a clipped tone. He stepped aside and Rebecca entered.

  “What’s she doing here?” Portia demanded.

  “You’ll show us both some respect, or you’ll be shown the door.”

  “Alex–.”

  “That’s His Royal Highness Prince Alexander to you,” Alex said without an ounce of guilt.

  “You’ve got to be kidding. We’ve made love. I’m not going to call you that. Unless,” Portia began in a sly voice, “you’d like me to call you that in a more intimate situation.”

  “Sit down and shut up,” Alex said, unapologetically. “Rebecca, darling, may I present Portia – well, I’ve forgotten what her last name is at the moment.”

  “Yes, it’s easy to forget, I’m sure,” Rebecca said to Alex, then turned to Portia’s seething face. “I could say it’s a pleasure to meet you. However, we both know that is not the case.”

  Alex and Rebecca to
ok a place on the loveseat, leaving Portia to take a seat on a lone, cushy chair.

  “I had hoped to speak to you privately,” Portia said.

  “Anything you want to say to me, you can say in front of my fiancée. We have no secrets.”

  Portia crossed her arms over her chest. “Are you sure about that? Should I tell her about the times we made love? Perhaps detail the hours you spent worshipping my body?”

  Alex refused to respond to her baiting, but did put his hand casually on Rebecca’s thigh, for her support as well as his own. “Is that why you demanded a meeting with me? To relive old times? You cannot be naïve enough to think that I’d ever want to do that. Particularly with someone who violated my privacy so atrociously.”

  Portia’s posture faltered briefly, but she sat up straight again a moment later. “We were good together. I’d make a far better wife than she would,” Portia said as she gestured to Rebecca. “What does she know about proper protocol? You need a wife who was born into a higher societal class, as I was, not some common girl.”

  Anger glittered through Alex and, just as he was about to lash out, Rebecca intervened. “Why do you really want to sell the video, if it, in fact, exists? You can’t be foolish enough to think you’d be accepted by the family or the public as a royal wife. No country wants a whore for a queen.”

  Though Portia winced, Rebecca narrowed her eyes and continued. “There’s another reason, isn’t there? Perhaps a trade of some sort?”

  Portia looked briefly into the fire, then back at them. “All right, yes, there is. I have a proposal for you, Alex.” She cleared her throat. “I am willing to give you the copy of the video, which does exist, in exchange for something I want.”

  “You claim you have the video, yet no one has been shown any proof of that.”

  “I have it here,” Portia said, removing a long-chained necklace from underneath her dress, at the end of which was a large, round stone locket, as tall and wide as her thumb. She clicked it open to reveal a small memory card, typically used in digital cameras. “See, I wasn’t lying.”

  “You still could be. That card could be blank.”

  Frustration eeked through Portia’s countenance. “I’m not lying. It’s on here, I promise.”

  “You’ll forgive me if I take your promises with a grain of salt. You told me once you didn’t have any more copies of the video you illegally took of me. Are you telling me now that this is the last and only copy?”

  Alex saw Portia’s face falter, and he knew; there were more copies. “So you are lying to me.”

  “I’m not.”

  Alex scoffed. “Tell it to a judge. By the time the courts are through with you, no man will be interested in becoming husband number five for your collection.”

  As Alex and Rebecca stood to leave, Portia burst out of her chair. “I don’t need another husband.”

  Rebecca crossed her arms over her chest. “Really? You just made a show of saying you thought you’d be a better wife for Alex than me.”

  “I would be, but I know that you may not be able to take me as a wife. Especially if the papers were correct and there’s a child and heir to the throne on the way.” Neither Alex nor Rebecca disabused her of the notion that there was no pregnancy.

  “What I’m proposing instead is that I become Alex’s mistress. He can fund my lifestyle, and I can be the person he needs at social functions. Just because he has to marry you for the country’s sake doesn’t mean he has to put up with you.”

  Alex and Rebecca stood dumbfounded for a moment and then burst out laughing.

  Portia looked agog. “Just what is so funny?”

  Alex just shook his head as the laughter subsided. “I’m simply shocked that you are the same woman I knew all those years ago. But you’re not, are you? You’re not.” Portia frowned but didn’t say anything.

  “Your proposal shows just how little you know me, care about me, or even care about Valleria and my duty to this country.” He turned to lock eyes with his fiancée. “Rebecca is the love of my life. No one – past, present, or future – will ever compare to her.”

  He turned back to Portia. “I would never have a mistress. Never. I’m the future king of Valleria, for Christ’s sake; do you honestly think I would ever do that?” Alex shook his head again. “I am sorry your most recent husband left you bankrupt. Yes, I know about that,” he said to her startled face. “But you are not my responsibility, and I will not have you disparaging the reputations of me or my family.”

  “We’ve found five other memory cards in her hotel room,” Marcello said softly through the earpiece. “And before you ask, yes, I’ll review them on my own later to confirm the content. And damn it, I’ll need my eyes scrubbed out afterwards.”

  Alex’s mouth quirked in a half-smile. He would owe his brother big.

  “It doesn’t matter,” Portia said, stiffening her back again. “I’ll still sell the video and make a great deal of money from it. That’s how I’ll get the money I need.”

  “Oh?” Alex said, his voice deceptively mild, as he stood and walked towards Portia. “The news business is ripe with gossip about who is getting what scoop over the other. You could only make that sort of deal once, as the other news outlets will find out about it.”

  “That doesn’t matter. I’ve got six copies of the video, and I’ll find a way to sell it to six papers at the same time, that’s all. They won’t know until they all run the same headline in the morning, will they?”

  “Oh, I have a feeling they will, but thank you for confirming the existence of the other copies.” Alex ripped the necklace from her. Though she cried out in pain, Alex knew it was all for show. He would never physically harm a woman, no matter how much he despised her. Alex palmed the memory card and threw the necklace into the fire.

  Portia was seething. “I’ve still got five other copies. You can’t stop me.”

  Alex walked back to Rebecca, who was now standing beside the couch. “I already have. I think you’ll find those copies missing when you return to your hotel room.”

  “What?” Portia screeched.

  “Oh, and actually you’ll find that you’ve been checked out of the hotel as well. You’ll find your belongings waiting for you later tonight.”

  “But I need somewhere to stay tonight.”

  “You’re flying back to Italy tonight. I should say that you’re being extradited, since you’ll be facing criminal charges when you return.”

  Portia put a hand to her chest. “What? You can’t do that.”

  Alex’s eyes glittered with anger. “The hell I can’t. I had an interesting conversation with the Italian prime minister, who was only too happy to assist me. It seems that I’m not the only one you’ve tried to blackmail.”

  “That’s not true.” Portia’s wild eyes looked around the room, for what, he didn’t know. There was nothing there to help her. “It’s not true, I tell you.”

  “More lies?” he asked in a low voice. “Then let me make one thing very clear. You are banished from Valleria. Never again will you be allowed inside these borders, or within miles of me and my family.”

  Alex walked up to her, his arms stiff at his sides. Portia wrapped her own arms around herself. “No one, and I mean no one hurts Rebecca, my country, my family, or myself. And you’ve done all of the above. No one threatens me and gets away with it.”

  “Please. You can’t do this.”

  “You’ve made your bed,” Rebecca said from across the room. “Now you’ve got to lie in it.”

  The room was silent but for the crackling of the fire and Portia’s gasps as her new reality descended upon her.

  Alex gave her a pitying look. She’d once been kind and sweet. Perhaps that had been a mirage, or perhaps it hadn’t been, but her mother’s scheming overtook her. It was a pity what she’d become; even she deserved more than this.

  “I’m going to give you one last piece of advice.”

  She scoffed. “As if I would listen.” />
  “You should,” Alex said calmly as he wrapped an arm around Rebecca. “You could have some semblance of freedom, after a time in jail. If you show remorse, there may be some hope for you. Your life doesn’t have to end in jail.”

  “I’ll never go to jail. Never.” Portia’s face contorted in bitterness. “I’ll leave Valleria, but I won’t go to Italy. I’ll make a new start somewhere. I’ll find someone else.”

  “You don’t have a choice.” Alex knocked on the door and two agents entered. “These men will take you to a private plane where the Italian authorities are waiting.”