But if she were truly to return, she would need a place to stay that was big enough to accommodate the full-time nanny and the security team Nico sent with her. She’d thought the bodyguards would return to Montebianco when they delivered her to her destination, but no, they were as permanent as a presidential Secret Service detail. Danny was a prince, and the heir to the Montebiancan throne. He required security. She hadn’t escaped the danger after all, no matter how far she’d run.
Lily spent four days in the city, putting off the trip to Port Pierre each morning as she contemplated her next move. She went to see her mother in the treatment facility. Nico had spared no expense in getting the best help possible. Donna Morgan looked better than Lily had ever seen her. Her skin wasn’t so sallow, and she was actually filling out a bit. And she asked about her grandson, which shocked Lily and made her cry. When Lily left, Donna asked her to send pictures and to stay in touch. It was more interest in her life than her mother had shown in years and it touched her deeply.
On the sixth day, Lily hired a car and made the hour trek to her hometown. Port Pierre was exactly as she’d left it—and yet everything had changed. She knew she couldn’t work at the paper anymore, not when she was the news. Even in Port Pierre, they’d heard about her marrying a prince. Everyone stared at her as she made the rounds of the shops and businesses she’d once frequented.
She went to visit Carla, but it was awkward. Her friend had bought the historic home in Port Pierre’s center that she’d always wanted, and she was fixing it up with the money Nico had paid her. Carla apologized over and over, though Lily told her she understood. But she left the encounter feeling more alone than she ever had. Something had changed between them in the short time Lily was gone, and she knew their relationship would never be the same. They would remain friends, but they would never have that easy camaraderie they’d once had. Their paths had diverged forever.
Lily returned to New Orleans more confused and upset than ever. It really was true that you could never go home again. She was untethered, blowing in the wind like a dried husk, uncertain where she would land or if she would survive the trip. Violent storms were an unfortunate part of life in Louisiana, but you could rebuild after a storm. How did you fix the damage left in your soul when it was a man who’d caused the devastation?
But she would survive, she thought angrily. It would just take time.
As if on cue, an afternoon thunderstorm blew into the city, rain lashing furiously at the windows and booms of thunder cracking overhead that frightened Danny and made Senora Cosimo’s eyes widen in alarm each time. When it was over and everyone was soothed, Lily decided to walk the rain-washed streets alone. She needed to release some of her energy, needed to make a decision about what to do next, and she was determined to accomplish it this afternoon.
New Orleans was still a vibrant city, full of equal parts danger and exhilaration. She avoided the decadence of Bourbon Street, instead choosing the more elegant Royal Street a block over. To think she could now walk into any of the fancy shops and buy anything she wanted was still beyond her grasp. She was accustomed to living frugally, with the exception of her two weeks as the Crown Princess of Montebianco.
Eventually, she had to pass St. Louis Cathedral. She hesitated only a moment before looping around to the front of the building on Chartres Street. The white façade of the church practically glowed in the pale light that remained after the storm had passed. Lily crossed the street to Jackson Square, then turned and looked up at the three spires of the church.
She sighed, then decided to start toward the hotel again. A man ambled toward her through the square and she stopped, struck by how he reminded her of Nico at this distance. He even wore a hooded running jacket, the same as Nico had that first time she’d met him. She looked past him, toward the ray of sunlight that had pierced the clouds and painted the sky in bright golden colors.
When her gaze returned to the man, her heart quickened.
It could not be, and yet…
It took a very long moment for her to realize that her heart had recognized what her eyes still did not want to admit.
“Liliana,” Nico said, drawing up in front of her. His hands were in his jean pockets, but he took them out and pushed back the hood.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, dumbstruck. It was too much, the sight of him. All her memories of meeting him here two years ago crashed down on her. And everything since. She felt like she needed to sit, so she retreated to a park bench a few feet away and thunked down on it.
Nico followed, though he stood over her and didn’t join her on the bench. He looked… sheepish. And like he hadn’t slept in days. Lines of strain bracketed his mouth and dark circles lay heavy under his eyes.
His beautiful eyes.
“I want you to marry me,” he said.
If he’d announced he was joining the circus, she couldn’t have been more surprised. “But you just divorced me. Why would I want to go through it again?”
“Because you love me.”
Lily shot up off the bench, heart pounding. “How dare you come here and try to manipulate me this way! What happened, Nico, did you decide you’d made a mistake and now you want us back?”
“Yes.” He said it without hesitation.
The steam faded from Lily’s tirade. She had not the strength to battle him. Not anymore. “You pushed us away. You told us to go.”
“I have regretted it every moment since. I made a mistake.”
Lily shook her head, tears blurring her eyes. “I can’t do this, Nico. I can’t go through the ups and downs of a life with you.”
“The ups and downs can be quite pleasant, yes?”
“I can’t do this,” she repeated.
His smile faded. He looked grave, as serious as she’d ever seen him. “I want you, Lily. I want Danny. Come back to Montebianco with me. I will protect you both with my life.”
She choked down a sob.
“I can’t.” She clenched her fists together, fought the urge to scream at the top of her lungs. Her entire body trembled with the opposing forces beating at her. “Oh God, it’s not fair! I can’t stand a life without you, but how can I manage one with you?”
She whirled, intent on getting away, but he caught her and pulled her against him before she’d taken the first step. He pressed her cheek to his chest while she clutched his jacket. She wanted to push him away, and yet she couldn’t seem to do it. Her resolve was melting like ice under a flame thrower.
How pitiful was she?
All she could do was cling to his warmth, his strength. He smelled like home to her, like everything she’d ever wanted in her life. She closed her eyes, drank in his scent.
Beneath her cheek, his heart beat nearly as fast as her own. He pushed her a step back suddenly, tilted her head up with his palms on either side of her face. His eyes were as haunted as she felt.
“I love you, Lily. Do you hear me? I love you.”
She felt the tears slip down her cheeks now, faster than before. “You don’t mean it,” she said. “You can’t love me. You’re supposed to love someone like Antonella—”
“Never. I love you. No other woman compares to you. You are bright and beautiful, and you love me—”
“I didn’t say that!”
His smile was tender. “You didn’t have to.” He grasped her hand, pressed it to his heart. “Do you feel what you do to me? You see the real me, Lily. You are the only one who ever has, the one who owns me body and soul. If you tell me no, I will respect that. But I will die inside for every day you are not with me—”
“Stop, Nico,” she whispered. “I can’t take anymore—”
“It is the truth, tesoro mio. I adore you. I adore our baby, I want my life to be full again. It will only be so with you in it.”
She stared up at him, her heart careening into territory she didn’t understand. But her mind was more cautious. “I want it too, Nico—but how can I be sure you won’t change your
mind? That you won’t tire of a wife and children? I won’t accept girlfriends or royal mistresses or whatever you want to call them.”
“Lily, for God’s sake, didn’t you hear me? I love you. Only you. I want no one else. I cannot imagine being with anyone else.” He took her by the shoulders, looked her square in the eye. “You told me that you never wanted anyone but me. How can you imagine that I don’t know my own heart like you know yours?”
“That’s fair,” she whispered, her throat aching.
“Tell me you love me, Lily. Tell me you will marry me.”
But she couldn’t do it just yet. “It’s been six days, Nico.”
“I was on my way within hours after you left, but my father had a mild heart attack—”
“Oh no! I’m sorry.”
“He is well, cara. It was very mild, and the drugs dissolved the clot instantly. But I had to return and remain as regent while he was on bed rest.”
“Duty called,” she said.
“It will often do so. I cannot lie to you about that. Sometimes, I will have to obey the dictates of duty. But I will never do so when your happiness is at stake. Never, mi principessa.”
She toyed with one of the strings on his jacket. “I understand, Nico. And it’s one of the things I admire most about you. Your dedication to doing what is right, I mean.”
“It has taken me a very long while to get this right.” He dropped to one knee, and her breath caught. “Marry me, Liliana. Have babies with me. Make me smile, make me crazy, but most of all, say yes and make me happy.”
She blinked down at him. He meant it—oh God, he meant it.
“Shouldn’t you have a ring?” she teased, joy beginning to bubble inside her soul.
He grinned, fishing something from his pocket. “I do. It is most gaudy and ostentatious, but I have learned my lesson, I assure you. This,” he said, slipping the correctly-sized blue diamond onto her shaking ring finger, “is merely temporary. Until we can go to the jeweler’s and pick out a proper ring together.”
Lily clutched the diamond to her. “No, this one is perfect. It’s the one you gave me when I said yes to your proposal. I couldn’t dream of trading it.”
“So you agree to marry me?”
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I do,” she said, then bent to kiss him.
When she finally stopped, he stood and swept her into his arms, twirling her around until she giggled.
Then he set her down and pulled her in close, his hands on her hips. She couldn’t mistake that he wanted her when their bodies came into contact.
“I am crazy for you, Lily. Crazy.” He kissed her thoroughly, groaning when she pressed against him. But her body ached too. If she could get him back to the hotel, send Senora Cosimo and Danny down to dinner…
“I have a room,” he murmured. “Do you want to come back to it?”
She shivered. “I would love to.”
They hurried through the streets until he pulled up short in front of a building that housed an inexpensive hotel. Lily gaped at him. “It’s the same place.”
He grinned. “The same room, too.”
And then they were inside, tearing at each other’s clothes, mouths and bodies desperate to connect again. They never made it to the bed. Nico backed her into the wall and lifted her, then thrust inside her while she wrapped her legs around his waist. Their lovemaking was urgent, intense, and she quickly spiraled to the heights of pleasure, then splintered apart while he relentlessly drove her over the edge.
When it was finished, they slid down the wall to the floor, breathing hard. Lily let her gaze slide over the room. The rose wallpaper was about forty years out of date, the furnishings were neat and clean, though slightly scarred and threadbare, and the floor creaked.
“I’m surprised you remembered which room,” she said.
He looked indignant. “This place is very special, cara. The future king of Montebianco was conceived here.”
“And maybe, if we’re lucky, a brother or sister.”
Nico kissed her and grinned. “I will do my part, Lily. As many times as you deem necessary.”
“I’m sure one night won’t be enough. We will need to keep trying again and again…”
His smile widened. “And again and again.”
“Now you’ve got the idea.” Men. Thank God.
Nico laughed. “Until I die of exhaustion, mi principessa. I live to serve you in all ways. I love you.”
Lily traced her finger along his beautiful, lush mouth. How had she ever gotten so lucky?
This was right. So right.
“I love you too, Nico Cavelli. Even if you are a prince.”
Nico laughed. And then he kissed her again and everything in her world was right.
Epilogue
Nico and Lily were married again in Montebianco, a big state wedding with television crews and world media coverage. Princess Antonella caught the bouquet, and Donna Morgan looked very elegant and respectful as the mother of the bride. She wasn’t finished with her rehabilitation, but she was making progress every day. Lily actually enjoyed spending time with her, and Donna seemed to take the pageantry and protocol of having a royal daughter in stride.
Nico’s friends, Alejandro and Rebecca de Ramirez, were in attendance from Spain, and Lily enjoyed meeting them very much. Alejandro was a handsome Spaniard and Rebecca was his American wife. They had a new baby girl, and they seemed very much in love. Nico whispered to her that they’d had a bumpy ride to their happy ever after, but she couldn’t see any evidence of it. Not with the way they looked at each other.
That’s what love did. It pushed out all the bad stuff and filled people’s hearts with forgiveness and understanding. Nico had told Lily about his brother and their last conversation. Lily had held him hard in the darkness of their bed and told him she was so sorry. She’d also told him it wasn’t his fault. He’d said he was working on believing it.
Lily wished she had known Gaetano. His story inspired her to create an organization to promote tolerance and acceptance of differing sexualities in Montebiancan society. It was a small step, and not nearly enough of one, but she firmly believed it was a start. Nico supported her wholeheartedly. Together they would work hard for equality for all.
She’d also managed to recruit the local reporters into her way of thinking when it came to coverage of her family. The coverage wasn’t always glorious, and falsehoods most definitely made it into the European tabloids, but Lily established a public relations office where she interacted with media representatives for a few minutes each week. She’d quickly become their darling, and she was determined to maintain as much control over her image, and her family’s, as possible. She enjoyed meeting with reporters now, and she always felt satisfaction at a job well done. Public relations, it seemed, was her true calling.
When Nico asked where Lily wanted to honeymoon, she answered without hesitation. The house on the coast. The days were spent making love, playing on the beach with Danny, and simply enjoying each other’s company. They even returned to the cave, this time with a picnic and a nice blanket, and finished what they’d started the last time.
Lily emerged from the shower after a particularly delightful afternoon in bed with her husband to find him sitting on the floor with their son. He often went and got Danny and brought him into their room while Lily dressed.
Danny stood across from Nico, his little face very serious as he held out his blue dinosaur and said something. Nico’s brows drew together, but he smiled and said something back.
Danny shook his head and said it again.
Nico looked up when she walked in. “Help.”
“I don’t know, Nico.”
Danny swung his gaze to Lily, but turned back to Nico. Then he toddled over and threw his arms around Nico’s neck. “Baba,” he said. “Baba.”
And then he set his dinosaur in Nico’s lap and walked away.
Nico’s eyes were shining as he looked at her. “Did he just say…?
”
Lily pressed her hand to her mouth. “Yes.”
“Don’t cry, Lily,” he said, getting up to come and hold her close.
“Same to you.”
“Princes don’t cry,” he said very seriously, even though his eyes were suspiciously wet.
“Of course not,” Lily agreed, squeezing him tight.
Then he tilted her head back and kissed her. And in spite of the fact they’d just made love, she wanted him again with a fierceness that always took her breath away.
“You are my happiness,” he said, pressing his lips to her forehead. “My soul. Both of you.”
“Three of us,” she corrected.
He searched her face, his eyes widening. “This is true? You are pregnant?”
“I think so, but I will need to be tested.”
“Get in bed,” he ordered.
“Nico, we just got out of bed.”
“No, you get in bed. Immediately. I will bring you dinner and—”
She put her hand over his mouth. “We’re not living in the middle ages. I think I can safely walk around the house, perhaps even swim a bit. Who knows, maybe I can even make love…”
“Very well,” he said with a long-suffering sigh. “But no more motorcycle riding.”
Lily laughed. “I’m sure I can agree to that.”
Thank you so much for reading FILTHY RICH PRINCE! I hope you enjoyed Nico and Lily’s royal story. Did you read Alejandro and Rebecca’s story? You can find that HERE.
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Filthy Rich Prince: A Filthy Rich Billionaires Book Page 18