The Billionaire Prince’s Daughter (European Billionaire Beaus Book 2)

by Leslie North

  Artur sat in an overstuffed chair to the side, sipping a glass of wine and offering suggestions. “There’s a blue dress on the third rack that’s particularly striking.”

  She shot him a look over her shoulder. “How do you know it’ll fit?”

  “Everything here is your size.”

  “How do you know—” She shook her head. “I don’t want to know how you know that.”

  He grinned at her. “It’s all your style, too.”

  How long was it before the stylist excused herself, pulling a rack filled with Amy’s newly selected wardrobe behind her? It would all be cleaned and packed while she was at dinner and ready to depart with her the next morning. “I’ll leave the rest for you in case you want to choose a few more items,” Josia said with a nod. “The dress is a perfect fit.” Amy had changed into the blue dress to try it on, and she was still wearing it.

  Artur stood up from the chair and came to stand beside her. She looked up at him, heart leaping, face hot. “How did you know to do all this?” Her voice came out lower than she’d intended, more sultry. “Not just maternity clothes, but finding things in the styles I like, the colors I usually wear?”

  He shrugged, a sly smile coming to his face. “I looked you up. After that night at the gala—” Desire flashed through his eyes. “I did some poking online to learn more about you. It wasn’t hard to find photos of you looking gorgeous. I gave them to the stylist for reference.” He leaned in, brushing another kiss against her cheek. “The dress, though—that was me. And it looks stunning.”

  “…Thank you.” She reached behind her, but it was a stretch. “Could you unzip it for me? I’d hate to get any food on it.”

  “Gladly.” But Artur didn’t turn her around to unzip the dress. He kissed her, his mouth hot and possessive on hers, one hand slipping easily around her waist.

  The kiss deepened into something that had Amy’s body curving toward his...

  ...and the door opened behind them.

  “Please excuse me,” Josia said, coming into the room at top speed. Artur stood up tall, the back of his hand at his lips. Josia stopped, but it was too late. The moment was over. “I just came back for—” She hustled to one of the racks and whipped a slip off of it. “I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

  The woman rushed off again before Amy even had a chance to thank her for interrupting at exactly the right time.

  Sleeping with Artur back in New York had been a mistake—but one she couldn’t regret since she’d already fallen in love with her baby. But sleeping with him again, in his country, where she’d come to rehabilitate his image, would be a disaster. No longer hungry for dinner, Amy excused herself and rushed out as well.

  7

  Artur hadn’t been to Castle Belinsky for years. In fact, the only memory he had of the place was a hazy one of attending the opening of the refurbished castle years ago with his family. It had survived the Second World War after several centuries standing alone near the border, and had been reopened as a tourist destination when he was—what, eight? He couldn’t have been more than ten.

  He lifted his camera and looked through the lens, down at the misty landscape below. It was a rainy day and the fog hanging in the air lent a kind of magical feeling to the landscape. The castle itself was ancient and beautiful, and they stood on a balcony off what had once been the queen’s rooms, taking it all in.

  Amy stood at the railing. For an instant, his mind colored over her understated maternity dress, replacing it with a gown fit for a queen—the kind she would have worn hundreds of years ago, when this castle was bustling with the kinds of activity his family would mirror years later.

  She was gorgeous.

  One step to his left, and he had the perfect shot: Amy in quarter profile, her lashes lowered as she looked at a map. It wasn’t even a map on her phone, but a paper map. From this angle he could see it all—her baby bump, the map, and her long lashes. Click.

  She looked up at the sound of the shutter, and Artur’s heart squeezed. He’d only had one chance to get that photo, and then the opportunity was gone again. He felt an absurd relief that he’d taken the picture in time and lowered the camera to his side, taking a deep, calming breath.

  A little smile quirked the corners of Amy’s lips, and then she waved to him. No—not to him, to someone behind him.

  The woman approaching through the elegant space was Dina, a statuesque blonde with lips painted a vicious red. She came directly to Artur, inclining her head. “Your Royal Highness.” Her voice was a low curl that didn’t sound demure in the slightest. “I see you’ve had a chance to explore some of the most impressive rooms. I’d be delighted to give you a more...detailed tour.” She’d greeted them when they first came in, along with the rest of the welcoming committee. But now she was alone.

  He had never been so aware of Amy’s presence before.

  Artur slipped a polite smile over his face. “I’d love to know more about the castle. It has a fascinating history.” He shrugged one shoulder. “I’m sure the guide downstairs would be happy to provide one, wouldn’t he?”

  She grinned and reached out a perfectly manicured hand to touch his shoulder. “The guide is for all the others. As you might know, Prince Artur, my family has acted as the stewards for this property for generations. No one could be a better guide.” She turned and lifted her arms, gesturing to the rooms. “I’m sure you know from the placard that we’re standing in the queen’s rooms.” Dina turned back, a sultry smile playing at her lips. “But what the placard won’t tell you is that one of the first queens who lived here had a rather scandalous lifestyle.” She went to one of the hangings next to the antique four-poster bed and lifted it. “This door—” And there was a door, blending in seamlessly with the paneling on the wall. “—provided her numerous lovers with a discreet way to come and go. Rumor has it that she had over twenty lovers.”

  The information was interesting, but it was...more than a little strange, the way Dina was looking at him, as if she was dropping a hint she wanted him to pick up.

  “Twenty lovers?” Amy had come alongside him and he wanted to wrap his arm around her, use her as a shield against the predatory look in Dina’s eye. “Busy, busy woman.”

  “Oh yes.” Dina flicked her eyes over Amy dismissively, then went past them both, brushing Artur’s shoulder as she did so. “And this window here is known as the lovers’ window.” It was a narrow window made from stained glass, set into the stones next to the balcony. “Those who weren’t so fortunate to have access to the passageway used to stand beneath the window, hoping for favor from the queen.” Dina looked utterly noble next to the window. The photographer in him admired the image even as the man in him felt zero interest. “What would you say to a photo?” She beckoned with her fingers to Artur, whose feet felt like they’d been filled with lead as he went to pose in front of the window. Those few steps were all the time Dina needed to produce a phone from her hand and hold it out, leaning in close and wrapping a hand around Artur’s bicep. “Strong,” she commented, smiling up at the phone. “I’m not as strong, of course, but I still love staying fit by rowing whenever I can. Even competitively, on the odd weekend.”

  Rowing? It was one of the royal family’s well-known hobbies.

  “Oh, yes?” Artur said, looking past the phone.

  Where had Amy gone? She was no longer standing by the four-poster bed.

  “Yes. Very competitively, when my blood gets hot.” Dina lowered the phone to her side. “Now that your assistant has made herself scarce, we can get on with our private tour.”

  It clicked into place for Artur, then—the lack of press for this event, the way Dina had been flirting so aggressively. This was a first date.

  Artur hardly saw the gorgeous castle grounds. Even the way the mist hung over the castle like a shimmering curtain had lost its appeal. He didn’t register any more of the insider details Dina murmured into his ear. He was too busy grappling with his realization.

 
; He’d told Amy that he didn’t want the tour to turn into a dating show—with him as the star and the whole nation watching as it was recorded by the press. Well, apparently, she’d taken him at his word. The press wasn’t here. Pity she’d ignored the rest of it.

  This was not what he’d had in mind for the day. All he wanted was to be with Amy again.

  By lunch, it seemed even Dina had picked up on his utter disinterest in her. Artur settled into a spot at the long dining table, now filled with members of the town’s tourism committee, and spotted Amy at the other end. The sight of her made him feel like he could breathe again.

  Next to him, Dina sat up straight in her seat, her eyes appraising. “There was one more thing I wanted to bring to your attention, Prince Artur.”

  “Yes? What’s that?”

  “Exposure.” Thank God there wasn’t a hint of flirtation on Dina’s face any longer. “Belinsky needs more ways to appeal to travelers in Stolvenia. Our location is out of the way, so we don’t get nearly enough foot traffic to sustain the kind of upkeep the castle requires.”

  “It does seem to be on an island of its own,” Artur agreed. The tension in the base of his spine dissipated a little, now that they were on more professional ground.

  “One easy change would be to add the castle to the register of historic castles on Stolvenia’s main tourism website. I’ve emailed several people but have yet to see a change.”

  “I can make that a priority.”

  “And...” Dina leaned back to allow one of the waiters to put the salad course in front of her. “We do need some direct assistance from the royal family. There is a certain designation that can only be given by the royal family—a seal, if you will, and it would allow us to join a castle tour given by companies endorsed by the family itself.”

  “I’ve heard of that,” Artur said, though he couldn’t have provided many more details. He’d never had reason to care about those kinds of things. “But tell me—this place. How could it not already have a designation? I was here when it was reopened years ago, so I would have thought—”

  Dina shook her head. “I’m not entirely sure. What I do know is that it’s nearly impossible to communicate with the royal family or its representatives through official channels. I expect that’s why my emails have gone unanswered.” She looked Artur in the eye. “Not that I’m...trying to be rude. It’s not like I expect a response from the king. But from any representative, any word, would be...a step in the right direction.”

  Artur had his fork nearly to the salad, but stopped. The difficulty of getting a message directly to the royal family was one thing Amy had pointed out, and he hadn’t believed her. Yet here was a citizen of Stolvenia, saying the same thing. And Dina did not seem to be a woman who was easily discouraged.

  “I’m not familiar with all of the procedures, of course—but I know we have ways to address legal concerns, health concerns, safety concerns, those kinds of things.” He searched his mind. “I know that’s always been important to my brother. But clearly, we’ve had a blind spot. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.” It was obvious, now that she’d pointed it out. Having a monarchy meant that the government was rather nimble, since they didn’t have to haggle with multiple branches of government for every decision. But the lack of bureaucracy meant that some departments got limited personal attention. Things like castle designations weren’t likely to come up organically in the king’s mind.

  “You’re welcome,” said Dina.

  They spent the rest of the meal discussing future plans for the castle, and when they shook hands and parted ways, Artur didn’t feel half bad about how it had ended up. Even if Amy had wanted it to be a romantic encounter.

  But had she really?

  He found her in the gift shop tucked into one of the side rooms on the main floor, looking at a miniature version of the lover’s window.

  “Beautiful,” he said, though he really meant it about her.

  “It is.” Amy frowned slightly, looking at the little model. Painted glass, between tiny stones.

  “Perhaps I should buy two of them for Armin’s adopted daughters, Lily and Seraphine. They are new to the country, and I want to help them learn about the culture and history here.” Another thought floated to the front of his mind. “Maybe you’d like to get one for the baby. It might be nice if the child grew up with some tokens from our nation.”

  Her face brightened. “It is a good idea. I’ll get one. I could collect things from the tour, and have a story to tell our daughter later.”

  “You know, I heard that it’s good luck to kiss in front of the window.”

  Amy laughed. “This isn’t a real window.”

  “You’re splitting hairs. Better to kiss than tempt fate.”

  She pushed him playfully away, then picked up the small model and marched to the checkout desk. But it was too late. Artur had already breathed her in and wanted more.

  As they walked side by side toward the door of the castle, he saw his chance. “Look—”

  “At what?” Amy said as he pulled her into a darkened alcove.

  He pretended to peer around. “I guess there’s nothing worth seeing in here. Except you.” Then he leaned down and did what he’d wanted to do all day—kissed her. Hard.

  “Oh—” He caught her little moan in his mouth as Amy threw her arms around his neck, melting into him. It was so delicious until—

  Footsteps.

  Footsteps approached, and Amy tugged at his hand, pulling them back out into the light. Down the hall, the shopkeeper from the gift shop was going in the opposite direction. Amy reached up and smoothed the front of his jacket. “Careful,” she said. “Or we’re going to get caught.”

  8

  The cliffs at Primorsky the next day were breathtaking, especially with the summer sun glittering on the waves that crashed against the rocks beneath them. Amy and Artur had taken in the view while they walked to the welcome center, and she was invigorated as she stepped inside to look at the gift shop offerings there while Prince Artur posed for a few pictures with the press gaggle outside. After the way yesterday had played out, with very little involvement from the press, Amy had readjusted. The dates could happen with a couple of cameras following along. They should happen that way.

  In the meantime, she’d already found the perfect ornament for her new collection. Amy wasn’t usually the type to buy lots of trinkets when she traveled, but she could already see these things perched on a little dresser in the baby’s room. The woman behind the counter at the shop wrapped it carefully and boxed it up, and Amy slipped the box into her purse. Artur’s idea had been perfect. Almost as perfect as his kiss.

  The door opened and she turned with the compliment on her lips, ready to thank him for his idea, when she registered that he wasn’t alone.

  Amy had chosen Veronica Angeloff for her impressive resume, but in person she was...even more impressive. As in, she was stunning. She had auburn hair that matched Prince Artur’s and dancing brown eyes, and the two of them were already deep in conversation about the marine life around Primorsky. Amy’s heart did a funny little twist. She hadn’t known Artur was that interested in ocean life. Then again, when the facts were coming from Veronica’s mouth, it wasn’t altogether surprising.

  And Veronica had another advantage—she was already technically a princess through her mother’s side, though her mother’s country was a small one nestled next to Stolvenia that had given up the monarchy in all but name.

  Unlike Dina, she didn’t pretend Amy wasn’t in the room. “You must be Amy,” she said, greeting her with a genuine smile. “Stolvenia is lucky to have such a genius PR professional on their side.

  “It’s wonderful to meet you in person,” Amy said. It was true.

  “You’ll come with us on the tour, won’t you?” Veronica’s eyes flicked down to Amy’s belly. “There’s no pressure, of course, if—”

  “Of course,” Amy said quickly, and Veronica seized the moment.
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br />   She really was gorgeous, even wearing sensible shoes and sturdy pants, and Amy tried her best not to feel somehow inadequate while Veronica led them out toward the cliffs and then down a steep staircase. With every step, Amy wondered how she was possibly going to climb back up. She was in shape, but—

  The steps were the least of it. Veronica led them on a punishing climb through the outcrops at the base of the cliffs, stopping often to point out other rock formations. It was clear from the outset that she was passionate about her work, and Amy felt herself drawn in...when she wasn’t completely out of breath. Artur couldn’t put his camera down.

  Photography was known to be one of his hobbies, but Amy had assumed it was more of a pretext than a real hobby—an excuse for all his glamorous Instagram photos of beautiful people at the fabulously decadent parties he attended. But even in just a few days on this tour with him, she’d realized how seriously he took it—the time and attention he dedicated to capturing the perfect angle, the perfect composition, the perfect light. And despite what his Instagram would suggest, landscape pictures seemed to be his favorites. He must have taken two hundred photographs by the time they paused at the base of the staircase, Veronica looking out over the ocean.

  “Most of the life in the world is aquatic,” she said. “Some ninety-five percent of it. When we stand on the shore and feel small, that’s accurate in more ways than one. We’re the minority on the planet.”

  Amy certainly felt small standing next to the vast ocean, watching as Artur and Veronica looked out at the waves together.

  “Thank you,” Veronica said suddenly, her voice rising over the wash of the water on the shore.

  “For what?”

  Amy was as curious as Artur seemed to be.

  “For listening to me.”

  Listening to her?

  “You know,” Veronica went on, “a lot of people don’t seem to hear what I’m saying. They’re looking for...something else entirely from me. Something more in keeping with what they’d expect from a princess. I know this was supposed to be a romantic date, but...” She laughed. “It was the first time in a long time I’ve gotten to talk about what I love with an interested party.”