Hands in his pockets, he halted in the middle of the floor. “Is it mine?” he asked, though he already knew the answer. He simply needed to get confirmation from her.
She didn’t bother to pretend to not know what he was talking about. “Yes.”
“Were you going to tell me?”
“Yes, but I didn’t get a chance to.” She sipped the tea and then leaned forward to set it on the table in front of her. “Where are we going?
Andres sat down on the sofa across from her and spread his arms across the back. “To Estoria,” he said calmly.
Angela stared him with a deep frown that made it clear she thought she misunderstood. “What did you say?”
“You heard me.”
“Why? I thought we were going back to Florida, or—or some other state to get away and figure out what to do. You can’t take me out of the country!” She jumped up and went to one of the windows. She peered out into the night sky, as if she could tell the direction of the plane by sight alone.
There was a moment of silence as he waited. She rounded on him. “You tricked me. You pretended to rescue me but you’ve kidnapped me for a transatlantic flight to Estoria. I don’t even know you. You’re a monster!”
“Yes, I’m a monster. A monster who refuses to be apart from his child. Did you really think I would allow any child of mine to live in a world apart from me, feeling unloved by his or her own father? Never.” He’d suffered that pain. He would not inflict it on his own child. “If that makes me a monster, then so be it, but you are coming to Estoria with me.”
“This isn’t how you handle a difficult situation. Think about what you’re saying. You can’t do this.”
“It has already been done.”
“What about me? This isn’t what I want.”
“What you or I want is no longer the only concern in our individual lives. We have to think of our child, and I have to think about the future of my country. My plan was to take you to Miami or someplace else close by. But after our conversation, I decided this would be best.”
“You decided, and what about my things? My belongings.”
“All will be handled from Estoria. You will also be able to resign from your position at Myers-Gomez.”
“You thought of everything.”
“Of course.” He stood. “You’re carrying my child, Angela. Did you really think that I would simply walk away?”
“Not walk away, but I thought you came to talk. We need to discuss what’s going to happen in detail. Discuss arrangements for how we’ll handle this pregnancy and co-parenting.”
His blue gaze dropped to her midsection before finding hers again. “Discuss? There is no discussion to be had. You know I need an heir.” A thread of anger laced his words.
“You need a wife. That’s what you told me. A child born outside of marriage can’t be in line for the throne.” She blushed. She obviously hadn’t meant to divulge that she’d researched the possibility of her child becoming next in line for the throne.
“That is correct, if the child is born outside of marriage. But our child won’t be. You and I are getting married.”
She gaped at him and then burst into laughter. “You can’t be serious. I’m not interested. I have a job. I have a home. I have family back in Georgia. I can’t up and leave all of that behind. I will not be marrying you simply because I’m pregnant.”
“Then you will stay with me until you change your mind. There is only one answer for you to give me, and that answer is yes.”
“I can’t.”
“You don’t have a choice.”
“I do have a choice!” Her voice elevated. She pressed a hand to her chest and took a calming breath. Speaking in a quieter voice, she said, “I planned to tell you about the pregnancy because it was the right thing to do, but you know now. What more do you want from me?”
“If you marry me, everything will fall into place.”
“Everything? What are you talking about? You’re in the middle of searching for a wife. Once you’re married, you’ll have plenty of babies with your new bride.”
“I’ve called off the search.”
“You have? Why?”
Andres slowly rolled up the cuffs on his sleeves. “Because as I told you, I’m going to marry you instead.” He hit a button on a panel in the wall and his assistant’s voice came through the speaker. “Yes, Your Highness.”
Angela sank into the chair. She wasn’t looking at him.
“Have the housekeepers prepare The Cream Room in my apartment for Miss Lipscomb.”
“Yes, sir.”
Andres hung up, and Angela lifted doleful eyes to his. “Before you left Estoria, did you ask your grandfather for approval to marry me?”
She was no fool. She was a smart woman with a sharp mind. Wasn’t that one of the reasons he loved her? Prince Felipe had not supported the marriage and told Andres so in very clear, succinct words.
Andres didn’t answer the question directly. “I will handle my grandfather.”
A sad smile crossed her lips. “This isn’t going to work.”
Andres swallowed down his concern. He hoped she was wrong.
26
“Have you lost your mind?” Felipe bellowed. His eyes flashed with a fire Andres hadn’t seen in years.
“I am perfectly sane,” Andres replied calmly.
With renewed vigor, Felipe marched across the floor of his office to get in Andres’s face.
His body stiffened, but he remained firmly in place, willing and ready to face the consequences of his actions.
“Bringing her here to marry her goes against everything I told you to do.”
“She’s pregnant.”
“And what of it? Kings and princes have been getting women pregnant since the beginning of time. That doesn’t mean you have to marry her. Look at Prince Albert of Monaco.”
“I am not Prince Albert!” Andres shot back.
Felipe ran wrinkled fingers across his well-coiffed hair. “This is unlike you, Andres. This woman has fried your brain. You clearly haven’t thought through what you have done.”
“I have thought it through, and marrying Angela is the best decision.”
Granted, bringing her to Estoria had been a spur-of-the-moment decision. When he’d picked her up at her place of employment, he’d simply gone there to find her and speak to her. After keeping watch on the building the day before, Ollie, with his eagle eyes, had let him know that she left through the back in disguise.
But once he’d seen how shaken up she’d been, and knowing that she carried his child, he’d made the impromptu decision to bring her here where she’d be safe. And if he were honest, bring her here to show her what she was missing so he could convince her to marry him.
How was he supposed to go on with his life and share a bed with another woman when the woman he really wanted and loved was over four thousand miles away? Yes, his actions had been drastic, but nothing else mattered. Not tradition. Not his grandfather’s request. He wanted Angela and his unborn child.
“And what about the Swedes or the Spanish? You’ve already expressed interest in choosing a bride from among them,” his grandfather said.
“I will handle them.”
“We should form an alliance with another country that benefits us. What does this woman have to offer our country?”
“An heir to the throne,” Andres answered between gritted teeth.
“You do not have a legitimate heir unless you marry, and I will not give my approval.” Felipe’s face settled into harsh, angry lines. “We don’t have much time. The announcement has been made. You must take the throne in less than a year, and you must be married. This woman has bewitched you. Let her have the child but marry someone else.”
“I will marry her,” Andres insisted.
“Even if I give my approval, which I won’t. You should consider her feelings, and not only your own. You would expose her to the barbs and hurtful words of people who don’t accep
t her? To people who will be angry about you marrying a goddamn commoner and an American?”
“We could lead our country into a new era, with new ideas and traditions. We lead, and our countrymen follow our example. Are you telling me there is no room for change?”
“I am telling you that you are a fool and will regret what you have done.”
“Then let me be a fool. I stand firm in my decision. How many more people should suffer for the sake of tradition, Grandfather? Should I live the rest of my life in misery like my father? Should I marry someone I don’t love, the way you had to?”
Felipe flinched, but instead of coming back at him after the harsh words he spoke, his grandfather’s face slowly transformed into one of shock. “You really are a damn fool. You’ve made the same mistake I did. You’ve fallen in love with her.” He shook his head and suddenly looked very tired. “I cannot give my blessing. Not when I know you’re wrong.”
“You have to change your mind.”
“I cannot. There is very little room for change in our world. Mark my words. You will regret this.”
Three days. For three days Angela had been forced to remain in this room without access to a phone. She paced the floor restlessly. She didn’t know what to do with herself.
Two men guarded the door outside, and like a prisoner, she’d been allowed only one phone call when she arrived. She’d called her parents, told them where she was, and assured them she was well. Not because she wanted to protect Andres, but because she didn’t want them to worry.
After all, she was well. The walk-in closet was not completely filled but contained an array of outfits for her to choose from. She wore one of the outfits now, a sleeveless, knee-length floral print dress with flower-shaped buttons down the bodice.
Though she was a prisoner, the room Andres chose for her was lovely, decorated in creams and earth tones and looking out onto the water. Blue ocean sparkled in the distance below rolling green hills run through with cobble-stoned streets and dotted with houses and commercial buildings. From the palace, she had a good view, and much of the country seemed to live along the coasts, which was where the majority of the buildings were concentrated. The eastern coast was untouched, where Andres anticipated building an eco-friendly tourist attraction to diversify the nation’s revenue stream.
Her meals were all served in here and were absolutely delicious. Andres ate with her last night and gave her an update. Apparently, a member of his staff, pretending to be her, had requested a leave of absence from Edgar, and the news agencies had received an anonymous tip with the same information. She glared at him across the table when he told her that, but no doubt Edgar was pleased to have peace and calm return to the company.
She demanded that Andres apologize and let her go back home, but they were both stubborn. He refused to apologize so she refused to speak to him. She gave him the silent treatment throughout the entire meal until he finally grumbled something in Spanish and left.
A knock sounded on the door.
Angela turned away from the window. “Come in.”
Andres entered. He looked exhausted but held his head at the same regal tilt, as if he’d done nothing wrong. “Are you comfortable?” he asked.
“As comfortable as a prisoner could be.”
“Don’t say that.”
“Then be reasonable. You have guards outside the door. I can’t use the phone. You took my computer. My only contact with the outside world is the television—where everything is in Spanish—and when staff comes in to check on me or bring food. I haven’t been outside in days. You can’t keep me here forever, and you can’t force me to marry you.”
“This is only temporary.”
“How long is temporary?”
He frowned. “Are you telling me that none of this appeals to you? Marrying me and building a life together? You told me you loved me.”
“And you said you loved me. Is this how you treat someone you love?”
“What do you want me to do? Let you walk out of my life and take my child with you? I cannot do that. I cannot let you go. So we will figure out a way to make this work.”
“And why isn’t it working? What’s the problem, Andres?”
His lips tightened.
“Your grandfather,” Angela guessed.
“Give me time. I can convince him.”
“You can convince him? I’m a commoner. I don’t have a title or rank, and you told me yourself that tradition requires you marry a woman descended from nobility. What will your family say? What will your people say? Do you really think they’ll accept me?”
“They will have no choice if we marry.”
“Oh, so we’ll just shove it down their throats. Good idea. And the fact that I never wanted to be famous doesn’t matter to you.”
“Of course it matters to me.” His eyes softened and he came toward her. He caught her chin. “I’m sorry you had to go through that, but everyone knows about us now. It will get easier, I promise. We’ll make sure you have the best media training available. You can gradually move into your role as a princess, take time to learn your duties. I only need you to be patient and give me time to convince my grandfather. Once he approves our marriage, everything will change. You’ll see.”
“And what about me? The problem isn’t just that I’m a commoner.” She held her hand up to his eye level. “It’s time we address the elephant in the room. I’m half Black, Andres.”
“That doesn’t matter to me.”
“Does it matter to him?”
“No. I’m certain of it.” He took her hand and kissed the inside of her wrist. “I can’t be without you. I tried, and I was miserable. Stay with me. Make a life with me. You have nothing to fear. I will protect you. Trust me, this will work.”
He backed up to the bed and sat on the edge of the mattress. He gently tugged on her hand, and she placed a knee on either side of his thighs. Looking down into his eyes, she saw his sincerity.
“What if you’re wrong?”
“I’m not.”
“You promise? You promise we’ll be okay?” she asked.
Her voice trembled with emotion and fear of the unknown. She would have to give up everything she knew to learn a new culture, customs, and protocol. But with him by her side, she might have the strength to suffer through whatever came her way.
“I promise,” he whispered. “Tell me you’re no longer angry at me.”
“One minute you’re dumping me to go through a list of potential brides, the next you’re kidnapping me. I’m still angry at you.” She thumped him on the shoulder, and he winced. “But…not as angry as I was two days ago.”
“So you’ll give me time?”
She traced his mouth with her thumb. “Yes, I guess.”
His face broke into a wide grin.
“Get that smile off your face!”
Andres chuckled and kissed her neck and squeezed her tight. He fisted his hands into her hair. “I love you, Angela Lipscomb. Will you marry me?”
She gazed into his eyes. While she hadn’t forgotten the pain of his betrayal, she believed in his love. She nodded. “Yes.”
Andres let out a breath of relief and kissed her hard. She realized that even in his confidence, he’d still had doubts.
He slid his hands down her back and massaged her ass through the thin fabric of her dress.
Angela let out a little moan. “Andres, this is the last thing we should be doing.”
“Why?” He sucked on the fleshy, lower part of her ear.
Angela moaned again and tilted her head back. “Because it’s the middle of the day and you have work to do.”
“I can do my work later. I haven’t made love to you in so long.” His husky voice in her ear made the pulse in her neck thrum faster.
“Andres,” she whispered. The sweet ache of desire filled the space between her legs.
Her rolled her onto her back and pressed a kiss to her stomach. “I can’t wait until you start showing.”
>
“Me either,” Angela admitted. She smiled, while biting into her bottom lip.
Andres palmed her flat stomach and then dropped another kiss dead center on her belly. “I can’t wait to meet you,” he said in a low voice.
His voice was so tender and filled with emotion, tears pricked her eyes.
He glanced up at her. “I need you, amor. Ahora.”
Andres kissed lower on her body and pushed the hem of the dress higher. Then he dragged his tongue along the inside of her legs and tugged her panties down past her knees before tossing them to the floor.
The buttons at the top of her dress were forced apart with an impatient yank. Lust tightened her exposed nipples. He fastened his mouth over one caramel-tipped breast and she arched into the titillating tug of his lips.
He released her nipple and kissed up the column of her neck. “You’re mine again,” he whispered.
“Yes,” she whispered back.
He devoured her lips as he undid his pants. Her bare feet shoved the pants and his underwear past his hips, and he bore down on her with the force of a runaway train. When their bodies connected, they both sucked in deep breaths.
She’d missed him so much. Angela clamped her legs around him and pushed her hands under his shirt. She explored his sides and caressed the muscles in his back—anywhere her hands could reach.
“You’re mine,” Andres growled.
Her head tilted back as she gave herself over to the unbearable, exquisite pleasure of his possession. Their bodies moved in sync, with every thrust taking her higher until she cried out in a shivering climax.
27
With the phone pressed to her ear, Angela said, “Leave my godson alone.”
She was talking to Dahlia, who’d just scolded her son, Noel.
“Do you want him? Because I think he’s figured out he’s a prince and is starting to get out of control.”
Angela giggled. “Or he’s a typical toddler,” she said.
“That, too,” Dahlia admitted.
Angela leisurely lifted a foot out of the warm, scented water of her bath. She’d turn into a prune if she stayed in there too much longer, but this was the perfect end to what had been a hectic week.
Princess of Estoria (Royal Brides Book 2) Page 15
