The Prince's Secret Baby

by Jennifer Lewis

  “You have a point. Get dressed. I’ll be at the palace for dinner and we can ride to the lake house together.”

  Serena braced herself as she checked the text. Tonight’s the night. Your lover will learn the secret bank code and you will ask him to tell you as a proof of his trust in you. When you relay that information to me your financial problems are over.

  Serena froze, heart pounding. This was the bank account they’d spoken of. Two people had abducted Emma in a failed attempt to extract the information from Darias.

  And how did this person know about her financial problems?

  She glanced around, sure she could feel eyes on her right now.

  Fish for information. The family had no idea what this person really wanted. She needed to stay calm and help their effort.

  How will my financial problems be solved?

  Three million dollars will be deposited to your account 480097451 immediately following successful capture of the funds.

  A chill slide down her spine. That was the number of her Citibank savings account. The one that had been rattling empty for months now. This person had done their research.

  Except that they hadn’t researched her character. If they’d done that they’d know she’d never in a million years agree to their scheme. I’m interested. How do I convey the information?

  Text it to me then destroy your phone. Destroy it completely, with fire.

  She managed to keep a serious expression. How did she subtly catch her phone on fire? The idea, and the terror streaking through her veins, made her want to burst into a panicked laugh. Okay. I’ll do my best. He might not trust me enough to tell me.

  That’s a chance I’m willing to take.

  Ugh. How could she impart this information to Sandro? She glanced at Lucky. He’d need to go out for one more pee before they left for the night. She clipped his leash on and headed downstairs but didn’t dare text Sandro in case the person texting her was somehow tapping her phone.

  They must be. They had her bank account information.

  Sandro didn’t answer her knock on his bedroom door so she put on her coat and took Lucky outside. The palace was quiet, and there weren’t many staff in evidence tonight. Lina and Beatriz would be changing for dinner. She’d have to get through dinner, knowing that she kept a terrible secret from them all. At least Sandro hadn’t agreed to bring her along tonight. She didn’t know what she’d been thinking. She’d had a crazy idea of keeping him safe, but in fact he’d be anything but with her there. If he had to get home to give her the number he’d be a lot safer.

  Lucky did his business while she glanced over her shoulder repeatedly in the darkness. It was safe to assume that she was under constant surveillance by the mysterious “ghost.” They could be watching her right now from an unlit window in the palace.

  She hurried back inside and went upstairs to change for dinner herself. No new messages on her phone. How would she get time alone with Sandro before he left tonight?

  She’d only just got back to her room and was stripping off her sweater when a knock on the door made her jump half out of her skin. “Who is it?” She tugged her sweater back on, panic flaring through her.

  “It’s me, Sandro.”

  “Come in.” Damn. She couldn’t talk freely to him in here. She attempted a shaky smile. “Are you nervous about tonight?”

  “Not at all. And it’s fine for you to come with me. Darias has obtained their consent.”

  “What?” The word fell from her lips too fast. “Are you sure?” If she brought her phone she could be putting them all in danger. “I don’t know if me coming is a good idea.”

  Sandro looked confused. “I thought you wanted to come.”

  “Uh, I did.”

  “It’s settled then.” A smiled tugged at one side of his mouth. Warmth burned in her chest. He’d gone up against tradition to fulfill her wishes. That touched her—even as it scared the heck out of her. It made her think that if she did ask him for the bank account number he might actually give it to her as proof that he trusted her.

  If only she could get him alone—away from surveillance devices—to warn him that someone wanted the number from him—tonight.

  Sandro must have mistaken her confused hesitation for something else because he took a step toward her. “Please may I kiss you?” He asked with such tender hesitation that her heart contracted.

  “Yes.” She couldn’t say no.

  His lips met hers softly, and a tide of emotion swept through her. This whole trip wasn’t going like she expected. Sandro wasn’t turning out to be what she’d expected. In spite of herself she knew feelings for him were growing deep inside her, along with their baby.

  He didn’t try to deepen the kiss or grope her or anything that she might have anticipated from an arrogant prince finding the woman he wanted alone in her bedroom. He pulled back and looked directly into her eyes. “I want you by my side tonight.” He blinked, his gaze tender. “I want you by my side always.”

  Her chest threatened to explode as emotions roamed assaulted her. I’ve got to warn him. Hopefully she’d get a chance in the car. Her foolish ideas about keeping him safe tonight mocked her. How could she keep any member of this family safe where professional security forces had failed?

  But so long as the “ghost” thought she was going along with his plan—if it was a man—she’d be safe, and so would Sandro. They wouldn’t risk harming him until she got the number.

  “I’m excited about our baby.” Sandro’s soft words, spoken in a voice husky with emotion, reminded her that he knew nothing about the texts she’d received today.

  “I am too,” she admitted honestly. “At first I was terrified, but now I’ve had time to get used to the idea I’m more excited than nervous.” She was still very nervous about the future for her and Sandro, but she’d come to peace with being a mother. An unpleasant thought interrupted her. “Is Maya Dunham okay? If she really is pregnant, she’s very scared right now.”

  “Don’t ever forget that Maya Dunham is a very talented actress. I’m fast learning that you should take everything she says with a grain of salt.”

  “But why would she do it?”

  “Because she wants to be a princess or something stupid like that. She couldn’t get me to return her calls so now she’s grasping at straws. She must think you did the same.”

  “You don’t think that, do you?”

  Sandro frowned. “You know me better than that by now.”

  She drew in a breath. “But you don’t know me all that well. Maybe I orchestrated the whole thing to boost my social media rankings.”

  He stared at her, and she heard the blood pound in her ears for a moment. What was wrong with her? Why had she said that just now? Did she want him to distrust her?

  A guffaw burst from Sandro’s mouth. “I’m a much better judge of character than people give me credit for. You’d no more fake a pregnancy than sell your mother.”

  “True.” She bit her lip. “I was about to finally tell my mom about the pregnancy then—” She stopped short. She couldn’t tell him about the texts. That would be disastrous.

  “Tell her! Go on. Call her now. I’ll stay here for moral support if you like.”

  She blinked. “I’m not sure you’d like what my mom might have to say about the situation. She’s a very religious woman.”

  “I’m tougher than I look.”

  She chuckled. How did Sandro manage to relax her no matter how dire the situation seemed? “I’m not. But I will tell her. First I need to get dressed for dinner.”

  “I can help.” His gaze drifted to her torso—where her nipples instantly tightened.

  “I need to shower.”

  “All the better.” His low voice only stoked the fires burning in her.

  But who was watching? She remembered the “ghost” who might be studying her through a camera or a hole in the wall or ceiling…or floor. “I think it would be quicker if I was alone. I don’t want to be la
te for dinner.”

  “I suppose you have a point. Knock on my door when you’re ready.” He ruffled Lucky’s fur on his way out of the room.

  Serena exhaled as the door closed. How on earth was she going to get through tonight? I will keep him safe, she reasoned. While he was busy with the ceremony or trying to figure out the identity of masked aristocrats, she’d be watching everyone, ready to alert security if needed.

  She’d forgotten to ask what one wore to a secret society initiation, so she decided on her faithful little black dress, with a black blazer and tiny silver earrings. The more she blended into the background tonight, the better.

  She knocked on Sandro’s door and they went down to dinner together, looking every inch like a real couple. The part of her that wasn’t in a total panic managed to enjoy entering the dining room together, and Sandro’s warm appraising gaze of her simple outfit as he announced to his mom, Beatriz and Liesel that Serena would be joining him that night.

  “But surely such a thing is unheard of,” muttered Liesel. “The society is for titled aristocrats.”

  “If all goes according to plan, Serena will soon be a titled aristocrat,” said Sandro, coolly, pulling out her chair for her.

  Serena froze for a moment before gingerly lowering herself onto the seat. Had he just announced his intention to marry her? Without even asking her… He had blown her mind earlier when he said he wanted her by his side always. Was he serious? Her brain was spinning so fast she missed Beatriz’s question to her.

  “Sorry, what did you say?”

  “Just that I’m envious. I’ve always been curious about the Cross of Blood. Grandmama was always very mysterious about it and Papa always shushed me when I asked him about it.” She turned to Darias, who’d just entered with Emma. “Can I come too?”

  “Not this time,” he replied. “With Serena and Emma attending we’ll be quite a crowd. I don’t want to unsettle them.”

  “Typical,” said Beatriz with a pout. “You don’t want me there because you don’t trust me.”

  “Nonsense,” said Darias. “There’s just no reason for you to be there tonight.”

  “What reason does Serena have to be there?” She stared at Darias, then at Sandro.

  Serena felt her face heat. She’s having my baby. Did they know? Maybe they hadn’t overheard Maya’s rantings. Or chose to ignore them as the ravings of a madwoman.

  “Because she’s my guest of honor.” Sandro sipped his wine, nonchalant.

  None of them had any idea that she was the supposed envoy of their enemy.

  They ate an elaborate meal of several different fish dishes and caramelized vegetables, while Lina quizzed them on family history. Serena wondered if this was for her benefit. Surely they’d all heard the family history stuff before. Perhaps Lina wanted to remind her that they were of ancient, aristocratic lineage while she was just an American nobody.

  “But wasn’t our founding ancestor an illegitimate son of Charlemagne?” asked Darias after a long description of the founding of Altaleone from a land grant to him.

  “Almost everyone was illegitimate back then, brother dearest,” explained Beatriz. “If you were a man it meant that your daddy gave you great estates and wealth rather than the actual crown.”

  “What happened if you were a woman?” asked Serena, curious.

  Beatriz took a bite of her fish. “Nunnery.”

  “Oh.”

  “I have little interest in things that happened nearly a thousand years ago,” said Darias, breaking off a piece of bread. “I’m far more invested in the present.”

  “But don’t forget, the past is always with you.” Liesel said brightly. “Whether you want it or not.”

  Serena paused with her water glass halfway to her mouth—she was avoiding the wine like it was poisoned—since Liesel’s words were so similar to those of the “ghost.”

  “You’ve inherited a great legacy,” continued Liesel, staring at Darias, “and it is your job to carry it to the next generation.” She glanced rudely at Emma. “If there is one.”

  “Liesel!” Lina scolded her sister. “They only just got married. There’s no pressure whatsoever to have children. They can enjoy each other for years if they like.”

  “I suppose that given the family history any illegitimate children could inherit as well,” said Liesel sweetly. “Like Maya Dunham’s baby.” Her words dropped in the air like shattered glass. She must have overheard some of the drama of earlier.

  Which meant she had could have also overheard the part about her being pregnant with Sandro’s baby. Serena froze, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

  “Liesel, if you can’t behave yourself I’ll have to ask you to leave.” Lina spoke sternly. Darias and Sandro stared at her, as did Beatriz.

  “Excuse me,” said Liesel, dabbing her mouth with a napkin. “I suppose I’m just trying to make you aware of the things that others are saying at their dinner tables all over Europe.” She shot a cold glance at Serena. “Sometimes this family seems utterly oblivious to things going on right under their noses.”

  Serena felt her breathing grow shallow.

  “I think people have more relevant things to discuss over dinner,” said Sandro gruffly. Then he looked at Darias. “We should get going.”

  “Don’t you have time for dessert? It’s a chocolate mousse that Beatriz and I made ourselves.”

  “We can have some when we get back,” said Darias softly. “Sandro’s right. We need time to get the security in place before the ceremony begins.”

  “Sandro, can we take Lucky out?” Serena desperately wanted to get away from the table before Liesel said anything else, and she needed a moment alone with him before things got under way. She could leave her phone in her bedroom when she picked up Lucky.

  “We really should get going,” said Darias. “The roads are still snowy.”

  Sandro looked at Serena apologetically. “One of the staff can walk Lucky. Wilhelm perhaps.” Obviously he didn’t catch the hint that she needed to talk to him privately.

  Darias stood up. “Wilhelm’s driving us tonight.”

  “Why?” Sandro stared.

  “So we can drink.” Darias lifted a brow. “The usual driver is home sick with a stomach bug.”

  They moved into the hallway to get their coats. Emma donned hers as well. “I’m coming too,” she explained to Serena. “We can keep each other company during the secret parts.”

  Serena was momentarily cheered before realizing that now yet another person was potentially in danger. Her phone pinged and she checked it.

  Your services are no longer needed tonight. The ghost. If you tell anyone about our communications you will die first.

  Serena had a violent urge to beg off this trip.

  “Who was that?” asked Sandro.

  “My mom,” she lied. But if she let Sandro go without her and something happened, she would never forgive herself.

  Sandro smiled at her. He must be thinking that she’d told her mom about the baby, but she hadn’t had time yet. Or wasn’t brave enough. She was almost more scared of that than encountering whatever villain was watching them all.

  So, for whatever reason, the villain no longer wanted her to extract information from Sandro. Could it be because they were planning on doing it themselves?

  “You’re shaking.” Sandro stroked her back through her coat.

  “I’m fine,” she managed a weak smile. “Just getting ready for the cold night air. Let’s go.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

  Sandro opened the car door for Serena. Two rows of seats faced each other. He sat next to her and shot her what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

  “What am I to expect?” Sandro looked at Darias. “Cloaks and daggers?”

  “Cloaks but no daggers.”

  “And we’re sure these people didn’t kill our father and grandmother.”

  “The current theory is that Dad and Grandma went to the lake house expecting a Cross of Blood m
eeting and were ambushed. It wasn’t a real meeting because none of the others knew about it. But whoever killed them must have intimate details of the society because they engaged in…uh…”

  “Sexual acts,” said Sandro. He’d heard the salacious details of how their father was found naked, stabbed with a thousand-year-old blade, and their grandmother was dressed in black leather and appeared to have been asphyxiated during some sort of edge-play sex game.

  “Yes. Or at least that’s how the scene was laid out to appear. That they were engaged in sexual acts when they were murdered.”

  “I never knew any of them be into the kind of scenario that was described.”

  “Does any kid know that their dad or grandma does BDSM?”

  “I suppose not, but I’m still not convinced.” Sandro frowned. “Have the members tried to do anything like that with you? It seems like it would provide good material for blackmail.”

  Darias shook his head. “They did make it clear that their role is to provide a safe space and protection for the monarch and their desires, but when I told them I wasn’t interested no one pressured me. They didn’t seem to think the acts that Dad and Grandma were engaged in were out of the ordinary for them, so it seems they did use the society to fulfill their private needs.”

  He glanced sideways at Serena, who looked appropriately shocked. She might be wondering why he was letting her hear all this. She was a grown-up, and he didn’t need to hide anything from her. And he knew her well enough that he didn’t have to ask her to keep his family’s salacious secrets.

  The moonlit drive to the lake house gave them time to form a strategy. The main goal was to figure out who the members were. Darias had already most of them by their voices or other mannerisms, and all were very prominent and wealthy members of Altaleone society—whose families and friends would have been shocked to know what they got up to in private.

  Darias had been frustrated during his three sessions with the society because the members kept distracting him so he couldn’t figure out who was who. Now his plan was to stand back and observe while Sandro kept their attention. He needed to figure out who the two remaining mystery members were.