Day Leclaire’s The Royals Bundle

by Day Leclaire

  But she didn’t wait. Turning, she walked steady as a rock from the office. Later, much later she’d break. But not here. And not now.

  As Lander hung up the phone, he knew that he’d completely and utterly lost his wife—the one woman he’d ever truly loved.

  Who’d have thought him capable of that particular emotion? How had that happened? When had it happened? Before their wedding, he knew that much. Certainly before he’d implemented the design for her wedding rings. Maybe it had happened the first time he’d seen her, when he’d mistaken love for lust. Leaning back in his chair, he closed his eyes, images of Juliana flashing through his mind.

  His bride floating up the aisle toward him in that spectacular wedding gown and veil, her eyes gazing at him through layers of tulle, glowing a brilliant brown seasoned with gold. His wife, her skin more silken than the sheets she lay on, opening herself to him, crying his name as he brought her to completion. His princess, breaking their engagement in order to protect him, while facing down a pack of snarling reporters. She’d done all that for him. How could he do any less for her?

  Even so, it hurt. A deep, immeasurable hurt. He’d thought his love for Verdonia outweighed everything. That he was incapable of the sort of love touted by poets and romantic fools. But that wasn’t true. He was more than capable. It had hidden within, asleep until Juliana had come into his life. And what had he done with it when it had been gifted to him? He’d done everything in his power to destroy it.

  “Excuse me, Your Highness.” His majordomo stood in the open doorway to his office. “The Temporary Governing Council has requested your presence.”

  “Thank you, Timothy. Will you inform them that I’m on my way?”

  “Yes, sire. Immediately.” He hesitated. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  “There’s nothing.” Lander offered an encouraging smile. “Everything will be fine. I haven’t done anything wrong, any more than my father did. The truth will come out.”

  “Yes, sir. Of course it will. No one doubts that for a minute.”

  Lander only wished that were true. Unfortunately, someone somewhere had pointed the finger in his direction, blaming the Montgomerys for the amethyst crisis. And he wasn’t certain he could prove them wrong. The TGC, put in place to govern Verdonia until after the election, had no choice but to act on the allegations.

  Added to that, news of Juliana’s return to the States on the morning following their wedding had leaked almost as soon as she’d stepped onto Joc’s plane. He’d anticipated the resulting public outcry and had been prepared to deal with it. But when news of the investigation had broken later that same afternoon, her disappearance had only added fuel to the fire of suspicion. Why would she have left the day after her wedding if she hadn’t believed her husband guilty of wrongdoing? The fact that she’d flown out with her brother had only made the entire affair more suspect. Even the infamous Joc Arnaud had refused to stand by Prince Lander, the gossips had whispered.

  The scandal threatened to rip his country apart. Until he could get it straightened out—if he could get it straightened out, he wanted Juliana well away from the media bloodbath.

  The minute Juliana hit the street, she hailed a cab. “Drive,” she instructed the cabbie as soon as he pulled curbside.

  “Where do you want me to go?”

  “Anywhere. In circles for all I care.”

  Sliding into the back, she began to shake, her hands trembling so badly the diamonds and amethysts on her rings flashed with urgent fire. She stared blindly at them as she fought for control, and when her cell phone rang, it was all she could do to answer it. She expected to hear her brother’s voice. Instead her mother-in-law responded to her abrupt greeting.

  “Have you heard?” Rachel asked without preamble. “About Lander?”

  “I…I spoke to him ten minutes ago.” If those few terse sentences could be considered speaking. “Has something happened to him?”

  Rachel groaned. “He hasn’t told you about the charges, has he?”

  “Joc tried to tell me something when I left his office, but—” As her mother-in-law’s comment sank in, she straightened in her seat. “What’s wrong, Rachel? What charges are you talking about?”

  “He and his father are accused of…misappropriation, I guess is the most tactful word.”

  Misappropriation? Did she mean…theft? “Did I hear you right? Lander’s been accused of embezzling money?”

  “Amethysts. He’s been charged with skimming a portion of the outflow and selling the gems on the black market. Apparently, there’s conclusive documentation to back up the accusation.”

  “That’s a crock, and you know it,” Juliana declared irately. She thrust a hand through her hair, sending curls flying. “Lander would never do anything so dishonorable. Nor would he be party to anything that would harm Verdonia.”

  There was an instant of silence, then Rachel whispered, “Thank you, Juliana. I was so afraid you left because you believed he was guilty.”

  “I left because I found out he didn’t love me,” she responded without thought.

  “No! Whatever gave you that idea?” There was a momentary pause and then Rachel continued. “Never mind. That’s none of my business.” She hastened to change the subject. “Your brother told me you were the best there is when it comes to accounting and finance. Would you be willing to examine the records and see if there’s something our people have missed?”

  Juliana didn’t hesitate. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.” Of course, returning to Verdonia meant facing Lander again, something she wasn’t prepared to do. Not after their phone conversation. “There’s one condition.”

  “Name it.”

  “I don’t want Lander to know I’m in Verdonia.”

  “Oh. I…I guess I can do that. At least, I can promise I won’t tell him. I can’t promise that he won’t find out from some other source. Will that be acceptable?” When Juliana reluctantly agreed, Rachel added, “Tell me, my dear. Did you ever figure out what your wedding rings meant?” Without waiting for an answer, she hung up.

  Juliana flipped her cell phone shut, and after a momentary hesitation, held out her hand. She stared at the rings curiously. They were such a beautiful set. Her mouth curved upward in a wistful smile as she remembered the moment when Lander had slid the band and engagement ring onto her finger. She recalled that he’d said the design meant something, as well. Something she was supposed to figure out. With everything that had happened in the interim, she’d forgotten until Rachel’s reminder. Now she looked, really looked at the pair.

  The wedding band itself was set with an unbroken circle of Verdonia Royal amethysts. Royals, for soul mates. Hah. As if. But the engagement ring, was another matter. On the outer portion of either side were a scattering of tiny Blushes set in gold filigree. Farther inward the amethysts grew progressively larger and changed in color to a shade she’d never seen before, becoming mixed with diamonds until the very middle where a huge diamond and a matching Verdonia Royal were connected in a swirl of gold.

  What had Lander said about the Blushes? That they symbolized a contract. Wasn’t that how their engagement had begun, as a contract? She might have been unaware of it, but that didn’t make it any less true. She frowned in concentration. The Blushes were only on the outer rim. As they grew in size, they also changed to an unusual reddish-purple color that was neither Blush nor Royal. She wasn’t sure what this new shade symbolized. None of the jewels Lander had shown her had contained anything similar. But at the center of the ring the stones were the deepest, richest purple-blue she’d ever seen. A diamond and a Royal mated together. She shook her head. No. It couldn’t possibly mean what she thought.

  The tears came then, tears of regret mixed with a surge of hope so expansive and strong that it drowned out every other emotion. It took two circuits around the block before she’d recovered sufficiently to decide on her next step. Fumbling for her cell phone, she punched in a number. Her brother answere
d on the first ring.

  “I need three things from you and I need them an hour ago,” she announced.

  “Name them and they’re yours.”

  “I need your jet. My old team of accountants. And the meanest, nastiest, sharkiest bunch of lawyers you have on staff. I want to be airborne before nightfall.”

  “Going somewhere?”

  “Verdonia.”

  Joc let out a sigh of relief. “About damn time.”

  “Lander! Lander, where are you going?” Rachel called breathlessly.

  He paused, his hand on the knob of the conference room door, and glanced over his shoulder at his stepmother. To his surprise, she approached at a near run, alarm clear in her eyes. “I’m checking in with my lawyers and accountants, of course. I’ve called down at least six times today for an update and haven’t heard a word.”

  “Maybe if you left them alone so they could get some work done—”

  “This will only take a minute.”

  He pushed open the door and stepped into the room. Everyone froze, and the animated conversation came to an abrupt stop at his entry. And that’s when he heard it, a soft gasp. He knew that tiny hiccup of sound, had heard it every time he’d kissed his wife, every time he’d made love to her, every time he’d brought her to completion. Slowly he turned his head and there she was, standing off to one side of the room, staring at him.

  Of course her eyes gave her away, brilliant flecks of gold burning within the honey brown. He flinched at what he read there. Apprehension, longing, wariness. Even a heartrending hint of sorrow. But worst of all was the unadulterated pain.

  He didn’t hesitate. He was beside her in an instant. Cupping the back of her neck, he tumbled her into his arms. His mouth took hers with an intense kiss that told her more clearly than words how much he missed her. His tongue breached her lips and she responded to him the way she always did, with a generous passion that threatened to unman him. She wore her hair up in a style similar to the one on their wedding day, and he thrust his hands into those perfectly arranged curls and set them free.

  At long last he pulled back and gazed down at her. “You’re here.”

  “Yes, I’m here,” she agreed breathlessly.

  “Don’t take this the wrong way, but…why?”

  “I thought I could help.”

  Help. She meant help with the embezzling charges. Damn it! If the media got wind of her presence they’d be all over her. If she thought her previous experiences had been bad, it would be nothing compared to this. And there wouldn’t be anything he could do to protect her. “I left specific instructions with Joc—”

  “Yes,” she cut in. “I heard those instructions, remember?”

  Hell. Lander thrust a hand through his hair. “We need to take this someplace private where we can talk.” He started to urge her from the room, only to discover that they were already alone. He paused, tempted to carry her off to their rooms while no one was watching and allow his hands and mouth to do his speaking for him. Duty battled desire for supremacy. Duty won. “You shouldn’t be in Verdonia. You need to leave before word leaks of your return.”

  “I’m not going anywhere. At least, not yet.” She stepped away from him and folded her arms across her chest. “Why didn’t you tell me about these charges you’re facing?”

  “You left, remember?”

  Hot color scorched her cheeks. “Vividly. I also remember the reason I left.”

  “And still you came back?” he couldn’t help but ask. He didn’t understand it. After everything he’d done to drive her away, here she stood.

  She waved that aside as though it weren’t important. “Why did you tell Joc to keep me out of Verdonia?” she countered. “Was it to protect me?”

  He shrugged. “You’ve had enough trouble with the media to last a lifetime. You don’t need any more.”

  “Falling on your sword, Lander?”

  He managed a brief smile. “We seem to make a habit of it, don’t we?” His smile faded. “Not that it matters. You’re returning to Texas right now, even if I have to put you on the plane in handcuffs.”

  “Just one last question before I go.” She hesitated before rushing into speech. “I couldn’t help noticing that all the Verdonian wedding rings you showed me at the museum had names. Does mine?”

  The change of topic caught him off guard and he answered automatically. “Of course.”

  “What is it?”

  He should have seen the question coming and diverted her before she could ask. “We can discuss this later.” He attempted to dismiss the subject. “The plane—”

  “Can wait.” One look warned she wouldn’t be budged from her stance. “If you want my cooperation, we’ll discuss it now.”

  He made the best of a losing hand. “If I tell you the name, do you agree to leave? To get on whatever plane brought you here and return to Texas within the hour?” At her nod, he bit out, “Metamorphous. Your ring is called Metamorphous.”

  “Ah.” A strange smile tugged at her mouth. “I’d hoped it was something like that.”

  He started for the door. “If we’re careful, I think I can get you to the airport with no one the wiser.”

  “In a minute.” She laced his hand in hers and tugged him toward the conference table where papers were piled high. “I want to show you something first.”

  “We had an agreement, Juliana.” Determination filled him. This time he wouldn’t fail. If she didn’t come soon, he’d take more drastic action. Whatever necessary, so long as he protected her. “You promised you’d leave.”

  “I’ll be quick.” She shoved her loosened curls back from her face. “Normally I wouldn’t allow a client in here while I’m working.”

  She was chattering from nerves, and his eyes narrowed as he watched her. “I’m not your client.”

  “It wouldn’t matter if you were, not anymore.” She edged around the table away from him and gathered up a sheaf of papers. Tidying them, she reached for another. “I’m through with my investigation.”

  He took the comment with calm stoicism. “Don’t let it worry you. I know you did your best. Now if you don’t mind—”

  “I always do my best.” And she smiled at him.

  He saw it then. The quiet satisfaction. The breathtaking radiance that eased the lines of strain from his wife’s face. “You figured out what happened to the amethysts,” he marveled.

  “Yes. Lauren DeVida happened to them.”

  “Our chief executive accountant?” He couldn’t disguise his shock. “Not a chance in hell. She was devoted to my father. Devoted to Verdonia.”

  “No, she was pretty much devoted to stealing amethysts. I have to admit, she was good at it,” Juliana reluctantly conceded. “She was really good.”

  “But not as good as you.” There wasn’t a doubt in his mind.

  She struggled to appear modest. “No one’s that good.”

  He sat down across from her. “Are you sure it was Lauren?”

  “Sure enough that the accountants are reporting to the Temporary Governing Council as we speak.” She reached out and squeezed his hand. “She was like family, wasn’t she?”

  “Yes. My father adored her. We all did.”

  “Huh.” Juliana’s brows pulled together in thought. “I hadn’t considered that possibility.”

  “What possibility?”

  She riffled through some of the documents. “When were your father and Rachel married?” She flicked a piece of paper across the table toward him. “Was it around about this date?”

  “Not around. Exactly.”

  “That’s when the scam began. It ended the day your father died.”

  Damn it to hell. What had Juliana once said? One plus one always equals two. “You think Lauren was in love with my father, don’t you?”

  She nodded. “And when he married Rachel, that adoration turned vindictive. From what I’ve been able to uncover, she set up the entire operation to make it appear that your father, you and
Merrick had run it. There are even documents that implicate Rachel and Miri. I’m guessing she sent copies of some of this to certain interested parties.”

  “Von Folke.”

  “It’s possible. I haven’t found any proof of that.”

  Lander glanced around the room, taking in the controlled chaos. “What’s left for you to do here?”

  “Nothing. As soon as we let everyone back in, copies will be made. Reports written.” She shrugged. “Details finalized.”

  “You’re certain? There’s no question that it’s finished?”

  “I’m positive.”

  “That leaves one last task for me to deal with.” Without warning, he circled the conference table and swept her up into his arms.

  She released a muffled cry. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  “I’m taking a page out of Merrick’s book.”

  “I…I don’t understand.” A heartbreaking ache underscored her words. “Are you still sending me home? I know I promised to go, but—”

  “I’m abducting you, not sending you home,” he explained gravely. “It worked so well for Merrick that I thought I’d give it a try.”

  “You’re going to—”

  He silenced her with a kiss. When he came up for air again, he said, “Abduct you. Yes. Would you prefer to be tied up?”

  “That won’t be necessary.” Looping her hands around his neck she released a disgruntled sigh. “It would seem I don’t have a choice.” She peeked up at him, her eyes shining like burnished gold. “Do I?”

  “You can fight. But I recommend cooperation. That way you don’t invalidate Section C, Subparagraph Four, Line Sixteen of my contract with Joc.”

  She stiffened within his hold. “Dare I ask?”

  “I believe it has to do with love, honor and cherish until death do us part.”

  Something shifted in her expression, a slow undoing, a helpless breaking signaling the final release of a lifetime’s worth of barriers. Without a word, she closed her eyes and lowered her head to his shoulder. He carried her from the room. In no time he had a limo arranged to transport them to the apartment building where he’d first made love to his wife.