A Royal Secret: Book 1 (Bad Boy Princes of Malvidence)

by V Vee

  “I’m not exactly who you see when you talk to someone you consider a friend, that you would talk about her in such a way, but when I met her, when I spoke to her, she seemed perfect to me. Not just as someone’s wife, but as a princess. As my princess. There is no difference between Laeticia and yourself, Princess Valerie. Except I don’t think she would speak of you in such disparaging words to someone who was interested in you.” Alfie rose from his seat and put a sleeping Chiamaka back down in it. “If you will excuse me?” Alfie bowed and turned to walk away.

  Valerie was stunned at the dressing down she’d just been given by the youngest prince. Her face was hot with embarrassment. She was simply looking out for Alfie. She knew her friend, Laeticia had a tendency to not only love ‘em and leave ‘em but she was the wild and adventurous one, there was more than one picture out there of her from their days in college with her top off, or dancing on the bar, or something equally scandalous. As a matter of fact, the only time Laeticia seemed to be calm and responsible was at work, at church, or when she was over at Valerie’s house with the kids.

  Then again, that was the only time Valerie had really seen her friend in the last fourteen years. While Laeticia came over as often as she could, she was still busy as a public relations manager for different celebrities. She often got called away when she was with Valerie and the kids. Was it possible that Valerie had allowed her memories of her club-hopping, free-spirited friend to continue to color her perception of her? Guilt swamped her thoughts and Valerie knew she needed to apologize to Laeticia as soon as possible.

  Just as soon as she had that thought, Valerie wondered just how much time Alfie and Laeticia, as well as Augustus and Helen, had spent together. Her friends had only been over at the house for a few hours before Valerie, and the kids, had flown off with Algerone and his brothers, for a spontaneous going-away party. Valerie hadn’t even intended for them to be there. She’d simply called them and her family to tell them she was going to Malvidence to visit for a few weeks or months and would be back, when they’d all descended on the house. They’d brought food, cards, and cameras. Tears had been shed, advice given, and loving words whispered to each other. Valerie could have sworn both of her friends were with her or in her vicinity at all time. But apparently, she’d been wrong.

  When she called them to apologize and let them know that she’d arrived safely, she would definitely be interrogating the both of them. Because Alfie had seemed prepared to rip her head off for not showing Laeticia the respect he thought she deserved—and Valerie had to admit, she had not been very friendly, favorable, respectful, or even nice to someone she knew always had her back—and Augustus was still giving her the side-eye.

  They hadn’t even reached Malvidence and already two of Algerone’s brothers had turned on her.

  Great. Great start, Valerie. You’ll have the people of Malvidence eating out of your hand in no time.

  As the plane taxied to a halt, Valerie placed a hand to her stomach and exhaled slowly. “Trouble with flying?” Andreas asked.

  Valerie gave him a small smile and shook her head. “No. I’m a bird when it comes to flying. Taking off and landing aren’t a problem, but I’m nervous about being here, being me, you know?” she told him.

  Andreas tilted his head to the side and gave her a look of confusion. It was so similar to the way Chikere looked at her sometimes, as if she were being foolish, or as if she’d just said something stupid, that Valerie snorted. She waved her hand in front of her face. “then again, if I could raise five children on my own, while being an in-demand artist, and being a black woman in America, secretly married to a prince, then meeting the people of Malvidence and your parents is going to be a breeze,” she stated with confidence.

  Andreas nodded back at her. “Good.”

  Valerie laughed and turned to Dahni, who sat in a booster seat of some sort, next to her. She wiped at the drool on the little girl’s face, making hushing noises when Dahni tried to fight her. Valerie had never met a child who fought more against someone trying to dress her or clean her. Valerie was concerned that her child was going to grow up and either be a naturalist or be a nudist. Either option gave Valerie the heebee-jeebees. She held Dahni’s chin in her hand and spoke to her earnestly.

  “You will not be a nudist!”

  “Is that really a fear of ours?” Algerone’s voice came from behind her as Dahni laughed at Falerie and patted her cheeks.

  Valerie’s face flushed with embarrassment as she looked up at her husband. “Sorry, my imagination ran away with me.”

  Algerone chuckled and squatted next to her chair. “yea, being pregnant does that to you,” he informed her.

  Valerie’s eyebrows rose and she gasped. “It does not!”

  Algerone groaned and rolled his eyes. “Oh, come now, love! When you were pregnant with the twins you swore that Beaumont was trying to run away, so you made him sleep in the room with you. And when you were pregnant with Dahni, you were certain that the government had made all the farmers change the taste of strawberries because you hated the taste of them.” He pinched her chin fondly. “You get a little paranoid, and your imagination runs away from you, and you’ll say things to me or the kids, or your parents, as if we’ve been having conversations with you and we haven’t, so we don’t know why you walk up to us and say, and you know green looks better on you so stop arguing with me! But we’re used to it by now.” He laughed as Valerie groaned in horror.

  “I can’t believe this,” Valerie said, determined to not let her mind and emotions get the best of her during this pregnancy.

  Algerone shrugged. “Don’t worry so, miora ruga, I think it makes loving you and living with you much more interesting.” He ducked out of way just in time as Valerie swung out a palm to hit him. He laughed and placed a kiss on her head before sauntering off to the front of the plane to see when they could exit.

  Valerie was going to make him pay for that. Just as soon as they got through the crowd of reporters, journalists, photographers, and citizens of Malvidence that waited for them outside the plane.

  The nervousness that had disappeared in the presence of conversation with Andreas and playful bickering with her husband rushed back full-force. I can do this, she told herself. Maybe if she told herself enough times she would eventually believe it.

  Before she could sufficiently build up her confidence the door of the plane was opened and the red carpet covered steps were pushed up to the entrance. She watched as Alfie walked right past her without more than a brief smile in her direction, before he stepped out, waving at the awaiting crowd. Andreas followed Alfie, then Alastair, then Augustus headed out to screams, cheers, and flashing cameras.

  Valerie rose from her seat, holding Dahni, joining Algerone and her children, who had already gotten up and stood in the aisle, looking adorably sleepy. She looked up at Algerone who gave her a reassuring smile, before he lifted Chikere and Chiamaka in his arms.

  “AJ and Beaumont you lead us out. Walk slowly and carefully down the steps. Don’t look at the cameras and don’t say anything, when you get to the bottom step, your uncles will be there and they will take you to the cars, okay?” Algerone instructed the two oldest boys.

  “Yes Kothrar,” Beaumont said.

  “Yeah,” AJ replied, his voice trembling just slightly as he nodded his head. Beaumont took his older brother’s hand, and Valerie smiled softly at her two big boys, her teenagers, or almost teenagers, as they offered each other comfort and support. As they gripped hands, she watched as both boys straightened their shoulders and stepped out the door of the plane onto the awaiting steps.

  “Ready?” Algerone asked her.

  Valerie shook her head. “Absolutely not, but let’s get this over with.”

  Algerone grinned at her. “That’s my girl.” He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. “Let’s go change Malvidence.”

  Valerie nodded. “Yes, let’s do it.” And with that, they stepped out the open door of the
plane and made history.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  V alerie stood as close to Algerone as physically possible as they came to a stop on the top stair just outside of the plane. Cameras flashed, and journalists yelled. Some in English, some in Malvidencian, and some in other languages. Valerie blinked rapidly as she heard her name yelled repeatedly. She rubbed a soothing hand on Dahni’s back as the little girl began to whimper slightly.

  “Smile,” Algerone told her.

  Valerie nodded and smiled, lifting her hand to wave at the crowd, before taking the stair rail with her free hand and slowly making her way down the stairs. Once she reached the bottom, she handed Dahni off to Augustus, and turned to take Chiamaka and hand her off to Alastair, after pressing a comforting kiss to her cheek. When Algerone held out his hand, Valerie grasped it gratefully and held on tightly.

  “You did great,” he murmured to her. “We’re almost there. Just a little further,” he encouraged her as they walked to the line of white SUVs all bearing the royal flags, that awaited them. Valerie could feel herself breathing easier, the shouting from the various journalists, photographers, reporters, and citizens of Malvidence becoming nothing but white noise. She focused on putting one foot in front of the other and walking straight to the open door. Just when she thought she’d made it, a disturbance from the crowd, made her stop and turn to her left to check it out.

  The flash of a gun pointed in their direction only registered for a moment, before Valerie shoved Algerone, who still held Chikere in his arms down toward the vehicle and yelling “gun!” simultaneously. Chaos ensued, and Valerie felt a slight burning in her left arm, but she paid it no mind as she yelled out for her son and husband.

  “Chi! Are you okay?” She called out, shoving at the royal guards who surrounded her in an attempt to help her. “Get off me, where is my son? Where is Algerone? Are they okay?”

  “Princess! We must get you to safety!” One of the guards grunted as Valerie elbowed him in the stomach.

  Valerie shook her head. “No, what you must do is get me to my husband, the prince, and my children.”

  “Val!” Algerone’s loud roar echoed over the tarmac, shocking everyone around, even the guards who were arresting the shooter.

  “Algerone!” Valerie called back, pushing away the most demanding of the guards—Danorian—and rushing towards her husband. She sighed as soon as she felt her husband’s arms around her, then looked around frantically.

  “Chi—” she stammered.

  “Is fine. He is currently in the vehicle with his siblings, worried about you.” Algerone assured her, brushing her hair back from her face. “What were you thinking?” He shook her gently and Valerie hissed as her left arm burned from the action. “You are pregnant, you have to think about our baby. And what about our children? They need you. And what about me?” He hit his hand against his chest. “Don’t you know I can’t live without you? I breathe for you.”

  Valerie reached her right hand up to cup Algerone’s cheek, wiping away the tears that had formed in his eyes. She smiled sweetly at him as dizziness started to overtake her mind. “I love you too, but can you yell at me after I go to the hospital? This blood loss is a bitch.”

  “Blood…” Algerone looked down and cursed. Valerie felt the world tilt beneath her as she was lifted off her feet and rushed into the awaiting SUV, Algerone reassuring their children. She snuggled closer to him as she welcomed the darkness.

  Algerone sat next to Valerie’s hospital bed again, hating that she was there, knowing it was his fault. Obviously, there was someone out there who had a problem with his marrying an American, a black American woman. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, clutching the strands in a harsh grip. He would give anything for his wife to be okay. And once he was assured that she was, he was going to find out who was behind what could only be determined as an assassination attempt and take care of them himself.

  The shooter had been captured. He was a young man named Marvin whose background check had shown a history of petty crimes: stealing, trespassing, criminal mischief, vandalism. Nothing violent, nothing that would point to him having a gun, much less wanting to shoot a member of the royal family. After a lengthy interrogation, the young twenty-two-year-old had admitted to being a part of “The Rebellion” which was a well-known organization that operated mainly in the country of Waldakan. The Rebellion protested and fought against the leadership of the current royal family on Waldakan, the mistreatment of the lower-class, the rigid conservatism of the neighboring countries, and the incarceration of political protestors. While Algerone agreed with them on certain matters, knowing that the current leaders of Waldakan had come to power by illegal means, and by killing off every member of the former ruling family, he had never known members of The Rebellion to be violent. It went against what they believed.

  After more questioning, Marvin told the royal guards that he’d been paid to get rid of the princess, and that others had been paid to get rid of the children. That knowledge sent fear coursing through Algerone’s veins. There was someone out there, some ones out there who were dead set on killing his wife and children. Guilt swamped him, making him clench his jaw. It was all his fault. If he’d never married Valerie and had children with her, her life wouldn’t be in danger right at that moment. If he had merely let her go, without claiming her before the whole world, then she and their children would be safe. So many if only’s.

  “Would you stop thinking so loud?” Valerie’s husky voice echoed in the room, startling Algerone. “Your misplaced guilt is making it hard to sleep or breathe.”

  Algerone looked at her, tears rolling down his cheeks as he bowed his head and pressed a kiss to the hand he held in his own. He rose from his chair and placed a kiss on her forehead, her lips, then her belly, where their child—their strong, unborn baby—still grew inside of her. He shuddered with relief that she was alive. That they were alive. All of them. He vowed to do everything within his power to keep her safe.

  “I am so sorry,” he told her.

  “Did you shoot me?” Valerie asked as she opened her eyes.

  Algerone shook his head. “No, but, it’s—”

  “Algie.” Valerie sighed. “This is not your fault. You can’t control people’s actions or their thoughts. If we had never met, never fallen in love over the summer and gotten married over fourteen years ago, I still would have wound up in the hospital in some way, injured. Maybe not because of a crazy man with a gun, but because I was crossing the street, with my art, still single, or maybe I’m dating, and a car hit me. Sometimes you can control things, and sometimes things happen because they’re supposed to. This could not have been prevented by you or I unless we went back fourteen years and chose not to fall in love. Chose not to experience this amazing, world-changing, heart-stopping passion. Chose not to have those five beautiful, talented, intelligent children. Chose not to have each other. And I don’t know about you, but even through everything, I would rather end up here, with you holding my hand, knowing I was still alive to love you another day, than to know I had missed out on ever having you.”

  Algerone stared at Valerie for a long moment, before he shook his head and standing again, took her lips in a deep, loving kiss, swiping her lips with his tongue. As she opened her mouth, he plundered the inside, moaning as the taste of her exploded on his taste buds. He pulled back after a moment and placed a kiss on her nose.

  “I do not deserve you, but I will spend the rest of my life, trying to be worthy of your love,” he told her.

  Valerie shook her head at him. “You, stupid man. There is no worthiness here. As long as you are a good man, you love me, our children, are faithful, honest, you know all the things you promised me when we got married? Then you deserve me.”

  Algerone kissed her again. “The pain medication they’re pumping through your iv is making you delusional, you’re going to regret you said that to me when you’re lucid,” he teased her.

  Valerie laughed
then winced. “Jackass.” She took a deep breath. “Where are the kids?”

  “Out in the waiting room with my brothers and a large contingent of guards.”

  “Well, this is certainly a great way to make a first impression on the citizens of Malvidence and your parents,” Valerie said with a grin.

  “Nonsense, my dear, you have just endeared yourself to the whole kingdom of Malvidence, our allies, and the world with your heroic actions,” a rumbling voice came from the doorway. Algerone turned and saw his parents standing just inside of the hospital room and rose quickly to his feet and bowed.

  “Mexoria Źeylήia,” Algerone said respectfully.

  His father gestured at him to stand with an indulgent smile on his face. “Miora dath, there is no need to stand on ceremony here. I have not come as your king, but as your kothrar to check on the well-being of your ravielo.” King Callum walked over to Valerie and took her hand smiling down at her fondly. “I apologize that you have had to experience such an unpleasant and unfortunate welcome to our country. Rest assured that those responsible will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of Malvidencian law.”

  Algerone stared at his father in surprise, before turning to his mother in confusion. While he was sure that his parents would be cordial, even polite and respectful to Valerie, he had not expected them to be so warm and welcoming. It was as if they were pleased and relieved to finally meet her. As if they cared about her already.

  “Thank you, Your Highness,” Valerie replied.

  Callum tsked. “You must call me Kothrar.”

  Valerie smiled at his father and Algerone felt his heart clench. She had a smile that could easily change the world. That could start wars, bring peace, or bring a man to his knees. It had certainly brought him to his. He watched as his own father became besotted by his wife, his gaze softening even more as she turned that blinding smile his way.