Charlotte & Nate (Royals of Valleria #4)

by Marianne Knightly

  “Don’t blame yourself,” Grace said beside him, her slim arm wrapping around his. “It’s not your fault.”

  “No, it isn’t,” Gabriel said in a tone that brooked no argument. “Security breaches happen; it’s how we deal with them that counts.”

  “Was Calvin involved in this?” Nate asked.

  Marcello shrugged. “We’re not sure. We’ll question Jasper some more and see if he admits anything, and Gerald, too. We’re still not sure if his death was intentional; we’ll keep digging until we find out.”

  Nate nodded. “The Prime Minister and his family?”

  “He was airborne not long after you starting speaking,” Marcello said. “The public perception’s against him right now since he left when he did, but our PR people are working with his to put the right spin on it.”

  Nate looked at Alex. “We could use this to push the new trade deal.”

  Alex smiled. “If you come back to work, you can.”

  “What about Gerald?” Rebecca asked and Alex pulled her tight against him. “Does Gerald still blame us? He’s got to know that his son’s actions were his own and that we acted in self-defense.”

  Marcello stared down into his drink; it had been the gun in his hand that had taken the life of Gerald’s son, Lafayette, who was nicknamed Leffie. “He doesn’t. We had our counterparts in Switzerland search Gerald’s home. They found quite a bit of Lafayette’s things there, too, including a journal he wrote in almost daily. Apparently, Lafayette blamed Gerald for the change in the succession line, for not marrying his mother, and a lot more. Leffie wanted to kill Gerald, but decided to try for the throne first.”

  Alex rubbed a hand up and down Rebecca’s arm. “That’s when he decided to come after me, via Rebecca, a few months ago?”

  Marcello nodded. “Not only that. The search at Gerald’s house also uncovered all kinds of documents about his shady business dealings. He’d been using the bank he owned to funnel the money Jasper had embezzled from Valleria. We can trace it, and we’ll get it back.”

  “And I’ll put more security and due diligence in place to ensure it doesn’t happen again,” Nate said.

  Gabriel cocked an eyebrow. “Will you?”

  “Yes. Yes, I think I will. I’ll stay on for a little longer. I need to straighten this mess out, at the very least.”

  “You don’t need to,” Alex reminded him. “But we’d love it if you did.”

  “Technically, I was Jasper’s boss. That makes me culpable in the debt. The public may not want me in that role.”

  Marcello shook his head. “No way that happens. The public all saw you take a bullet on live television for king and country. They won’t forget that.”

  “I don’t know if I will, either,” Charlie whispered, though everyone heard it. Nate kissed her hand again.

  “Besides which,” Marcello continued, “Jasper was the head of the Vallerian Patriots. He started stealing when he couldn’t bend Papa or the rest of the Council to his will.”

  “If everyone knew how bloody hard it is to be the king, believe me, few would really want the job.”

  “But that’s just it, isn’t it?” Alex piped up. “Others only see the power of the position. Few see it as a job that a country full of people depend upon.”

  Gabriel nodded. “Well said, my son. Another example of why you will make a fine king one day and probably sooner than you thought.”

  As gasps were heard around the room. Gabriel held up a hand. “I alluded to something earlier in the week, regarding the Independence Day celebrations, and I’m now finishing that discussion.” Gabriel signaled for the protection agents to clear the room of any hospital personnel; even confidentiality agreements wouldn’t keep his announcement from reaching the press. When the room was filled to the brim with his family only, he cleared his throat and held tight to Genevieve’s hand.

  “A year into our marriage and my reign,” Gabriel began, to the rapt attention of all, “we celebrated the fifteen hundredth anniversary of our independence. In eleven years, we’ll celebrate the fifteen hundredth and fiftieth year. On that occasion, I will formally abdicate the throne to Alexander.”

  The room was eerily silent while they all pondered the news. Alex furrowed his brows and spoke first. “Papa, are you sure?”

  “Quite sure. I’m going to be a grandpapa soon,” he said with a smile to Arianna. “And who knows how many more grandchildren we’ll be blessed with in eleven years. I want to spend time with all of them, and less time running the country.”

  “Eleven years though?” Sarah asked. “That’s a long time to prep for retirement, Papa.”

  “I know it, but Alexander deserves this time with his young bride, and Rebecca deserves this time with her young groom, so I’ll slowly move more responsibilities to him after the wedding. I wasn’t so lucky at the start of my marriage to steal away moments with my bride, and I want Alexander and Rebecca to have that.”

  “Are you feeling all right, Papa?” Ethan asked, his face a mask of worry. “There’s not something else leading this decision, is there?”

  Gabriel sighed. “I confess that I do tire much more easily these days, but it’s nothing more than my age.”

  “I can take over sooner, Papa,” Alex insisted. “You can still take your time retiring, if you wish, but let me bear the burden.”

  “You’ll carry it for many years to come, my son, and I’ll not give it until I’m ready to do so.” Gabriel’s no-nonsense tone brooked no argument. “It also shouldn’t have to be said, but I’ll say anyway - this news go nowhere beyond this room. We’ll announce it when I’m good and ready and not a moment sooner.”

  “Are you all right, Your Majesty?” Charlie asked Genevieve.

  Genevieve smiled. “Of course I am. You’re so sweet to ask. Please, just call me Genevieve, no need for formality, not anymore.”

  Charlie flushed. “Oh. All right.” Nate squeezed her hand again.

  “And you must call me Gabriel. No argument. You’re part of the family now. I wouldn’t have made that announcement in front of you if I didn’t think so.”

  “Thank you.” Charlie swallowed. “Thank you very much.”

  “Thank you for bringing a light into my son’s eyes,” Gabriel said and cleared his throat. “Now then, I think we still need to have some dessert. I believe Coco’s packed us with some of your delicious cake, Charlotte.”

  Charlie’s eyes widened. “Oh, well, don’t feel obligated to eat it, if you’d rather not.”

  “Why wouldn’t I?” Gabriel said, quirking an eyebrow. “You are an excellent baker.”

  As cake was passed around and conversation filled the room once more, Charlie turned to Nate.

  “See?” Nate said with a smile. “You’re part of the family now. Everyone loves you.”

  “Nate.”

  “I know it’s too soon. But you’ll move in with me, and that’ll make my proposal easier for you to accept.”

  Charlie shook her head, but she was smiling, too. “I guess I could move in with you. I’ve never had a family before. I’ll probably need some help.”

  Nate kissed her hand again. “I’ll be there to help you. We all will, Charlie. We’ll all be there for you.”

  “And I’ll be there for you, too.” She leaned over and pressed a soft, chaste kiss to his lips. When a few people whistled, she pulled away and blushed in mortification.

  Nate chuckled. “Welcome to the family, Charlotte-mine.”

  “I’m still not marrying you.”

  “You will.”

  “You’re so damn sure of yourself.”

  “Only when it comes to you, Charlotte-mine. Only when it comes to you.”

  THE END

  ###

  Keep reading for an excerpt from A Royal Holiday (Royals of Valleria #5), a novella available December 8, 2015!

  A Note from the Author

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you so much for reading Charlotte & Nate’s story! I hope you enjo
yed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you did, you may want to consider:

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  Marianne

  A Royal Holiday (Royals of Valleria #5)

  Synopsis

  The season for stolen kisses and royal wishes is here. Catch up with the Vallerian royal family as they celebrate the holidays together … and apart.

  The day of the Holiday Ball – and her engagement party – has finally dawned for current commoner and future princess Rebecca, who has been swept up in a whirlwind of royal pomp and circumstance ever since she fell in love with Alexander, her fiancé and heir to the throne … Alex is ready to spend the holiday wrapped in his love’s arms. When a royal scandal breaks just days before the ball, sending his reputation into a tailspin, will they recover in time to navigate through a Holiday Ball and their first Christmas together?

  English Lady Grace's troubled past still haunts her. After years of difficult holidays, she's ready to make some new memories with her Prince, Marcello. But can she give him the one thing he wants most? … Marcello knows the holidays are difficult for Grace. Will his surprise steal the show at the Holiday Ball or cost him the one person he loves most?

  Charlotte, head of the Vallerian palace kitchens and expert baker, has been working at a frantic pace leading up to the holidays due to the Royal Holiday Ball, multiple parties, dinners, and events in the works – all while recovering from a gunshot wound. She's barely had any time to spend with her own prince, Nate, much less think about what she should get him for the holidays. What do you get a Prince your first holiday together? … Nate is so proud of his lady love, but can't stand waking up alone anymore. When Nate decides to spirit Charlie away, will his surprise rise to the occasion, or fall flat as a bad cake?

  Pregnant Princess Arianna has made a home in the small country of Brazenbourg with its prince, Finn, but her first holiday away from Valleria proves to be harder than expected … Finn would do anything for his princess, including pulling off the impossible. Can he make a miracle happen and grant Arianna her most fervent Christmas wish?

  Come visit Valleria this holiday season, where surprises abound, dreams might come true, and a series of events plans to make for a very interesting New Year.

  Excerpt

  Icy December rain pelted the palace windows, but Alexander, heir to the throne of Valleria, was more than warm inside snuggled against his fiancée, Rebecca. Though the palace was quite sturdy, it was still prone to chilling drafts in the winter, though he hadn’t noticed any of them this year.

  He currently spooned the love of his life, his nose nestled in her rich, wavy chocolate brown hair. The faint scent of lavender on her olive-hued skin calmed as much as aroused him, and their naked bodies were cozy and comfortable. They barely wore clothes to bed anymore – what was the point when they just ripped them off each other almost every night? – and last night had been no exception.

  She sighed, and he smiled into her hair. She often sighed just before she roused from sleep, and he loved that he was the only man who knew that about her, or would ever know that about her. She’d been a virgin when they met, and he can’t say he minded that fact at all.

  “Why are you always up before me?” she said, her voice low and soft. Her eyes blinked open as she turned in his arms to face him. Her nipples, soft from sleep, began to harden when pressed against his broad chest.

  “I love watching you sleep, darling.”

  Her arms wound around his neck and teased the ends of his inky black hair, while one of her smooth, toned legs sidled between his. “One of these days, I’m going to wake up before you.”

  He dropped a quick kiss to her irresistible pouting lips. “I wait in baited breath for that day.”

  She huffed a laugh. “That’s because you think if I wake up early, you’ll get lucky.”

  “I have you; I’m already lucky.”

  A broad smile spread across her face. “You always know just the right thing to say.”

  “It was the truth.”

  “Truth it may be, but it was also very effective.”

  The side of his mouth quirked up. “How effective?”

  She pressed her hips against his cock, which had woken long before he had. “Very effective,” she whispered.

  He groaned. “I love you, Becca,” he said, using the nickname that flew from his lips when he was aroused.

  “I love you, Alex,” she said, her easy breathing turning to short gasps. “Make love to me.”

  He took her lips in a hard kiss, their moans shattering the quiet of their bedroom. He shifted on top of her, his lips trailing over heated skin as they shifted down her body.

  As passion and control fought a valiant battle inside him, he took a moment to watch his lover’s body quivering beneath his touch. She was his best friend, his confidant, his temptress, and Valleria’s future princess and queen.

  God, he loved her.

  ***

  In another royal apartment in the palace, Prince Marcello was sharing a steaming shower with his love, Lady Grace. His deft hands slid soap over Grace’s pale skin and waif-like body, tangling occasionally in her long, golden hair, which was lighter than his own dark blond. Her soft moans were all he needed to keep going.

  “Marcello,” she whispered in her refined English accent. “Please.”

  “Please, what?” he murmured as he brought her against his svelte but toned form.

  “Love me,” she whispered, her eyes drugged with passion.

  “I already do, fair Grace.”

  “Love me more, then.”

  He chuckled. “Impatient, are we?”

  “Yes, as a matter of fact.” Her slim hands roamed down to his ass and she forced his body harder against hers.

  A low growl escaped him and he took her lips in a kiss meant to leave her weak. When her grip slackened, he turned her around. “Hands on the wall,” he whispered just loud enough to be heard over the heated sprays of water around them.

  With her hands flat and her body bent for him, he gripped her hips and entered her in one hard thrust. Her cry made him pause but, when it turned into a moan, he let out a sigh of relief. Grace had a heartbreaking past and he would never let their lovemaking remind her of it.

  Assured that passion, not the past, was ruling the woman he loved, he fisted a hand in her long, glorious mane, and thrust into her with more purpose.

  ***

  Several hundred miles north of the Vallerian palace, Valleria’s former princess and Brazenbourg’s future princess, Arianna, laid against Brazenbourg’s leader, Prince Finn. Her head rested on his hair-strewn chest, and the heartbeat she heard underneath her head was calming.

  Finn stroked his hand soothingly along her spine, his fingers occasionally shifting her long, caramel-colored hair. The tiled floor was cool underneath their bodies but, given the way Arianna was feeling, that suited her just fine. When her stomach contracted again, she groaned and turned away from the man she loved.

  “Oh, baby,” Finn said softly, and ran a comforting hand over her head and soft hair.

  “Baby is right,” she muttered as she rubbed her body just under her belly button, where their child lay nestled inside. “Our child seems to like torturing me.”

  Finn pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. “It’s torturing me, too. I can’t stand to see you in pain.”

  “I know.” Arianna brought Finn’s arm around her,
so it rested with hers over her womb. He settled in to spoon her from behind. “You should go relax in our bed. There’s no sense in both of us lying on the bathroom floor waiting for my morning sickness to rear its ugly head again.”

  “Where you go, I go, and that’s that.” She felt another kiss and Finn’s arm tightened around her.

  She felt so safe and secure with him, so loved and cared for. She was so damn lucky they had found each other. “Thank you, Finn.”

  “For what?”

  “For being here with me. I know you’ve got a lot to see to.”