Genevieve put a hand to her chest. “Oh, Charlotte.”
To avoid crying pathetically again at the look of pity and understanding on Genevieve’s face, Charlie continued. “So, anyway, when Nate begged me to marry him, and then wanted to do it the next day, I said yes, to all of it.”
Sarah smiled wide. “He begged you?”
Nate narrowed his eyes, his voice a stern warning Sarah wasn’t likely to heed. “Sarah.”
Sarah clasped her hands together and curled her shoulders in. “How exciting! I can’t wait to tell everyone you had to beg Charlie to marry you.”
“Sarah.”
Sarah ignored his now sinister tone and pulled out her phone, laughing. “You had to beg! I can’t get over it.”
Charlie tried to mediate. “I misspoke. I didn’t mean that—”
“Too late,” Sarah said in a sing-songy voice. Her fingers, at apparently warp speed, had already sent a message out.
“Who did you just send that, too?” Nate clipped out. “Can’t you have the decency to—”
“I’m sorry,” Charlie blurted out and all eyes turned to her. “I messed up again, didn’t I?”
Nate’s scorn for his sister immediately vanished and he cupped her face. “Charlotte-mine, you didn’t mess anything up.”
“I said—”
“—the truth. I did beg you to marry me. What sane man wouldn’t beg you to marry him? You deserve it. You deserve a man who’ll beg on his knees, because he realizes how magnificent you are, how wonderful you, and can’t wait another moment to spend the rest of his life with you.”
Shit, she was crying again. She buried her face in Nate’s chest to hide it and he let her, gently cupping her head and dropping a kiss to her temple.
No one before him had ever thought she was worthy. In the kitchen, yes. In relationships, no. In bed, definitely no.
Maybe it was hormones—and wasn’t that a fucking cliché?—making her second-guess herself and her worth. Maybe it was the kid coming, because she knew she didn’t want the kid to feel anything that she’d felt growing up.
This kid would be loved. Not just by her and Nate, but by his whole family. Who were her family now, too.
Her family. Shit! She’d forgotten about those people at the hospital again.
She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. She glanced into his deep, dark brown eyes. God, she loved his eyes. Loved getting lost in them, loved seeing them burn for her, in love and passion.
“Thank you. That’s the most wonderful thing anyone’s ever said to me, besides the vows you said at the wedding.”
His thumb brushed her cheek, and his eyes got bright.
She liked the bright, too. She hated to dim that with what she’d say next, but she had to.
“There’s something I forgot to tell you. I should probably do it now.”
“Should we leave?” Genevieve asked.
Charlie looked past Nate to see Sarah and Genevieve with tears in their eyes, and Gabriel looked a little rough, too. She guessed they’d been affected by Nate’s words, too. “No, you might as well stay. I’m sure Marcello will probably brief you at some point anyway.”
Nate gripped her arm lightly. “Marcello? Why? What’s happened?”
She swallowed again—this time the lump was much smaller and disappeared. “There was an incident at the hospital earlier.” She told them what had happened. “I don’t believe them, but the agents are looking into it.”
Nate’s face was hard and his eyes glittering. “My God. If they think they’ll get away with this—”
“They have a sick child, my son.”
“And I’m sorry for it, Papa. That does not excuse their allegations against my wife.”
A shiver ran through Charlie’s body. Not at the fierceness of his words—though she loved that—but by him calling her ‘his wife’.
She really loved that.
She never thought she’d be a wife. It hadn’t been anything she’d ever aspired to, since she’d given up on relationships early on.
But standing next to Nate, his fury on her behalf emanating around the room, she was proud to be his wife.
No, she didn’t mind the title of ‘wife’ at all.
However, she wasn’t going to think about the title of ‘princess’, which she’d technically already possessed, but had much more mixed feelings about.
She caught Nate’s eyes. “Let’s wait and see what the agents find out. There’s no point worrying about it when it’ll probably come to nothing anyway.”
Gabriel sighed. “Unfortunately, my child, it’s better to be proactive than reactive.”
He called Charlie his child! Maybe they really did think of her as family.
Family. Wow. She had a family.
Gabriel continued. “I mentioned I tend to see threats, and this could be one. It could come out to nothing, but it might not. It’s best to prepare for the worst and hope it doesn’t happen.”
“Oh my God.”
Everyone turned to Sarah, who had her phone out and a face plastered with shock.
Genevieve rushed over and put a hand on her arm. “What is it, Sarah?”
“It’s…” Sarah shook her head a moment, as if to clear it. “It’s a message from Alex. Rebecca’s…had a miscarriage.”
Nate reached for Charlie’s hand just as she was reaching for his.
“Good God.” Gabriel put a hand to his chest.
Oh, no! Was he having another heart attack?
Just as Charlie shifted to move towards him, Genevieve had also spotted his movement and rushed to him first. “Gabriel, is it your heart?”
“What?” He glanced down, startled to see his hand there. “Oh. No, my dear. I’m well.”
“But you—”
Gabriel clasped Genevieve’s hand tight and held it against his chest. “I’m perfectly well physically. It was just a shock to hear about Rebecca.” He paused and there seemed to be some unspoken communication going on between them.
Genevieve nodded. “Yes, of course. It’s time.”
Gabriel kissed her hand, then kept it in his and turned to Charlie and Nate. “You knew?”
Charlie jumped in. “I did. Both she and I suspected we were pregnant, so we went to see the doctor together today.”
“I see. Well, we’re going to go see them.”
Nate just shook his head. “I’m not sure if they’ll want to see you.”
“Tell them,” Genevieve whispered, but the sad tone echoed loudly in the room.
“We know what Alexander and Rebecca are going through.”
Charlie stiffened as she sensed what was coming. Nate braced, too.
“We lost a child early in our marriage.”
“Oh my God,” Sarah whispered.
“It was just after our marriage, well before Alexander and Catharine were born.”
Nate was stunned. “We never knew.”
Genevieve’s voice was heavy and thick. “We never talked about her. Our generation was taught not to talk about such things. Despite that, we never meant to keep her a secret, but it’s just how things turned out. It’s not an easy subject to bring up. Later, it sometimes felt wrong to…to feel sad about the child I’d lost when I was blessed enough to have nine after her. So, we didn’t discuss her.”
Sarah walked over to her mother and gave her a hug, then a kiss on each cheek. She repeated that with her father. “Thank you for sharing my sister with us.”
“Oh.” Genevieve whimpered, then took a deep breath. “We’ll share more of her with you. I promise. We just want to check on Alexander and Rebecca first.”
Gabriel locked eyes with Charlie. “You’re all right? The child is all right?”
“Yes.”
“And we’re forgiven for our dreadful behavior earlier?”
All families made mistakes, even if they loved each other. In this case, being royal didn’t prevent them from making mistakes, it just made them try harder not to do it in the public eye.
>
Charlie didn’t know much about family, but she had learned something over the last few years in the palace with Nate. His family annoyed each other, upset each other, and, most of all, they loved each other.
After what Nate had said to her earlier, and after hearing his parents speak, she was finally ready to accept—to really accept—that she was part of the family. If she messed up in the future, they’d forgive her for it. So, she’d forgive them for it now, too.
“Yes, of course I forgive you.”
Gabriel and Genevieve crowded her in a hug, forcing her to let go of Nate’s hand.
It struck her that this was the first time she was being hugged by a mother and father at the same time. Really hugged. She’d hugged them each separately, but those had been ‘society’ hugs—just a brief hug carefully done so as not to ruin your clothes or makeup.
This was a real hug, and it felt so nice. So nice that she thought she might cry again.
Crap.
Another pair of arms joined the fray, and Charlie glanced over her shoulder to see Sarah there.
She had a broad smile on her face. “I love you guys. This family is the best.”
Charlie huffed a laugh.
Nate eased in then, not to hug, but start pulling everyone away from her. “All right. Give Charlie some room, would you?”
Gabriel kissed her head again before stepping back.
Genevieve touched her hand to Charlie’s cheek, then stepped back, too. “We’ll check on you later, all right? Try to get some rest. If your child ends up like any of mine, they’ll run you ragged once they’re born.”
“Mama!” Nate and Sarah said at the same time.
“As if you don’t know all the trouble you caused as children.”
“Or as adults,” Gabriel added. “Come, my dear.”
After they all left, Sarah included, Charlie and Nate collapsed on the couch.
Nate brought his arm around her shoulders and tucked her close to him. “How are you really, Charlotte-mine?”
“I’m good, actually. Are you all right?”
“I’m married to the woman I love, everyone knows it now, and we’re going to have a baby. I’m just wonderful.”
God, he could be so sweet sometimes.
Actually, most of the time.
“Are you upset that we didn’t tell them sooner?”
He rubbed a hand down her arm. “No. I liked having the secret to ourselves, to have that newlywed time together. Being perfectly honest, I sometimes do wish the rest of my family had been there, but generally I’m quite happy with the way things worked out.”
She rubbed her lips together for a moment. “Do you want another ceremony? One with your family there?”
His answer was emphatic and immediate. “No. There are more than enough weddings and engagements to keep this family occupied. If they really want to celebrate, maybe we can do a simple—and small—reception. But I don’t want any additional stress on you while you’re pregnant.”
“I work in a kitchen, Nate. I’m going to have stress.”
He leaned down to kiss her softly. “I know. That doesn’t mean I can’t minimize any other stress in your life.”
“Thank you.” She leaned up to kiss him. “I got lucky with you, you know.”
“I think I’m the lucky one, Charlotte-mine. At least now we can finally start wearing our wedding rings.”
Both of their rings were just simple gold bands, each with etchings of leaves on the outside—similar to the tattoos that adorned their bodies—and engraved on the inside. The ring was something easy that she could keep wearing at work, and it was something simple and classic for himself, too. He’d bought them after they’d returned from Australia and, though they’d both tried them on, they hadn’t really worn them yet. She’d never been one for jewelry, but she was looking forward to finally putting it on for good.
“When are we telling the press? About the wedding, I mean? We should hold off wearing them until then.”
He nodded, understanding and agreeing that they shouldn’t announce the baby yet. “We’ll likely announce it after Marcello and Grace’s wedding. Would that work for you?”
She nodded.
“Good.” He brushed his thumb over her cheek. “You’re looking a little pale. Are you sure you’re all right? Can I get you anything?”
She sighed and settled her cheek against his chest. “I think I’m going to have to get used to people asking about me for the next umpteen months.”
He cracked a grin. “Umpteen? Is that how long you plan to be pregnant?”
“It’s not just the pregnancy though, is it? It’s the birth”—which she was not thinking about at all until she had to—“then after the birth in the hospital, then after that, too.”
“Yes, you’ll have to get used to people asking you how you are for the rest of your life. That’s what a family does.”
Family.
Suddenly, she didn’t mind being asked at all. Maybe that wouldn’t last but, for right now, she was happy about it.
“Why don’t I make you something to eat for a change? Just a snack and then we’ll go to bed.”
“I’m not hungry, but I could sleep.”
“Sleep wasn’t what I had in mind.”
Her head whipped up to his, and she caught the devilish grin on his face. “What did the doctor say about using vibrators while pregnant?”
She was leaning back.
No, he was pushing her back down on the couch. “What?”
His lips went to her throat. “Vibrators. Can you use them while pregnant?”
“Well…”
He was undoing her shirt buttons slowly, too. “Maybe I should call the doctor and check.”
“I, um, asked her.” Why was she blushing? It was a completely normal question for a pregnant woman to ask her doctor.
Nate spread her shirt apart and smiled against her belly. “And?”
“It’s fine. For now, anyway. She said she’d let me know if I can’t, but it’s usually only if there are complications of some kind.”
He sucked in a breath and glanced up at her. “Do you trust this doctor?”
What an odd question. “Yes.”
“More than the royal-approved one?”
Oh. That’s where he was going with this. “Yes. I’d like to have her deliver the kid, unless there’s some reason she can’t.”
“She needs to get approved for it.”
“Would that put the current doctor out of a job? I know your mom and sisters like him, but I’d rather use her if I can.”
“I’ll talk to some people, see what we can do. Either way, you’ll be taken care of, Charlotte-mine.”
She melted into the couch as the warmth of his love washed over her. “Thanks, Nate.”
“Anything for you.” He looked down, then scooched down the couch. He undid the button and zip in her pants but didn’t take them off.
Instead, he pressed a soft kiss to the area just above her underwear, at the top of her womb. “Anything for you, too.”
Her hand went to his head, shifting into his hair. “Nate.”
He pressed another kiss there, then she yelped as dragged her down the couch and into his arms in a bridal hold.
He started carrying her down the hall. “I think you’re right, Charlotte-mine. We should go straight to bed.”
“Nate.”
“I know you don’t need a snack, but I find snacking on you fills me up quite well.”
She slapped his shoulder and couldn’t hide her smile. After such a shit day, he could still make her smile. “Nate!”
When they got to the bedroom, he tossed her lightly on the bed. “Take off the rest of your clothes and do it fast. The first time, we’ll hurry.”
First time? Oh, she liked that. As someone who could never orgasm without a vibrator, most men in the past had barely let her have one—or none—before they’d declared themselves done.
Nate gave her multiple orgasms o
n a regular basis and had never given a shit he needed a vibrator to do it. He didn’t think her any less of a woman for needing one. He also didn’t think himself less of a man for using one; it was only about her needs and wants, not his ego.
She loved that about him. She loved a lot about him, but that was one thing near the top of her list.
She undressed, tossing her clothes so they littered the floor with his.
He was naked, his cock semi-hard, and his tattoos proudly on display. He climbed on the bed, prowling towards her like a predator stalking its prey.
He rose over her, then dipped his lips to meet hers. Never breaking the kiss, she grabbed hold of his arms and rolled them. He was strong enough to keep himself on top if he’d really wanted that, but he let her roll them, let her take what she needed.
Another thing to love about him.
She left his lips to trail kisses up to his temple, then to the side of his head where a scar lay hidden by his long hair, a scar from an accident that had devastated him emotionally but not as much physically. She moved back down his face to his angled chin, then across the stubble on his neck. She wanted to taste him, every damn inch, and decided she’d start with his tattoos.
She kissed the griffin on his arm; he’d gotten it because he thought it might make him feel braver. Yet, he’d always been so brave and had just never seen it.
She nuzzled the chains under the griffin, then the broken chains at his wrists; the last he’d gotten when he’d felt broken years ago.
Shifting to the sleeve tattoo on his other arm, she kissed the angel etched into his skin, and the hidden words asking for prayers. Secretly, she hoped they’d protect him and keep him safe for years to come. She lifted his wrist and kissed a series of roman numerals—the date Valleria came into existence—and her heart clenched.
She was now a part of that history, of Valleria’s history. Her, an American-born, kickass chef, was going to be etched in Valleria’s history books, even as a footnote on a family tree.
Permanently Princess (Royals of Valleria #10) Page 9
