Ravishing Royals Box Set: Books 1 - 5

by Holly Rayner

  “I do not. Once the adoption was final and the child placed, I had Silvio remove all traces of the transaction so the scandal would never come back to haunt us. I do remember getting the chance to hold the child for a brief moment. He had the strangest little birthmark on his knee—a little apple shape. It even had the tiniest stem coming from it…” the king said, his voice distant as he dwelled inside the memory.

  His wandering gaze focused back in on Matteo.

  “I wanted to tell you this before it’s too late. I hope you can find your son, if you want to, and perhaps give him a better father than you had. I can only apologize for what I did, though I believed I was acting in the best interest of the family. As I see you here now, I think I may have been misguided in that effort.”

  Matteo bit back a sob.

  You think? he thought angrily.

  “I love you both very much, my children. Please try and be happy, and remember to uphold your duties as best you can,” the king said. His breathing was labored, his skin clammy as Matteo reached for his father’s hand. Giovanni stared out beyond them, and the light left his eyes as his hand went limp in Matteo’s.

  “Papa?” Carlotta sobbed. She knelt at his bedside and cried as Silvio closed the king’s eyes, and Matteo released his hand and stood.

  He had spent so much time gallivanting around Europe, doing everything in his power not to feel anything. And now he was feeling everything. Heartbreak, anger, grief…all of it crashed over him, and he rushed out of the room, desperately needing air.

  He ran out the front door and into the gardens, and it was only then he realized that he was crying.

  His father was dead, and his last confession was one of the greatest lies he could have ever told. To hide a child from him like that… Matteo held his face in his hands as waves of grief crashed over him.

  In that moment, he knew two things. Matteo was now the king of Golina. His life now belonged to his people.

  And he had a son that he needed to find, as soon as possible.

  Chapter 3

  Matteo

  Two Years Later — May

  Matteo stared down at the smattering of documents scattered around the long council chamber table. He lifted a sheet he had previously set down and read through it again while the group of men and women around him waited for him to speak.

  “And what if we were to make changes to the economic policy regarding the taxation of our shellfish industry?” he asked.

  An older man named Juliano cleared his throat before he answered.

  “The same as with anything, Your Majesty. There will be those that benefit, and those that suffer. The price must be paid from somewhere, you see,” his economic advisor said.

  Matteo’s brow furrowed as he considered that statement. He was certainly no stranger to paying a price, that was for certain, but he didn’t want his people to suffer. If he could help it, he wanted to lift their burdens and make life pleasant for them. It was his job as king to do so, and he took it very seriously.

  “Rodolfo,” he said, addressing another man at the table, “Do you happen to know the numbers for the royal coffers?”

  Rodolfo scanned the papers on the table, at a loss. An older woman, Rosetta, chimed in.

  “They’re here, Your Majesty,” she said, handing him another document.

  Matteo nodded courteously at her as he accepted the paper and read through the long line of financial tables. He stopped and pointed at one line in particular.

  “This one. What is ‘canis maintenance’?” he asked.

  “That is the money set aside to care for your animals, sir,” Rodolfo said.

  Matteo tapped the number again, bemused.

  “This is enough to support a small army. We haven’t owned pets in ages,” he said.

  There were shrugs from the council members as he glanced around the table.

  “That is a funding line that has always been there, Your Majesty. Your grandfather, in particular, had quite the menagerie, as you may remember,” Rosetta said.

  Matteo did remember. His grandfather was particularly fond of dogs and had a palatial barn built in the back, with a wide-open fenced-in space. He might as well have had his own pet sanctuary. As the man aged and Matteo’s father came into power, his father’s general disregard for the animals meant that no more were acquired once the older ones passed away.

  Matteo had always wanted a dog.

  “Why don’t we cut the funding here—anything that’s siphoning into this area can be devoted to the shellfish line, and that way we don’t have to increase taxes, at least for this year. I’m uncertain how sustainable this is, but we can trim the fat there, so to speak.”

  There was a general mumble of agreement as a few of his advisors made notes.

  “Is there anything else we can address before the meeting comes to an end?” Matteo asked.

  No one spoke up. Matteo knew that no one could get up until he did, and so he stood. Everyone at the table followed suit, out of respect. He nodded to his economic council.

  “Thank you all. Our country is certainly in good hands, and I appreciate the work that you do. Please be sure to help yourselves to any refreshments you might need on the way out.”

  A chorus of “Thank you, sir,” rang out as Matteo turned and exited the room.

  As he walked out, his collar pinched at his neck, and he tugged at the offending garment as he loosened his tie and freed his skin. He wore a suit, as he always did to meetings regarding matters of state, though he never truly felt comfortable wearing one, no matter how perfectly tailored.

  The sound of his shoes on the tile floor echoed as he passed by many portraits of his ancient relatives, adorning the walls on either side of him. He reached the door to his personal chambers and stepped inside, free from anyone’s view.

  He pressed his back against the door and rubbed his eyes between two fingers. He had no idea that there was a budget line that was solely for pets… How long had money been wasted on that? For the millionth time he missed his father, wishing he was still here to run things and ensure that everything in Golina would be okay. Matteo’s worst fear was that somehow he would botch everything, and the kingdom would always remember him as the king that let them down.

  No. He couldn’t let his thoughts wander into that territory. Matteo was well educated in matters of economics, politics, and many other vitally important subjects that all helped him settle into the throne as best he could.

  A gentle knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts, and he turned and opened it just a crack.

  When he saw who it was, the door was thrown wide open.

  Gabriele Bianchi, a middle-aged man with salt-and-pepper hair, was the private investigator that Matteo had hired the moment he learned about his son two years ago. The man had been hard at work trying to break through the impenetrable walls the former king had built surrounding any information about the boy, and his presence meant that there had to be some news.

  There had to be.

  “Your Majesty,” Gabriele said with a small bow.

  Matteo nodded and gestured to his small sitting room, which was just off a balcony that overlooked the ocean.

  “Gabriele, please come in,” he said. Excitement pulsed through him, and he tried to stamp it out. There was no point in getting worked up simply to be disappointed. A woman came in with his usual afternoon tea and set it on the table.

  “Amata, could you please bring in another setting for my guest?” Matteo asked.

  She nodded and quickly exited the room. Matteo gestured toward the sea, a slight wind ruffling his hair.

  “What a beautiful country we live in, do we not?” he asked.

  Gabriele nodded, enjoying the view from the king’s room.

  “It’s exquisite, sir. I’d never want to live anywhere else.”

  The maid returned with a teacup and set the table before curtsying and making a hasty exit. Once she was gone, Matteo dropped the pretense.

&nb
sp; “Do you have any new information, my friend?” he asked.

  Matteo had been working with Gabriele during some very turbulent times the last two years: facilitating the funerary procession of his father King Giovanni, taking up the throne, and abandoning the life of parties and fun he once had. His life had become fraught with responsibility overnight, and Gabriele, while not necessarily a counselor, certainly provided assistance in some of Matteo’s more vulnerable moments.

  When it came to finding his son, he was nothing if not vulnerable.

  Matteo sat, which meant that Gabriele was now able to do so. He did, taking the seat across from the king with a joyous glint in his dark brown eyes.

  “Your Majesty, I have found your son.”

  Chills raced across Matteo’s skin. For two years, he’d imagined hearing that exact statement. He’d prayed and hoped and been disappointed time and time again. Today was the day all of that would change.

  His son had been found.

  “Tell me everything,” Matteo said.

  Gabriele opened his satchel and pulled out a thick manila envelope, placing the papers from inside on the table.

  “It took quite a bit of digging, and of course I had to travel to several countries to trace the documents, which the previous king had managed to scramble incredibly well, sir,” Gabriele said.

  He turned a few pages over, going through his notes.

  “I finally landed in the United States. Harmon, Virginia, to be precise. There I found documents from an adoption five years ago, the boy would have been three months old at the time. The child goes by the name David Bedford.”

  “David Bedford,” Matteo said with reverence.

  It sounded so…foreign. It certainly wasn’t a name he would have chosen, and of course the child would rarely have been referred to by Matteo’s last name, Endrizzi, but that was the boy’s rightful name.

  “Would you like to see the documentation, sir? It’s all there. I did my best to take strenuous notes in my research. I’m so pleased that I was able to find him.”

  “Are you sure it’s him?” Matteo asked, doubt clouding his excitement.

  Gabriele nodded.

  “I am, sir. The trail is clear, now that I’ve been able to uncover it. All that’s left is for you to meet him yourself, right?”

  Matteo blinked. Of course that was all that was next. On top of all the royal duties and responsibilities he’d been handed on the day his father died, finding his son was the one thing that tethered him to the earth, keeping him grounded. It was a responsibility, an experience—being a father—that was stolen from him. He berated himself again for his foolishness. Had he been more careful in his youth…well.

  There was no time for those kinds of thoughts, anyway.

  “Sir?” Gabriele asked.

  The king rejoined the conversation, having been too lost in his own thoughts.

  “I’m sorry, Gabriele. Yes. That is absolutely the next step,” he said, trying not to sound nervous.

  “Sir? If I may be so bold? The boy is five years old, and from what I can tell from the papers, he wasn’t adopted into a family that included a father. Only the woman is on the record as the adoptive parent. Perhaps you could be exactly what he needs, but tread carefully. You don’t want to scare him off.”

  Matteo’s mind was whirling as he considered what he would do next. The kingdom needed a leader, but even kings got to go on vacation every once in a while, didn’t they? Matteo had not taken one since he assumed the throne. He was certainly due for an excursion.

  This would be the most important trip of his life.

  Realizing that he hadn’t touched his afternoon tea, Matteo didn’t bother lifting his cup.

  “Gabriele, please feel free to finish your tea here. I’ve got to go pack,” he said. He stood. Reflexively,

  Gabriele also stood, and he closed the folder before holding it out to the king.

  “Take this, sir. It will help you identify the boy.”

  Matteo froze. He hadn’t really considered how hard that part might be. How would he find the boy once he landed? He couldn’t just start asking questions of everyone on the street. Would the boy want to meet him? There were so many questions swirling around in his head, that he barely registered Gabriele’s departure.

  “Good luck, Your Majesty. I hope to meet the boy in the near future,” Gabriele said.

  Then Matteo remembered himself and shook the man’s hand vigorously.

  “Thank you for your work on this, Gabriele. Truly.”

  Gabriele smiled warmly at the king.

  “Safe travels, Your Majesty.”

  He opened the door and stepped out just as Silvio took his place, walking in and closing the door behind him.

  “Safe travels? Are you planning on taking an excursion, Your Majesty?” Silvio asked.

  “I am,” Matteo said. He pulled out a suitcase from his closet and began packing. It was likely scandalous that he was doing his own packing, but he’d done enough of it all around Europe just a few short years before. Matteo knew how to pack a decent bag.

  When he didn’t elaborate, Silvio released an annoyed breath, and Matteo bit back a grin. No matter how old he got, no matter how heavy his duty was, a part of him loved annoying Silvio.

  “Sir, if you’re planning on going anywhere outside of Golina, it would be helpful to know. Spontaneous trips aren’t helpful for your government. We need to be able to plan.”

  He had him there, Matteo realized. He released his own sigh and slid the adoption files into his suitcase before zipping it up.

  “Gabriele found the boy,” he said.

  It took Silvio a moment to register what he was saying. His dark eyes twitched as he remembered Matteo’s scheme.

  “Sir, you can’t possibly mean the child you fathered out of wedlock. The one your father had adopted so as to protect your reputation and that of the throne,” Silvio said.

  “That’s the one,” Matteo replied, unrepentant.

  “Your Majesty, this is a fool’s quest,” Silvio said, staying in front of the door so as to block Matteo from leaving. The man was a head shorter than Matteo, but that didn’t seem to dissuade him from trying anyway. It would have been admirable, if it wasn’t so annoying.

  “No, this is me fixing what my father broke—with your assistance, no less. It’s time for the child to know his birthright,” Matteo said. He hefted his suitcase to the floor and lifted the handle, turning to face the doorway.

  “I cannot agree with this, sir. You have meetings scheduled all day tomorrow and the day after that. What am I to tell everyone? You have duties that extend beyond this single-minded search. Your kingdom depends on you!”

  It wasn’t the first time Matteo had heard this speech. He wanted to be the king that Silvio so badly wanted him to be. But was he the kind of man that would abandon his son to run a kingdom?

  No. Matteo simply wasn’t that man.

  “Please step aside, Silvio,” Matteo said, his voice quiet.

  Silvio hesitated, but he knew better than to refuse a request from the king. He would not stand in the way.

  “I’m saddened that you’re refusing my counsel, Your Majesty. I will do my best to cover for you for the next few days, though it would be helpful to know when you plan on returning.”

  Matteo paused, considering. The truth was, he had no idea how long it would take, but he would do what he needed to. It was the least the boy deserved.

  The thought spurred him on, and he brushed past Silvio and out the door.

  “Tell them that I am under the weather. Illness can be very unpredictable, you know, and could last anywhere from days to weeks.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” Silvio said.

  Matteo didn’t bother with farewells this time. As he picked up his phone to set up his private jet, he had only one thought on his mind.

  I’m finally going to meet my son.

  Chapter 4

  Matteo

  Matteo’s plane touc
hed down in the late morning, the sun streaming in through the window as he woke with a jolt when the tires hit the tarmac.

  He had arrived.

  He gazed out at the concrete view around him, the airport as expansive and plain as any other in this part of the world. The United States really needed to work on the airport situation, he thought. He’d been to airports in Asia that were resplendent, and perfect for any travelers that needed entertainment while they waited for a flight.

  He was distracting himself, he knew. Thinking about airports kept him from really delving into what he was in the middle of doing—abandoning his kingdom for a child he’d never met.

  “Sir, would you like anything before we exit the aircraft?” his flight attendant asked.

  Matteo shook his head.

  “I’m all covered, thank you,” he said.

  She nodded and headed back toward the cockpit to chat with the pilot as he taxied them to a small enclave designated for private planes. They finally came to a halt, and the cabin door opened. Matteo grabbed his suitcase from the back and carried it down the steps with him, where he was met with curious stares, and nothing else.

  “No car, sir?” the flight attendant asked, confused.

  Drat. In the rush to get here, he had only considered the flight, but not what he would do on the other end.

  “Er,” he said, glancing around.

  “I can have a car called for you, sir,” she said.

  Matteo shook his head, surprising even himself. He didn’t want to be King Matteo of Golina on this trip. He wanted to go in stealthy, unnoticed. That way, he could get the lay of the land first, and then decide on what to do next. He pulled out his phone and opened a taxi app Hans had used with him once.

  Boy, had that been a crazy night.

  After tapping a few buttons, he glanced back up at the flight attendant, who was casting a worried glance in his direction.