Page 58 of Awakened On Her Royal Wedding Night
“Will you be need—” Vinicio began.
“No,” Felipe interjected. “Good night.”
He closed them into his suite so abruptly it bordered on rude.
He reached for Claudine, but she held up a hand and took a couple of steps backward. She was still running his white pocket square around her mouth. She found a mirror and glanced to see she had erased as much as she could.
“It’s only the two of us here,” Felipe assured her. “I couldn’t care less how you look.”
“I know, but...” She shook that off and came closer to offer the stained silk back to him. “How, um, how are your parents?”
“Sick.” He discarded the square onto a side table. “One physically, the other emotionally. I can’t do anything about either.”
She took that to mean his mother was still favoring Francois and still blaming Felipe for the trouble his twin was in.
“Are you angry?” she asked.
“I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t,” he said flatly. He moved to pour himself a brandy.
“At me, I mean.”
“No.” He paused in pouring. His profile grew reflective. “Yes,” he amended. “I don’t want to be, but I am.”
“Because I left? You think I’m a coward?”
“No.” His laugh was a rasp of dark humor as he picked up his glass. “No, I think you are the bravest, toughest, most exceptional person I know.”
“Even though I ran away?”
“You didn’t, though. You did what any mother would do. You took our unborn baby to safety. Didn’t you?” He turned and pinned her with his stare, the force of it so piercing she caught a shaken breath.
Her hand went reflexively to her abdomen. “I had to. It wasn’t about not trusting you. I didn’t trust him. Or your parents. I couldn’t take the risk that they would side with him again.”
“I know. I know that you would have fought him alongside me if it was only yourself you were worried about. You weren’t even protecting our future ruler, were you? You were simply protecting a helpless baby.Ourbaby.” He seemed to need a drink to chase that acknowledgement. He gulped. “Is everything well? How are you feeling?”
“Fine.” She clasped her elbows. She had seen a doctor here in Rome when she landed, to be sure everything was as it should be, and it was.
“You look apprehensive. Why? Francois has been neutralized. Any staff who ever showed a hint of fealty toward him has been culled from the payroll. The palace is completely safe. You don’t even need to see my parents if you come back. My father is accepting hospice care on Sentinella. Mother is having thevedovavilla on Stella Vista redecorated so it will be ready for her after he’s gone.”
“I’m so sorry, Felipe.” She searched his hard features. “Are you upset at all? Beginning to grieve or...anything?”
“Grief comes from losing someone you love.”
“And you told me a long time ago that you didn’t believe in love.”Thatwas why she was apprehensive.
“I didn’t,” he agreed solemnly. “Until I grieved the fact that you were absent from my life.”
Her heart swerved. A small soar of hope rose in her, but she fought it back.
“Please don’t say anything you don’t mean. I’m prepared to come back. I know I have to. Our baby deserves to know his or her father.”
“Our baby is entitled to the throne,” he pointed out.
“Our baby is entitled to be loved.” Her insides shook as she said it, but she rooted her feet as she added, “As am I.”
“What do you think I have just said to you,cara mia?” He took a step toward her.
“I think you are saying what you think needs to be said to bring your child into the palace.” She held up a hand to stave him off. “I need your honesty more than ever, Felipe. I’m only asking that you promise me you willtryto open your heart to us. I can’t trust you if you lie to me now.”
