with joy that Christina was his wife, Antonio stopped pacing. “No. That isn’t going to happen. I’ve got plans, ideas to build the economy. Christina and I plan to enlarge the African charity to make it far-reaching. I have a new jobs initiative to help us become a leader in technology. Scandal has rocked this nation for years, but we’ll weather it. We have to.”
Elena stared at him as if she’d never seen him before.
His wife got up from the couch and stood in front of him, wearing the same white suit she’d worn on the plane to Tahiti. “We will.”
Two beautiful words from the mouth of the woman he couldn’t imagine living without. He kissed her in front of his sister before walking over to Elena and pulling her to her feet. “I’m glad the truth is out, all of it.” He gave her a hug. “Everything is going to work out.”
“It’s got to, because I love you two so much.”
Antonio looked at his clever, adorable wife. She was so remarkable he couldn’t believe he was lucky enough to be married to her.
He brushed his sister’s cheek with his finger. “So, what is the latest between you and Enzio?”
“We’re good.”
“Just good.”
“Um, very good.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“But you don’t need to hear about my love life right now. I’m going to leave you to your privacy and will talk to you later.”
They both hugged her before she hurried out of the apartment. He put his arm around Christina’s waist and walked her back to the bedroom. “Before we do anything else, I need to take another look at your foot. Why don’t you get undressed first? I want to make certain it is healing properly.”
“This is almost like déjà vu.”
While she started to take off her top and pants, her phone rang again. She’d left it on the end of the bed. “Let me get this first.” The caller ID said it was her great-aunt calling.
She clicked on. “Sofia?”
“Welcome home, darling. How was your trip?”
“Heavenly.”
“But you’ve come home to a viper’s nest. I know something that you don’t and I’m calling to warn you.”
Antonio came to stand next to her.
She gripped the phone harder. “What is it?”
“I’ve spent part of the day with your parents. Your father has left for the palace to talk to you. I tried in my own way to ask him to wait until tomorrow, but you know how he is.”
Yes… Christina knew exactly.
“For once in your life, darling, stand up to him and don’t let him bully you. He’s like his father and grandfather, born mean-spirited.”
This conversation meant her father was furious. “He’s a hard man to confront because he doesn’t have a soft side.”
“Unfortunately your mother has always been too afraid of him to intercede for you.”
Her eyes filmed over. “I always had you, Aunt Sofia.”
“And you’ve been one of my greatest joys.”
“Thank you for alerting me.”
“If there’s anything I can do…”
Christina turned to Antonio. “My husband and I are prepared to face whatever is coming. I love you so much for caring. Talk to you again soon.” She clicked off.
“What’s going on?” he murmured.
“My father is on his way over to talk to me.”
“I won’t leave you alone with him.”
She loved Antonio for saying that. “Knowing his style of quick attack, he won’t be here long. Do you mind if we talk in the living room?”
“Of course not. This is our home. You can have anyone you want here, anytime.”
“Thank you.” She rose on tiptoe and kissed him.
“I’ll go downstairs to my office and talk to my executive assistant. If you need me, I’ll be here in an instant.” She nodded. He put on a fresh sport shirt and left the apartment. Antonio was far too handsome for his own good.
This was her first chance to walk around her new home. The palace was a magnificent structure. Antonio’s apartment was bigger than any home she’d ever been in. Already she knew her favorite place would be the terrace overlooking the water.
To think Antonio had been born here and had lived here until he was old enough to be sent away to schools and college. There was so much to learn about him as a child as well as an adult, but she couldn’t concentrate when she knew her father would be coming any minute.
The phone on the bedside table rang. She walked over to pick it up. “Yes?”
“Princess Christina? This is the office calling. Your father is here to speak to you.”
“Can you send him to our apartment?”
“Si, signora.”
“Grazie.”
“Prego.”
Five minutes later she heard the knock on the door and opened it to see her father standing there. “Come into the living room, Papa.”
He looked around while he followed her, but he didn’t take a seat when she suggested it.
“Where’s your husband?”
“In his office downstairs.”
“What I have to say won’t take long.”
It never does.
His eyes glittered with anger. “If you want to do one thing to restore the name Rose in people’s estimation, you’ll leave Antonio for the good of the monarchy.”
“I thought you wanted a king for a son-in-law.”
He stared at her. “Not when his queen dishonored him by being with another man during the engagement. The people will forgive him, but they’ll never forgive you.”
She lifted her chin. “I didn’t dishonor him. Is that all you came to say?”
His lips thinned. “Use the one shred of decency left in you to allow Antonio to rule with the right queen at his side. He may stand by you now, but in time doubts will creep in, and doubt can ruin a marriage faster than anything else. Let him marry Princess Gemma.”
“Antonio didn’t want her the first
