Renee's heart still thundered when she thought about how close they’d come to dying. Marco left the dungeon and she shot out of her seat to meet him near the door.

His touch calmed her fears. She hugged him and tension eased from her shoulders. He folded her hands with his and said, "Let's go."

The fact that she’d slept with a spy and not just a prince somehow made him even more thrilling. "Where to?"

He led her through the white hallway. "We're off to check on my parents now."

"What did you find out?" She gestured behind them.

He frowned and stared ahead of them instead of glancing at her. "Nothing specific. I need to protect my parents. Stress could kill my father right now."

"I'm sorry." She meant it. Panic shouldn't cause her to forget why Kristin and Renee were at the palace. "Is your father being sick why Antonio must marry in two weeks?"

"All three of us must marry before we turn thirty. If we don't, we're banished by law." He tugged her forward. "I can't imagine not seeing my brothers and parents whenever I want."

She nodded, better understanding why her friend's romance was rushed because she hoped Kristin and Antonio found true love despite the circumstances. Marco would eventually marry someone else and she'd find a dull man like Greg. For now, they had each other.

They made their way up the stairs when a beautiful dyed blonde with fierce blue eyes rounded the corner. The blonde looked her up and down and Renee felt judged in a negative way. Marco stopped. "Sophia, I hope you survived the attack?"

"Yes, I did. I feel better, especially knowing my Antonio is safe."

Alarm bells rang in Renee's head but she had no idea why. Perhaps it was the sparkling ice-blue dress that matched Sophia’s frosty gaze. Renee still wore Marco's gym shorts and t-shirt from her morning scare and she'd not checked on her best friend yet. She gave his hand a subtle tug. Marco quickly said, "We must go, Sophia."

"Goodbye." She never spoke a word to Renee.

Once they were far enough away to not be overheard, Renee asked, "Who’s Sophia?"

"The woman my mother chose for Antonio when we were boys. Antonio wants nothing to do with her."

Kristin had competition? She was never mentioned. Renee was sure of it. Her gaze narrowed. "Why is she here?"

Marco shrugged. "Antonio must marry someone fast. I hope your friend says yes or Sophia might never leave."

The stress Marco placed on the word yes was all Renee needed to understand. If Kristin was happy with Antonio, that was all that mattered. However, she needed to warn her friend.

Renee recognized the blue hall. "I'd like to check on Kristin and I don't want to meet your mother in your clothes." She tugged at his shorts. "Can you find me after you see them?"

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Marco stared at her, as if searching for the truth.

Resilient, she nodded. "Of course. I want to see my friend."

"I'll bring you to Kristin’s door. Dress for dinner tonight. My mother is formal and she'll have heard where we were found."

Renee's face felt hot. If pictures leaked online, her mother would know too. She'd be the gossip of her mother's circle, again. The last time had been when she'd been stood up for prom, and she'd never lived it down.

Butterflies fluttered in her chest at the thought of being ridiculed and talked down to, again. Her summer fling might be public knowledge now so she'd have to learn to live with it.

They neared Kristin's door. Marco stopped and released her hand. "After dinner, Renee, I'd like to see you alone."

"Yes." She answered fast. If everyone thought the worst of her, she might as well enjoy every moment. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him.

His lips were better than the finest wine.

The kiss ended and she turned and went inside her friend's room.

Tonight, she had a date. Smiling, Renee looked over two racks of clothes to see her friend who stood near a selection of ball gowns. Marco wasn't kidding that his mother enjoyed formality.

Kristin met her gaze, dropped the dress she held and rushed across the room to hug her.

There was so much she'd not say. Kristin let her go. "Renee, how are you?"

"Fine." Renee followed Kristin closer to the dresses. Tonight, they both had their reasons for looking fabulous. "You were so lucky you weren't in the palace when this happened. Where is Sophia?"

"Who?"

Great—her friend had no idea. Renee needed to let her know she had competition. She tugged on her ear and began with a small white lie. "I met her when you went to lunch." She looked through a rack of the dresses. Thankfully she and Kristin were the same size. "Did Antonio not mention her?"

Kristin stood next to her and picked out a ruby red dress. "She must be a nice older lady, maybe an aunt? I know Antonio sent troops to retrieve her."

Renee turned toward her friend. It was best if Kristin was prepared. "She's not old. She's a beautiful woman. You know the queen wants Antonio to marry, quickly."

"I said yes." Kristin’s cheeks blushed pretty rose.

A huge sigh of relief escaped her lips. Her friend had made a good choice. Renee nodded, keeping her tone confidential. "Be on guard is all. Sophia made it clear that she wanted to marry Antonio."

Kristin's eyes widened. "She said that?"

"Not to me, but she clearly only cared about Antonio." Renee lifted a green floor-length gown from the selection. Green was always her color as it made her skin glow. She held it higher. "What do you think?"

Kristin nodded and then picked up a pair of gray fitted trousers and a white blouse with intricate gray piping and handed them to her. "Maybe for your date this afternoon then." Renee felt her face grow hot and realized she was still in Marco's shirt and shorts. She turned and quickly dressed in the brand new clothes Kristin offered. Kristin asked, "You never told me how it was with Marco?"

Because of Marco’s position in the palace, Renee needed to keep much of what happened a secret. This wasn't something that she'd talk about, even with her best friend. She deflected as best she could, though she tugged on her ear. "How it was? How did you know?"

Kristin took the red dress she’d chosen and the green dress from Renee's hand and hung them next to the vanity while she asked, "Know what?"

"Nothing." Renee turned toward a rack and curled her hands to her sides, hoping the piles of clothes hid her face.

"You're bright red." Kristin must have the gaze of a hawk. Renee let Kristin guide her toward the seats near the vanity. "Did you have a good time? Antonio said Marco was going to show you the countryside."

Marco had mentioned the maze, but she’d chosen his bedroom instead. Renee kept her focus on the fire alarm in Kristin's ceiling. "So the rebels came at the wrong moment." Renee bit her lower lip and closed her eyes. She'd tell Kristin what the soldiers saw. "We were naked. In bed."

Kristin leaned closer, like she would hug her. "Those horrible men stripped you?"

Renee backed away. Kristin had the wrong idea entirely. She shook her head. "No, we were taken prisoner the way they found us."

"You and Marco?" Kristin's lips parted as she stared at her. She then crossed her arms. "But I thought you were in love with Greg?"

Greg was the ideal. She wasn't going to marry him, but he was the yardstick of everything she was supposed to want. Renee straightened. "A man who doesn't notice me? That's nothing to love." She stood and wandered toward the balcony as she said, "Marco is sexy, not looking to put a ring on anyone's finger and oh yeah, a prince." She shifted, facing Kristin. "He's hard to say no to, when he's exactly what I want. Anyhow, let's not talk about this. I am so glad that you agreed to marry Antonio. Did he give you a ring?"

Kristin shook her head and they both headed out onto the balcony. "We were going to shop for one when we found out you'd been taken hostage."

"And you were gone most of the day. Longer than just lunch in the village."

"Antonio and I came to an…understanding."

Renee smirked. They’d been best friends long enough to understand the nuances. She poked her friend playfully. "You mean he took you to bed. Was he amazing, like his brother?"

Marco's bed had been perfect. Being tied up had been even more of a turn on she'd like to try again, without the handcuffs.

Kristin’s expression turned dreamy. "So I said yes and now I'm to tell the queen what style wedding dress I will wear. It’s slightly uncomfortable."

Renee would sit at the table where his mother would know she'd spent the night in Marco's bed too. Her cheeks warmed all over again. "Tell the queen? Are you sure you are up to living this life? There are soldiers everywhere."

Kristin shrugged and peered over the balcony toward the beautiful blue river. "In Miami, the police are everywhere--we don't even think about it. I expect I'll be fine, probably because they are around. The guards were already drawing up plans to rescue everyone when we came into the palace."

Police officers were not on Mom’s approved list of safe, family men. Marco being a spy terrified something deep in her soul. Renee hugged Kristin tight. "You are braver than anyone else I know, Kristin. I don't often say that but you might need strength tonight, at dinner. I'll be there, but you're on a whole other level. Oh, and wear the red one. That color looks great on you."

"Renee, I'm glad you came," Kristin leaned against the balcony wall. "Even if you did get tied up."

"Me too. You can’t get married without me." Marco was everything she never wanted, but desired.

She walked inside, grabbed the green dress, Marco's discarded clothes, and headed to her room. Soon, she'd see Marco again.

The door between the rooms closed behind her and she drew still. The young maid they’d raced yesterday to meet the princes was in her room, going through her suitcase. Unpacking? But she’d already done that. Maybe laundry or something. "Can I help you, Anise?"

"I was putting your things away, Miss."

"I normally clean up my own messes." Renee scooped up a few items of clothing. From what she understood, the plot against Marco's family came from the outside, but from her understanding of history, overthrowing the royal family usually had a base with the poorer people.

The maid smiled. "This is my job and one I’d like to keep, Miss."

"Please call me Renee, and I won’t tell anyone I helped you." Renee held out her hand to shake. Anise did, and Renee nodded. "I'm going to take a shower. I'd rather forget about being held hostage."

"Prince Marco is quite handsome, Miss," Anise said with a straight face. "I'll be sure his clothes make it back to his room."

Yes, he was. Renee walked into the bathroom without another word. Marco's hands all over her body woke up a primal feeling inside her, but she'd not share that with anyone while she was here. Once she left, she’d only have these memories to get her through lonely nights.