After initially directing the movers, Lorenzo spent the next two hours showing Liliana around the family wings. As efficiently as they’d packed and shipped, the movers unpacked and organized at Lily’s direction, so they were finished just in time for lunch.

“Now you’re going to meet some of your uncles.”

Liliana, her little hand clutched in his, looked up at him with eyes that mirrored his own. He felt that tightening in his chest, the well of love he’d never felt before until he recognized her as his daughter. “They’re princes, too?”

Lorenzo nodded. “Most of them are. One of them, his name is Eddie, won’t become a prince until he marries my sister, who’s a princess.”

“What should I call him?”

Lorenzo looked over to Lily, who was holding Liliana’s other hand. It was times like these he felt inept as a parent. Shouldn’t he know the answer to this, just as he should have known she still needed some supervision in the bathroom? He had eight other siblings – two born after him – so why hadn’t he paid attention to details like this as they’d all been raised?

Lily took his cue. “You can call him Uncle Eddie, honey.”

“Even Rebecca is your aunt now. And tomorrow, you’ll meet your grandpapa and grandmama.”

Liliana’s eyes widened. “Are they the king and queen?”

Lorenzo nodded.

“Wow.”

Lorenzo chuckled, then glanced Lily. She’d gone pale and her smile seemed forced. Was she nervous about meeting his parents, or worried about something else? He was pulled from his thoughts when Liliana spoke again.

“Am I going to school tomorrow?”

Something else he and Lily had yet to discuss. “Right now, you’re taking a few days off, just until we get settled.” He gave Liliana’s hand a little squeeze. “Do you like your school?”

“Oh, sure. Miss Jane is nice and she lets me color and play dress up.”

“Do you like learning, too?”

“It’s okay. I like dress up better.”

“And the other children in your class? How about them?”

“Oh, they’re okay. Some don’t like that I’m the best color-er and the best at dress up, so sometimes they’re not nice but Miss Jane is nice.”

His brows drew together as he turned to Lily, who was mouthing ‘Later’ again. Oh, they’d have a lot to discuss later.

They entered one of the smaller dining rooms in the Royal Wing, though that wasn’t saying much as it was still large enough to accommodate the nine of them for lunch. He’d timed it so that they’d enter first; he didn’t want Liliana overwhelmed by a room full of people. This way, she could greet everyone, just one at time.

He introduced Lily and Liliana as his brothers arrived. They each saw the resemblance between him and Liliana was unmistakable. Lorenzo had known his family would be friendly and charmed with Liliana, but he wasn’t sure how they’d react to Lily. They were cautiously polite and Lily was a little reserved, except when speaking with Liliana. Once his brothers saw her as a mother, polite disappeared and welcoming took its place. He only hoped his parents welcomed her as well when the time came.

Lunch was an easy affair. Eddie, who had three nieces of his own, was used to caring for little girls and asked Liliana questions about television and movie characters Lorenzo knew nothing about. It was just one more thing he’d have to learn. Suddenly, he felt as incompetent as his brothers thought he was.

After lunch was over, Alex pulled him aside for a moment and his brothers followed. “I just received word from Tavin. The press releases hit.”

Lorenzo crossed his arms over his chest. “And?”

“The press have already descended on the castle here and the palace in Valentia. Mama and Papa are all right, but the tabloids are being particularly vicious this time.”

“That’s my fault,” Marcello said as he glanced at his phone. “They’re claiming my order to the Election Commission is a ruse to detract attention away from the Liliana story.”

Lorenzo’s hands curled into fists. “She’s not a story; she’s a little girl.”

Nate squeezed his arm. “I know that, and you know that, but that’s not how things are always reported. We’re doing our best to manage the situation.”

Lorenzo pulled out his phone. “Why didn’t Rio let me know?”

Eddie gestured to Lily and Liliana, who were standing with Rebecca. “He probably thought you’d be too busy with their arrival, and didn’t want to disturb you.”

Ethan pursed his lips. “I also hate to say it, but I think you’ll need to call off your meet tonight. If the press are as bad as Alex says, there’s no way you’ll be able to make it past them to take a meet, and chances are you could be followed even if you did.”

Lorenzo felt panic start to skitter towards the surface, as the feeling of being boxed in started to take over.

You aren’t trapped.

This is not the jungle.

He glanced over at Lily and started to feel better, at just the sight of her.

Then he glanced at Liliana, his little light, and his body relaxed.

He turned back to his brothers; none of them seemed to notice his brief struggle. It wouldn’t be the first time. “I understand what you’re saying, but I think we need to have the meet. The country knows there might be an impending strike. My going to the docks would not be unexpected, no matter what time of night.”

Nate turned to the Marcello. “Paget’s in town now, isn’t he? Undergoing talks to supposedly stop the strike before it starts?”

Marcello nodded.

“Then why don’t we use that? Lorenzo should technically be there, since he does manage Valleria’s largest port.”

Marcello pursed his lips. “He should, but as part-owner in a shipping company as well – even one focused on charity work – that creates a conflict of interest for him. If the strike happens, he can step in but, anything before that would likely be seen as royal overreach.”

Alex quirked a brow. “We’re the monarchy; nothing’s out of our reach.”

Marcello shook his head. “Perception, big brother. You know all about that.”

“Oh, that I do. Which I why I think I’ll go with you tonight.”

Lorenzo blinked, then thought of Rebecca. “Alex, what about–”

“The royal plane was called back to Valentia by Cat, so I’m assuming all our sisters will be descending on you earlier than expected.”

Alex grinned at Lorenzo’s whispered curse.

“Rebecca and I will stay a bit longer and, if need be, we’ll drive back. The drive only takes a couple hours or so anyway. I’ll go with you.”

“That means a full royal escort, and a lot of splashy pictures in the press tomorrow,” Eddie said.

Alex nodded. “So be it. We won’t hide, and we won’t be bullied. All of this will die down as we get closer to Christmas and the new year. The press have short attention spans.”

“It won’t be short tonight,” Lorenzo murmured.

“You still need me there?” Ethan asked.

Alex shook his head. “Take a break, enjoy one of your last nights on land.”

“All right. The meet’s set for ten, and I’ve set dinner earlier at six-thirty, since that’s when Liliana typically eats. I want to make sure she’s settled for the night before we leave. I’ll give Peter and the others a heads up that we may be a little late, just in case it takes longer to leave the castle than anticipated.”

He caught sight of Liliana rubbing her eyes. He didn’t know if she napped, but he’d check with Lily. “I’ve got to go. We all set for now?” His brothers nodded and he walked to his little girl.

He picked Liliana up and she settled her head on his shoulder. He gently rubbed her back as her little arms wrapped around his neck. “How’s my darling girl doing? Did you enjoy meeting your uncles?”

She nodded, then mumbled something.

“What, Liliana?”

“She’s tired,” Lily said with a small smile. “She usually has a nap at pre-school around this time.”

Another thing learned: nap after lunch. He tucked the information away, so he could get better at anticipating Liliana’s needs. He would not fail at being a father. “Then let’s get you to bed. Do you think you’ll be able to sleep in your new bed?”

She yawned. “It’s comfy. Good for jumping.”

“No jumping on the bed, honey.”

“Mama,” Liliana whined. “It’s so bouncy. You can jump with me.”

Lorenzo chuckled. “I think right now we can use the bed for sleeping and we can discuss the jumping later.”

“Okay.”

Why did a child seem heavier when they slept, he wondered? Light as a feather while she drifted away, and now a warm, soft weight against his chest he never wanted to let go.

When they arrived at her bedroom, he softly kissed her head, then laid her down. There were still some boxes strewn about – some opened yet not unpacked, others still taped up – but her blankets, some toys, and other things had already been arranged. Liliana’s pink-hued everything clashed with the dark, neutral tones in the room, but he loved it.

Lorenzo pulled the blankets over her, brushed her hair back, then turned to Lily and pointed to the hallway. “Let’s head to my sitting room where we can talk,” he whispered.

* * *

Lily had seen his rooms earlier, along with hers. It was a master suite that connected to hers via a secret passage. Lorenzo had shown her how to access it as well as the passage which led to Liliana’s room.

His rooms were large, yet comfortable. What wasn’t comfortable was the tension in the air.

“Coffee?”

“Yes, please. Thank you.”

He nodded and walked towards his kitchen, leaving her alone. She took one end of the couch, and took several deep breaths. When he re-entered a few minutes later, her spine was stiff but her mind focused.

He sat down next to her and poured them both a cup, doctoring hers the way she liked it. “There’s so much to talk about, I don’t even know where to begin.”

She exhaled. “Why don’t I start? I’m sorry, so sorry about this morning. I shouldn’t have gotten so upset. You were just trying to manage the situation–”

“Stop right there. You and Liliana are not a situation. You’re my life.”

She inhaled sharply, but he kept on speaking.

“And I’m sorry. I suppose I’m just a little touchy about everything.”

“I know, and that’s partially my fault for not being able to tell you about Liliana earlier.”

“No, it’s not that. Or not entirely that.” He sighed as he sat back against the couch. “I feel completely fucking useless.”

“What? Why?”

“I can’t seem to do anything right where Liliana’s concerned, and I’ve got so much to learn. I should have known she takes a nap. Most children do, don’t they? And shouldn’t I have known she shouldn’t use the bathroom alone? Shouldn’t I have known–”

She put a hand on his arm and he turned his head towards hers. “Take a breath. You’ve only been a father for a day. Give it some time. You’ll learn.”

“I haven’t been a father for a day.”

Her hand fell away. “No, you’re right. You’ve been a father longer than that, but you knew what I meant.”

“I did. I’m sorry, that was uncalled for.”

“Do you ever think you’ll forgive me?” She held her breath waiting for his answer. How could he forgive, when she’d never really forgiven herself?

“I have forgiven you.”

She gave him a disbelieving look. “Truly?”

“Yes, truly. Forgiving is sometimes easier than forgetting, and this is one time it’s hard for me to forget. I’m working on it.”

She nodded.

“Will you ever tell me who was behind our separation?”

She felt the anxiety building slowly, knowing the day of confrontation was coming. “I can’t. I wish I could, but I can’t.”

He shook his head, his lips a grim line. “How can we start again, if neither of us can trust the other? How can we move forward?”

Her heart felt as though it were on a jagged, unstable precipice. “You don’t want to move forward?” Had he changed his mind after their fight? They’d both apologized, but maybe he’d decided to give up on her. It wouldn’t be the first time someone had given up on her, after all.

People found it only too easy to let her go.

“Are you, that is, did you change your mind about us? About me?”

He lifted her hand, pressed it against his cheek, and closed his eyes. “No, of course not. I still want you. I still need you. God help me, but I do.”

Her heart soared even while past experience told her to be cautious. “Lorenzo.”

With a groan, he pulled her forward and her lips met his, and she was transported back in time.

God, God. His lips, the way they moved hadn’t changed. It was familiar and new at the same time. His hand delved into her hair, just as they’d done before, but this time with less control and more fervency.

His taste was sharper, richer, and even more addictive than before.

And it had been pretty fucking addictive before.

She shifted to straddle his lap, while his other hand squeezed her bottom and pressed her core against his.

She pulled back from his lips, gasping, her breath mingling with his, their lips so close they brushed when he spoke.

“Lily.”

Her hands rested against his chest, and she felt his heart pounding underneath.

“You taste different.”

Her hands fisted in his shirt, then fisted harder when his tongue licked her lips.

“You taste better. Fuck, I didn’t think it was possible. I didn’t think anything could taste better than you used to, but you do.”

Her voice was breathless. “Really?”

“Fuck, yeah.”

She moaned as he took her mouth again.

“God, I missed you. I missed this.”

She buried her face in his neck, her arms wrapping around him. “I missed you, too.”

“I want you in my bed tonight.”

She tensed and shook her head. “I can’t.”

He rubbed a hand lightly over her back and bottom. “You need more time.”

“I wish I didn’t,” she confessed. “My body certainly wishes I didn’t. It’s still just too new. And you’re right: we’re don’t trust each other yet.”

He cupped her head and tilted it back. He spent a long minute searching her eyes, for what she didn’t know. Finally, he kissed her forehead, then moved her from his lap to snuggle into his side. “We will. We will trust each other again. We can, at the very least, trust each other to want the best for Liliana.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

“Then let’s focus on her for a while. How’s her school?”

This she could talk about, and handle much more easily than his lips. “Education-wise, it’s good. She’s learning a lot and her teacher keeps her engaged. Though, as you heard, some of the other children aren’t all that nice.”

“They’ll become less nice once their parents realize who she is,” he said darkly. “I asked the agents to do a safety analysis on the school.”

She blinked and sat up. “A safety analysis? On a pre-school?”

He nodded as he reached for his coffee. “Like it or not, she’s a princess. She’s not an heir, but she very well could be.”

“But Prince Al–, I mean Alex is the heir.” Though the prince had told her to call him ‘Alex’, she had trouble remembering it. It was odd to think of him as Lorenzo’s brother and Liliana’s uncle, rather than the next Vallerian king.

“He is the heir, but she’s also the first grandchild. My sister Arianna’s daughter might rule Brazenbourg one day, so she can’t be Valleria’s heir. If none of my other siblings have children, she could become a queen.”

She must have stopped breathing, as Lorenzo started rubbing her back. “Lily, take a deep breath. Now, Lily.”

She sucked in a large, shuddering breath, her chest heaving. “Queen? I never thought–”

“I’m the seventh child of the king; it’s understandable you wouldn’t think of it. Few would, unless they’d given birth to the direct heir’s child. I don’t think it’s likely she’ll become queen. The way all my siblings are pairing off, I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before other children come along. Cat and Eddie would have the most pressure to conceive if Alex and Rebecca don’t have a child. As you said, I’m lower on the totem pole, but that doesn’t mean I’m off it.”

She took a few bracing breaths, and tried to get her head together. She should have realized this. Her daughter – their daughter, she reminded herself – could be queen one day.

“If you’d realized this, could you have come to me sooner?”

“I, I just don’t know. I tried for years to reach you. The people involved…they knew you were a prince. Perhaps if I’d tried harder, perhaps if they’d known how much was at stake–” She cut herself off. “I just don’t know.”

“It seems your secret comes between us again.”

“Yes,” she whispered, and said nothing more.

He nodded, lips tight. “All right. Well, I propose Liliana be tutored through the rest of this year as she gets accustomed to her new life. I want her to feel more confident before she has to face the wrath of jealous children and parents again.”

Lily knew jealousy. People were often jealous of the Brionnes, of their wealth and beauty, and of her most of all. She’d developed a thick skin because of it, and because of other events in her life. She could and had put up with a lot of mistreatment from others; her most recent job was a prime example of that. She wanted Liliana to just be happy for a while before she was forced down that road, as so many women were.

“I think that’s a good idea.”

Lorenzo blinked in surprise.

“Do you know where we can find a tutor?”

“Yes. Well, I thought we might be able to convince Miss Jane to leave the school.”

“I don’t think you’ll be able to, especially in the middle of the school year.”

“I think for the right price she might consider it.”

He had a point. “That’s true, but still she wouldn’t leave in the middle of the term, so we’d need to wait until the winter holidays. She would want to keep as stable an environment as possible for the rest of the kids.”

“Which is all the more reason to hire her.”

“Yes, but after a year, then what? She’ll still need a steady job. If she stays at the school, she’ll have that. I’m not suggesting you can’t ask her. However, given what I know of her, I think you should have a backup plan.”

He took a long sip of his coffee, then sighed. “Yes, you’re right.”

“She might be able to provide some recommendations, though. Perhaps a substitute looking for a position?”

Lorenzo’s head tilted to the side, considering, then turned back to her. “I have a better idea. How about my sister, Carolina?”

“Is she a teacher? I didn’t realize.”

“She’s an artist, and works as an art teacher from time to time. She often teaches young children. Some Liliana’s age, some younger. She’s not certified as a primary school teacher, or even as a pre-school teacher, but she may be willing to help. As you said, it’s only for the next several months.”

Lily wasn’t sure how she felt about Carolina teaching her baby girl. On the one hand, Carolina didn’t have experience or certification, as Lorenzo had just pointed out. On the other hand, she could help guide Liliana in her new role as princess, while teaching her basic skills and knowledge she’d need for the next school year.

“Would she be willing to stay here for that long?”

“I think she might. The sea calls to her like it does to me.” His voice faded away as he stared off into the distance. A few moments later, he shook his head. “If you’re all right with that, I’ll ask her. No doubt, she’ll be coming with the rest of the family to meet you.”

Terror filled her, cutting her inside like tiny shards of glass. “Tomorrow, was it?”

“Likely, though maybe earlier. So? Shall we ask her?”

His parents would be here in less than a day.

Oh God. Oh God.

The truth would finally come out, she knew it.

The truth of who had separated her and Lorenzo five years ago.

The inescapable truth that it was one of his parents.

His parent had refused to take Lily’s calls for years. It wasn’t until earlier this year that Lily had finally gotten through, that she’d finally made them realize why she’d been reaching out.

She faced them once, when they came to see Liliana the first time. Once they’d seen her, they’d had no doubt about whose child it was, though they’d still done the DNA test to confirm.

Now, she’d have to face them for the first time with Lorenzo.

Oh God. Oh God.

She couldn’t help but picture Lorenzo’s face when he realized his parent was involved. Focus, Lily. Don’t think about tomorrow.

She cleared her throat. What had they been talking about? School. Liliana. “Yes. Yes, that’s fine, as long as Liliana learns more than just art. I don’t want her to fall behind once she starts school next year.”

“Neither do I. If Carolina’s not interested, we’ll come with a new plan.”

She nodded.

“Have you thought any more about my job offer?”

She’d barely had time to process anything. The last two days had been such a whirlwind. “Not really.”

“Are you opposed to the idea?”

“No. I’d like to be close to Liliana, and I enjoy event planning. I think I’d like the job.”

“But?”

“But, what about perception? Everyone will know I only got the job because we’re, well, whatever we are.”

He tensed. “We’re a family. That’s what we are.”

“I didn’t mean–”

“It doesn’t matter. Look, people will make comments about you no matter what you do, so you might as well just do what you want. If you want the job, take it. If you don’t, don’t. I need to hire someone for the position either way, and I think you’d be great at it.”

“Do you? But you’ve never seen me work before.”

“I have, though. You organized some of the volunteer events at the hospital where we met, didn’t you?”

He remembered that? “Well, yes, but those were really small events. Just some patients, volunteers, and staff.”

“I was one of those patients, and those events reminded me what happiness felt like. You reminded me what happiness felt like, and a lot more.”

God, Lorenzo. She bit her lower lip. “What if I do something wrong? It wouldn’t look good for you or the MARC or–”

“Lily, listen to me. If I didn’t think you could do the job – mother of my child or no – I wouldn’t have offered it to you, but not for the reasons you’re thinking. The negativity you’d receive if you couldn’t do the job properly would be intense. I wouldn’t want you to go through that. I want to protect you.”

Oh my God. Why did that make her feel so good? Maybe because no one had wanted to help her, or put her first before.

“Fortunately, you can do the job. If you make a mistake, so what? I make them. We’re human, even if the public doesn’t consider us that way. They don’t want their royalty to make mistakes, but they’ll accept us when we do. Rebecca was involved in a scandal – according to the press – before she and Alex finally got together. The public, nor the press I’ll add, mention it anymore.”

“Then I guess I’ll take the job.”

“Good. If you try it and it’s not for you, we can find someone else, and we can find a way to spin it with the press, if needed. Don’t worry about it, all right?”

She nodded.

His brows drew together and his expression became serious. “Now, then, what happened at the move this morning?”

She stalled for time by reaching for her forgotten coffee. “The move?”

“Those men who were watching you?”

“Oh. Those.”

“Yes, those. Do you know who they were?”

Her spoon tinged against the side of the cup as she stirred it, just to keep her hands busy. “Yes.”

“And?”

She took a sip, stalling some more.

“Lily,” he growled.

She took a deep breath. She closed her eyes on the inhale and opened them on the exhale, letting some of her worries slip away. “I told you I was fired. Well, I saw my former boss, John, and my replacement, Calvin, watching me. They didn’t speak to me, but I found a message from John on my phone later, sort of threatening me.”

“Threatening you? What the fuck is wrong with that asshole?”

Time to come clean. “Okay. The truth is, before I left after being fired, I sent an email to the hotel owner, who is also John’s uncle. I didn’t say anything terrible,” she added quickly at Lorenzo’s frown. “I just thanked him for giving me a chance – he was the one who initially hired me – and to let him know that I was considering legal action because of the way I’d been treated.”

“How were you treated? Lily?”

She stuttered for the next few minutes as she told him some of the harassment she’d endured and the final conversation she’d had with John. She’d blamed herself when the harassment first began, even thinking she deserved it at times – she was an unlovable, unworthy person, she’d told herself – and had only recently realized that it wasn’t her fault but her harasser’s. It was imagining Liliana grown up, as a victim of harassment herself, that had finally opened her eyes. She didn’t want Liliana to endure this and, if she did, Lily wanted her to fight back. Liliana had a better chance of fighting it if Lily set a good example for her.

“It only started once John got hired, and then he hired more like him. I’m not the only woman there fed up with it, I’m just the first to go. I’m sorry. I know if the press finds out, they might spin it into my fault, and say that I asked for it or something.”

“Don’t give the press another thought. If they catch wind of this, we’ll issue a statement condemning the media for blaming the victims of harassment instead of who’s really at fault. No woman should have to deal with this, not ever.

“Do you think you’re alone? My sisters have had their fair share of harassing behavior. Being a princess doesn’t negate the fact that they’re women, nor the fact that some shitty men think they can treat people however the fuck they want. It ends. Now.”

He stood up and began pacing and a warmth flooded Lily.

He believed her.

He wanted to defend her, to protect her.

She hadn’t had that for a very long time, if she’d ever had it at all.

“My agents were there this morning, and no doubt noticed them. I’ll have them look into it. If those assholes want to push you around, they’ll hear from me.” He paused in his pacing and turned to her. “Did you speak to a lawyer yet?”

“No. With all that’s going on,” she gestured to the room and the castle, “I haven’t had a chance.”

“I know many excellent lawyers. You tell me when you’re ready, and we’ll contact them.”

“I think it doesn’t matter as much anymore. We’re safe and protected here in the castle, aren’t we?”

“Of course.”

“Then they can’t get to us, except through a phone call or something like that.”

“I’ll still have our agents look into it, and we’ll get you a new secure phone in a couple days. Just be careful how you use your current phone, as it can be easily hacked. I don’t like the thought of either you or Liliana at risk. God only knows what those assholes could have done to you both if the movers and agents hadn’t been there.”

She walked over to him and put her hand on his arm. “Let’s not think about what might’ve happened. Let’s focus on what we need to do now.”

His phone beeped and he slid it out of his pocket. “The full press corps is now camped outside.”

“Oh, God.” She sat down again. “It’s that bad already?”

“They started assembling when the first round of press releases went out, and they’re still gaining steam. The nightly newscasts will be full of this.”

She took a deep breath. “It’s okay. We can handle this. We knew this was coming.”

His hand came to rest on her shoulder and he gave it a squeeze. “Yes, we did. There’s something I’ve been thinking about, and I’d like you to keep an open mind.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Okay.”

“I think we should do an interview together.”

“An interview? To the same press that’s about to eat us alive?”

“Yes, the very same. Just us, not Liliana. The press need to learn to respect our boundaries, especially where children are concerned.”

“We couldn’t possibly. You’ve made it seem like we’re an established couple again. If we talked on camera, everyone would see we’re not.”

A scary air filled the room. “We’re not a couple?”

She shook her head. “Not like that. I mean, we’re not established. We’re still basically new. There’s a lot we need to work out. The public would see that.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “You’re right. However, I’m not saying we go on camera today. Or even tomorrow. We need time to let the furor die down a little, and I want Liliana to be comfortable here before we do anything public.”

She relaxed a little. “Okay. Yes, in the future, I might agree to that.”

“Good. If we went on camera now, people would think we were just trying to turn their attentions from the potential dock strike, and I don’t want you or Liliana accused of being a distraction.”

“A dock strike?”

“I’m sorry. I haven’t had a chance to tell you.” He sat down and spent a few minutes explaining the situation.

“And you’re really going to meet some people on the docks tonight? How will you get away without the press following?”

“There are secret ways out of the castle. The hidden passages I showed you are just the tip of the iceberg. They run all through the castle, some even leading to exits nearby. However, even if they didn’t see us leave, they would see us when we got back, so there’s no point to leaving secretly. The press can follow us to the dock if they want to.

“Look, I wouldn’t take this meeting if I didn’t think it was important.”

“Of course it’s important. I trust your judgement.”

His body jerked, but she continued.

“I just don’t have a good feeling about it.” She was worried, but couldn’t bring herself to tell him she was.

“Neither do I, come to that.” He turned to her, and cupped her face. “You trust me?”

She sucked in a breath. Did she? She’d said it, but had she meant it? “I…yes. Yes, I suppose I do.”

His hands tightened, one delving into her hair. “Lily.”

His phone buzzed and he cursed. “I’m sorry. If things weren’t so crazy today, I’d turn it off.”

She was still breathless when she spoke. “It’s all right. I understand.”

He rested his forehead against hers. “You’re important, and you deserve my full attention. I’m sorry I’m not able to give it to you. This won’t always be the case but, unfortunately, it will be the case more often than you’d like.”

“Oh. Well, thank you for telling me.”

He squeezed her hand, then turned his attention to the phone. “Damn it.”

“What’s the matter?”

“My parents and sisters have arrived early apparently.”

She felt as though her heart stopped, then frantically started again. Oh God. Oh God.

“Here?” she croaked. “Already? I thought you said they might arrive early, but I didn’t know that meant right now.”

He frowned and put his phone away, then cupped her face again. “It will be all right. They won’t be cruel to you; I won’t let them.”

Maybe, maybe not. If he knew it all, would he still believe that?

Her voice was high-pitched and painstakingly obvious. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not. Tell my what’s wrong.”

She shook her head. His family. His parents. The king and queen. She knew this day was coming. Had known it since she’d finally gotten permission to see Lorenzo, to reach out to him.

God, what if what she and Lorenzo were building – fragile as it was – toppled over completely? What would she do? What about Liliana?

He shook her slightly. “What’s wrong, Lily? Tell me.”

She swallowed and took a deep breath. “Nothing. I’m just tired.”

“You’re not tired. You think I don’t recognize anxiety when I see it? I’ve seen it in the mirror often enough to know. Do you feel up to meeting my family right now?”

No! She instantly shook her head.

“What about at dinner tonight?”

No! She took another deep breath. She’d have to face this eventually. She’d known it. If she wanted her and Lorenzo’s relationship to grow, she had to grow up and face this.

“Tonight?” he asked again.

She bit her lip, and nodded. “Okay.”

“I see it won’t be, but I’ll make it so.” He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, then nose, then brushed her lips with his.

“You’ll walk in on my arms, both you and Liliana. Wear something a little dressy to dinner, and make sure Liliana’s wearing the same. Will you be able to make do, since some of your things are still packed?”

No! “I can handle it,” she lied; she couldn’t handle any of this, but she’d find something to wear.

“Good. Do you need help with Liliana? I’d like to help, if you don’t mind.”

Liliana. Focus on Liliana. “Of course you can help.”

Why wouldn’t her heart stop beating so furiously? “I’ll, er, take care of her bath when she wakes up and start getting her dressed, and you can help with some of her accessories and things. I’ll lay them all out for you to make it easier.”

Easy. Was anything about this situation easy?

“Will she be comfortable with me? I don’t want her to feel uneasy.”

God, Lorenzo. He was such a good father. She’d always known he would be. If only they hadn’t lost these years.

If only.

If only.

She cupped his cheeks, and his hands covered hers. “I know that it’s only been one day, but she’s already accepted you. Some children are like that, and Liliana’s one of them. She knows I trust you.”

“But you don’t trust me. At least, you didn’t admit it until today.”

“I wasn’t sure if I trusted you with me, but I trusted you with her.” When he’d promised not to take Liliana away from her, no matter what, she’d decided to trust him with their child. She realized that’s when she had started trusting him with her heart, too.

She only hoped he never went back on his promise.

“Lily.”

“Why are you so nervous about meeting my family?”

“Who wouldn’t be nervous about meeting…”

Her boyfriend’s family? The family of her child’s father? The family of her long-lost love? What the hell did she call Lorenzo?

“…er, your family?”

“Lily.”

“Not to mention your parents are a king and queen. Who wouldn’t be nervous about meeting a king and queen?”

“Lily.”

She couldn’t stop babbling. “I mean, I know I wasn’t born Vallerian and, technically, I’m not officially Vallerian. I mean, I’ve started my citizenship paperwork. I started that after Liliana was born here, to ensure she would be raised here and not deported simply because I wasn’t a citizen–”

He gripped her shoulders. “Lily, for fuck’s sake.”

She sucked in a breath. “I’m fine. It’s fine.”

“It’s fucking not. Why won’t you talk to me?”

“Another time, please?” she begged. “We can talk more another time.”

He looked at her for a few moments, then nodded. He must have realized she was barely hanging on by a thread. “All right. Do you need anyone to help you get dressed?”

She’d never had anyone to help her with such things, not even at her parent’s house. “No, I can manage.”

“All right. I’m going to greet my family, but then I’ll be in my room in case you do need help. I’ll come to you and Liliana in about three hours.”

“Okay.”

“Everything will be fine, Lily.”

“Okay.”

“I promise.”

“Okay.”

The corner of his mouth tipped up. “You owe me a kiss, you know.”

“What?”

“I won the bet. The movers? They packed everything up in under two hours.”

She’d completely forgotten about it. “What? You’ve already kissed me, though.”

“Not for that. You wouldn’t renege on a bet, would you?”

What was he talking about? She couldn’t focus. “What?”

He kissed her lips softly, just a brush of heat. “There. Debt paid. Now, remember what I said, Lily: I promise I’ll make everything okay.”

She vaguely nodded and he left.

Lily sat still, unable to move. In a few short hours, it would all be over, one way or another. She could do this.

Focus. Liliana. She’d start by waking Liliana.

She rose and walked through Lorenzo’s rooms, then stopped dead in the doorway to the main hall. Lorenzo was quietly shutting Liliana’s door and didn’t notice her watching him.

He’d stopped to see his little girl. He loved Liliana, that was easy to see.

But would he love Lily if he found out what his family had done? Would he blame her? Or would he choose her and Liliana over his family?

He was a prince; of course, he wouldn’t choose her. No one had before. Why would now be any different?

He would choose Liliana, though. She’d be happy being a princess, but Lily didn’t think she could give up her baby. It was all she’d had for so long, and she wouldn’t let anyone take her away. Though Lorenzo had said he wouldn’t do it, when push came to shove, would he hold to his promise?

Maybe she should just take Liliana and run for it. They’d have to leave most everything behind, but she could rebuild their lives. She’d done it before, after all. She had some jewelry she could still pawn. It was her ‘rainy day’ jewelry, and it seemed to be pouring now. They’d have to leave Valleria, go somewhere far away. Where, she didn’t know.

She didn’t know where she belonged.

Fear and an overwhelming need to cut and run overtook her, and she ran to Liliana’s door. She caught sight of the agent in the hall, his brows now furrowed. She stopped dead again, her hand on the door handle.

“Is everything all right, Ms. Brionne?”

She swallowed. “Yes.” She cleared her throat. “I…thought I heard a noise from her room. I’ll just go check on her.” She fled to the safety of her daughter’s bedroom. Once inside, a wave of nausea rolled through her and she doubled over against her daughter’s door.

She looked over and saw her baby tucked into the center of the bed. Since Liliana usually moved around while she slept, she was sure Lorenzo had rearranged her.

Tears welled in her eyes and she staggered to a chair in the corner of the room. She collapsed into it and wrapped her arms around her. Her body bucked with sobs and she forced herself to be quiet; she didn’t want to wake Liliana.

So, leaving wasn’t an option. She’d have to get past the guards and Lorenzo. Not to mention all the press swarming the castle. She could have used the secret passageways, but she was afraid of getting lost within the castle walls. She wouldn’t know which passage to take or how to get out, and she couldn’t take that risk with Liliana in tow.

She’d just have to hope that, even if his family didn’t welcome her, they’d accept her as Liliana’s mother.

She took a deep breath, her body still trembling with fear and tension.

She took another deep breath.

And another.

And another.

Deep breath in.

Deep breath out.

In.

Out.