Lily had barely slept all night, and now her ringing phone was disturbing the little sleep she had gotten. She reached over, her hand banging against the night stand until she found her phone. She answered it with her face still half-buried in the pillow. “Hmm?”

A low, amused, and entirely too sexy voice answered back. “Morning. Did I wake you?”

She sighed, then rolled onto her back. “Morning, Lorenzo. Waking me would give the impression that I’d actually slept.”

A pause. “Was it the move keeping you up?”

“Among other things.” Her mind had whirled all night. Thoughts about Lily, the castle, her job, and too many about Lorenzo. Not to mention, the life she led now in relative anonymity would be over; once the move took place, her life would change once more, and so would her baby’s.

“I’m sorry for it. Truly. I just feel we should act swiftly.”

“I know. I know we’ll be more protected in the castle than we would be here.”

“Even if you moved to a larger, better, more secure apartment complex, you still wouldn’t have the security you will here.”

“I know. And Liliana’s pretty excited about it.”

“So am I.” He paused again. “I want more time with our daughter, for her to get used to me and trust me.”

“Lily’s very trusting. I’ve had to have discussions with her about it. Especially considering her new situation, it would be best to break her of the habit, and teach her to be more discerning.”

“On that, we agree. Please give her a kiss from me when she wakes up.”

“I will. So, was this just a wakeup call?”

“No,” he said, all business; she remembered his ‘business’ voice. “The movers should be by at about eight. That gives you an hour and a half. Is that enough time?”

Panic slid through her and she shot up from the bed. An hour and a half! “It’s not very long, but I suppose I’ll just have to make it work.”

“I’m sorry. I should have called you earlier.”

She blinked. He’d apologized, and meant it. She wasn’t used to that sort of consideration or kindness. “It’s fine, really. I just couldn’t get Lily’s room organized since she was sleeping. I’ll need to get her up and get breakfast sorted, then her room sorted. I’m worried I won’t have time for everything.”

“Don’t worry about it. The movers will do everything, and they’ll be more than efficient about it. They’ll have your place packed up in no more than two hours, even if you haven’t organized Lily’s room yet.”

She glanced around; her bedroom alone – though it wasn’t very big or contained a great deal – would take at least that, if not more. “You’re joking.”

Amusement flickered in his voice. “No, I’m not. Care to wager on it?”

Uh-oh. “Wager?”

“I bet the movers will have the entire apartment packed up in no more than two hours. If I’m right, you give me what I want. You win, you choose.”

“What do you want?”

“A kiss from you.” That didn’t sound bad at all. In fact, in the late-night hours, she’d decided to try a relationship with him. They still had a lot to talk through, a lot to work through, but she hoped they could find their way together.

“What would you like, Lily?”

She scrambled to think of something. “If I win, you don’t kiss me. For a week.”

He chuckled, the sound reverberating through her body in warm, happy waves. “You’re on. I’ve rearranged a lot of my schedule today, so I should be there not long after you arrive. I have a meeting in the afternoon I can’t miss, but my brothers and sister-in-law are nearby if you need entertaining.”

“I’m fine on my own. So is Lily.”

“I’m sure you were. But you’re not alone anymore, if you don’t choose to be. Think about it.”

You’re not alone anymore. The words brought tears to her eyes. She couldn’t believe them yet. She’d thought before that others wouldn’t leave her alone, wouldn’t leave her to fend for herself. It would take some time for her to believe those words again, from anyone. “Okay. Let’s see how the day goes.”

“Good. One more thing: the press releases will go out on a staggered schedule after you’re both safe at the castle. It should hit the Italian press sometime around noon. You should prepare yourself, just in case your family contacts you.”

Her eyes went to a picture on her night stand, one of her and Lily together at the beach, taken by a passerby. Her family were not in any of the pictures in her house, because they chose society over her and their granddaughter. They had her new number, as she’d contacted them once Lily had been born, but they’d yet to use it. She was more than prepared in case they called her; she’d thought of their next conversation often over the years.

“I’m ready. Can we make it clear in the press release I don’t have anything to do with them? I’m sure once they hear, my parents will release a statement praising you or some such nonsense to make it seem as though you’re a beloved member of the family.”

“Hmm. You do have a point. I don’t know if this initial press release is the way to express that, however. I don’t want to give the press a chance to bring you down.”

“They’ll do that anyway, though, won’t they? Won’t I be labeled as the heartless bitch who kept you from your daughter?”

“No.” His voice was harsh and fervent. “I won’t let them tear you down for entertainment value. I probably should have run the press release by you first, but we’ve exaggerated things a bit.”

Uh-oh. “What does that mean?”

“With your move into the castle, though it’s not explicitly stated, the assumption will be that we’ve decided to move forward with a relationship.”

“What?” Her voice started as a screech, then to a harsh whisper when she remembered Lily sleeping in the next room. “Don’t you think that’s something we should actually decide before you announce it to everyone?”

“Lily–”

Her heart started beating faster. She felt trapped, cornered. History was repeating itself and she felt mind-numbingly out of control. “You took away my choice. Just like everyone’s done to me my whole life.”

“Lily, my God. I never meant–”

“Nobody means to do it, but it happens all the same. They take me for granted and push me around.” She shook her head. “I thought you’d be different. I thought this would be different.”

“It is. Lily, please.” His anguished voice was not enough to distract her, though it did give her pause.

“I was going to give us a chance. Give our relationship a try. I’d just decided last night after you left.”

“Lily.”

“What’s the point now, since my feelings doesn’t matter?”

“They do matter. Lily, please. The press release is just to manage things, just for the press. I’m not trying to force you into any kind of decision. I’m just–”

Realization dawned on her. “Trying to make yourself out to be a family man? If you infer we decided not to have a relationship when we found out about the baby, that gives you an excuse for sleeping around the last several years.” She scoffed and fisted her hand around her phone. “And how will you explain how I’ve been living? Surely the daughter of a prince would have better accommodations.”

“We don’t need to go into details like that. If we ever do, however, we’ll just say we wanted to give Liliana a life away from the spotlight and the press for a few years.”

“You think anyone will really buy that?”

“It’s not uncommon. Other European monarchs have done the same.”

“Those children are often, and wrongly, considered less worthy, or something equally heinous. I don’t want that to happen to our daughter.”

“Would you rather I tell them the truth? That a mysterious someone conspired to keep you away from me, which kept my child from me as well? The press will dig deeper, but they’ll leave Liliana alone. They’ll dig into your family’s past, which is not unexpected, and they’ll try to figure out how we met.”

She gasped. “Are you revealing your last mission to the press?” She never thought that would happen.

“I also made some decisions last night. I can’t reveal everything that happened to me, but I can reveal I was deployed and needed help when I came back. I’ve wanted to destigmatize mental health issues for veterans for a while now, and I think this is the time to do it.”

Damn it. It was hard to be mad at him for wanting to do something worthwhile, but she felt as though it was at her expense. “That’s a very worthy goal, but I don’t agree that a press release announcing our daughter exists is the best place to bring up our history, nor for you to make a plea about mental health.”

“I realize that. I’ve being doing press releases a lot longer than you.”

Her skin felt hot, as though she’d been slapped. Her fears came tumbling out. She didn’t know enough, wasn’t experienced enough, wasn’t worthy enough to be his, to be a princess by his side.

“The release will be fairly straightforward and focus on Liliana. The press always asks follow up questions, and through subsequent articles over the next few weeks we’ll make the past known, which will eventually lead me to announce my mental health initiative.”

His breathing was heavy on the other end; hers was, too. Fighting was natural. It was human. However, she didn’t want Liliana to experience her parents fighting, not yet, not when everything was new and unsettled.

“The most important thing to me right now is keeping you both safe.”

“Lorenzo–”

“We’ve both got a busy day ahead of us. I apologize for any inconvenience the press release will cause, but I won’t change it. I’ll forward you a copy for your records.”

“Lorenzo–”

“See you soon.” He hung up without saying goodbye.

Lily had been right. It wasn’t fair to put them forth as a fake couple, even if he wanted to be a couple in real life, and even if she wanted that, too. Though they’d just fought, she still wanted to give him a chance, give them a chance. She’d wanted him for five years; one fight wouldn’t change that, not for her. But would it change things for him?

He had been right, too. She’d seen her own parents manage their public persona during and after the scandal. There was never just one press release or one article; there was always a slew of them, carefully timed, each revealing a little more. Being away from that life for so long, it had been far too easy to forget things like that. In the heat of the fight, it was far too hard to remember.

She bit her lip as a sinking feeling dug a hole into the pit of her stomach. He was trying to make the best of a tough situation, a situation that she had caused, to some extent. It was true someone forced them apart – and she knew she’d face that person again soon after the news broke – but she had made the decision to break up with Lorenzo to save herself from jail, and to save her family from further scandal.

How many times had she struggled with that decision? How many times, in the dark, long nights, had she wished she lay in his arms again?

She let out a shuddered sigh and buried her head in her hands. What a mess she’d made of things. Again.

“Mama?”

Her head shot up to see Liliana in the doorway rubbing her eyes. “Come here, honey. Snuggle with Mama for a minute.”

Liliana walked slowly to the bed. The only time she didn’t run at warp speed was first thing in the morning. She pulled her into the bed and cuddled with her. “Did you have sweet dreams last night?”

“Yes. I dreamed we were in a pretty castle. Do you think Papa’s castle is pretty inside?”

“Almost all castles are pretty. Are you happy about the move? A lot of things will be different from here on out.”

“Will you be there?”

She gave her a squeeze. “I’m your Mama. I’ll always be there for you.”

“Then it’s okay.”

She gave her a kiss on the head. “Your Papa will always be there for you, too, now.”

Liliana’s eyes went wide. “Really?”

“Of course. He likes you a whole lot.”

“He does?”

She nodded. “In fact, he told me to give you a kiss for him when you woke up.” She kissed her temple.

Her girl giggled. “Is it nice having a Papa?”

Another reminder of the consequences of her actions. “Yes, honey, it can be. Not all Papas are nice, but yours is very nice. And he’s one of nine children. That means you have lots of aunts and uncles.”

“Can I have a sister?”

Lily stiffened. “What?”

“Now that I have a Papa, I can have a sister, too, right? Julia at school said the Mama and Papa make babies. So you and Papa can make a baby.”

Oh my God. Time to change the subject. “Well, honey, it’s not as simple as that. We can talk about that later, but right now I have something else I need to talk to you about.”

“What, Mama?”

Bless the short attention spans of four-year-olds. “Well, it’s about your name. See, your Papa always called me Lily.”

“That’s me!”

“Yes, honey, that’s your nickname. That’s why I picked that name for you, because your Papa liked it so much. But it’s going to get confusing now if we’re both called Lily.”

“Oh.”

“And now that you’re a princess, you name will be changing.”

She frowned. “Who will I be now?”

Lily pulled her close. “Oh, honey. You can still be who you are. You can be anyone or anything you want to be. It’s just that now we’ll be living in the castle, and your Papa’s protecting us. So, you can also change how you’d like to be called. A lot of people will call you by your full name: Princess Liliana Santoro.”

“Oh.”

“Do you like that name? Or would you like, maybe, Princess Ana Santoro?”

Liliana’s head tilted to the side, then back to her mother. “I think Lil-ana.”

“Lil-i-ana.”

“Lil-ana. That’s what I said.”

Lily laughed and kissed her forehead. “Close enough. Are you sure you’re okay about your name changing?”

“Yes. It means I have a Papa now. I like Papa. He played with me and acted like he was a fairy.”

Lily held back a laugh. “It’s not always fun, though. Sometimes, just like me, he might ask you or tell you to do things, and he might scold you if you’ve done something wrong.”

“Like you?”

“Just like me.”

“Oh.”

“But I told you, he likes you a whole lot, and he wants to be the best Papa he can. He’s going to try very hard to make you happy, honey.”

“What about you?”

“Me?”

“Will Papa make you happy?”

A loaded question, if ever there was one. “He will, honey, I’m sure of it. Now, we’ve only got a little time before the movers come. Let’s eat some breakfast and get dressed.”

* * *

Lorenzo walked into Perez’s room, startled but fucking pleased to see he was up. A tray of half-eaten food was nearby; half-eaten was better than un-eaten.

Progress.

“Heard from the doc you went to PT yesterday. Guess you wanted to hear about last night, didn’t you?”

Hector picked at a non-existent thread in the bedcovers. “No. Just felt like going.”

“Good. That’s a fuck of a better reason to go to PT than hearing about my life.”

The corner of Hector’s mouth tipped up. “But your life is so interesting. Tell me what happened.”

“First tell me why you skipped tea yesterday. I was looking for you. Plus, my brothers are here visiting and I wanted to introduce them to you.”

Hector shrugged. “PT took a lot out of me, that’s all. Wanted some rest.”

“I sent a VSO volunteer up here with some food.”

The corner of Hector’s mouth tipped up. “She was, um, nice.”

“Nice? She’s beautiful, intelligent, and spends her free time volunteering for a noble cause. She’s a catch. She’s leaving the VSO to focus on classes when she starts back at university in January. Since she wouldn’t be a volunteer anymore, you’d be free to ask her out on a date.”

Hector’s eyes narrowed. “How do you know so much about her?”

Lorenzo rolled his eyes. “I know all the VSO volunteers who come to the MARC, because I meet them during the training they’re required to take.”

“Oh.”

“Thought I’d had my wicked way with her?”

“No,” he said quickly. “Of course not.”

“Well, just so we’re clear, I don’t socialize with VSO volunteers, not in that way.” At least, not since Lily. “You going to PT again?”

Hector sighed. “Yes. Later today, if they can fit me in.”

“But you don’t want to wait, do you? You had a taste of real exercise for the first time in months, and you’re itching to get back, even if it is some of the hardest shit you’ll do in your life.”

“Something like that. You feel like this?”

Lorenzo nodded. “When I got back, after I got physically better, I didn’t want to move. I wanted to stay in bed. I wanted my family to stop visiting, giving me those pitying looks. I went back to PT for the wrong reasons. I did it just to shut my family up. If I went, they thought I was improving. I realized I liked the high of exercising, but it can become like a drug. Your body convincing you you’re happy, even when you’re not. It was then I found a therapist, and he started me on a path that’s working.”

Hector frowned, and went back to picking at the bedspread. No. He was toying with the shell Lorenzo had given him yesterday, the shell he was currently trying to keep out of sight.

“I see it,” Hector whispered. “All the fucking time. Practically every time someone opens the goddamn door, I expect to see someone shooting at me. Even all these years later. I can’t stop it.”

Lorenzo put his hand over Hector’s. “You can, you just don’t have the tools to do it. It’s been six, almost seven, years since we got back. We both tried to start living again, and we both failed, because we couldn’t move beyond the past. For us, every day, it was like we were back in the jungle. The doctors helped show me the way. I’m still trying. Sometimes, working here, I see it so close to the surface, and I have to remind myself it’s the past, and that it’s not going to hurt me. And now…now I’ve got a little girl. I’d never do anything to fuck that up.”

“So, it went well last night?”

Lorenzo gave him a brief overview of what happened. “Liliana seemed to take it in stride. Lily and I are still working through things.”

“You really want to marry her? Even after she left you? Is it because of Liliana?”

Lorenzo shook his head. “No. Two parents who aren’t together can raise a child together, even a royal one. She made the choice to leave me, but she didn’t want to. I need to forgive her for that, and let go of the anger I feel towards her because of it. Last night, I talked to my therapist, and I think I finally got there. Lily and I have a child; I certainly don’t want Liliana to grow up holding grudges, or have two parents who hold one, either.”

He certainly didn’t want the fresh start they were about to make overshadowed by past hurts, or even recent ones if he included their phone call this morning. He’d need to beg her forgiveness later for that.

“No, I want Lily because I still love her. What she did to me, I know she had her reasons, but I still want her. Maybe that’s naïve, but it’s the truth. When I saw her at the beach yesterday, I knew. I didn’t accept it then, but I don’t have a choice now.”

“Does she want you?”

“Not yet.” Maybe not ever after their conversation this morning. “But I’ll keep trying. In the meantime, the world finds out about her and Liliana in a couple hours.”

“Worried about the press?”

“Yes, that, and about a million other things. I’ve got some things to take care of, so I need to head out. How about this? If you’re feeling better in a couple days, let’s go get a beer.”

“Did you start a happy hour at the MARC?”

Lorenzo grinned. “No. Alcohol doesn’t usually mix well with meds or depression. I meant we’ll go out. There’s a pub down the road a ways, if you think you can handle the walk. If not, you could always use a wheelchair.”

“No.” Another quick, short answer. “I mean, no, I can walk. I’ll be fine.”

“Ask your doctor if you drink with the meds you’re on. If you can’t, we’ll get virgin drinks instead.”

“Sounds lame.”

Lorenzo laughed. “It’ll be fun, I promise. I’ll see you tomorrow, in any case.” When he reached the door, Hector called his name and he turned back.

“Listen, Cap, I, um, just wanted to say thanks. I know you pulled some strings to get me a bed here, and I appreciate it.”

Lorenzo walked back and curled a hand around Hector’s nape. “We don’t leave a man behind, if we can help it. Got it?”

“Got it, Cap,” he said softly.

“There’s no shame in taking your time with recovery. We both fell back after we thought we’d got up. Now we’re both going to stand, and stay up. I have faith in you, you got me?”

“Yes, Cap.”

He gave his neck another squeeze, then let go. “Good. See you soon, yeah?”

“Yeah, Cap.”

He walked out and through the halls, greeting people as he did. By the time he reached his offices several minutes later, Rio was already hard at work.

“Captain.”

“Rio. We all set with the press release?”

“Yes, Sir. I also checked in with the movers and they arrived on time and packing is currently in progress.”

Lorenzo checked his watch; barely eight-thirty. He’d likely win the bet and, regardless of their fight this morning, he’d collect his kiss from Lily. “Good. Come into my office for a minute. There’s something else I’d like to discuss with you, but I didn’t have time to do this on the phone last night.”

Rio’s brows drew together, but he nodded. “Of course. Your brothers are set to arrive soon, Cap.”

“This shouldn’t take long.” They entered his office and Lorenzo gestured for him to take a seat. As he took his own, he wasted no time laying it out. “You avoided this question yesterday, but you can’t avoid it anymore. Are you overworked, Rio?”

Rio opened his mouth to speak, then shut it again. He shifted in his chair before saying, “No, Cap. I love my job. I’m quite happy here.”

“Bullshit.” Lorenzo grinned. “You’re a fucking fantastic employee, but you’re doing too much. Don’t worry, I’m not firing you, I’m hiring someone else to share the load.”

Rio relaxed in his chair. “Oh, I see. When will they start?”

“So, here’s the thing: Lily will be taking over management of the conference center and event space. She’s done event planning for years, so has tons of experience for it. I know it’s also nepotism, but I don’t really care how that’s perceived. You’ll get a title and pay bump, and take on more responsibilities for the MARC. There’s a new program I’d like to launch, and I want you to oversee it.”

Rio’s mouth dropped open. “Lily? Your Lily, Cap?”

He felt a pang, wondering if she’d ever really be his. “Yes. She recently lost her job and was looking for another. We’ve been doing well here financially, and I can bring on more staff.”

He gave Rio an assessing look. “You’ve told me in the past you wanted to work more on MARC-related projects, and that you preferred that over event planning. Is that still the case? If not, we can revisit and revise. I’m sure Lily would be happy to–”

“Cap, if I may? I very much appreciate all of this. What I’ve said in the past is still relevant. I would like to spend more time working with fellow soldiers, even if that’s administratively.”

“You’ll be doing more than that. Now that I’ve got a daughter, I want to spend time with her. I’ll still be involved in the day-to-day, but for the short-term I’d like someone to help shoulder a good brunt of the load. Are you up for that?”

Rio sat taller in his chair. “Yes, Cap.”

“Good. Your new title will be my chief of staff.” He ignored Rio’s wide eyes and continued speaking. “I’ve never really needed a full chief of staff before, but things are changing and you’re perfect for the job. You’ll get higher security clearance, which means you’ll need additional training and vetting, but I don’t think that will be an issue other than the time it will take to do it. We’ll need to hire at least one other person to handle all the admin duties you’ll no longer have time for. We’ll make the hiring decision together, as they’ll be my admin as well, but you can work with our HR rep to select the candidates for interview, and they’ll report directly to you.”

“I-You-Yes, Cap. I’ll get started on that.”

Lorenzo nodded. “We still have the threat of a dock strike, so we won’t post the position until after that mess is resolved, and the media fervor over my daughter dies down. Will you be all right until then?”

“Yes, Cap.”

Lorenzo scribbled a number on a piece of paper and handed it to Rio, then watched with a grin as his eyes bugged out. “That’ll be your new gross salary. It won’t kick in until next month, but I hope it’s enough to keep you here.”

Rio was still staring at the paper. “I wasn’t thinking about leaving.”

“You’re excellent at your job.”

Rio looked up.

“You’ve handled everything I’ve thrown at you and then some. While you were doing excellent work, the work you were doing was not all that excellent, it was tedious. Employees don’t stay in tedious positions, and you’re someone I’ve come to rely on for discretion and efficiency, as well as quality. Those are not easy traits to find, and I want to make sure you know how much I appreciate all you do here and ensure that you stay.”

“Consider yourself assured, Cap.”

Lorenzo heard the voices of his brothers coming down the hall. “That’s good to know. If you’re ever unhappy here, Rio, I want to know about it. Am I understood?”

“Yes, Captain. And you should know how much I appreciate the chance you’ve given me, and the responsibility. I won’t let you down.”

“I know you won’t.”

Marcello knocked on the open door. “This a bad time?”

Rio stood up and carefully folded the paper in his hand. “No, Sir, we were just finishing up. May I get everyone some coffee?”

“Yes, please,” Lorenzo said as his brothers entered and Rio shifted out. “Have the kitchens bring me something to eat, too. I skipped breakfast this morning.”

Rio nodded and left, closing the door behind him.

Lorenzo turned to Alex. “Rio already connected with Tavin, Mara, and Corrado. You and Rebecca called them last night?”

Alex nodded. “We also spread the word to our sisters.” His face split into a wicked grin. “Except for Arianna, they’re all joining us for dinner tomorrow night.”

“Fabulous,” Lorenzo muttered. It wasn’t unexpected, but it was irritating. “I’m surprised Rebecca isn’t here now. She could start annoying me before the others get here.”

“She’s enjoying a well-deserved morning off and pampering herself a little. Plus, she wanted to be there to welcome Cecilia and Liliana when they arrived.”

His irritation faded. “That’s very kind of her. I’ll be sure to thank her when I see her.” He checked his watch. “Speaking of, I’ve only got a little time before I head over to welcome them myself. Any updates?”

Marcello nodded. “I looked into Cecilia’s family. The father and brother are both out of jail. Somehow, her mother managed to keep their social standing, so their life hasn’t changed all that much. They seem to be living off of some family trusts, since the family company was dissolved after their convictions.”

Fucking assholes. He’d bet they were living off Lily’s money. He wanted to confront them, but they didn’t deserve his attention right now. “Thanks. I’ll let you know if I need further information. Any new info about the strike from your contacts?”

Rio entered with coffee and pastries, then left before Nate spoke. “I reached out to some of the other Council members, though they didn’t say much. Some had heard rumours of other members – including Bruno Paget, Minister of Energy and Transportation – speaking to Field, but none had seen it firsthand.”

“Or admitted to seeing it, at any rate,” Marcello added. “I did some digging into Field. What Laura inferred at the meet yesterday was just the tip of the iceberg. We found years of covered up harassment claims, even some assault claims that were filed with the police, but then retracted. My guess is Field or someone who works for him leaned on the women involved.”

“Not only that,” Eddie continued. “But we believe he’s also abusing his wife, Susan. She’s never filed charges against him, but when I was digging into his family life and speaking to some neighbors, they tipped me off to it. Said when they first moved in, Susan had some visible bruises. Now, they don’t see bruises anymore but, every once in a while, she walks as though she’s in pain.”

“They have any kids?” Ethan asked.

Eddie shook his head. “No. She was pregnant at one time, but was rushed to the emergency room about four months in, covered in bruises. They lost the baby. She claimed she fell down the stairs, but the doctors didn’t believe her. She wouldn’t change her story, and the hospital couldn’t push anymore, so they left it be.”

Lorenzo rotated his coffee cup on its saucer, seeking to control the anger he was feeling; he’d never understand men who violated and perpetuated violence against women. Never. “So, he’s an asshole. That’s not news. What we need is evidence that he’s done something illegal, or that he’s going to try and control the vote through fraud or other means. If we can arrest him right before the vote, it could change the outcome.”

“You didn’t let me finish,” Eddie said with small smile. “I also got a chance to speak to Susan. I waited until Field left for the day before approaching the house. She was hesitant when she opened the door, but she recognized me from the wedding and from all the press Cat and I got a while back. She let me in.”

“Fame does have its privileges,” Marcello noted. “Though most of the time you’ll hate it.”

“Tell me about it,” he muttered, then shook his head. “Anyway, after a few minutes talking with her, I just came right out with it. I figure Field’s gonna know we’re looking into him anyway, he just thinks he’s untouchable for some reason. So, I laid it out. I told her we wanted to question her husband regarding some fraud. She got really nervous, started trembling a little.”

Alex nodded. “She knows something.”

“You bet your ass she does. She started asking me questions at that point and, when she found out the lengthy jail term for voter fraud, she stopped being so nervous.”

Ethan’s lips tightened. “Something must have happened to flip that switch. He must have done something to her recently, if she’s considering turning on him now when she hasn’t in the past.”

“She was limping a little, but whether that’s from an old injury or new, I couldn’t say. At one point, when I followed her into the kitchen for some coffee, I saw an empty prescription bottle in the trash. I caught a closer look at one point and noted part of the name: Misopro…Misoprost...”

Ethan cursed. “Misoprostol is my guess. There are a lot of uses for that drug, but it’s often used for women who have had miscarriages in an early trimester, to help push the tissue out of the body without invasive surgery.”

Nate shook his head in disbelief. “So, he may have hurt her again, and caused her to lose another child?”

Marcello sighed. “We don’t have proof of that and, without her coming forward we won’t get it. Maybe if we can convict Field on fraud charges, his wife will come forward, too. In the meantime, let’s focus on the fraud. Right now, it’s just a theory. I’ve ordered the Election Commission to re-validate all voting sites and machines.”

Alex scoffed. “In one day? If you were hoping to delay the vote, I doubt this will be enough.”

“My people work fast, and I’ve brought in trusted outside contractors – like Eddie’s team – to assist. Just the order alone might call into question the results, no matter how the vote turns out. The election inspectors are being deployed now. I’ll give everyone a status update tonight.”

Lorenzo shifted back in his chair. “What about his finances? Lots of people get taken down by tax fraud when there’s not enough evidence for something else.”

Nate nodded. “I’m checking into that, but nothing so far. He has some business ventures on the side that I’m delving deeper into, with Marcello’s help.”

“Someone should also probably follow Field, just to see what he’s up to today,” Ethan said.

“I have some agents on it,” Marcello replied. “He’s covered, along with a few others in the union. Since Gaston mentioned that Field has been reaching out to the other union leaders, I’ve also started digging there, too. Maybe the other leaders are being blackmailed for their support. Or maybe they all just want to see the strike happen. Who can say at this point, but I’m hoping to have answers soon.”

Alex placed his now empty cup and saucer on the desk. “Will you have another meet with the dockworkers before tomorrow?”

“I think I should, just to take the pulse before the vote tomorrow morning. We’ll have to make it a night meet, though.”

Eddie pursed his lips. “More dangerous to meet at the docks at night.”

“Yes, but I’m not leaving my daughter until she’s sound asleep in her new room. And, since I know you’re going to force me to bring someone along, Ethan, do you want to come with me again?”

He nodded. “I can go along. Also, as an FYI, my orders to ship out were delayed a couple more days, so I’ll be able to see everyone at family dinner before I go.”

Nate quirked a grin at Marcello. “Using your princely influence to get the order delayed?”

Marcello gave him an even look that no one believed. “The ship he was leaving on needs some more repairs; everyone got delay orders.”

Ethan nodded. “It’s the only reason people like having me on ship; it usually means a shorter deployment.”

Nate clapped him on the back. “I’m sure people value your medical expertise, too, baby brother.”

Ethan glowered at him.

Lorenzo’s phone buzzed with a message; the movers had arrived at the castle and it was only nine-thirty.

“The girls have arrived. I’m going to head over there unless there’s anything else we need to discuss.”

Alex stood. “We’ll go with you.”

Lorenzo wanted them to meet his little girl, but not until after he’d spent time with her first. “Come over for lunch. You can meet her then.” He grabbed a pastry and left without waiting for a response.

A skittering excitement brushed over his skin and goosebumps erupted. His daughter was finally here, under his roof. He would finally get to know her and protect her and guide her.

He wouldn’t mess this up. He would succeed. He had no other choice.

* * *

As a Masillian resident, Lily knew of the castle. She’d seen many, many pictures of it. As Lorenzo had renovated it and made it relevant as more than just a royal holding, more press and pictures had followed. She and Liliana had even walked by it on occasion.

None of that had prepared her for this.

Though she supposed Lorenzo was used to opulence and luxury, Lily had learned to live without it for the last several years. She associated luxury with her past and her parents, and it’d had no place in her present.

Until now.

She felt a cold, slithering fear crawl over her as she entered the castle for the first time, Royal Protection agents leading the way, the movers using an alternate entrance into the Royal Wing. She wasn’t afraid of the castle walls or their history. She wasn’t even afraid of Lorenzo.

She was terrified of depending on that luxury – of depending on anything, really – only to have it slip away.

What if someone came between them again? Lorenzo had said he would protect them, but he didn’t have all the facts.

What if she and Liliana were told to go – or worse, she was asked to go without Liliana – and leave this beautiful place which, despite her fears, felt reluctantly like coming home? In its own way, the Royal Wing was comfortable and cozy, and the gilded moulding and marble floors was more a reflection of Valleria’s history than it was the preference of its current residents.

“Welcome,” a warm voice called, and Lily turned to see Princess Rebecca standing there, a bright smile on her face. She stepped forward and Lily hastily curtsied.

Rebecca stopped in front of her. “Please, there’s no formality between family. You’ll need to curtsy if we’re in public, I’m afraid, but please don’t bother with it when we’re alone, unless you’d prefer it.”

“Oh, well, thank you, Your Highness.”

Rebecca winked. “That also applies to names. Rebecca, please. And who is this lovely little girl with you?”

Liliana’s exuberance had faded as they’d stepped inside, and she’d clung to Lily ever since. Perhaps the change was too much for her. “This is Liliana.”

Rebecca crouched down, expertly balancing herself on the toes of her high-heeled shoes. “Well, hello. But I think this is Princess Liliana, isn’t it?”

Liliana nodded, but still clung to her mother’s leg.

“Do you know I’m a princess, too?”

“You are?” Liliana whispered.

Rebecca nodded, a wistful smile on her face. “I married a prince, so that makes me a princess.”

“She married Prince Alexander, honey. Remember when I told you I was going to the royal wedding a few months ago? And we watched the replay together when I got back? It was her wedding.”

Liliana gasped and stepped forward, one hand still clutching her mother’s. “On the tele-wision, they said he was the king.”

Rebecca grinned. “He will be, and one day I’ll be the queen. Right now, though, he’s just an acting king and prince, and I’m a princess.”

“Will I be queen one day?”

Rebecca smiled. “You might be, but it’s not very likely. You’ll probably stay a princess your whole life.”

“Oh.”

“That’s still a very important job.”

“It is?”

“Mmm-hmm.” Rebecca stood and held out her hand to Liliana. She looked at it a moment, then looked at her mother. After another glance at Rebecca, Liliana slowly removed her hand from Lily’s and took Rebecca’s hand. Together, they began walking down the hall, Lily following.

“A princess’s job is to help people. There are lots of different ways to help people, so different princesses do different things. Now that you’re part of our family, you’ll meet a lot of princesses.”

“What should I do?”

“What do you mean?”

“How should I help?”

Rebecca smiled wide, picked up Liliana and gave her a quick cuddle, then hitched her on her hip. Lily was amazed she managed that on four-inch heels.

“That’s very sweet that you want to help, but right now I think you can help your Mama unpack and get settled before you start helping others.”

“Okay.”

“Now, are you excited about living in the castle?” Rebecca and Liliana chatted as they made their way down the rest of the hall until Rebecca paused. “Well, here we are. Liliana, this will be your room.” She put her down and walked her inside.

It was gorgeous. It wasn’t small, by any means, but it wasn’t overwhelming. The furniture was a little grander than perhaps a little girl should have, but they could decorate it, make it more comfortable for her.

Since Liliana’s current look was a frown, Lily tried to reassure her. “It’ll look more pink once we unpack your things, honey.”

Liliana nodded sagely then gasped and ran past Lily to the door behind her. “Papa!”

Lorenzo chuckled and lifted her up as she reached him. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Hello, my darling girl. How do like your new room?”

“It’s not pink enough.”

Afraid Lorenzo might be offended, or think Liliana didn’t like the room, Lily quickly added, “But it’s very nice and will be wonderful for Liliana.”

Lorenzo’s smile faded slightly as he turned to her. “Thank you. I’m glad to hear it. And you’ve met Rebecca, too.”

“She’s a princess like me.”

He chuckled again. “Yes, she is a princess.” He leaned over and kissed Rebecca’s cheek. “Thanks for greeting my girls.”

Rebecca grinned at him. “You’re very welcome.”

“Well, Liliana? Shall we do a quick tour? I want to make sure you know where everything is. This door leads to your closet.”

“It’s so big, Papa. How will I fill it?” It was indeed big; her closet was bigger than her old bedroom had been.

Liliana’s face suddenly brightened. “Oh! I know. We can go to the store and buy more princess dresses. That would help.” Everyone laughed.

“Yes, my darling girl, I’m sure it would. For right now, let’s just get continue with the tour. This door leads to your bathroom.”

“I have my own?”

“Yes, but if you need either me or your Mama, you can come get us, too.”

Lily’s firm mom-voice spoke to Liliana. “Though we’ll keep the door mostly closed or locked. You know you’re too young to take a shower or bath by yourself, remember? So, if that’s what you need, it’s better you come get me and I’ll help you.”

“Or I will,” Lorenzo added, his voice tense.

“Yes, of course, or you,” she hastily added. Damn. It looked like he hadn’t forgiven her for their fight this morning, and now her foot was firmly stuck in her mouth.

Lorenzo looked down at Liliana and smiled. “Let me show where our rooms are.” He walked across the hall and stood between two doors. “That one over there is my room. If the door’s closed, you just need to knock and I’ll open it for you, okay? And the room right next to it is your Mama’s room. So, you see? We’re just across the hall if you need anything.”

“Do you have a bathroom?”

“Both your Mama and I do, and we’ve got a small kitchen, so if you need some water or anything to drink when it’s late at night, you can come to us.”

“What if I’m hungry?”

“We have food in our small kitchens, but if you need something else, the castle has a big kitchen that can make almost anything. I’ll take you down there another time, and you can see it for yourself.”

Liliana turned to Lily. “This house is big, Mama.”

Lily gave her an indulgent smile. “It’s a castle. They tend to be very big.”

“Have you ever since pictures of the royal palace, Liliana?” Rebecca asked and she nodded. “Well, that’s where your Papa grew up, and it’s where I live. It’s much bigger than this castle.”

Liliana’s mouth dropped open. “Really?”

“Really. But don’t worry. Just make sure you’re with someone when you’re walking around, and you won’t get lost.”

“Like Bob?”

“Who’s Bob?” Rebecca asked.

“He’s my age-nent,” she said, pointing to one of the Royal Protection agents down the hall, who was smiling and shaking his head.

Lorenzo grinned. “Yes, you can go with Bob, or you can go with one of us or any family member.” His grin faded as it turned serious. “But you must be careful. You’re not allowed to go wandering with just anyone. Strangers aren’t always nice people.”

Liliana nodded. “Mama told me when we saw the people at the house.”

“The movers?”

“No, there were others lingering outside as the movers packed up the truck,” Lily whispered. “We’ll talk later.”

He pursed his lips. “Yes, we will.” The sounds of the movers interrupted them. “It looks the movers are here with your things. Let’s get you unpacked, shall we?”

He gave Lily one last look, before taking Liliana back to her room.

Damn.