Epilogue

Isabella looked at Robert as if he was crazy and that only made him laugh harder. He wrapped one arm around her and leaned over and kissed his daughter’s forehead before he stepped back and accepted the bag being handed to him.

“This is a terrible idea, Robert, and not an example you should set for our daughter,” Lizzy informed him.

“Ah, baby, a bet is a bet, and as you know we can’t back out of them,” Robert said. “Gwendolyn is only two months old. I highly doubt a child of mine will retain memories before one year of age.”

“But you were the one who lost. That’s why I was kidnapped,” she pointed out.

“Yes, but Christopher agreed to pay the price, too,” Robert said with glee as he pulled out a soggy tomato.

“Give it all you got, spaghetti arm,” Chris yelled from the pillory he was locked into.

Robert smiled as he got into a pitching stance. When Chris saw his form, his brows wove together and a little worry formed in his eyes. That only made Robert smile larger. The first tomato flew through the air and landed with perfect precision just above Chris’s head, the juice running down his hair and over his face.

“That really stinks,” Chris yelled as he glared at his cousin.

That’s when the guards stepped forward, all too gleeful, and all carrying a soggy tomato. Chris closed his eyes and whimpered as the splatter of fruit could be heard hitting the pillar over and over again. Not one slammed into Chris’s face. No one wanted to harm the prince, but all of them laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation.

The fruit lay scattered on the ground when there was a commotion down the road. A car came through as the people parted, recognizing the king’s vehicle. It didn’t take long for Xander to step from the backseat, his beautiful wife at his side. He looked larger than life and highly irritated as he moved to stand next to Robert, who was the obvious ringleader of this event.

“Hey, Brother,” Chris called out as he spit tomato juice from his mouth. “Are you here to rescue me?” he added with a bit of hope.

Xander looked from Chris to Robert and then back again. “Do you two find these antics amusing?” he asked before turning his full attention on Robert.

“Yes, I do,” Robert said with defiance.

“Hey, this was my idea. We had a bet and I . . .” Chris trailed off as Xander turned on him. But he didn’t say a word, just looked toward his car and nodded.

That’s when the rest of the royal family from both islands stepped from the vehicle one person at a time, and in each of their hands they carried tomatoes. Robert didn’t know what to think of this situation.

They all marched forward, smiles on their faces as they lined up in front of Chris. King Heinrich handed King Xander a tomato and the two shook hands as they smiled at each other.

“To a renewed bond between our families and our countries. We might have a bit of roguishness in all of us, but at the end of the day, we love our countries, our people, and our families,” King Heinrich said.

“And we will grow together and build an even greater nation,” King Xander agreed.

The two men held their hands high, much to the pleasure of all the people standing in the crowd. Then they faced Chris and launched their tomatoes. The rest of the royal family members, including the children, let loose their stinky fruit and the crowd erupted in laughter and praise.

“Would you like to come to the palace for dinner?” King Xander offered Robert.

“I’d be honored,” he replied.

Robert wrapped his arm around his beautiful bride and baby girl and joined the rest of their family, minus Chris as he climbed into the car.

“Hey, funny joke, haha, now let me out,” Chris bellowed. The car began driving away, and Robert enjoyed the incredulous look on his cousin’s face as it appeared his family had forgotten him.

King Xander laughed and told the rest of them that the guards would release his brother in exactly five minutes, and they were under strict orders to hose him off thoroughly before he was allowed near the palace.

Robert looked around the vehicle as the two sides of the isle sat together like long lost friends, laughing, visiting, and sharing their lives with each other. The past few years had brought significant changes to both Rubare Collina and Rubare Virgina, and all of their lives were richer for it.

There were some things money could buy, and some things only loyalty and love could inspire. Robert had learned what was most important. He leaned down and kissed his wife and he thanked whoever had intervened when he’d been led to her room on a warm summer night and taken her to be his.

Continue reading for an excerpt from Melody Anne's novel: The Tycoon's Revenge