Santaliana’s position on the trade agreements was exactly as it should be. Dev closed the folder and placed it on his desk, well satisfied with all the plans. Although he hadn’t known the minute details, Dev had managed to keep abreast of Santaliana’s position because one of his friends from university was an adviser to Gabe. Being at the meetings would be much better, however, than hearing back second hand how things progressed.
Gabe was extremely capable and an excellent diplomat and negotiator, but Dev was still thankful Mackenzie had suggested his presence at the meetings. Hopefully as he worked alongside his brother, Gabe’s faith in him would be restored.
Swivelling his chair around and away from his desk so he could look out at the view, Dev contemplated his relationship with his brother. The three de la Croix siblings had been extremely close before Eden’s death. The loss of their sister should probably have brought the brothers closer together, but both had withdrawn into their own space.
Gabe blamed himself for Eden’s death and his already gruelling workload as the monarch of Santaliana became even more punishing. Dev became committed to finding those responsible for her death.
‘How’s it going?’
Dev spun his chair back around at his brother’s voice. ‘I’ve just finished looking through the folder. It looks spot-on.’
‘Couldn’t have done it better yourself?’
‘You may not have taken time out from ruling the kingdom to go to university and get a degree, but you certainly understand the needs of Santaliana. You’re negotiating from a solid platform and you’ve addressed as many of the kingdom’s needs as is possible at this forum.’
‘I’m glad you approve.’ He sat down in a chair opposite the desk. ‘Now, I’m going to ask whether you enjoyed looking through the documentation.’
If everything went according to plan, Devereaux should be able to take a more openly active role in matters concerning Santaliana very soon. At this point, it probably wouldn’t hurt to admit the truth. ‘I did.’
Gabe’s head shot back. His lips parted and Dev steeled himself for a pithy comment, but all Gabe said was, ‘Good’, before his fingers tapped absently against the armrest of the chair. ‘Are you just as happy with the plans for the yacht racing?’
‘They’re coming along well. We’ve already had interest from fifteen countries.’
‘How many are you expecting to participate?’
‘At least twenty-five.’
‘I saw Mackenzie just now with Eliza. They were on their way to the beach for a picnic lunch. That was some rescue you pulled off yesterday! Given all the media were there, it served you well on the publicity front.’
‘You obviously aren’t aware—Eliza “fell” in the water quite deliberately. She staged it all in a deliberate play for publicity! Mackenzie had no idea about it and was worried sick.’
‘The little minx.’ Gabe’s surprise turned into laughter. ‘She’s such a bright child—way older than her years.’
‘Perhaps she’ll go into publicity when she’s older,’ Dev suggested.
Gabe stood up abruptly and all trace of humour left his features. ‘Speaking of the publicity, your public profile is apparently improving since the press conference. However, I’m disappointed you’re not making any effort to curb your night-time entertainments.’
‘Old habits die hard.’
‘But they’re not dying.’ There was an edge of frustration in his voice. ‘That’s the problem.’ Gabe took a few restless paces. He stopped by the desk and folded his arms across his chest. ‘I expected more from you. I thought you’d realise the seriousness of settling down and producing an heir, but obviously I was wrong.’
Anguish balled in Dev’s gut before it rolled up his chest, into his throat and choked him. One moment they’d been conversing easily and laughing about Eliza and the next Gabe had quickly donned his cloak of seriousness again.
He hated it when his brother looked at him with such disappointment.
One day soon Gabe would know everything Dev had done for Santaliana, and of his work in bringing Eden’s killers to justice, but for now Dev had to remain the black sheep of the family.
‘Nothing to say for yourself?’ Gabe demanded.
His throat was so thick with regret, he had to swallow before attempting a single word. ‘No.’
‘I swore I’d never marry again, but if you’re so determined to continue this hedonistic lifestyle you lead, then clearly I have to re-evaluate my decision.’
The resolute tone of Gabe’s voice and gritty set to his mouth made alarm fire across each of Dev’s nerve synapses. He feared his brother might be preparing to set himself on a course they’d both regret. ‘Marriage for the sake of securing the royal line is archaic.’
‘As archaic as the royal institution itself. If the House of de la Croix is to continue, there must be another generation.’ His look of dogged determination told Dev he was deadly serious.
‘You’d be prepared to enter into another loveless marriage for the sake of the throne?’
‘Yes. If I found the right woman.’
The right woman.
‘That’s a complete turnaround!’
‘A reaction to your noncompliance.’
Shit!
‘Just what characteristics would the right woman need?’ Dev was afraid of the answer.
‘She’d need to be intelligent. Sensible. Empathetic. Attractive.’
Mackenzie!
A string of curses ran through Dev’s head and each vertebra snapped into place as his spine stiffened. Gabe didn’t have to say anything more. Dev knew in his gut what his brother was thinking. ‘Don’t do anything drastic. I’ve had less than a fortnight to get used to your expectations of me.’
Gabe’s mouth twisted. ‘Are you getting on well with Mackenzie?’
‘About Mackenzie …’ If his brother realised the sexual energy and awareness between Dev and Mackenzie, he’d probably have an apoplexy.
‘Yes?’ Gabe’s interest was keen. Too keen.
‘You’re not seriously interested in her on a personal level, are you?’
‘She has a lot to recommend her.’
‘God, Gabe! You sound like you’re considering a curriculum vitae for the position of personal assistant. Obviously she’s not the one for you if you’re ticking off the characteristics she has to recommend her.’ He had to make a conscious effort to relax his shoulders when pain crept along the width of them and started tightening his neck. ‘Relationships aren’t a case of ticking off boxes. You’re either wildly attracted to someone or you’re not—spark or no spark.’
Gabe sent him an odd look. ‘Sage advice from Europe’s most notorious playboy prince!’
‘Don’t mock me.’
‘I thought you’d be cheering to think I was even entertaining the idea of dating someone.’
Vehement objections raged through him and he fought to suppress them. ‘So you are thinking of dating Mackenzie?’ Hell.
Gabe picked up a pen off the desk and tapped it against the palm of his hand. ‘That wasn’t what I said.’
He didn’t need to say it. Mackenzie was an obvious choice. ‘Listen, Gabe. You married Angelique for political reasons and neither of you were particularly happy. Don’t make the same mistake again. It wouldn’t be fair to you or to the woman you married.’
Gabe replaced the pen and fixed Dev with a steely gaze. ‘Are you warning me away from Mackenzie?’
‘She’s not for you.’ Dev wasn’t about to tell his brother Mackenzie was the woman he wanted.
‘Is she involved with somebody else?’
Yes. She belongs with me. ‘I believe so.’
‘But she’s not engaged?’
‘Not yet.’
‘Then, maybe I can get her to change her mind?’
Shit! ‘As you pointed out, she has a child. Surely you wouldn’t take on a woman as your Queen who already had a child?’
‘Would it stop you?’
‘Hell, no!’ His answer was immediate. Decisive.
‘Mm.’ Gabe turned his attention to the view out the window. ‘Food for thought, I suppose.’
No, it wasn’t. Damn it all! He didn’t want Mackenzie as his sister-in-law, and he didn’t want her trapped in the sort of passionless marriage Gabe was considering. Yet, if Gabe was intent on pursuing her, how could Dev stand in his way when he wasn’t at a point where he could come out and declare his own interest?
‘Mackenzie does tick all the boxes I need ticked, so if you don’t change your ways and find someone to marry, I’ll keep Mackenzie in mind.’
Dev could hardly breathe. Mackenzie didn’t deserve to settle for the sort of clinical marriage Gabe contemplated. She deserved to be loved and appreciated. She was a woman to be treasured. ‘Listen to yourself! How can you even consider a marriage of convenience again?’
Gabe’s laugh held no mirth. ‘You have no idea. It’s all so simple when you’re the second in line to the throne—when none of the responsibility falls directly on your shoulders.’
‘Damn it, Gabe!’ Dev shot to his feet. Pumped with indignation, he had to stop himself from shoving the truth at his brother—telling him he had responsibilities—that he had tens of thousands of employees the world over, including providing employment for thousands right here in Santaliana in the various companies he’d acquired through the Ploutos Corporation umbrella.
‘Become responsible, Dev. Find a decent woman to settle down with and I won’t have to think about acquiring a wife.’
‘That’s emotional blackmail!’
‘I’m glad you still care enough about me that I can be in a position to use emotional blackmail on you.’ The words were grave. They stabbed at Dev and made him realise just how much he’d lost in pursuit of avenging Eden’s murder. Nothing could bring his sister back, but in the course of trying to bring her killers to justice he’d grown apart from his brother.
He’d lost one sibling. He couldn’t lose another.
Walking over to Gabe, he reached out and placed one hand on his upper arm. ‘I have the highest regard for you. I love and respect you and I’m sorry I’ve given you any cause to think differently.’ He searched to find the right words—to reconnect with his brother. ‘We each have different ways of dealing with grief. You’ve retreated into your responsibilities for the kingdom while I’ve become addicted to the club scene,’ he lied.
Gabe lifted his own hand and placed it on Dev’s arm. ‘I love you too. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t worry so much about you—I wouldn’t have hired an image consultant in the first place to try to help you turn your life around.’
‘I know you did it with the best of intentions.’
‘I did.’ Gabe broke contact and walked restlessly around the room.
Frustration tightened the muscles either side of Dev’s spine as he felt the emotional distance between him and his brother. Dev cursed inwardly knowing the lack of ease between them was largely of his making.
He’d been working with MI5 for the last three years to try to bring those responsible for Eden’s death to justice. The commencement of his arrangement with the secret intelligence organisation had begun roughly a year after she’d died and his target was a Mafia family. Maurizio Scampinelli was the Mafia Don he wanted most of all, but the only way to gain access to Maurizio was through his son, Vito. It’d taken Dev time to work up his party-loving, off-the-rails image in order to be accepted into Vito Scampinellis circle. But, even allowing for that time, this mission was dragging. Dev couldn’t wait until Maurizio Scampinelli was behind bars and his empire was destroyed. How much longer before MI5 were satisfied they had all the intelligence they needed?
In the meantime, he needed to come up with a plan to relieve Gabe’s concern about him. If he could find a suitable woman Gabe believed he was interested in, that might stop Gabe worrying about his lifestyle. Most importantly, it might stop Gabe from trying to cultivate a relationship with Mackenzie.
He didn’t doubt his MI5 handler could come up with a suitable agent to play the role of a serious lover. The hard part for Dev would be having to continue to deceive Mackenzie in the process, and pretend he wasn’t interested in her.
It would be hell to keep working across a desk from Mackenzie every day trying to resist from drawing her into his arms and telling her everything would work out between them—that they were meant to be together. Yet, it would be worse to sit across a table from her if she ended up married to Gabriel.
Gabe stopped in front of the bookshelf and picked up a photo from happier days—a snapshot of Eden, Dev and Gabe on holiday at Mykonos. He studied it with a sad smile.
‘They were good times,’ Dev said.
Gabe looked at the photo for a few seconds longer then replaced it on the shelf. ‘They were.’ He turned back to Dev. ‘I’d like to have a ball the week before the first race of the series. If I have my closest advisers draw up a list of women they think might interest you, will you promise me you’ll meet each of them at the ball with the view to finding a wife?’
Invisible hands squeezed around Dev’s neck, making him want to loosen his collar.
‘If you agree,’ Gabe continued oblivious to the pressure which tightened Dev’s larynx, ‘I’ll agree to hold off trying to find my own bride.’
There was no room to even think about his decision. If he didn’t acquiesce, Gabe’s bride may well be Mackenzie and Dev would lose his chance with her.
‘I agree, but make the ball after the last race, not before the series starts.’ The words rasped out of a throat which felt as rough as sandpaper. Just when he thought things couldn’t get any more complicated, Gabe threw him another curve ball. How was it going to look to Mackenzie when she thought he was seriously considering marriage to women Gabe paraded before him?
The pressure to complete his mission for MI5 and come clean with Mackenzie ramped up another notch.