“No.” Dad shakes his head. He makes that ‘disappointed in you’ look that he’s never once used on Valor and me but uses on other people all the time. “One trip a quarter. Three days at a time. Best we can do.”
“Fine.” Steffano huffs. “Then I want to up the cash from fifteen to seventeen million. To get back the money I already paid the D’Medicis for her.”
“Done.” I don’t even try to negotiate that.
I know Dad wanted to negotiate the amount down due to Leticia being hurt, but the money is just sitting there doing nothing anyway. The whole concept makes my gut ache. Exchanging money for the woman I love isn’t something I want to do, but it seems like it’s necessary. I just want to move past it.
“That’s it? Are we done with this?” Valor looks around our small group before addressing Steffano. “You’ll get the marriage annulled in Italy, and we’ll arrange the rest of the details.”
Steffano looks at me one last time. “Can’t see what she sees in him, but yes. I’ll take this as payment for Leticia and process the annulment in Italy.”
“Well, that was much more civil than expected.” Dad sighs. Hesteps forward to shake Steffano’s hand. “It’s a pleasure doing business with you.”
Steffano shakes, and when they let go, he adds as if it’s an afterthought, “I’ll expect Royal in Moldova tomorrow, then?”
“Tomorrow isn’t enough time to get everything together, even if you had the specs list in hand right now. I need a week to make sure I can source everything we need.” I’m quick to argue.
“Excellent, one week.” Steffano turns his back on us, walking to his jet. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have another bride to find.”
We wait until the henchmen and Steffano are on the plane and it’s turning around to head back to the runway before moving from where we stood to negotiate.
A cool wind whips by, and I shudder.
That’s it. In three weeks, I’ll be home with my mate, and this nightmare will be behind us.
53
LETICIA
HAPPILY EVER AFTER?
“So, what? That’s it, then?”I can’t believe what he’s telling me.
“Yeah, that’s it.” Royal guides me to sit down on his bed again, where I’d been resting before he came home. “In a week, I’ve got a private flight to Moldova for a job. I’ll get his house up and running, and I’ll come home.”
“Then what?” I feel dumb asking, but I have nothing, and no one is making a big deal about it.
“Happily ever after?” Royal shrugs. He sits down facing me before grabbing a pillow and offering it to me. “To prop your arm up.”
I take the pillow and put it under my casted-up arm. “What does happily ever after look like?”
“Well, we should probably have a real wedding. Then move out of my parents’ basement, or do a renovation to make it a true mother-in-law suite.” Royal looks around. “I have no problem with either of those options. I sold the place I’d bought and moved back in here because I was lonely living alone and ended up spending all my time here anyway. But for the two of us, we could make our own home.”
Home.It’s such a funny word. I know what it’s like to have a place to live, but the penthouse in Gold Coast was much more prison than home.
“Your parents won’t mind us living here? I mean,surely they want some privacy. They hardly need another person around.” Something in my voice has Royal moving.
He slides closer toward me on the bed, rotating and sitting alongside me. We’re shoulder to shoulder, and he rests his head against mine, then picks up my good hand and gives it a squeeze. “My parents only want what’s best for us. If that’s a mansion in the territory, a cottage in the woods, or staying right here with them, then they’ll be more than happy for us either way.”
“Aren’t they mad? It feels like someone should be mad.” I try to explain. “It all feels so easy. My dad’s just letting this go? It’s over with?”
“Uhm.” Royal tenses, and he speaks more softly. “I’ve never been good at saying this sort of thing. Mom’s normally the one to do this, but I feel like I should be the one to say it.”
“Royal, you’re scaring me. What?”
“Your dad is dead. I don’t know the details, but I know Berto is now in charge, and he’s approving of this deal between our family and Steffano.” Royal squeezes my hand. “I’m sorry.”
“Dead. He’s dead.” My head is buzzing as I try to process that information.
