‘We’d have to have children…if we can. They’ll bear my name.’
Ares’s eyes gleamed. ‘They’ll have the bravest and most magnificent mother in the world, why wouldn’t they bear your name?’
He said, ‘I’m sorry that it took me a few days to figure this out. I fell for you the moment I saw you in that bar, determined to have an experience.’
Cassie blushed. ‘I adore you, Ares. You see me. I’ve never really had that, except for Caius and he doesn’t really count.’
There was another splutter of indignation from Caius’s direction but Cassie went on, ‘I can’t take on this role without a real partner. I’d hoped for respect and companionship but after meeting you… I want so much more. The thought of becoming queen and settling for someone else…has nearly killed me.’
Ares’s eyes looked suspiciously bright. ‘I’m so sorry I let you go, Cass.’
He gathered her to him and kissed her, deep and thoroughly. When he pulled back she said breathlessly, ‘Don’t be sorry… I don’t think either of us were expecting this…’
They looked at each other dreamily for a long moment, until Caius’s voice broke the intense silence. ‘Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?’
Ares took Cassie’s hand in his. She was beaming. Sore facial muscles forgotten. Tiara askew. She tore her gaze from Ares’s and looked around. The great and good of the world staring at them. The prince’s mouth was gaping open like a stunned fish. Pierre looked as if he was on the verge of a heart attack. And her brother was murderous. She’d never been happier.
Ares said, ‘Can we go somewhere private?’
She looked back at him and her insides liquefied with desire. She nodded. But then she winced when she took a step and her feet protested in the new shoes.
Ares was immediately concerned. ‘What is it?’
‘Sore feet.’
Within two seconds he’d swept her up into his arms. One of her shoes fell to the floor. Ares looked at Caius and said, ‘I know you want to break every bone in my body but the fact is that I love your sister and I’m going to go somewhere now to ask her if she’ll marry me. If that’s OK with you?’
Caius looked as if he were about to explode but then he looked at Cassie and he must have seen her incandescent happiness because after a long moment his features softened. He said, ‘Aw, hell. Go. Not with my blessing, it’s too soon for that. But just go.’
As Ares swept Cassie out of the ornate ballroom and away from the hundreds of guests she could have sworn she heard Pierre ask Caius, ‘Is there any chance he’s related to the Greek royal family at all? Any royal family?’
In the end it didn’t matter that Ares was not related to any royal family. Their moment had gone viral around the world and everyone had fallen in love with Ares and Cassie and their love story.
Pierre hadn’t had a hope of standing in their way. Neither had Caius, who eventually did come to terms with his best friend becoming his brother-in-law.
Cassie had been crowned queen, with Ares close by her side at all times. Soon afterwards their engagement had been announced by the palace to no one’s surprise.
Epilogue
Five years later—Sadat Sur Mer, The Palace
CASSIE HAD WORKEDhard to dissolve a lot of the old structures standing between the royal family and the people of Sadat and now the palace was regularly humming with community activities, visiting tourists, and the family were involved in day-to-day life in a way that no other royal family had ever been.
But here in this wing, their private wing, there were no intrusions. Cassie walked from her office across the hall to where Ares’s office was. He’d moved Drakos Security to Sadat over the past few years and it had now become a hub for the latest security technology and best defence systems in the world.
His new office building was in the centre of the town, an architecturally cutting-edge structure, but Ares liked to use his office at the palace because his main priority was as the king consort. And husband. And now, father.
Cassie stopped in the doorway and chuckled at the sight. Ares was lying back on a soft couch, with two smaller bodies sprawled on top of him, all of them snoring gently. A book was strewn to the side.
They’d had twins three years ago. Isabella and Calliope. Bella and Calli. Bella was the firstborn, and a reference to Belle, Cassie’s beloved lost sister. They were identical twins, taking after both parents. They had blonde hair but Cassie could see it was already turning darker, and they had the dark eyes of their father.
She put a hand to her distended belly. Their little boy was due in a couple of months. The girls’ suggestions for names so far had ranged from Calli’s favourite thing in the world—Unicorn! To Bella’s suggestion—Baby Brotha!
Since the arrival of the children, Ares had reached out to his own siblings and they’d finally connected. It had been a happy reunion. It had been easier with his sisters, but Ares had also met his brother, Axel, and was making plans to work with him, providing security for Drakos Shipping, and so he was returning to the fold on his terms.
As often as they could, Cassie and Ares went back to the villa on Spetses and revelled in a few days of isolation and freedom. Sometimes alone when they could manage it, sometimes with the girls.
They updated their wish lists all the time and Ares was extremely assiduous in making sure they ticked off all the items. On their honeymoon to the south of Spain, Ares had taken Cassie horse-riding on Adalucian horses on the beach at dawn.
