Page 6 of Royal Salvation

Lucía clenched her fist in an effort not to show her irritation. This sounded like something her father would do, although she was surprised he’d take it as far as a pretend husband. That required a certain level of intimacy, and her father was extremely protective of her. “Why wasn’t I told or involved with this discussion?”

Justice shrugged. “No idea, Princess. Maybe speak to your father about that one.”

Oh, she would be, first chance she got but until then, she needed some details. “How exactly would this work?”

“You and I will be given fake identities and a fake marriage licence. We’ll live in the same house. When we travel, we’ll stay in the same room. Separate beds of course but we’ll need to make sure the maid service doesn’t suspect anything. Where you go, so does your loving husband.”

“I don’t like this at all.”

“Well then, pack up your cameras and do us all a favour and head home to the safety of the Palace.”

Lucía was a little stunned at the hostility in his voice, but she was used to it. Nobody understood her passion for what she did. Even her father, who indulged her, believed it was something she needed to get out of her system before she settled down and started attending to her royal duties. Lucía had done everything in her power, to protect those she loved and continue being the person she was born to be, including working under the pseudonym Carla Cassidy and forgoing any credit for her work. All so she could capture the moments that mattered. “I get the feeling you don’t like me, Justice.”

He rolled his lip, frowning. “Not at all, I don’t know you. I just think you’re taking unnecessary risks with other people’s lives just to get your own way.”

“You think I’m a spoiled little rich girl playing games?”

“No, I think you’re good at what you do, I’ve seen the pictures and you have talent, there aren’t any games in that. But I do think you’re being entitled by pushing this when you know the risks to you and every person who travels with you.”

She did know the risks. Maybe he was right and she should give it up, but she had to go back to that village and see if the destruction she’d photographed had healed in any way. “Listen, I don’t expect you to understand or even like me, but I can be professional if you can.”

Years of training and watching her mother deal with difficult situations at her husband’s side had left Lucía with all the tools she needed to get through this. However, her one sore spot or weak spot was her temper. She had a hot, quick temper that sometimes got her into trouble, and if anyone was going to push those buttons, she had a feeling it would be this man.

Good or not, something about him just irritated her in a way she couldn’t explain. She was usually so calm and rational but since he’d walked in all she wanted to do was either fight with him or climb him like a tree.

“I can be professional, Princess.”

“Lucía. My name is Lucía. Princess is just a title.”

“Whatever you say.”

Was he trying to get under her skin or was it just a simple clash of personalities? She didn’t know but she was too tired to care, and she had a headache coming on from holding herself in check.

Perhaps she needed to put in a call to her father to see if she could get a new bodyguard, one that was less domineering and sexy, and more personable. “Is that all for tonight?”

“Yes.”

He stood and she thought he might go to his car and bring a bag in, but he stepped close and her breath caught in her throat as his hand cupped her cheek, before caressing her chin and tipping her face up to his. It was against protocol to touch a member of the Royal family without an invitation to do so, and she hadn’t given him that. Yet the tingle in her skin and the way her heart beat frantically in her chest, making her legs clench to ease the burning need between her thighs was a shock to her system.

This man pushed boundaries and ran over obstacles like a wrecking ball, and she’d have to be very careful not to get pulled into his magnetism. Thank goodness she didn’t like him, or she’d be in big trouble.

Justice bent closer until she could see the twinkle of daring in his eyes and feel the soft mint of his breath on her face. He still held her chin, his touch soft and light, almost a caress. Her eyelids wanted to flutter closed and wait for the kiss she knew would come and would also knock her on her ass. The thought broke the spell and Lucía flinched away, worried she’d lean into his touch if she let him get away with this. “What are you doing?”

A sexy smirk, just the upturn of one side of his mouth, made her want to slap him and kiss him at the same time.

“Relax, angel, you gotta be comfortable being touched by your husband if you want us to sell this story.”

He bent and kissed the corner of her mouth, and her eyes did close but before she could decide whether to enjoy it or punch his smug face, he was gone, the front door closing on his imposing back.

Humiliation and anger raced through her veins, and she didn’t know whether to follow him outside and berate him for his insolent behaviour or retreat and hide in her room until she could get her thundering heart to calm down.

Deciding that option two was the best course of action, Lucía grabbed her phone and rushed into her bedroom, closing the door just as the front door opened and closed. Standing with her back against the door, she took a breath and blew it out slowly. This was just another obstacle in her way, and she’d find a way around or through it like she did every other.

Justice was simply something she had to overcome to achieve her goal. Going to her window, she glanced out at the garden she’d spent the summer tending. This place gave her a sense of eternal peace, living a life she loved. Whitmore had been an accidental find a few years ago and was now her haven when she needed to get away from her life as the second in line to the Spanish throne.

Her sister Maria was the heir apparent and had been groomed for the role her entire life. When the time came, God forbid not for many years, but when it did, Lucía would step up and become the support and confidant her sister needed.

Taking the cream easy chair and curling her legs underneath her, she dialled her father’s personal cell. He answered with a smile in his voice as he always did for her. She was a daddy’s girl through and through and they were a close family.