Chapter Eighteen

Elias was used to people being obsequious around his best friend, while simultaneously ignoring him. It went with the territory when you hung out with the heir to the throne, but he wasn’t used to the prime minster all but licking Christian’s boots.

Prime Minister Skeggit pointed through the rotunda of the parliamentary building to the stone steps that arched across the front. The attempt at still keeping some level of secrecy had them meeting in the entranceway, rather than going out to the steps that abutted a large park. “After a short speech by myself, we’ll—”

Christian cut her off with a sharply raised index finger. “And a speech from the king. After all, at its heart, the reappearance of Princess Kelsey is a family matter.”

“Of course. After the king’s speech, we’ll come back to the state receiving chamber for a luncheon with the royal family and parliamentary leadership. Would you like to choose a private room for the family to wait in prior to the announcement?”

Right. Every second in Christian’s presence bought Skeggit political capital, or so she thought. It was blindingly obvious to Elias that every additional second was just ticking his friend off.

Time to intercept. Elias stepped forward from his customary four steps behind the prince. “Prime Minister, I believe that’s something that Sir Kai is already working on with your staff. We appreciate your time, but we don’t want to keep you longer than necessary. It’s hard enough to explain Prince Christian’s continued presence here.”

“Oh. Very good. As for our cover story…” She winked. Oddly. It was painful to watch, it was so out of character. “We have the artist unveiling a new portrait of the prince to hang in the Hallway of Royals. Your Highness, he’ll be thrilled if you attend.”

“I’ll let you know how thrilled I am once I see it.” They all gave obligatory chuckles. Even though Elias knew Christian wasn’t joking. At all.

“I noticed you called your sister Princess Kelsey. Wouldn’t it have a greater impact if we continue to call her Princess Valentina?”

Not this again. Elias ground his teeth together. Unfortunately, he couldn’t come to her defense. That ball was in Christian’s court.

But the prince simply laughed off the suggestion. “Ha! It’d have an impact, decidedly so. Because she wouldn’t answer to it.”

“Surely the princess can be informed of the optics of her using an American name to be declared the missing Villani. It simply isn’t appropriate. What if, God forbid, something happens to the rest of the family and she becomes Queen? With that name?”

Tasteless. In the extreme.

“Well, if you manage to survive whatever tragedy takes out my father, me, and my sister, then you can attempt to have that argument with the new queen. I wish you luck. Until then”—Christian pinned her with a glare the way you’d harpoon a goldfish—“you will respect the wishes of the king and address her as Princess Kelsey.”

Well done. Christian didn’t throw around his authority very often. He didn’t need to, but when he did fully assume the royal mantle, it could be intimidating as hell.

To everyone but Elias.

An aide scurried forward, bowing repeatedly. After glancing at the note she’d been handed, Skeggit sent him off. “I’m sorry, but I have to oversee a vote. With your request that we keep this meeting a secret, I must stick to my official schedule.”

“I understand. I’ll wander about aimlessly until it’s time for the portrait ceremony.”

Her jaw dropped at his suggestion. “Your Highness, we can get you coffee. Some pastries, perhaps? You may use my office, of course.”

“Go. I’ll be fine. I’ve got Captain Trebanti here to keep me company.”

She bowed and rushed out of the room.

“Wander aimlessly about the building?” Elias snickered. “Were you trying to give the PM a heart attack?”

Christian shrugged. “Just a mild headache. She was annoying me even more than usual.”

“Skeggit got my hackles up, too.”

“She sees the reappearance of my sister as a boost to nationalism. Thinks that suddenly the vote will swing her way, and Moncriano won’t join the European Union. I won’t let her use Kelsey. She’s not a symbol to be appropriated.”

Bravo. And what a relief that Christian voiced everything Elias was thinking. “You deserve a free beer for that speech.”

“I won’t stop you.” They walked down the white marble hallway, Christian with hands clasped behind his back. With the vote going on upstairs, the corridors were deserted.

“Do you want to wait in the law library?” It was a dull, quiet three-storied room. It did have couches comfortable enough to nap on, though, and clerks who’d bring you individual teapots.

“I’d rather walk. Find a new room to poke my head into.”

Uh-oh. That meant the prince was in a mood. Not just from setting the PM straight, either. He roamed the halls incessantly whenever he was deeply, truly troubled. Like an unsettled spirit, but with louder footsteps.

Better to get it over with quickly. “Is something bothering you, Your Highness?”

“Perhaps. Perhaps it’s nothing. But until I know for sure, I won’t settle.”

For Christ’s sake, spit it out, already. Then Elias could sympathize, swear with him, and they could move on. “Is there anything I can do?”

“Yes.” Christian stopped walking, looked just over his shoulder at Elias, and asked, “Are you dating my sister?”

Holy fuck.

The moment he’d been dreading had come. The one he’d worked so hard to avoid. Because Elias had become quite adept at dodging the truth, evading it.

But he would not, could not, lie to Christian.

Not as his friend. And especially not as his prince.

“Your Highness—”

Christian cut him off by pounding his fist against the doorjamb. “Don’t try to pretty it up. Don’t you dare talk circles around me. Yes or no, Trebanti. It’s a simple choice.”

It was anything but simple. The question—and the entire situation. “Yes.”

“What the hell are you thinking?” Christian’s voice rose on each word, until he finished at a near roar.

Elias checked the nameplate on the office. No good. Some secretary of something. But across the hall was the members’ cloakroom. It wouldn’t be in use on this hot, mid-June day. He opened the door and waited for Christian to enter.

Then he made sure to close it firmly, although he wasn’t sure if the soundproofing of a recording studio could contain the prince’s bellows as this conversation evolved.

“What made you ask?”

Halfway to the other end of the narrow room, Christian whipped around and narrowed his eyes. “Are you kidding? How I found out doesn’t matter.”

“It does.” His duties as a bodyguard, his duty to protect the Villani royal family took first priority. After Elias finished his threat assessment, then Christian could kick his ass. “However this affects us personally, as friends, the bigger issue is whether or not this is now public knowledge. That would make it an exponentially larger problem.”

“It’s a damn big problem already.”

“Your Highness, I’m not casting blame, or looking for retribution. I’m trying to do the right thing.”

“Should’ve thought of that before,” Christian grumbled, because his friend was nothing if not stubborn as hell. But then, it was almost possible see him piece it together in his head. “No, I don’t think anyone else knows. Aside from Kai, I mean.”

The prince’s private secretary. The one person with as much access—officially—to the prince as himself. The one person who would’ve risked the royal wrath to share this story. Standing on the opposite side of the low counter from the prince, Elias asked, “What did he tell you?”

“Kai saw you last night, coming out of the elevator at the restaurant. You two were holding hands and looking very much…enamored, was the word he used. As soon as you were out of the elevator, you went back into official bodyguard mode. He’d been about to come out of the bathroom. But he let the door close, shocked. So I’m guessing you didn’t see him.”

“No. I did not.”

One moment. One unguarded moment was all it took for his undoing, which was probably the same thought his father had upon discovering the baby princess was stolen.

It was entirely his fault. He’d been sloppy. Distracted. Qualities that should never be ascribed to a member of the Royal Protection Service. Qualities Elias wouldn’t forgive in anyone else.

“Well?”

“I can assure you no other inappropriate behavior was witnessed by anyone. This secret is contained to you and Kai.”

“Damn it, Elias, that’s not what I was asking. What do you have to say for yourself?”

He should apologize. Elias knew that being with the princess was wrong.

However, he did not regret it. Not any of their time together. Not any of the deep connection they’d forged. So he could not, in good conscience, apologize. It’d be the same as lying to the prince.

With a bowed head, Elias said, “I beg your forgiveness, Your Highness, for overstepping my bounds.”

“As a bodyguard?”

“Yes.” Admitting to doing wrong was easy. He’d been crystal clear on that concept.

A hard thwap by the prince sent at least a dozen hangers spinning on the rack, some flying off to hit the wall. “What about as my friend? My closest friend? You think it’s acceptable to take advantage of my baby sister?”

“No. I’ve been quite sure of that from the start.”

“When did it start?”

Elias swallowed. “The details are immaterial.”

“The hell they are. You do not get to decide what I desire to know.” Fully regal fury pumped off the prince in nearly visible waves. Christian might’ve mentioned their friendship, but right now? He was in full “Prince of the Realm” mode.

As was his right.

But Kelsey had rights, too, which he would protect. “Any measure of forwardness on my part with the princess is too much. I acknowledge that. Out of respect for her privacy, however, I won’t go over specifics with you.”

“Why not? What are you hiding?” Faster than he’d ever seen him move outside of combat exercises, Christian came at him. Both hands braced on the counter, he leaned forward until his face was mere inches from Elias’s. “Did you sleep with my baby sister?”

No evading that.

Even knowing what was coming, Elias forced his hands to stay loose, arms down at his sides. “Yes.”

The punch came fast and hard. As expected.

Elias had braced his weight for it, so it didn’t send him to the ground. Rocked him back, though. Left his jawbone feeling like it’d been hammered by a police baton.

Christian shook out his hand, grimacing. “That’s a fucking low-down thing to do, my friend.”

Agreed. Christian wasn’t saying anything that hadn’t been eating Elias up for weeks now. “Would you like to take another shot at me? I won’t fight back.”

“I know that, which means it’s only fair to give you the one.” The prince licked at a trickle of blood over one knuckle. “No matter how badly I’d like to give you a pounding for touching Kelsey.”

“I’m sorry for…”

Shit.

Here he’d pledged his life to protect the prince, and instead, he’d made the man bleed. All his fault. Sure, it wouldn’t even need a bandage, but it was the principle. Those few drops of blood were a tangible symbol of how completely he’d let Christian down.

“Sorry for what?” He picked up the basket full of plastic hanger numbers and chucked it at the wall like it was a cricket ball. “Why don’t you delineate exactly how many ways you fucked up, Trebanti?”

Elias shifted his jaw gingerly side to side. And then he met the furious violet eyes of the prince. “Only two ways matter. That I put the princess, the royal family, in jeopardy with my lack of focus. And that I let you down.”

“Damn right you did.” Christian paced the length of the four empty racks. “There’s a code, Elias. Among fellow soldiers—which we are. Among friends—which we are. And among brothers—which I count you as. This crosses a damn line.”

“Right. Yes. True.” He wouldn’t make excuses. There weren’t any. He’d gone into this with his eyes wide open. Knowing full well the risks and the lack of a good outcome.

Elias had hoped to get away with it, given the forced and irrefutable end date. Once Kelsey was revealed to the world, whether she stayed in Moncriano or went back to America, they were over. He’d thought they could fly under the radar for two damned weeks.

He’d been naïve. A fool. An idiot.

“Did you think because I’d imagined her dead for two decades that I wouldn’t have the same devotion once she returned?” Christian twisted his neck left and right, as though trying to wring out the right words. “We may not have the whole conversation thing worked into a rhythm yet, but Kelsey is wholly my sister. I love her, I respect her, and I shall defend her with my last breath.”

“I never doubted that for a moment, Your Highness.”

With nothing left to throw in the mostly bare room, Christian struck the wall with the side of his fist. “Stop with the title bullshit. I’m your best friend, Elias. How the hell could you do this?”

That was a weighty question, and almost impossible to answer. It was like trying to quantify the wetness of the ocean. How did you sum up an attraction? An indefinable need to be with a person? The pull at every fiber of your being that said she fits you?

Elias locked his hands behind his back. Took a deep breath. “Kelsey’s…special.”

“Don’t use her being a blood princess as an excuse. You’ve never chased nobility before.”

Elias couldn’t help it. Despite the tension in the room, the fury emanating from Christian, the surety that this was not the moment, he laughed out loud. “That’s not it. Her royal standing isn’t an asset, believe me. All it does is complicate things.”

“Is it the American accent? She comes off as foreign and exotic?”

“No.”

Confusion and curiosity seemed to be calming Christian. He stopped pacing and leaned on the wall across from Elias, arms and ankles crossed. “Then what?”

Part of him wished he’d said what was to come to Kelsey herself first, rather than her brother. But Christian did deserve to know that Elias wasn’t using her, wasn’t toying with her. That he cared—far too deeply, far too fast—for Kelsey. That she mattered for her spirit, not her royal DNA.

“The princess is different from other women. Fun, lighthearted without being ditzy. Happy without being juvenile. Tenderhearted. Loyal. Stronger than she even realizes.” Elias kept “beautiful” to himself. In his current mood, Christian didn’t need a reminder of Elias appreciating his sister’s body.

Shock erased the last vestiges of anger from Christian’s muscles. His whole body went limp. Sort of collapsed in on itself. “You like her.”

“I generally don’t risk my career and friendships for women I dislike.”

“You truly care for her?”

More so than was good for him. More so than it was worth admitting to Kelsey.

More than he’d ever imagined possible.

Elias squeezed his eyes shut. “Yes.”

“I don’t regret hitting you, but I’m glad I didn’t take any other extra whacks. This is a shithole of a situation. I’m sorry.”

Ah. Christian had put the pieces together without any more prompting. Saw that there was no happy ending. No future. “As you can imagine, if I could have resisted the princess, I would have. I take full responsibility.”

“As a friend, I can tell you’re…conflicted, but that’s not the only angle here.” Christian came around the counter to stand toe to toe with Elias. “You have a duty. You’ve betrayed it.”

The accusation jabbed at him sharper than their uniform swords. “I swear to you, on my honor, I didn’t think I was putting the princess at risk. I put my duty, her safety, first.”

“You’ve dishonored your office. Your pledge, your loyalty to the crown.”

No. That was unthinkable. “I have pledged my life to keep her, to keep all of you, safe. That hasn’t changed. It will not ever change.”

“The words aren’t enough, Elias. Quite simply, you’ve betrayed that pledge. You chose to follow your heart instead.”

His heart raced as he scrambled to convince the prince otherwise. “It was a mistake in judgment, admittedly, but I swear to you, Christian, there was no choice to be made. My feelings for Kelsey simply grew.”

“Don’t you see that makes it worse? That means you can’t turn them off, that you’ll be pining after her. Distracted. Nowhere close to being at the top of your game.”

Every word Christian spoke twisted Elias’s gut more. “No. I’ve accepted our time will come to an end. That it must. I won’t be distracted. I would not dishonor you, the privilege of guarding you, like that.”

“What happened to not having a choice?” Sighing, Christian cocked his head to the side and continued. “I hear what you want me to believe. I also hear you trying your damndest to convince yourself every bit as much as you’re trying to convince me.”

What if the prince was right?

Elias shook his head. “All I can do is apologize. Work to regain your trust.”

Christian pushed off the wall. “There’s no room for love in the Royal Protection Service. It messes with you. Worse than drugs or alcohol, because it sneaks up on you. It doesn’t wear off, either.”

“I’m not in love,” he said swiftly. Fiercely.

That would be pointless.

“In love, on the way to it…don’t split hairs. You’re an addict, jonesing for a fix. What’s going to happen when you can’t get it? When you can’t have her?”

There was utter silence in the room while they both pondered that.

When he couldn’t bear it any longer, Elias asked, “Are you going to remove me from her detail?”

“I shouldn’t have to. The Captain Trebanti I trust with my life, with my sister’s life, would know the right call to make.” Then Christian walked out.

Elias followed him.

Because that was his job, his calling. His reason for being.

The Villanis. The crown.

Above everything—and everyone—else.