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“W ould you stop fidgeting, Barrie?”

Darius’s sister glared at him from across the opulent, private elevator in the Knoxville hotel where King Rajeemh and Queen Azhar were staying for the night.

It was an hour away from Brookford. While the royal couple had wanted to make their visit longer, it hadn’t been possible—they were heading to New York for a session at the UN tomorrow.

But maybe that was a good thing since Barrie looked like she was going to faint at any moment.

Levi and Barrie had arrived a short time ago, and Darius and Amar had taken the elevator down to meet them and escort them back upstairs to the thirty-sixth-floor penthouses.

There was a full dining room in the suite where Tahira’s parents would host supper for them, as well as Prince Raj and Princess Kainda who were sharing the second three-bedroom penthouse with Darius and Tahira.

The king and queen were keeping the dinner low-key, with family members only, so members of their loyal entourage would not be attending.

They’d wanted Darius’s siblings to feel relaxed and not overwhelmed.

Only a few staff members would be on hand to assist with the meal and anything else that was needed.

Of course, there were bodyguards strategically placed all over the hotel and the buildings around it.

Tahira’s royal guards had accompanied her and Darius on the private jet they’d taken from Tampa to Knoxville, while Amar led the others protecting the rest of her family.

An advance security team had arrived earlier in the week to ensure their safety, going over the floor plans of the building and noting any possible issues that could arise.

Until the royal entourage had walked into the lobby this morning, no one at the hotel, with the exception of the manager and the security staff, had been aware of who’d reserved the two penthouses and the entire floor below them.

And those people had only found out when the team had arrived to fill them in.

The Knoxville police department and local FBI, however, had been aware of the royal family’s visit for several days and had worked with the security team.

As far as Darius could tell, Amar’s men had everything under control.

The press had swarmed in not long after word of the King and Queen’s visit had been leaked—that had been expected—but by then the couple had been safely ensconced in their suite. An underground parking garage would ensure their departure tomorrow would go just as smoothly.

“I’m nervous, all right?” Barrie responded with a growl, as she fiddled with the neckline of her black and ivory dress for the hundredth time in the past five minutes.

“Do I look okay? Maybe I should have worn the blue dress. Are these shoes too high? I don’t want to be taller than anyone.

It would be offensive if I looked down on them, right? ”

“You look great, and they put their pants on the same way we all do, sis. Just remember to address them as ‘Your Highness,’ unless they say otherwise. And I’m sure your height will not be a problem.” Hell, she was only five-foot-four without her three-inch heels.

“I forget; do I curtsey? What if I do something wrong? Oh my God, I’ll be mortified. My palms are sweating, and I forgot to bring tissues.” Instead of wiping them on her dress, she used the back of Levi’s suit jacket.

Darius and Amar chuckled as Levi rolled his eyes and said, “You read the protocols more times than I did, and you don’t remember any of this?

No, you don’t need to curtsey in the private setting, but you do bow when you’re first introduced.

And don’t hold out your hand until they do. Now chill. You’ll be fine.”

When the doors opened, an amused Amar led them out to the small foyer that served both penthouses.

Four heavily-armed guards had been expecting them, and one of them opened the door to the left of the elevator.

The siblings followed the head of security into the spacious living room of the suite, before he disappeared into one of the extra rooms. The royal family stood to greet them, and Darius did the honors.

“Your Royal Majesties, may I introduce my brother and sister, Levi and Barbara Knight.” Gesturing to the patriarch first, he continued.

“Levi, Barrie, this is His Royal Highness King Rajeemh, Her Royal Highness Queen Azhar, His Royal Highness, Prince Raj, Her Royal Highness Princess Kainda, and this ... this is my fiancée, Her Royal Highness, Princess Tahira.”

Without hesitation, a smiling King Rajeemh stepped forward and held his hand out to Levi, who shook it and bowed slightly at the waist. “It is a pleasure to meet you both.” Barrie was flustered and blushing when the man turned to her, but she didn’t make any of the faux pas she’d been afraid of.

“It is an honor to welcome Darius’s family into our own. ”

As if on cue, the rest of the royal family welcomed them, with Tahira giving Levi and then Barrie a hug. “I am so happy to finally meet you, Levi. Barbara.”

“Thank you, Princess Tahira,” Barrie responded, clearly still trying to get her bearings. “Please call me Barrie. I haven’t gone by Barbara since I was an infant and Levi couldn’t pronounce my name.”

“Barrie it is then. And please call me Tahira. I prefer it in a private setting.”

“That goes for my wife and I as well,” Raj said, gesturing for them all to take a seat. “Please feel free to call us by our given names. It can get quite stuffy with all the protocols. May I offer you something to drink?”

Darius had to hand it to the royals. Within no time, his brother and sister were relaxed and enjoying the evening.

As always, Barrie was in her element when the casual talk began to flow easily.

She was a brilliant conversationalist, and it never ceased to amaze him how she communicated with others—making certain there was never a shortage of topics, nor did she monopolize the discussion.

She listened to what others had to say and contributed her own opinions without putting anyone on the defensive.

Like Darius, Levi was a little quieter, but he was constantly aware of his surroundings.

Between his stint in the Marines and then his training and experience in law enforcement, it came with the territory.

But he also contributed to the conversation in an easy manner.

However, also like Darius, he probably couldn’t wait to shed the suit he wore.

Levi had grumbled about it when told he had to wear one since the royals would be formally dressed.

Taking a sip of the Tennessee whiskey he’d been served, Darius side-eyed Tahira sitting beside him on the couch.

She looked stunning in her violet-colored, one-shoulder dress which stopped just below her knees and accentuated her bronze skin.

It was made of a light material that swayed freely when she walked.

He’d almost swallowed his tongue when she’d come out of her bedroom earlier.

Her hair was up in some complicated twist, and her makeup and jewelry were understated.

He was having a difficult time taking his eyes off her.

Something had happened between them the other day in the club—well, beyond the obvious.

There was a change in Tahira—she seemed stronger and more confident than he’d ever seen her.

She seemed more at ease and was flirting with him again, and not in the way she’d done with him and her other American bodyguards before her abduction.

No, this was the kind of flirting a woman did with a man she really wanted.

A man she was falling in love with. And, damn it, instead of scaring the crap out of Darius, it was doing the opposite.

Somewhere along the line, he’d stopped thinking of her as a friend in need.

Now, she was a woman he could imagine himself spending the rest of his life with.

But there were several problems with that line of thinking—one of them being she was royalty and he was a Navy frog who’d killed people in defense of his country and while protecting the innocent.

He wished he could be the man for her—for a lifetime—but that was impossible.

Her home was on the other side of the freaking world, and he couldn’t leave his own home to follow her there.

His family and team needed him. Even if she wanted to live in Florida, it was highly doubtful things would work out for them long-term.

But the longer they were together, the harder he knew it would be to leave her when the time came.

She deserved someone better than him. Someone sophisticated and well-bred.

Someone who was more comfortable in suits and tuxedos than cargo pants and boots.

Someone who could maintain the lifestyle she’d grown up in.

While Darius had quite a bit of money saved, there was no way he could afford to give her a mansion like the one they were currently sharing.

It would be her money that supported them in anything beyond a middle-class status.

He couldn’t bring her down to his financial level.

However, he could give her what she needed right now.

Darius had spoken to Ian and Devon alone after returning to the barbecue.

They’d agreed to start the engaged couple’s BDSM training starting this weekend, in private sessions at the club when it was closed.

While Ian and Darius would remain the only ones aware of Tahira’s rape, Kristen and Angie would also be involved in the couple’s training.