Page 31 of Out of Office Nights (Royals of Cartana #2)

His jaw rippled. ‘He spoke in metaphors and euphemisms, and I’m not in the mood for it.’

Like a moth to a flame, her gaze zipped to him then lingered as they stepped out. Lines bracketed his mouth, and his forehead was pinched in a permanent frown. He looked…haggard. Or as haggard as the most magnificent prince in the world could look.

Her heart dipped. Did it really have to do with her? If so could she… dared she take the chance?

She blinked when he handed his helmet to the footman. ‘Aren’t you riding your bike?’

His eyes lingered on the sleek machine then shook his head. ‘I’m taking you home as requested. And since you may be carrying my child, your days of riding with me, while brief, are over. So we’ll use the car.’

He opened the door to the town car that pulled up and slid in after her. Thinking he would push for answers, she exhaled slowly when silence reigned on the short journey.

Inside, the staff were absent, probably by some secret palace signal.

They faced each other in the foyer, too many words crowding the air. In the end, she turned to the stairs and climbed, searingly aware he followed close behind. The sound of the studio doors shutting behind him set her heart pounding.

His sharp intake of breath drew her to find him staring at her sketches. The designs she’d been dying to show him. In the light of the gamble she was considering, it felt small. Insignificant.

‘Sabeen, these are incredible.’

His praise warmed her for all of ten seconds, before fear crowded in. ‘Thank you. Teo—’

‘What did you mean?’ he sliced in, his own tension mounting.

She knew exactly what he meant. ‘Everyone seems to think I’m the cause for your…for whatever is going on with you.’

His eyes narrowed then understanding dawned. ‘Valenti?’

‘And your father. I took him to task for it when maybe I shouldn’t have.’

He didn’t answer. His hands propped on his hips, his mouth still tight. ‘I thought he’d never been here in this studio or shown any interest in my work,’ he muttered. ‘It turned out I was wrong.’ Her heart caught at the bleakness in his voice. ‘About a few things, actually.’

‘I’m sorry.’

His head bowed for a full minute. ‘Don’t be. He’s set me straight on some things this past week.’

Sabeen’s heart squeezed tighter. Everything about his demeanour screamed a profound discovery. One that weighed heavily on him.

‘Wh-what?’

‘That I’ve wasted time trying to prove my existence when I didn’t need to. That I was chasing foolish dreams out of…’ He shook his head, a tense smile twitching across his face before it died. ‘It doesn’t matter. Nothing matters.’

His words shut off as a roar filled her ears.

If nothing mattered, was she about to risk everything for nothing?

‘If nothing matters and everything’s fine with you and your father, why does everyone claim you’re in pain?

Why do you only work in here when I’m not around?

Why are you sleeping in the guest suite instead of your own bedroom? ’

Bleakness flashed in his eyes before he could hide it. And although his mouth twisted, Sabeen saw his sombreness. Dare she say, his pain?

Even as he scoffed, his hand rose to rub at his chest. In the exact place her own chest ached. ‘You think a few changes means you have some insight into me? Perhaps even how to manage me, tesoro ?’

‘They’re simple questions, Teo. Answer them and we can move on.’

She’d taken so many bold steps these last couple of weeks. Steps he’d pushed and prodded and dared her into taking. She wasn’t going to back away now.

‘Move on, or use them as excuses? You already gave your condition about keeping things secret, or have you forgotten?’

Pain rippled through her. ‘I haven’t forgotten.’

He waited a beat, then spread his arms wide. ‘And? Are you about to tell me you’ve changed your mind? That you care why I can’t sleep in my own bed now?’

‘Yes. I care.’

With every bone in my body, her heart screamed. But her tongue remained locked, still in full self-preservation mode.

He let out a laugh charged with a thousand currents and a large dose of anguish. All warning her to leave this alone. ‘Pick a lane, Sabeen. You’ve been fighting so hard to push me away. What’s changed?’

Because you matter.

And he did. Maybe he always had. Maybe deep down she’d always feared offering her heart might be her greatest risk.

‘Because like you, I’ve learned a few things these past days.’

Shadows winged across his face. ‘And what are those things?’

‘That whether I’m pregnant or not, I don’t owe you authority over me.

’ She forced her gaze from his, to the beautiful drawings she’d created.

At least one thing had gone right. ‘You have my contribution to your collection. And hand on heart I can say it’s my best work yet, so you should be happy.

I’ll be present at the launch, of course, and deal with everything that needs to be done leading up to it.

But I need to know, is there anything more for me here if I decide to stay?

’ The words nearly ripped her heart in two.

But she didn’t take them back. Couldn’t .

He turned to marble, his eyes unblinking as he inhaled. Exhaled. And said nothing. As silence drummed a death knell. And she had no choice but to turn for the door, her soul shattering as he let her walk out of his studio.

She tore into her suite, her tear-filled eyes unseeing as she snatched her case and tossed garments in. She’d gambled again. And lost worse than before. She wasn’t entirely sure she could survive this time. But…

Her hand went to her belly, a feverish hope that the period that hadn’t made an appearance last night or this morning as anticipated would mean…

Dear God, she was unashamedly desperate to leave with a piece of the man she loved with her.

Please, please, please—

She whirled when he barged into her bedroom one minute later, silver eyes blazing with purpose. ‘You know something? Only yesterday—hell, this morning—I would’ve let you get away with that. Shrug off the rejection and carry on with my life. I was used to it, after all.’

Her throat closed. ‘Rejection? How is asking for more a rejection? I’m…’

His eyes narrowed, flipping from her open suitcase to her face in deep censure.

‘It’s pretty obvious it’s some sort of test!

You’ve shed your baggage and are ready to fly free.

Without me? Against my better judgement I agreed to you wanting to keep us a secret.

Now you want more? More secrets? More denying?

’ His gaze dropped to her belly and anguish tore across his face.

‘Not even the thought of our unborn child can sway you? Or would you like me to go one better and disavow being the father entirely? Is that how you wish me to prove myself—’

‘No! That’s not what I want at all!’

He speared frantic fingers through his hair. ‘Then, explain. Por favor . How do I prove myself?’

‘You claimed your child. But you didn’t claim me!’

His face clouded. ‘What?’

‘What am I to you besides a designer? If there wasn’t a possibility that I was pregnant, what would I be besides your bed warmer?’

He sucked in a harsh breath. ‘A fearless fighter? A strong, courageous woman who goes toe to toe with me and calls me out when I need it? A beauty so incredible she takes my breath away and makes me believe I’ll die happy if only I get to spend my last breathless moments with her?’

Sabeen’s mouth dropped open.

He closed the gap between them, gently nudged her mouth shut.

‘To preclude any doubt, that person is you, Sabeen. I haven’t been able to sleep in my bed because you’re not in it.

I can’t stay in this house because I crave you every minute of every day.

I filled my father’s ears with every crumb of my time with you, then swore him to secrecy because I was terrified it wouldn’t fall under your secrecy rule. That you would leave if you found out.’

Her hands rose, reaching for him. ‘Oh God, Teo—’

‘You want my full surrender? You want more? Well, here it is.’ His chest heaved as he stared deep into her eyes. ‘I love you, Sabeen. So much I can barely breathe. Can barely function with the thought of losing you.’

Her mouth dropped open again. ‘You love me? But…but you—’

He towered over her, a pillar of affronted masculinity, with a blaze in his eyes that snatched her breath away.

‘Tell me I can’t love you. I dare you. I know I’m unworthy of you.

But I have a lifetime to work at rectifying that.

If…you’ll have me?’ The river of self-doubt in his eyes made her want to cry.

A sob slipped free as she hurled herself into his arms. ‘Would you stop saying that? Everyone around you believes you’re more than worthy.

Especially me. God, I was ready to tell you that a long time ago.

To tell you more than that. Because you’ve taught me to be bold.

To be brave. To reach for what I want. And what I want, more than anything in the world, is you.

I will have you, Teo. Because I love you, too.

I think I’ve been in love with you for years. ’

Deep shudders moved through him. He snatched her to him. And an eternity after he’d kissed her, declaring a few dozen times how much he loved her, and then dragging her to bed for lovemaking that made her sob some more, he gathered her into his arms.

He kissed her eyelids, then waited till she opened her eyes. ‘I’m warning you now, I’m not wasting time on a long engagement. I need to make you mine as soon as possible before I go insane.’

‘I’ll marry you tomorrow.’

That soothed him long enough to kiss the sense out of her.

Until she pulled away. ‘There’s one more piece to go on the kintsugi. Will you do it with me?’

Warmth filled his eyes to the brim. And his nod was a little jerky as he cleared his throat. ‘It would be my honour.’

Throwing their dressing gowns on, they walked hand in hand to his studio, and in the early-evening light, they slotted the last piece of the broken teapot they’d brought with them from Morocco into place. Together.

‘I lied,’ she murmured as they stood, his arms around her, staring at the finished work.

A kiss brushed her temple, her jaw, the corner of her mouth. ‘About?’

‘About my jida not liking you. She would’ve loved you. Eventually.’

‘And I would’ve welcomed her as the true mother I lacked. But I sense that she will continue to live through you.’ His hand dropped to her belly. ‘Through our baby.’

‘You don’t know that I’m pregnant yet, Teo.’

‘Hmm, maybe not. But I intend to make sure you are by the time you walk down the aisle and take my name.’

And like a true prince on a mission, he achieved that goal.

‘A toast.’

Azar groaned, although a thread of amusement trailed it.

‘To Domene X’s “Beauty in Dysfunction”. And to House of Domene’s “Perfection in Chaos”.’

The two collections had complemented each other so brilliantly, the result had sent shock waves through the fashion industry. The old king attended, then stood up and applauded long after everyone had finished, the blaze of pride in his eyes something Teo wouldn’t forget in a hurry.

Teo grinned now at Azar’s visible relief, then pivoted towards his twin, ribbing at the ready.

But his brother was staring at his phone, his nostrils pinched.

Some identical twins were eerily attuned to each other’s moods.

Teo, although he could broadly decipher Valenti’s emotions, had often wondered whether by suppressing his own feelings he had somehow blocked the vital deeper connection to his twin.

It seemed now he’d opened himself up to love and the trove of sentiments it came with, he’d tapped into his brother’s emotions too. All humour vanished as he felt terror flooding his twin despite it not showing on Valenti’s face. He lowered his glass. ‘What’s wrong?’

Valenti shook his head, striking for the door. ‘I have to go.’

Azar stepped into his path, one imperious hand up. ‘Take a half minute, hermano . Tell us what’s wrong,’ he insisted.

His chest slowly heaved, even as he glared at Azar for delaying him. ‘Lotte is in trouble.’

Teo blinked. ‘Your ward? I thought she was tucked away in finishing school.’

His twin turned his glare on him. ‘So did I. Apparently, she’s not…’ His jaw clenched. ‘Look, I don’t have time to explain. I need to go,’ he insisted.

‘Where?’ Azar asked.

‘Reykland.’

Azar nodded, pulling his phone from his pocket. ‘I know you have your plane on standby. But my fighter jet will get you there faster, if you’ll use it?’

Valenti exhaled in a rush. Then nodded. ‘ Gracias .’

One minute later he was gone. And Azar’s eyes were glinting as he winked at his wife.

‘What?’ Eden demanded.

Azar shook his head. ‘I’ve never seen him so agitated. About anything.’

Teo nodded. ‘You know what? Me neither.’

Their eyes met. And when a sly grin appeared on his brother’s face, Teo smiled too. Then he gave a different kind of toast. One his twin would’ve flayed him alive to hear.

‘Maybe she’ll be worthy of giving him hell…for a while. Then offering him the sweetest heaven.’

His sister-in-law gasped. The love of his life followed with a husky laugh a moment later, playfully slapping his chest before she kissed his jaw. ‘You’re the worst.’

Teo looked deep into Sabeen’s eyes, the only heaven he wanted to drown in. ‘No, I’m the best, and you know it.’

She held out for a long beat. Then she sighed. ‘Yes, you are, and I love you, for ever,’ she whispered.

He winked then gloried in her sweet blush. ‘I know, tesoro . Now, are you up to the challenge that you love me half as much as I love you? That’s the true question.’