Luis (Royal Caleva #2)

CHAPTER 12

Luis stopped himself from drumming his fingertips on the conference table as the Marqués de Huarte insisted yet again that the United States was underpaying them for having its military base in Caleva. Luis wouldn’t have agreed to this meeting at all except that Francisco was concerned that they had come up with some new threat to upset the Americans.

“I thought we laid this matter to rest at our meeting last week when we averted the protest,” Luis said. “You were promised a seat at the table when we renegotiate the lease with the Americans. Until then, I see no point to discussing this matter further.”

The marqués looked as though Luis had slapped him, so perhaps his phrasing could have been more diplomatic. However, Luis was still irritated that their threat of a protest had forced him to leave Iowa early the week before. Furthermore, it was late, and he was impatient to finish so he could go see Grace and Eve.

“As you know from the report I submitted,” Felipe Camacho said into the silence, “we feel that there are some nonmonetary issues with the base being on our land. Those still worry us.”

“We continue to follow up on your report,” Luis said, “although so far we have not been able to substantiate your claim that crimes committed by U.S. military personnel are underreported.” He held up his hand as Camacho started to speak again. “We are researching the cases you included. What I do not see is how wringing more money from the Americans will fix that issue. Can you explain the connection to me?”

The marqués opened his mouth and closed it before he looked around at his fellow consejeros for support. There was none.

“Very well. We will consider the matter of increasing the annual lease fee closed. Yet again.” He let his gaze rest on Camacho. “We will inform you of our conclusions about your issue as soon as they are available.”

“Gracias, Su Majestad.” Camacho gave him a respectful nod, but his posture was stiff.

Luis stood, forcing everyone else to rise. He was headed for the door with a sense of release, two of his aides trailing behind him, when Camacho stepped away from the table, a rectangular package wrapped in brown paper in his hand.

“Se?or, I hope you will accept this gift in gratitude for your attention to my district’s matter. It is a newly published history of fencing strategies, autographed by the author. I know that you enjoy the sport.” The man bowed slightly as he offered the package.

Despite his impatience, Luis felt a spurt of interest. Knowing that security would have vetted the package before allowing Camacho to bring it into the palace, Luis had no fear of its proximity. “I am grateful for your generosity, but it is my job to attend to my countrymen’s problems.”

“And you never shirk your responsibilities,” Camacho said in an obviously flattering tone. “I beg that you will accept this small token with my humble thanks.”

“Do you fence yourself?” Luis asked. Establishing a personal connection could sometimes calm turbulent waters.

“No, I am not an athlete like you,” Camacho said with an obsequious smile. “But I find the old ways worthy of preserving. We have lost much of morality and decency in the modern world. Fencing is a sport of honor.” His voice had taken on a crusading tone. “It reminds us that order and respect are important to society.”

Luis had heard the refrain before. How they should return to the glory days of yore when men were high-minded and noble, conveniently forgetting that Caleva had been founded by vicious, murderous pirates. He would be able to leave more quickly if he took the book, so he plucked it from Camacho’s hand with a nod of acknowledgment before he started toward the door again.

“Se?or, I believe you will find chapter eleven particularly interesting in its discussion of historical Egyptian dueling strategies.” Camacho trotted alongside him, not taking the hint that the conversation was over. “Also, chapter fifteen, which traces the development of Greek fencing schools.”

“Gracias,” Luis said, continuing to walk. “I will make special note of those chapters.”

“I am honored, Se?or.” Camacho finally stopped when they reached the doorway. “I hope you will find the book most enlightening.”

As soon as he was outside the room, Luis handed the book to an aide. “After you record this gift, take that to my habitación. I would like to read it.” In spite of Camacho’s annoying persistence.

“Por supuesto, Se?or,” the aide said.

Luis lengthened his stride as he headed in the direction of his palace quarters. He was in a hurry to see his guests, and a king in an obvious hurry was a king no one would bother. Mostly.

He made it to his suite of rooms, leaving his aides outside the door and unknotting his tie before he stripped off his suit jacket. A sandwich awaited him in the dining room. He carried it into his private office, where he could eat as he scrolled through the late-arriving emails his staff felt he should see. When he found nothing that needed to be addressed immediately, he polished off the sandwich in three large bites and shoved his chair back as anticipation fizzed through his chest.

He sent a text to let Grace and Eve know he would be arriving soon. Grace’s enthusiastic response made him smile at his phone.

He took a few extra minutes to change into a pale blue polo shirt, tan trousers, and burgundy loafers. He had seen the slight distance of formality Eve had put between them after all the curtsying and bowing the afternoon before. He wanted to banish that, and casual clothing would help.

Then he was almost jogging along the secret passageway until he reached the panel. Knocking twice, he twisted the handle to swing it open.

Grace was waiting for him, her eyes bright with welcome. When she threw her arms around his neck, his heart twisted and lightened at the same time. “Hija mía, you are well?” he asked.

“I’m great,” she said, almost dancing as she stepped away from him. “Today was a blast.”

Delight coursed through his veins as he turned to find Eve standing by the drinks cabinet, wearing jeans that hugged her curves and a moss-green blouse, her beautiful hair clipped back in a ponytail. “Eve, I trust you enjoyed the day as much as Grace did.”

He was relieved when she smiled. “Probably more. For the first time in history, someone gave the opinions of a vet tech just as much weight as those of a vet.”

“That’s not true. The vets always listen to you,” Grace objected.

“The vet students do, but that’s because they haven’t had time to be brainwashed,” Eve retorted.

“What were you discussing?” he asked.

“Mom’s favorite topic—fear-free vet med,” Grace said.

“I have a vested interest. Vet techs are the ones who get bitten and scratched when an animal is terrified,” Eve pointed out.

“The fact is that reducing an animal’s stress level makes it easier to diagnose and treat whatever is wrong with them,” Grace said. “Everyone in vet med should have a vested interest in it. Your minister of Agriculture encouraged the discussion.”

Grace looped her arm around Luis’s and led him to the sofa in front of the fireplace. He couldn’t resist covering the hand she rested on his forearm with his free one.

“Would you like a drink?” Eve asked, pouring wine into two glasses. “Grace and I are having some of this delicious rioja.”

“Scotch, please, neat.” He could relax here, and that felt good. “I am glad you were shown the respect you deserve.”

Eve carried over a tumbler of Scotch that she handed to Luis, their fingers brushing in the transfer. He felt her touch flicker over his skin. “Gracias, se?ora.”

“De nada,” she said before returning to the bar to retrieve the glasses of wine.

Happiness sparked inside him at her response in Spanish. He hoped that meant Caleva was insinuating itself into her soul.

“Tell me what was so exciting about your day,” Luis invited as he took a sip of his drink, enjoying the smooth burn of the golden liquor as it slid down his throat.

“We got to see your famous lilies,” Grace said. “The way they grow in the valleys with all the geothermal steam rising around them is very atmospheric.”

“Seeing the location in person makes you appreciate why they don’t have the same dementia-curing qualities when grown anywhere else,” Eve said. “There must be many variables in the environment, between the soil, the steam venting, the quality of light, and the mountains around them.”

Luis nodded. “It has proven impossible to replicate, even though we have provided bulbs to any scientist interested in trying.” He offered a rueful smile. “Of course, Caleva benefits economically from being the sole source of the valuable sap.”

“But you don’t charge as much as you could for the dementia medication, given that you have a monopoly on it,” Grace said. “According to our guide, you keep the price reasonable in order to offer everyone access to it.” She gave a decisive nod. “That’s the right thing to do.”

Luis felt a burst of pleasure at his daughter’s endorsement.

“Of course, you make up for that with the price of those cosmetics made with the sap,” Eve said with a smile. “Only the top one-percenters can afford that stuff. Not that I’m complaining, but I wondered, does it really make wrinkles vanish?”

A chill ran through Luis at the mention of the cosmetics. Archambeau Cosmetics, the beauty company Odette Fontaine had headed, still held the exclusive contract for the sap for another few months. He had instructed his sister-in-law, Hélène, their liaison with the beauty industry, to find a new company to sell the sap to, effective the moment the contract expired. He could not bear to deal with Archambeau again.

“I can’t speak from personal experience because I’ve never tried it,” Luis admitted. “Although I find it hard to believe that anyone would pay those exorbitant prices unless the formula had a significant effect.”

“If they pay a lot for something, people can fool themselves into believing they look younger. It’s the placebo effect,” Eve said.

Luis made a mental note to have a jar of the expensive cream delivered to Eve the next day.

“We also saw the Calevan dragon research facility,” Grace said. “Those lizards are spectacular. Josh, the reptile guy, was in heaven.”

“Now you have the luck of the dragon for the day,” Luis said.

“I do?” Grace said.

“Encountering a Calevan dragon is supposed to bring you luck,” he explained.

“I’m not sure it counts if you see them in captivity,” Eve said. “Have you run into them in the wild?”

“When I was younger and used to go horseback riding in the mountains. The dragons would sun themselves on the boulders at higher altitudes and flare out their frills if you got too close. It was quite a sight.” Nostalgia swept through Luis at the memories. “Perhaps we could organize a trip into the mountains. Do you ride?”

Grace snorted. “We’re from Iowa. Of course we ride.”

He caught the warning glance Eve cast Grace, but he liked that his daughter spoke to him without constraint. “I haven’t ridden into the mountains in far too long.”

Now he saw sympathy softening Eve’s face. The demands of her life probably kept her from riding much herself.

Another mental note got added to his list.

“What about you?” Grace asked Luis. “What did you do today?”

“Me?” He had not been asked that question in a long time. His family and his staff already knew what he did, since they often were involved. “I attended several meetings, read far too many reports and emails, and videoconferenced with several heads of state. In fact, the highlight of my day was greeting a delegation of brilliant veterinary experts from the United States.”

Grace gave a gurgle of laughter while Eve raised a skeptical eyebrow.

“We may be brilliant, but we’re not quite experts,” Grace said with a grin.

A sense of contentment washed over Luis. To sit like this, being teased by his daughter, was pure bliss. He regretted only that Raul was not part of the family gathering.

He had included Eve in his image of “family.” He tensed and then relaxed again. She was the mother of his daughter. Of course he would bring her into his inner circle.

He let his gaze roam over Eve as she sat in her usual wing chair. She had kicked off her shoes and curled her legs onto the seat of the chair, where he could see that her toenails were painted a vivid red. The sight sent a pleasant sizzle of arousal through him as he pictured her entire body bared above the sexy splash of color.

He watched her hands cup the wineglass as she brought it to her lips, no polish on the short nails. The light stain of wine on her lips and the way her hands cradled the glass sent his imagination into hyperdrive. When his attention drifted down to the swell of her breasts under the smooth green silk, he forced himself to look away.

What was it about this woman that shook his usual iron self-control? Perhaps she had gotten past his defenses because of her relationship with his daughter. Maybe it was because she treated him more as a man than as a king because she wanted Grace to see him that way. That spilled over into their interactions, and he liked it.

Grace cleared her throat. “I need to talk with you about something that you might not like.” She met his gaze with her clear ice-blue eyes. “I want to meet Odette Fontaine.”

With those words, she ripped away all his pleasure in the evening.

Eve saw the flash of anguish in Luis’s eyes and knew it for the pain a parent felt when they couldn’t protect their child from grim reality.

Luis finished his Scotch in one swallow before setting it on the coffee table. “I would like to persuade you to change your mind,” he said. “She is not sane, and she will say anything to cause damage to me. That includes hurting you.”

Grace squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. “I feel like a puzzle with a piece missing. Now that I know where the piece is, I have to see it, to fit it into my idea of who I am.”

“The piece is warped,” Luis said with an edge in his voice. “It is not truly a part of who you are.”

“Maybe,” Grace said, “but I have the chance to face my birth mother, and I need to take it.”

Luis sighed before he rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. “Of course, hija mía, but it is a delicate matter to arrange, and the timing is crucial.” He sat forward to hold Grace’s gaze. “The reason I know you exist is because Odette threatened to release your story to the media if I didn’t…bend to her wishes. If she discovers that you are here in Caleva with me, and that my paternity has been confirmed, she could still release the story before we are ready.”

“She can do that from prison?” Eve asked since Grace had gone quiet.

“We treat our prisoners humanely, whether they deserve it or not, which means she has some access to the world beyond the prison walls,” Luis said. “Except when she is in solitary confinement, but that requires an official justification after a few days.”

“When would be a good time for me to see her?” Grace asked, still focused on her father.

“After you have made some decisions about being part of the royal family,” Luis said. “You should not rush, because your choices will change your life in ways you can’t anticipate. I had hoped to give you time to know this country and all of my family before you decide.”

Because he wanted to sway Grace in his favor, of course.

“It sounds like the longer I wait, the more likely news of my existence is to become public,” Grace said.

“Yes.” Luis’s agreement was reluctant.

“You’ve said I have options when it comes to my position in your family. I’d like to know what they are,” Grace said.

Grace was unflinching, even when dealing with a king. Luis caught Eve’s gaze and nodded in acknowledgment of their daughter’s strength.

“Before you reach any conclusions, I would ask that you speak with Raul,” Luis said. “He will be joining us at the Casa en las Nubes tomorrow. He has been champing at the bit to meet you.”

“What will he tell me?” Grace asked.

“I can’t predict that,” Luis said. “I have asked only that he answer your questions with honesty.”

“That’s fair,” Grace said with a visible swallow. “But what are my options?”

Eve decided her daughter needed some support while Luis laid out her future, so she moved to sit beside Grace on the sofa. Grace reached for her hand and tucked hers inside it. Eve could feel a slight tremble in Grace’s fingers and gave her daughter’s hand a reassuring squeeze.

Luis straightened in his chair. “The first option is that you prefer not to have your relationship with me be acknowledged in any way.” His tone was dispassionate, but shadows haunted his eyes. “I would ask to still be a part of your life, if I could, perhaps as a friend of the family or an honorary uncle.”

Grace nodded.

“Second, I can acknowledge you as my daughter, but not as a member of the royal family.” He still looked discontented. “You would have no title, no claim on the throne, and no duties or responsibilities.”

“Got it,” Grace said as Luis paused.

He glanced at Eve. “If it will not be a problem for you and your mother, I can officially proclaim that you are my fully recognized daughter. You will become a princess and be part of the royal family, next in line for the Dragon Throne after Raul. That would be my preference, of course, but I understand that it would be a major upheaval in your life.”

“Would I have to live in Caleva if I chose that?” Grace asked, her face pale.

“There is no requirement for that, but it would be frowned upon if you didn’t,” Luis admitted. “Perhaps it could be arranged for you to live here only part of the time.”

Eve’s throat closed up in panic. This was what she had feared as soon as Luis had convinced her that he was Grace’s father, that Grace would be lured away from her and into this world of luxury and privilege, and Eve wouldn’t be a part of it.

Sensing Grace’s misgivings, Luis hurried to speak again. “There is one more possibility. I can adopt you as my daughter, which will make you a princess and a member of the royal family, but I can remove you from the succession to the throne. It would be unusual, but there is a precedent from the past.”

Grace’s grip tightened convulsively. “It’s a lot to think about.”

“You must take as much time as you need, regardless of the concerns about the media,” Luis said. “We have years of experience with handling reporters. We can weather any storm. Your mother will offer you her wisdom as well.” Luis’s eyes held a plea to Eve that he probably wasn’t aware of.

Whether to become a princess or not wasn’t a subject she had any experience with, so her “wisdom” would be fairly worthless.

Luis waited a moment before a look of regret shadowed his face. “I think I will say good night to give you time to absorb all this information.”

Eve and Grace stood as he did. Despite all the tension, Eve still noticed the ripple of muscles in his shoulders as he pushed himself out of the chair. It was hard not to focus on him when his presence seemed to permeate the air around them.

He leaned over the coffee table to give Eve the usual tantalizing air-kiss, leaving a stir of sensation even with that small brush of the cheek.

“Come with me to the door,” he said to Grace, holding out his arm.

Grace slipped her hand in the crook of his elbow, and he laid his other hand over it, leading her away from Eve. But he kept his voice at a volume she could easily hear as he said, “Querida, you will be my daughter no matter how you choose to be known to the outside world. Never doubt that I will cherish you in every way you will allow.”

Grace nodded but said nothing. She was probably too choked up.

As they reached the secret panel, Luis turned to face his daughter, running his hands up to her shoulders to hold her as he placed a tender kiss on her forehead. “Buenas noches, hija mía. Que sue?es con los angelitos. I wish you sweet dreams.”

Grace slid her arms under Luis’s to hug him. “Muchas gracias! The same to you.”

Luis smiled. “You are learning Spanish after all. Bien hecho! Well done!”

He released her and disappeared through the panel.

Grace turned and choked out a sob. Eve practically sprinted across the room to put her arms around her daughter. “Sweetheart, we’ll figure this out.”

Grace buried her face against Eve’s shoulder, taking a couple of shuddering breaths before she lifted it again. “Why does he have to be a king? Why couldn’t he just be a normal person?”

Eve had been asking herself that every day since she had met him.