Chapter 11
Angela stood at the entryway to the palace with her Uncle Khal on one side of her and her father on the other.
Her uncles had donned their formal military attire, complete with medals and what-not. They looked both dapper and intimidating. Angela had chosen a soft blue sheath dress with intricate folds at the neckline. The dress was a work of art that made her curves look more elegant. Plus, the soft color made her skin look creamier, which…she wasn’t sure why that was a good thing. Maybe she should have chosen a bold color? Did the blue dress make her look weak? Should she have chosen red? No, that was too sensual. Burgundy? Yes, maybe the burgundy dress with the full skirt would have been a wiser choice.
Angela ached to turn around and run back to her private apartment. Not to change. Nope, her hope was to avoid this public and extremely formal moment. Women all over the world experienced this kind of introduction. Romantic partners eventually had to meet one’s father. But…well, being a member of the royal family had some downsides, such as being forced to introduce an almost stranger to one’s father and powerful uncles.
It was a bit overwhelming.
Hopefully, her dad and uncle couldn’t see her trembling knees or hear the excited throb of her pulse as the three of them waited for the man of the hour to approach. They’d received word that his convoy had left the airport. In fact, they were receiving updates every three to five minutes. Apparently, the man’s progress toward the palace was international news.
Angela had received more than three hundred interview requests over the past several days. Every news outlet in the world wanted to know how the romance between herself and the powerful, mysterious Sheik Tiro el Maistri had come about. Everyone wanted to know how members of two royal families with a history of mutual animosity had been able to keep the budding romance out of the press.
No one could ever know that, before four nights ago, Angela hadn’t even met the man. The Lativa palace publicity engine had jumped on the idea of the mysterious romantic past, even encouraging continued secrecy. The head of the palace publicity department kept releasing small details of the supposed romance to the public, who was eating it up. They were claiming it was a Romeo and Juliet love story, but without a tragic ending.
Nervous at seeing Tiro again and impatient to just get this initial meeting over with, Angela smoothed a hand down over her blue dress, then opened her mouth to speak. “This is–” she began, but before she could continue, five black SUVs pulled up. A military escort had been provided, along with a line of color guard soldiers, standing at attention along the steps leading up to the palace.
It was one of the most formal greetings that had happened at the Lativa palace in more than a generation.
Angela’s thoughts couldn’t settle, bouncing from one issue to another, and wildly, she wondered what it would be like when Zayn finally chose a bride. Right now, her male cousins were happily perfecting their charm offensive toward the ladies of the world and determined to hold off on the marriage issue for several more years.
“We’re right behind ya, cuz.”
Angela turned to find that Zayn, Laith, and Rafi were standing behind her, decked out in dark suits with red, green, and yellow ties, the colors of Lativa’s flag. The jerks usually wore only slacks and a dress shirt without a tie, just like their fathers. Rafi had the audacity to give her one of their secret hand signals – the one that meant, “Run and hide !”
Which is why Angela was laughing as Tiro stepped through the door of the palace for the first time.