Their Royal Wedding Bargain

hes haven’t happened.’

‘Are you giving a speech?’

‘No.’

‘Then you’re leaving.’

Alexa frowned. ‘Rafe, you can’t just turn up here and—’

‘Prince Rafaele? So good of you to join us.’

Feeling a horrible sense of déjà vu, Alexa nearly groaned at the sound of her father’s combative voice behind her, sure that he wouldn’t back down now that he knew the truth of their marriage.

‘You might not think that in a minute, Your Majesty,’ Rafe answered. ‘My wife is sick, and I’m taking her out of here.’

‘Really?’ King Ronan raised a brow. ‘You’ve remembered that you have a wife, then?’

‘I never forgot.’ Rafe held her father’s stare. ‘Not even for a minute.’

Unable to decipher the silent code going on between the two men she was surprised to see her father nod his assent. ‘Good. I told her she was not well. She needs to lie down.’

‘I can make my own decisions,’ Alexa said hotly, her voice low so as not to cause a scene.

‘You can,’ Rafe agreed. ‘But we need to talk and I’d rather not do it in a room full of interested people.’

Suddenly aware that they were on the receiving end of about one hundred pairs of eyes, Alexa groaned. ‘Okay, fine.’

Holding her head high, she started forward, her legs so shaky that she might have tripped over her skirts if Rafe hadn’t caught her up in his arms without breaking stride.

‘Put me down,’ she urged. ‘You’re causing a scene.’

‘Probably.’ He gave her one of his devil-may-care grins. ‘It is something I excel at, it seems.’

Alexa caught the surprised glance of the footman who scrambled to open a side door for them and just managed to resist burying her face against Rafe’s neck.

‘Which way are your rooms?’ he asked gruffly.

‘I’m not going to my room with you,’ she said, knowing that if she did she really might throw herself at him. ‘And I need you to put me down.’

Obliging her this time, he lowered her to the carpeted floor in one of the side rooms off the ballroom.

‘Thank you.’ She smoothed her hands down her dress, aware that she was in danger of placing meaning on his actions that probably didn’t exist. ‘What I need is to know what you’re doing here. And why you look like you haven’t had any sleep in a week.’ Because this close, she could see that his eyes were not as bright as they usually were.

He grimaced. ‘You and Milena should form a club. She thinks I look terrible as well.’

‘I didn’t say you looked terrible...but...why are you here, Rafe? What do you want?’

‘Are you so desperate to get rid of me?’ he asked softly.

No. She wasn’t desperate to get rid of him. On the contrary she wanted him to stay. She wanted—

‘Actually you have Milena to thank for my presence here tonight.’

‘Oh.’ A shaft of disappointment speared into her chest, bursting the little bubble of hope she’d been nursing that he’d come to Berenia for her. ‘I’m not sure I understand. Does she need something from me?’

‘No, Princess.’ Rafe gave her a faint smile, his eyes so dark they were almost black. ‘Milena doesn’t want anything from you. She came to my office today and pointed out that I’m an idiot.’

‘Rafe, I’m sure she didn’t mean—’