The Secret That Shocked De Santis

He wanted her to be happy. Seeing all those people clamouring for a piece of her tonight had made him think properly for the first time all week. She’d handled it beautifully, but he’d changed her life, taken so many choices from her. Hell, he’d even stopped her from running in fresh air. He wanted to fix that as best he could—he wanted to make this work.

When he woke they were still fully clothed in their formal ball wear, curled tightly together in that close embrace. She was still deeply asleep, and it was hours past her usual wake-up-and-train time. Her peace gave him immeasurable pleasure. But he couldn’t wait until she woke. He needed to make plans.

Carefully he disentangled himself and crept out of the bedroom to shower and dress in another room.

Walking through the lounge twenty minutes later, he checked the newspapers that had been delivered. He’d been right: her approval rating was sky-high. They all thought she was beautiful. They’d captured stunning pictures of her in that soft dress and they’d caught Eduardo looking at her in a way that would leave no one in any doubt of his desire for her.

His phone buzzed.

That last picture on page one is perfection.

Matteo commenting. Matteo knowing that Eduardo would have checked today’s papers already. Yeah... Because Eduardo always did his job very well.

But he didn’t want their relationship to be a job. And now the lack of privacy rubbed at old, unhealed wounds. He didn’t want the world encroaching on something that had become so personal. He needed time and space to find balance with Stella.

And to get that he was going to have to tell his iced-up brother the truth.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

SLEEPILY STELLA REACHED out a hand, but encountered only the cool, empty sheet. She opened her eyes. Was Eduardo awake and gone already?

She checked her watch and was stunned to see she’d slept in for the first time in years. And she was still in her ballgown! She rolled onto her back, bereft of his company. She should go for her run, but for once she didn’t want to. She wished Eduardo was still holding her with such care. Her whole body ached with want for that. Her heart ached too. For once she’d felt treasured.

But she made herself move. She’d go for a swim. Water always eased raw wounds.

She stripped out of her dress, pulled on a swimsuit and robe, then stole down the stairs to get to the ground level. As she darted along the rose-covered walkway towards the poolhouse she saw the two brothers standing near the tennis court gate. And as she stepped closer, she could hear, because their voices were rising in volume.

‘This was the best—’

‘You should have told me beforehand,’ Antonio interrupted Eduardo, icily furious.

‘This is the heir, Antonio. Don’t you see that?’ he snapped back.

Stella knew she shouldn’t stay and listen. She should turn and walk away before they saw her. Or step forward so they did see her. But she couldn’t. She stayed right where she was, hidden by foliage.

‘What I see is that you’re a bigger fool than I thought possible.’

Stella realised Eduardo had just told his brother about the baby—and now the Crown Prince was more disapproving than ever. As she’d known he would be.

‘I’m not the impetuous idiot I once was. From every angle this was the best solution,’ Eduardo answered back. ‘You know I’m right.’

‘This is not what I wanted for you,’ Antonio said harshly, his voice an icy whip.

‘She’s exactly what we need her to be.’ Eduardo now sounded as ice-cold as his brother. ‘Haven’t you seen the papers? After that wedding picture was leaked Matteo planted the few details necessary for her to be a hit. After last night’s performance her success is snowballing. She’s just what San Felipe needs. I can control this, Antonio.’

‘Can you control her?’

‘Of course.’

Stella closed her eyes at Eduardo’s arrogance and his cold, businesslike assumption. After he’d been so tender last night. This hurt. This hurt so much more than anything.

‘So this is not a love match?’ Antonio said bluntly.

Stella’s world stopped in that moment of silence before Eduardo answered. And then her husband was as brutally blunt as his brother.

‘What prince has ever married for love?’

Humiliation burned a hole in her heart. Swiftly she turned, sprinting back inside. She’d known she shouldn’t have listened. She’d known this was an orchestrated marriage of convenience. But to know that Eduardo wanted his child to become the Crown Prince, even when he saw his brother suffer under the weight of the role, even when he railed against the constraints on himself...