Stealing His Princess
The side of Zero’s nose lifts.
“You smell it too?” I lift my chin toward the bar area off the lobby.
He grunts in response. Zero’s nickname doesn’t come from his fighting abilities, but how few words he feels the need to speak. Good thing we’ve been together for a long time and I can decode the different sounds he makes. This one is This place is bullshit and makes my skin crawl.
“Sir, your rooms are ready.” A soft-voiced Vieth woman bows slightly as she hands me the key. Zero glides to intercept her and pockets the access card himself. The woman gasps lightly and stares up at the large man through a veil of unusually long eyelashes. To my surprise, the back of Zero’s neck turns red. He pivots sharply away from the danger encased in a tight red dress and snaps his fingers. Everyone gets into place around me, and we move forward, a blob of humanity forcing everyone else aside until we reach the elevator bank. I’m sure it looks showy and powerful, but for a second I allow myself the fantasy of what it would be like to be alone, checking in to the hotel, carrying my own bags up to a small room that is big enough for just me. That vision exists in my mind’s eye for a half second until my mother appears with a frown wondering when I’m going to settle down. The room should have a king size bed! It should be a suite! With a cradle in the next room! Think of the succession!
I close my eyes and settle into the back of the elevator car. The crown is heavy, but it’s mine, and I need to take good care of it.
At the top floor, another set of dangerous Vieth women are there to greet us, only this time it is the most dangerous—Karin Vieth herself.
I wave Zero to the side and stride forward, taking the older woman’s hand between my own. “Karin Vieth, what an honor you do me.” I bend slightly in recognition that this is her territory, and while my security staff has swept the rooms and I have brought my own chef along with all my own ingredients, it’s still her home, and she has the advantage.
Whether she would try to kill me now that she has an alliance with Aidon remains to be seen. Seems stupid to me, but Ashford trying to kill both Aidon and Karin by setting the two upon each other was also stupid, and yet he still did it. Last I heard, his bones were burned in the furnace of Aidon’s basement while Karin and Aidon were merrily dividing up Ashford’s territory.
“It’s my honor, Your Sovereign. I hope your parents are doing well.”
“They are enjoying retirement. The last I heard my father was taking art classes. He had to find a hobby before my mother committed some heinous act against him.”
“I did send them an invitation, but given your father’s health, perhaps he was not well enough to travel?”
I see she’s fishing for information. “They’re both doing great, thanks for asking. I see that some of my retinue is flagging after the cross-country trip. Perhaps we could discuss our family in greater detail after my people are situated. I want to hear all about your delightful daughter.”
Karin Vieth had hid her daughter away, only to deploy the girl at the right moment to lure Aidon into an alliance. It was as if the daughter had been created for that entire purpose.
“The newlyweds are swimming in happiness. You will see at the breakfast tomorrow.”
“I can’t wait.”
“You don’t sound that enthused.”
I pat my mouth as if covering a yawn. “I’m fatigued, and that is the only reason that I’m not conveying the full scope of my delight. Tomorrow I promise you will see a different man.”
At that, Zero starts to move which means we all move. Karin has to either step away or be mowed over. Irritation flashes across her face and then calculation. I guess I’ll be paying for this perceived slight in some way.
“Be steady,” I say quietly to Zero, remembering how the woman downstairs had affected my man.
“Yessir.” His neck pinkens.
Well, shit. Am I going to have to send Zero home? The staff file into their own rooms, leaving me with the bodyguards, my chef, and my butler. Two bodyguards remain outside while the other two enter the room, sweeping it again.
“Everything’s clear,” the head announces to Zero. They then melt away, presumably to guard the entrances. The chef takes my order for food while the butler lays out my shaving kit and evening clothes.
“Will you be having guests tonight?” Parker asks.
“No. I’ll shower, have my meal, and review some paperwork. I’d like to see the floor plans of the Palace and review the security detail. Do you have the guest list?”