The Prince's Pet

I was unable to form words, my body overwhelmed by his touch, my mind raging with his all-consuming attention. Everything he did and said was right. He was perfect, and my life was so not.

“I'm sorry I wrapped you up in my crazy life.” I confessed, overwhelmed with emotion for him. The slow drag of Larz’s cock as he pulled out of me sent leftover sensations pulsing through me.

“I love being wrapped up in you, Pet. You're my favorite place to be.”

EIGHT

Larz

“My grandson! Come give Granny a hug.”

I wrapped my Granny in a hug, the smell of slow-cooked stew and vegetables filling her tiny kitchen. I carried a pretty big chip on my shoulder, but with Granny it melted away.

“Granny, meet my Petra.” I placed a hand at my girl’s back.

“Hello, ma’am.” Pet held her hand out, smile shining as she met the other most important woman of my life. “Nice to meet you.”

Granny's grin turned to a look of surprise and then thrill. “It is so lovely to welcome you to the Madsen family.”

Granny pulled Pet into a hug, longer and tighter than the one I'd just received. Granny seemed to be whispering something in Pet's ear and immediately I thought of Rome and Keir's warnings about Granny and her matchmaking and fertility teas.

When Granny finally released Pet, my girl looked up at me with the biggest eyes.

“Granny,” I grinned, “what did you say to her?”

“Oh, never you mind. Women have their secrets.”

Pet giggled and I knew then she would fit in well with my family.

“Now come, you both need some meat on your bones. I have food on the stove and plenty of frozen meals to send you home with. Why didn't you stop last week?”

“Petra’s been staying at Kylemore with me the last few days.”

“Oh?” Granny's eyebrow shot up.

“I moved from Bulgaria to live with my aunt.”

“And her aunt stops by the cottage to pick up after me.”

Granny's grin was still widening. “Sit, tell me more, let me make you some tea. You look like a lavender and chamomile kind of girl—”

“Granny, no, no tea—not yet anyway.”

“Not yet?” Granny's eyes shone with awareness. “Maybe I'm too late?” she teased.

I shook my head, Pet looking from me to Granny with confusion.

“I'll explain later.” I dotted a kiss on the underside of Pet's wrist.

“Mm, why I think I am too late.” Granny pulled her teabags down from the cupboard and filled the kettle anyway. “No wonder you didn't bring her last week, it sounds like the new lovebirds have been busy.”

“Granny—”

She waved a hand and continued. “Tell me about yourself, Petra.”

“There isn't much to tell, I only arrived in Copenhagen a few weeks ago. I'm so lucky Larz came into my life—”

“This entire family is lucky to have Larz. The Madsen family protector, who knows where that father of yours would be without you.” Granny held a hand to her chest. “To think what could have been if Larz hadn't have...” she trailed off, wiping at her eye.

Pet held a hand out to Granny, covering it with tenderness.

“Well, I don't think The Madsen family patriarch would still be alive if not for this boy. He's my favorite of all my grandsons because of the sacrifice he made for this family and is still making.” Granny went back to her tea, trying to shake off the wave of emotion. “I told that daughter of mine not to divorce your father, but she was convinced the only way the media speculation would die down and give this family a break was with a divorce. She totally cut him from her life, served him divorce papers right in his jail cell.” Granny shook her head as she spoke about my mother. “It was the wrong decision, she still loves him. They've been sweet on each other since they were school children. They were my first successful match, and now the only blemish on my perfect record.”

“Granny is on mom to remarry dad after he gets out of jail.”

“She will remarry him. I can feel it in these old bones. They are meant to be, but you know your mother, there's no changing her mind once she's made it up.”

“That's what makes her a good Queen.”

“And a stubborn daughter.” Granny commented as she poured Pet a bubbling cup of hot water.

“Thank you.” She inhaled the steam as the handmade teabags steeped.

“You didn't do anything funny to that tea, did you Granny?” I was only half-teasing.

My Pet cocked an eyebrow. Granny grinned. “Don't let that boy scare you off, my tea is famous in the north country.”

She took a soft sip, humming as she let the flavors develop. “This is amazing.”

I sighed. “She's hooked. I'm screwed.”

Granny laughed. “I hope so.”

“Do you two always speak in your own language? I feel like there's a joke I'm not getting.”