Page 2 of Royal Caleva: Luis

“Read the letter, Señor,” Mikel said. “I have already and would recommend you do so in private.”

The only other people in the room were Raul and Bruno, two men Luis trusted with his life. If Mikel felt they should be excluded, the letter must be explosive.

“Will you excuse us?” Luis said.

Although Raul stiffened, he and Bruno took Luis’s request for the command it was and exited the salón.

The envelope was not sealed. Luis yanked the single page of paper out and unfolded it.

He recognized Odette’s slanted handwriting. Twenty-nine years before, after his wife’s death, Luis had made the mistake of having a six-month relationship with the Frenchwoman. Disgust at his stupidity fanned his anger.

My dearest Luis,

Remember the drive back to the palace after le Duc de Montagne’s ball? There were consequences. One consequence, at any rate. You have a child.

We need to discuss this immediately, or I will release the news to the media within one hour of the time I hand this letter to the prison warden. He is aware of its urgency.

Your ever devoted,

Odette

He reached back into his memories of that turbulent time. The ball had been a private celebration, not a state occasion, so he had taken Odette as his partner. She had worn a dark blue dress that clung to every curve, which meant she could wear no undergarments underneath it, a fact she reminded him of in a throaty whisper at every opportunity. She also had spent the evening touching him and dancing as close to him as possible, while he had drunk more wine than was prudent.

It had been late when they climbed into the royal limousine for the hour-long drive back to Castillo Draconago. The screen between the driver and the passenger compartment had already been closed.

Odette had yanked her dress up to her waist and straddled him on the seat, unzipping his trousers, pushing aside his briefs, and impaling herself on his already erect cock in one swift movement. Enflamed by her hours-long seduction, he had fucked her.

Without a condom.

Could Odette have gotten pregnant?

No. She had wanted to be queen. If she had carried his child after that encounter, she would have used that as leverage to force him to marry her.

He crumpled the letter in his fist. “She’s lying, as always.” A cruel lie, since she knew how much he had longed for more children.

“She says she has proof.” Mikel’s expression was tight with frustration. “Proof that will be released to the media if you don’t go to the prison to meet with her.”

“Joder!” Luis swore. He did not believe in her proof, but the media would still run with the story. It was too juicy. “She’s in a maximum security prison. How can she get information out to the press?”

Mikel’s jaw tightened. “She is allowed visitors, all carefully screened. She has had only three. A work colleague, her lawyer, and her cousin. None of them are reporters, but any of them could have this proof somewhere outside the prison. Any conversation with the lawyer is confidential and therefore not recorded, so she could be the conduit…or it could be someone outside the prison.” He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. We don’t have time to track down the source.”

“She could have done this at any time in the last year, since all she has to do is stare at her cell walls,” Luis said.

“She knows you are giving your annual speech to open the consejos,” Mikel said. “She wants to force you to cancel it.”

Luis started to swear again before a thought struck him. When he was Raul’s age, he had already been king for several years. “Bring Raul and Bruno back in.”

Mikel gave him a questioning look but opened the door and called to the two men waiting outside.

Once the door was closed behind them, Luis turned to Raul. “I have no choice but to go deal with Odette immediately. She threatens to release highly sensitive information if I do not go now.” He gestured to the leather folder in Bruno’s hands, the gold-embossed Calevan coat of arms catching a gleam of light. “You know this speech as well as I do because you helped write it. You will deliver it in my place.”

Excitement and fear tightened Raul’s face as he glanced at the folder. “I…I’m not the king. My words will not carry the same weight.”

“You will make them carry the same weight,” Luis said. “You are el Principe de los Lirios.”

His son straightened, his shoulders square. “I will not disappoint you.” His voice was thick with emotion.

“Of course you won’t, hijo mío.” Luis softened his tone as he squeezed his son’s shoulder, feeling the solid muscle under the wool and gold braid. “Nothing you do could ever disappoint me.” He shifted his gaze to Bruno. “I leave you with the task of coming up with a good excuse for my absence.”

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