Page 76 of Royal Caleva: Luis

Eve stood abruptly. “I knew I shouldn’t get involved with you. It was irresponsible and selfish. Now I’ve put Grace in a terrible position.”

Her words slashed at him like daggers. If she felt irresponsible and selfish, how could he feel less so? Even worse, he could see the direction of her thinking, and it led directly away from him. Worry twisted in his gut as he stood too.

“Eve, it was not your fault. It was mine. I know too well how voracious the paparazzi are. I should have been more careful about exposing you.”

He took a step toward her, but she held up her hand to stop him.

“No, we’re done now,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest as her tone grew hard. “Before you force Grace to make a decision about what her role will be in Caleva, you have to sit down with her and tell her every bad thing there is about being a member of the royal family. No more of this fantasy stuff with castles and dragons and…and founding veterinary colleges. You give her the gritty, ugly reality.” She gulped in a breath that was almost a sob. “Like your nephew getting kidnapped and having his ear cut off.”

That slammed into Luis like a runaway train. “You want me to remind Grace that her mother is a psychopath?”

Eve’s shoulders sagged. “No. No, you shouldn’t bring that up again. She knows it all too well.” She shot an enraged look at him. “Did you ever think that it might have been better for you to stay away from Grace? Then she wouldn’t be burdened by that terrible heritage.”

That was a bullet tearing through his flesh. “Yes, but she also has a glorious heritage as a princess of Caleva. Should I have deprived her of that?”

Eve looked stricken, and he couldn’t help himself. He wound his arms around her, feeling the shudder of her body as she gave way to tears. “Eve, querida mía, our daughter is a strong, smart woman. You raised her to be that way. She will make the right decision.”

“I’m afraid for her,” Eve said into his shoulder. “Can you promise she will be safe?”

“I can promise that I employ some of the best, most loyal people in the world who will do everything they can to keep her safe. None of us can do more than that. Not even you. Not even in Iowa before anyone knew she was my daughter.” He rubbed gentle circles on her back.

For a long moment, she remained rigid in his arms, and then her body softened, and she leaned into him.

“I’m not ready for this,” she said. “I expected to have more time too.”

“More time for what?” But he understood. His appearance in Grace’s life would change Eve’s future as well. He was arrogant enough to feel it would be for the better, but Eve might not agree—yet.

“More time to be Grace’s mom.” A sob wrenched from her throat.

“Cariño, what are you talking about? You will always be Grace’s mother. That will never change.” Her misery clawed at him. How could she believe he would take Grace away from her?

She moved restlessly in his arms. “Forget it. I’m being selfish again.” She pushed at his chest, and he reluctantly let her go. Pulling a clean handkerchief from his pocket, he held it out.

She gave an odd little huff of a laugh before taking the square of cotton and blotting her tear-streaked face. So she had thought of last night’s handkerchief.

“Grace needs to finish vet school before she starts princessing,” Eve said, spearing him with a direct gaze. “That’s nonnegotiable.”

“Of course.” Not that he was happy about waiting that long. “And I will speak with her today about the negatives of being a royal. Te prometo. I promise you.”

“And you will protect her while she’s at school in Iowa.” Eve continued to glare at him. “Mikel said that would be hard.”

“Mikel holds himself to almost impossible standards. Believe me, Grace—and you—will be secure, even in the U.S.”

She waved a hand in dismissal of her own safety. He grasped her shoulders. “Eve, you must be protected as well. You are Grace’s mother and important to her.”

“Like your nephew, right? You love Gabriel, so he became a target.” She drew in a ragged breath. “I hate this paranoia.”

He did not remind her that Raul had been the real target. That would strike too close to home.

“Eve, do I seem paranoid to you?” He waited for her to shake her head. “I am careful. I listen to Mikel’s advice…most of the time. But I do not live in fear. Nor do Raul or Gabriel, despite his terrible ordeal. The truth is that any of us could die tomorrow for reasons that have nothing to do with being members of the royal family. We embrace our lives wholeheartedly. Otherwise, we are not really alive.”

“But you’re used to this craziness. Grace isn’t.”

“Do you not think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?” he asked.

“Probably. Maybe. I don’t know.” She shrugged his grasp off her shoulders and stepped back, wrapping her arms around her waist. “This thing, whatever it is, between us—it’s over now.”

A dark void opened at his feet, and he balanced on the edge. “Eve, no! The damage is done.” No, that is the wrong thing to say. “We won’t need to keep our secret much longer. We can be together in public without any concern.”

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