Page 7 of Royal Caleva: Luis

“It depends on whether it is true,” Luis said.

Raul waited.

“She claims that I have a daughter, a half sister to you.” Luis watched Raul’s face. “Odette put her up for adoption right after the baby was born.”

His son straightened abruptly, but his expression gave nothing away. “Do you believe her?”

“I believe her enough to ask Quinn to find the private databank where Odette claims her daughter’s DNA analysis is stored.”

“If anyone can find it, Quinn can.” Raul hesitated before he spoke again. “Pater, I know how much it would mean to you to have another child,” he said with care, “but Odette is a psychopath. She lies without compunction to cause you pain.”

“Mikel said the same thing.” Luis leaned forward and locked his gaze on Raul. “I do not need another child. I am honored to be your father every day. I love you with all my heart and soul.”

“I do not doubt your feelings for me.” Raul reached across the space between them, and Luis took his hand, savoring the strength of his son’s grip. “You have been both a brilliant king and a wonderful father to me. That’s amazing, because just one of those roles is demanding enough.” Raul squeezed Luis’s hand before releasing it. “What worries me is that you will be hurt when Odette’s story turns out to be a complete falsehood.”

“You are a very perceptive young man.” No wonder Raul was not affected by suddenly acquiring a new sibling. His son did not believe Odette.

“You understand, though,” Luis said, “that if there is even a small chance that I have another child, I must do everything in my power to find her.” The image of a young woman in jeans and a sweatshirt flickered in his mind’s eye for a moment.

“Do you know where she lives?” Raul asked.

“In Iowa.”

Raul’s eyes widened. “That’s why Odette went to Iowa? To see her daughter?”

“To see her and nothing else. Odette did not speak to her.” How could a mother be within reach of her daughter and not touch her? That was a level of coldheartedness Luis could not fathom. “She felt that Grace—her daughter’s name—was not worthy to be her child because she wore blue jeans and spoke like a yokel. Odette’s words.”

“Why did that make her decide to kidnap and mutilate me?” Raul asked, his face tight with pain at what had happened to his cousin instead.

The horror of his ultimate responsibility for the abduction lanced through Luis again, but he kept his voice level. “Since she perceived her daughter as being damaged, she wished to damage my child. To cause me the same level of pain. She was lashing out at me for what she had done in the past. She knew what would cause me the maximum amount of agony.”

“Madre de Dios, she is a sick human being.” Raul’s eyes blazed with anger.

Luis had sensed something was off with Odette all those years ago. That was why he had broken off their relationship. Yet he had allowed her to remain friends with his brother’s wife, Hélène, and to become a sort of honorary aunt to Raul and Gabriel. Guilt had warped his judgment, and Gabriel had paid for it. Luis would never forget or forgive his terrible decisions.

“And now?” Raul asked. “Even if the DNA proves Odette’s claim, that doesn’t mean this Grace in Iowa is the same person as the baby.”

“One step at a time, hijo mío. One step at a time.”

“There’s something I don’t understand,” Raul said. “Why was it so urgent to meet with Odette about this when you were supposed to be giving a major speech?”

“She threatened to share the story with the media if I didn’t arrive within an hour. She was proving that she could make me dance to her tune.”

“It’s a pretty juicy story,” Raul said. “Are you sure she won’t release it anyway?”

“Given the inconclusive evidence and Odette’s attacks against us, I don’t see any respectable media outlet picking it up without confirming the facts with the palace. Of course, we will dismiss the story as the fabrication of a criminal madwoman.”

“Because it probably is,” Raul agreed.

Luis nodded, but he would be tempted to hover over Quinn, urging her to work faster to find his child’s DNA.

CHAPTER 3

With a great effort, Luis pulled his attention back to the discussion going on around the conference table. Four men—a marqués and a conde from the Consejo de los Señores and two citizens from the Consejo de los Ciudadanos—had presented a proposal to negotiate an increase in the amount the Americans paid to lease the property on which their military base was built. Luis was attending only to get a feel for the players and how committed they were to this issue. He had every intention of letting Raul handle subsequent meetings, which was why his son sat to his right.

The Marqués de Huarte passed black binders to Luis and Raul. “These reports show the costs the military base imposes on Caleva versus the amount the Americans pay for use of our land. I think you will see that their presence here has become less and less beneficial to us over time.”

Luis tapped the folder without opening it. “Have you included the cost of building our own navy and air force if the Americans no longer protect us? Or the money the sailors pour into our economy when they leave the base to visit our cities and towns?”

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