Page 86 of Royal Caleva: Luis

“No, because I was raised by a woman of decency and honor. I also have a father who is a fine human being,” Grace said. “Nurture beats nature in my case.”

“You think Luis is a good person?” Odette gave a sneering laugh. “He’s a king. He has to be ruthless to make the necessary decisions on a daily basis. With every choice he makes, someone loses. He is unperturbed by that, believe me.”

Anger burned in Luis’s throat. Odette’s insinuation was persuasive because it held a kernel of truth.

“That doesn’t make him a psychopath.” The word hung in the air.

“That’s what they told you I am?” Fury blazed in Odette’s eyes again. “I’m perfectly sane. I have excellent reasons for everything I’ve done.”

And that made her a psychopath.

Grace looked sick to her stomach, but she didn’t push the panic button. “Why did you come to Iowa three years ago?” she asked.

“Curiosity. I wanted to see how you had turned out.”

“Why didn’t you talk to me?” Luis heard the hurt again and hoped Odette would not.

“Because once I saw you, I couldn’t. You have my hair, but those fucking Dragón genes wiped out everything else about me. You look just like him.” Odette practically spat the word before she calmed down and examined Grace again dispassionately. “You’re not beautiful, but you are striking. You look like Raul and Gabriel.”

Luis half rose in fury at the cruel insult to his daughter’s beauty. He wanted to smash the words back down Odette’s throat as Grace looked stricken.

“And then I heard you speak.” Odette shuddered. “You sound like an uneducated peasant.”

“I sound like I’m from Iowa.” Now Grace’s voice was rock steady.

Luis subsided back into his chair with a surge of satisfaction at his daughter’s courage.

“Exactly.”

“You gave me to people who lived in Iowa, so what did you expect?” Grace pointed out.

“I suppose I thought your breeding would overcome your environment.” Odette shrugged.

“You have no right to criticize my environment or my upbringing,” Grace said. “You lost that right when you put me up for adoption.”

“Ah, the young one has teeth. Perhaps you are my daughter.” Odette laughed. “Don’t look so horrified.”

“I’m only horrified that you would ever approve of anything I do.”

Odette suddenly looked bored. “Do you have any other questions? Because I am ready to go back to my cell.”

“Yes. I want your promise that you won’t tell the media that you’re my mother.” Grace’s voice held no plea, no desperation. “That is the least you can do for me.”

“I gave you to a good mother, didn’t I? That is where my obligation ends.”

“I think you have one more obligation to me. Since you refused to do the hard work of being my mother, you cannot now claim that I am your daughter. I want your promise that you will not do so.” Now his daughter put a touch of command in her tone.

Brava, hija mía!

“If I’m a psychopath, your logic won’t work on me, will it?” Odette bared her teeth in a grimace of a smile.

Grace just waited, her gaze never faltering.

Odette stared back at her. Finally, the older woman shrugged. “All right. I won’t claim you as my daughter. For now.”

“Is that a promise?”

“You can call it that, if it makes you happy,” Odette said.

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