Page 10 of Royal Caleva: Luis

“Su Majestad.” Mikel bowed as he entered and closed the door behind him.

“First, Quinn did an excellent job,” Luis said. “You were very smart to hire her despite the issues in her past.”

Mikel gave a faint smile and bowed his head in acknowledgment. “She is a remarkable young woman in many ways.”

“I am glad of that for Gabriel’s sake.” Luis turned back to the report. “I see that Eve Howard and her husband divorced when Grace was a baby and that Grace lives with her mother still,” he said. “Is the ex-husband part of his adopted daughter’s life at all?”

“As far as we were able to ascertain, he is not,” Mikel said. “Señora Howard has carried all of the financial responsibility for Grace’s education, which is substantial, given that veterinary school tuition is high. As you can see, Grace is in her fourth and last year now.”

Luis frowned at the thought of a man who adopted a child and then abandoned her entirely. On the other hand, the fact that Grace had grown up without a father might leave more room for Luis in her life.

“I will approach her mother first.” Eve Howard was a veterinary technician at Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine’s clinic, so she and her daughter were undoubtedly close. “I need to know everything you can find out about Eve Howard before I meet her.”

Mikel looked pained. “It would be safer to confirm Grace Howard’s parentage before you become involved personally.”

Luis stabbed a finger on the closed binder. “You saw the photograph. Grace Howard looks exactly like a Dragón. Add Quinn’s findings to that, and it seems almost certain that she is my daughter. I wish to meet her as soon as possible, but we will handle it through Grace’s mother. She can buffer the fact that I am the king. I do not want Grace to feel overwhelmed by that aspect of the situation.”

Mikel made a wry face. “The latter may be difficult.”

“I will go as Luis Dragón, not as the King of Caleva.” A private trip to the U.S. with no fanfare and as few people as possible informed of his presence there. Mikel would manage that.

“We can strip away the trappings of kingship, Señor,” Mikel said. “But you are ever the king.”

“After so many decades, it is difficult not to be.” He had borne the weight of the crown for so long, he could no longer remember how it felt to be free of it.

He pushed the binder toward Mikel but kept his hand on top of it. “I want that first photo of Grace on my phone. Strip all identifiers, but get it onto my personal cell.”

“Of course, Su Majestad.”

The intercom on Luis’s desk pinged, and Bruno said, “Señor, the delegation from the consejeros has departed. El Principe Raul is here in my office, ready to brief you on the conclusion of the meeting.”

“Gracias, Bruno.” Luis looked at Mikel. “Grace Howard is now your top priority.”

Mikel bowed and started toward the door.

“Mikel!” Luis softened his tone. “I may need your advice about having a daughter. I’ve only ever dealt with young men.”

His security chief hesitated before half turning. “Daughters seem so vulnerable that you want to build a ten-foot-high wall around them, yet they are as strong as the steel blade on one of your swords.”

CHAPTER 4

Eve Howard stopped in front of the entrance to the local law office in Ames, Iowa, and tugged at the collar of her striped cotton blouse. She had gone home to change out of her scrubs after work. Something about the mysterious Mikel Silva’s voice on the phone had made her suspect she needed some metaphorical armor for this meeting. She had twisted her hair into a low bun, applied mascara and lipstick, donned a navy skirt and the businesslike blouse, and shoved her tired feet into high-heeled black pumps.

Silva had refused to say much during his call to set up their meeting, but he had assured her that this was not a legal matter, that he was merely borrowing a colleague’s office to give them privacy. Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that he had bad news of some kind.

She squared her shoulders and pulled open the glass-and-steel door to enter a small waiting room containing a few unoccupied chairs, a large potted Ficus shrub, and an oak desk behind which sat a young blond woman.

“May I help you?” the receptionist asked with a pleasant smile.

“I’m Eve Howard, here to see Mikel Silva.”

“Of course, Ms. Howard.” The receptionist rose, exuding a physical energy, as though she should be rock climbing, not sitting at a desk. “Follow me, please.”

She led the way down a carpeted hallway lined with closed doors on both sides. The office was surprisingly quiet, even for the end of a workday. The lawyers in the firm must keep bankers’ hours.

The receptionist stopped in front of a door with a brass nameplate, knocked, and opened it without waiting for a response. She gestured that Eve should go inside. “Mr. Silva is expecting you.”

“Thank you.” Eve stepped into the office, getting a quick impression of furniture that matched the blandness of the waiting room except for the photos of men holding up large fish arrayed over the walls.

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