Page 64 of The Wanted Prince

“Stop them,” she cried. “They should know they’re all family.”

Father tilted his head like he hadn’t quite heard her. Laura dropped one hand to cover her belly.

“We’re all family,” she called, her voice rising high. “Or at least, we will be in about seven months.”

“Seven months?” Father stood. “What are you saying?”

I didn’t hear Laura’s answer, or what Father said next, or anything but the rush of blood in my ears. Laura was… pregnant? I’d soon be a father? Suddenly, nothing else mattered at all. Nothing mattered but Laura and this new, tiny life.

CHAPTER 24

LAURA

The room was too bright. Too full of lights. Too full of faces, of sounds, of shocked shouts. I stood on my own in the midst of the storm, the king glaring down at me, the court in chaos. My father kept asking, did she say she’s pregnant? By the prince, is she…? Mother was soothing him. Of course not. She can’t be. Hugo knew the truth, and he stood silent, but the only opinion that mattered was Alessandro’s. And I didn’t dare look at him or turn his way. Dom thought I was part of this. What if Alessandro did too? If he thought I’d betrayed him…

“Laura! Laura!” His shout rang out loud and cut through the hubbub. I brought up my hands to cover my face. Was he afraid? Angry? I couldn’t tell.

“Laura.”

I jumped. He was close, nearly on me. His voice shook. His hands shook as he pulled mine from my face. I ducked my head, but he tilted my chin up.

“Come with me,” he said. “Please. Can we talk?”

I nodded, dizzy, and let him lead me away. His brothers started after us, and so did my mother, but the king called them back.

“Give them some privacy, at least for a moment. It seems like these two have a lot to discuss.”

Alessandro led me outside and kicked the doors shut. He waved the guards off, and they backed up. Then he took my hands, and he smiled, and he squeezed them. His whole face lit up, a bright, gentle smile.

“Is it true? Are you pregnant?”

I nodded. “It’s true.”

“So I’ll soon be a father? We’ll be a family?”

“I had no idea,” I babbled, the words tumbling out. “What Dom said, what Carlo said, I had no idea.”

Alessandro laughed. “Of course I know that. I know you, remember?” He dropped my hands and wrapped his arms around me, and drew me into a long, warm hug. I melted into it and clung to him tight, wanting to live in his strong, safe embrace.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I shouldn’t have let you out of my sight. I wouldn’t, if I’d known.”

“I didn’t know.” I laughed, faint and shaky. “I only found out two nights ago.”

“I should have been with you. How do you feel?” He stood back to look at me, his eyes wide with wonder. “I swear, you’re glowing.”

“I think that’s just fear.”

“Well, I’ll tell you right now, you have nothing to fear.” He reached out and brushed my hair back from my face. “I’ll always protect you. I’ll always be here. I love you. You know that, don’t you?”

I pinched myself, speechless. Could this be real? Alessandro was smiling, all flushed with delight. He was saying all the things I hadn’t dared dream. But only two nights ago, he’d told me to go. He’d been willing to say goodbye and leave me forever, everything we were and might have been.

“I think it’s always been you,” he said. “No, I know it has. All I kept thinking was, if I was found guilty, would there be a chance for us someday, somehow? In America, maybe, or somewhere farther afield? I couldn’t picture a life where I never saw you at all. Where I walked away from you and that was the end.”

“You love me?” I reached for him, unsteady, half-dazed.

“I think I knew it the night of the ball. I was so glad to see you, and so relieved. Finally, someone who’s pleased to see me — not the prince, not my title, but your friend, and now…” He took my hands again. “You feel it too, right?”

I did feel it, had felt it right from the start. Alessandro had always made me feel good, safe and protected, my bravest, best self.

---