Page 11 of The Prince's Secret Daughter
“We should go,” Helen announced, bracing herself for Angela’s protests.
She’d already started to stand up, prepared to gather her things and find Angela’s day care backpack. It was going to be a rush to organize everything for tomorrow morning.
However, Helen hadn’t been prepared for Raj’s immediate objection. “You’ll stay here tonight,” he stated firmly.
Angela’s fatigue lightened and she bounced slightly in her booster seat. “Can we, Momma? Can we?”
Helen wasn’t sure what to say. They had a nighttime routine that Helen followed religiously. Angela had a bath, thenput on her pajamas, and then they snuggled in the big rocking chair in Angela’s room while reading stories. Sometimes Helen read the stories and other times Angela chose one that she could read. Helen wasn’t sure if her daughter was actually reading the words or if she had memorized the story. Either was possible.
But tonight’s schedule was completely shot. And it wouldn’t get any better if they were to stay here tonight.
“No, honey. We need to go–”
“Helen, may I speak with you?” Raj interrupted.
Helen hesitated, seeing Angela’s hopeful expression. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement and Helen knew that was a bad sign for getting her to settle down for the night. Angela’s usual bedtime rituals eased her into a calm state that ended with a goodnight yawn and a kiss.
But Raj…he’d asked her for a moment. She couldn’t deny him.
“Sure,” she replied and stood up, smiling at him. She looked at Angela and touched the top of her head. “I’ll be right back.”
Helen walked to the other side of the room with Raj, wondering why he was being so secretive. Helen worked hard to have an open, honest relationship with her daughter.
“What?” she demanded, startled by the sharpness of her tone. But Helen couldn’t ignore the heat emanating from Raj’s muscular body, nor could she pretend that the scent of him didn’t cause memories to come rushing back.
Helen knew that she was acting like a coward. So much for openness and honesty, she silently admonished herself. If she were being completely honest, she’d admit that she wanted to step into his arms and beg Raj to tell her that everything would be okay. Right now, Helen was terrified about how she was going to find a new job, pay the mortgage on her condo, pay next month’s day care costs, not to mention provide food, electricity, heat, and so much more. She rubbed her forehead, trying to remind herself that she’d been saving money for a while now. She and Angela would be okay for a few months, at least. Long enough to get a decent job.
Unless Paul and Nathan spread the word that she’d failed on her first and only project. Movie directors were only as good as their last movie. Investment brokers were only as good as their last deal. Today could be viewed as nothing more than an abject failure, even though it hadn’t been her fault. Apparently, Paul and Nathan were liars! Liars and scam artists!
Darn it, she should have looked deeper into their firm before handing in her resignation at her previous employer! She should have been more careful with her and Angela’s future!
“You need to stay here tonight, Helen.”
His words yanked her out of her contemplation of her miserable future.
Helen blinked and shook her head. It took her a long moment to understand what he was saying. When his words finally broke through to her muddled brain, she shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Angela needs to stay on her routine.”
Raj stuffed his hands into the pockets of his slacks, shaking his head slightly. “She’s going to have to get used to a different routine going forward.”
“But–”
He lifted one hand, stalling her protest. “I refuse to be banished to the outskirts of her life, Helen,” he told her firmly. “I want to get to know my daughter and be a part of her world. I can’t do that if she’s not with me.” He sighed and glanced at her, smiling when one of his guards told her something that made her wrinkle her nose. “There’s also a security issue. Angela is a royal princess.”
Helen heard that last word and blinked, not sure what he meant by it. “Huh?”
He glanced at Angela again, then back at Helen, obviously looking for the right words to help her understand. “I am a member of the royal family of Lativa.”
There was a long silence after that. Helen wasn’t sure how to respond. Royal? Princess? Her daughter was a princess?
Helen let out a near-hysterical laugh, shaking her head. “No, she’s a little girl!”
“She’s my daughter, Helen. I’m Prince Raj Al-Sintra. My brother is the ruler of Lativa. At her birth, Angela became a member of the royal family. She is Princess Angela.”
Helen’s jaw dropped. “You arenot!” Another brilliant argument, she thought with the few cells in her brain that were still working. Then she remembered Nathan and Paul referringto him as “Your Highness”. Why hadn’t that occurred to her until now?
His eyes remained hard and unyielding. “She’s my daughter, correct?”
“Well, yes, but–”
