Page 19 of Forbidden Prince
The queen turned toward Renee, her mouth curved downward. "Sophia might not have been the best choice for my oldest. I wish Kristin hadstayed."
"Me too," Reneemurmured.
Guards suddenly rushed through the hall and one of them closed the conference room door. Renee shivered. "What's goingon?"
"I don't know." The queen hurried toward an old-fashioned phone on a marble table that was ringing. "Give me onesecond."
"Kristin's out there." Renee inched toward the door. "I should help myfriend."
The queen was on the phone. She called out, "Renee, please come and talk to yourparents."
"My parents?" Renee walked closer in confusion. Had the queen invited her parents to her wedding that she'd never really thought possible? Marrying Marcus made no sense to her, but then no one in Marco's family seemed devious enough to trick her into a wedding. She took the phone. "Mom, what's goingon?"
"FBI agents were at our door and told us to call you. Are you okay,dear?"
Her heart sped up and she held the wall for support. "I'm fine. I'm on vacation in Avce. My roommate Kristin is going to marry theprince."
"Too bad it wasn't you, but then you'd never be a good princess,dear."
The words felt like bullet holes in her chest. Her mother hadn't even known what Renee was thinking, and managed to make her feel stupid for even imagining. She shook herhead.
Her mother said, "I'm glad you're okay. The agents have to stay so I'm going to serve them high tea, like we get at the Club on Sundays. When you're back from vacation, I'll reintroduce you to our members and hope one of them still has a singleson."
"Thanks, Mom," Renee said through gritted teeth. Her mother would love someone like Greg to bring to the country club. She pushed off the wall and looked at Queen Anna Camilla. The queenwantedher to marry her son. She shouldn't let her mother get to her, not like this. She tugged her ear. "I'll call when I'm back or if anything elsechanges."
After goodbyes, she hung up and asked, "Why was my mother contacted by FBIagents?"
"It seems whoever made a threat against Kristin also mentioned your parents and your neighbor and hisfamily."
The only neighbor she knew personally was Greg. Renee blinked and the conference room dooropened.
Kristin rushed inside and grabbed a couple bottles of water from the buffet while she said, "Greg's here, and he's talking to his mother." She raced outagain.
What the heck was going on? She took the queen’s hand and waited, choosing to sit on the love seat. Waiting was the hardestpart.
Marco hurried inside and hugged both his mother andher.
"It’s okay," hesaid.
If only she could marry Marco, but she still felt like the loser who was stood up in her prom dress no matter how much time hadpassed.
9
Marco Aussa had failedhis family entirely. A foreign invader was living under their roof and he'd never suspected Sophia as a foreign threat. She'd never once crossed his mind. She was always the annoying spider in his family, but he'd thought her harmless. She'd been part of his circle, along with his best friendVictor.
Now he wasn't sure he could trust his friend either and instructed General Babik to find Victortoo.
He needed to follow the trail to see how deep this treachery went and who they'dconverted.
He could breathe easier knowing that Renee and his mother were safe in the sitting room. He brushed Renee's hair out of her face. "I had Lucio patch your parents through so you didn'tworry."
Renee stepped away. "Thank you. What's going on with Greg, our neighbor inMiami?"
The way she'd said the name Greg made him pause, but he said, "He was flown here against his will-they threatened his mother as well—but his mother is still missing. Lucio is at the FBI office and connecting themnow."
"Ohh, okay." Renee nodded but hugged her waist. "I'm soconfused."
"I will try to clarify later, but right now I have to interrogate Sophia. Don't leave my mother's side,Renee."
