Page 2 of The Royally Broke Billionaire
Geoffrey was known for being a bit stuffy, but Tess had never seen him treat someone with such open rudeness. She was appalled that he would be so brisk with someone, who was most likely a resident of Isle de Monsail. Although she hadn’t grown up here, Tess now considered the island to be her home, and as queen, the people who lived here were her people.
“Geoffrey!” Tess’s voice sounded a little harsher than she intended. Softening her tone, she added, “Please let her in.”
The butler gave her a warning glare, but moved aside and said, “As you wish, Your Highness.”
After the obviously intimidated woman took a few tentative steps inside the palace, Tess was able to see that she was holding a small bundle. Her first thought was that this woman might be a suicide bomber of some sort. The palace guards had given her such extensive disaster training and so many self-defense courses that she was becoming completely paranoid.
Once she had a moment to assess the situation rationally, Tess realized that the blanket-wrapped bundle wasn’t a bomb at all… it was a baby. Smiling with a wide and friendly smile, Tess greeted the duo. “Hello, and welcome to the palace.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.” The woman bowed her head and gave an awkward curtsy.
Tess nodded, thinking that she would never get used to these types of uncomfortable formal greetings. That minor discomfort was nothing compared to the nausea-inducing ball of fire in her stomach that erupted when the woman spoke again.
Clearing her throat and lifting her chin, the stranger said, “I need to speak with King Sebastian to introduce him to his son, Liam.”
2
Tess felt like all of the air had been vacuumed out of the room as she struggled to breathe. The woman’s words were swirling around her head, but she wasn’t able to make sense of them.His son? Sebastian had a baby?!?
Geoffrey was the first to regain his senses after the shocking announcement sent the queen reeling. He glared at the visitor. “Do you know how many crazy people show up here trying to claim a place in the royal bloodlines? You’re not even the first this week.”
Even though Tess sensed that was a lie, Geoffrey’s tone sounded confident and believable. She wanted nothing more than for this woman to leave, so she could forget ever having heard the horrific words about her husband possibly having a baby, but she knew it was too late for that.
The woman looked shaken by the entire scene, even though she was the cause of it. The guilty look shadowing her bright blue-green eyes as she stood there made Tess believe her. She didn’t look like someone who simply wanted attention or a glimpse of the royal family and interior of the palace. She appeared to be desperate and distraught.
Taking a few steps forward, Tess forced her ankles not to wobble, despite her sudden bout of dizziness. Mustering all of her courage, she said to the woman, “May I?”
The woman was clutching the swaddled baby to her chest. She must have understood what Tess meant by waving her hand to indicate the bundle because the stranger slowly lowered her arms to cradle the baby in a manner that allowed the queen to see his face.
One quick glimpse was all it took. Tess lifted her hand to her mouth and struggled to keep the tears at bay as she stared into a miniature version of her husband’s gaze.
Turning to look at the butler, Tess ordered him firmly. “Send for the king at once.”
Geoffrey screwed up his face, obviously not approving of her decision. “Your Highness, summoning the king would be completely out of the ordinary.”
Not in the mood for any push-back, Tess said in a much more terse tone than she would normally use, “Now.”
Seeming to sense her urgency, the butler nodded briskly and said, “As you wish.”
Once Geoffrey left, the awkwardness level intensified. The women stared at each other with wide-eyed gazes, but neither spoke.
Eventually, Tess’s natural politeness and impeccable manners kicked in. “Would you like some tea?”
“No, thank you.” The woman declined her offer and shifted her feet as they waited for the king’s arrival.
Tess was staring at the blue blanket, trying to convince herself that she hadn’t really seen a mirror image of her husband’s eyes on the tiny baby boy when she heard the irritated man coming down the stairs.
It was obvious by his tone as the king reprimanded Geoffrey that he was displeased by the interruption. “What is the meaning of this? I was right in the middle of an important discussion with the Emperor of––“
Both his sentence and his step faltered when he caught sight of their visitors. Any hope that Tess had been desperately clutching that this woman might be lying immediately dissipated when recognition flashed in Sebastian’s gaze.
“Piper?” He asked, even as his eyes darted to Tess to gauge her reaction.
The woman gave the king the same awkward curtsy she had given Tess before greeting him. “Your Royal Highness.”
Sebastian was frozen with his feet on different stairs as he frowned and took in the scene below him. Seeming to choose his words carefully, he spoke slowly when he asked, “What can we do for you, Piper?”
The woman was quiet for so long that Tess was beginning to wonder if she might back down from her bold claim. Instead, she raised her gaze directly to the king’s and said, “You can come down here and meet your son, Liam.”
