The Marcelli Princess

19

“Liar!” Mia screamed as she thrust Danny at Brenna, who stood closest, then charged Rafael. “Liar. You sonofabitch.”

She clawed at his face, and when he easily avoided her assault, she pounded on his chest.

“You lied.”

She couldn’t believe it. Again. She’d been a fool again and this time the price would be her son.

“I trusted you,” she sobbed. “It was all lies.”

He grabbed her wrists. “I did not lie. I have no part in this. Mia, listen to me.”

Mia tried to twist free. She looked at Joe. “Don’t let him take Danny.”

Umberto and Oliver hovered in the background, but Rafael didn’t call them closer. However, that didn’t stop the king’s guards from looking menacing.

“Enough of this,” Rafael said. He released Mia and pushed her toward Joe. Her brother caught her easily. Brenna carried over Danny. Joe took the boy.

“No one is taking Danny,” Rafael told his father. “We are not taking him away. Not without the consent of his mother, and she will never give it.”

The king glared at him. “I have been patient long enough. The boy belongs in Calandria, as do you. Come with me now.”

“No,” Rafael said calmly. “Not without Mia, and until the law is changed, she will not set foot on Calandrian soil. I will not allow it.”

“You will not allow it,” the king repeated, obviously furious. “Until I die, I am ruler of Calandria.”

“That doesn’t mean you’re right about this, Father.”

Mia didn’t know what to think. Was it possible that Rafael was really taking her side? That he was standing up to the king for her? Protecting her and Danny?

“The child belongs with his people,” the king said coldly. “He needs to be trained.”

“He needs his mother,” Rafael said flatly. “He needs to grow up knowing he is loved. It is easy to learn a history of a people, but much harder to replace family. He’s only a boy. I will not allow his life to be destroyed because you want to turn your grandson into a miniature version of yourself.”

The king stiffened. “You forget yourself.”

“I remember everything,” Rafael said. “I remember more than you realize. I was wrong to come here and attempt to deceive these people. I was wrong not to speak to Mia in good faith. The law will be changed, and when it is, she and I will come to terms.”

“You allow yourself to be dictated to by a mere woman?” the king bellowed.

“Hey,” Katie snapped. “Watch it. Not just any woman. Not a mere woman. A Marcelli.”

Rafael glanced at Mia and smiled. “She is right. A Marcelli. Smart, funny, irreverent, beautiful, and capable of so much love.” He returned his attention to his father. “She is far too verbal, but it is a flaw I can live with.”

Mia hated that her brain, which so far had been the rational one in all this, instantly focused on the “beautiful” part of his sentence.

“Rafael, everything about this situation is unacceptable,” the king announced

“Then you will need to learn to compromise. Danny stays with his mother and I stay with them both.”

Stay? Mia stared at him. “You’re staying?”

“No, he is not,” the king said, glaring at her. “He belongs in Calandria.”

“I belong with my family.” Rafael took her hands in his. “I belong with you, Mia. With you and Danny.” He stared into her eyes. “I have changed. I know you do not trust me, and I accept that I am the reason. I will have to earn my way back into your good graces. I am more than willing to do so. I will wait patiently and then perform whatever tasks you set out for me. I want you to believe that I am the right man for you.”

She’d spent a lot of the past couple of months in a state of disbelief, but this was certainly going for the record.

“I don’t understand,” she said.

“Nor do I,” the king announced. “You are Crown Prince Rafael of Calandria. You do not humble yourself in front of a woman.”

“You are wrong, Father,” Rafael said, never looking away from Mia. “I humble myself in front of this woman. Have you ever wondered why I refused to marry those others? Did it ever occur to you that the reason was my heart was engaged elsewhere? I didn’t understand until I came here and nearly lost the only thing that has ever mattered.”

She hung on to his hands because the world had started to spin. There were no words, no way to do anything but stare at him and pray this was all really happening.

“I will stand against my father for you,” he said sincerely. “For you and for Danny. I will be there for you, and seek your counsel, and love you for always, Mia. I love you.”

At that exact moment, the helicopter blades shut down and his words echoed in the sudden silence.

“I will not have this,” King Xavier said. “Rafael, take the boy and get on the helicopter immediately.”

Rafael ignored him. “I see doubt in your eyes,” he told her. “I know why. I have earned that doubt. There is no reason for you to believe me now. Just accept that I am staying.”

“You are not staying,” the king said.

“Can someone shut him up?” Brenna asked.

“It’s so romantic,” Grammy M breathed. “Oh, Mia, it’s so romantic.”

“I don’t know,” Mia admitted as she pulled free of his touch and stepped back. “There’s too much happening.”

“You see,” the king said. “She doesn’t even want you.”

Rafael ignored him. “Mia, I understand. No one is asking you to say anything. I want you to know I love you and Danny.”

Mia hated how much she wanted to believe him. He was saying all the right things-especially the part about not going back to Calandria until the law had changed. But what about Danny being the heir? And how was she ever supposed to take that step of faith?

She looked at Katie. “What do you think?”

“That your life is never boring.” Katie held up both hands. “I’m not weighing in on this. Are you crazy?”

“You must have an opinion.”

“I’m keeping it to myself.”

Mia looked at Brenna, who had never been one to stay silent. Her sister sighed.

“He’s not a slug,” Brenna admitted reluctantly. “I thought he was, but he isn’t. He’s standing up to his father and when Daddy’s the king, that can’t be easy. I don’t think he’s lying. Xavier there looks ready to have a heart attack and no one is that good an actor. I say give him a chance.”

The king glared at Brenna, “I will have you arrested.”

She smiled. “You’d have to catch me first, your highness.”

Mia looked at Francesca. “And you?”

“He was great about Kelly. I think being with Danny has changed him. Is it enough? Only you can answer that, Mia.”

Grandma Tessa sniffed. “I still don’t know about him. He hurt you, Mia, but when he thought Danny was lost, he was devastated.”

Mia looked at Joe. He shook his head. “I’m only on your side, kid. Rafael doesn’t matter to me.”

“You will stop this immediately,” the king demanded. “You will not speak of my son or myself this way. It is unspeakably rude.”

Grandma Tessa moved toward him. “What would you call swooping down in the night and trying to steal a child? Good manners?”

The guards took a step forward, then hesitated, as if unwilling to take on a woman pushing eighty.

“This is not for you to decide,” the king said. “Daniel is heir to the throne. He belongs in Calandria and he is going there now.”

“No he’s not,” Rafael said. He looked at Mia and smiled. “I know what to say,” he told her. “I know how to make you believe.”

She was torn between wanting his words to be true and knowing it wasn’t possible.

“Rafael, don’t do something you will regret,” the king said.

Rafael took her hand and then faced his father. “I have regrets, but none of them have anything to do with this. You only want Danny because he’s your heir. Allow me to solve that problem. I, Rafael, Crown Prince of Calandria, do hereby abdicate as heir to the throne.”

Mia’s mind went blank. “You can’t,” she and the king said at the same time.

“I can and I do,” he told his father. “I am tired of living with all the rules and restrictions of office. I am not interested in an arranged marriage. I love this woman and I will spend the rest of my life proving myself worthy of her. I’m hoping that, in time, she’ll be willing to marry me. I told you, Father, I’m staying here.”

Mia felt her heart stop. As far as gestures went, this one ranked right up there with going through time. “You’d give up the throne for me?” she asked, her voice a squeak.

“You are more than worth it.”

She wasn’t sure about that.

The king’s face turned the color of a tomato. “Rafael, you dishonor me and our country. No woman is worth the throne.”

“You’re wrong. I’m not the first man to walk away from his duty because of love.”

The king glared. “Do not compare yourself to an English ruler.” His eyes narrowed. “What is it about American women?”

“We’re sassy,” Francesca said.

Rafael turned to Mia. “If I’m not the heir, there’s no danger to Danny. I can stay here permanently.”

“Oh, you will get a job and live in the suburbs?” the king asked contemptuously.

“Perhaps.”

Mia pressed her hand to his chest. “I can’t let you do this. You can’t walk away from your heritage. Being the crown prince is who you are.”

“Who I am is the man who loves you,” he told her gently.

“You will be king,” his father insisted. “You must be. There is no one else.”

“My cousin.”

“Quentin? A gay clothing designer?”

Brenna snorted. “There’s a coronation I’d want to see.”

“Mom loves his clothes,” Katie whispered to Mia.

Mia ignored everyone else and stared at Rafael.

“You can’t do this. You can’t give up your future.”

He kissed her. “I give up only my past. You are my future. I think I would like to study medicine and be a doctor.”

“Never!” his father yelled.

“Rafael, no,” she told him, sure she would wake up at any second. There was no way this was happening. “Trust me, you’re not going to like living in the ordinary world.”

“I will enjoy it as long as I have you.”

She bit her lower lip. “I don’t know what to think, let alone say.”

“Arrest her!” the king yelled, pointing at Mia. “Arrest this woman. All of this is her fault.”

The guards didn’t move toward her. If anything, they seemed to be inching toward the helicopter.

Rafael sighed. “Father, you cannot arrest Mia. You’re on American soil and she has broken no laws. Even if she had, I would not allow it. You have lost. I’m staying here. Quentin will be king next.”

“Never! You are my son. I command you to return to Calandria with me.”

Rafael shrugged. “I’m sorry, Father. No. You made me choose and I have made my choice. I want to marry Mia and be Danny’s father.”

“She hasn’t even said she loves you. She hasn’t accepted. You’ve been the one baring your soul and what has she done?”

Rafael smiled at Mia. “I owe her.”

“You are Crown Prince Rafael of Calandria! You owe her nothing.”

Mia pressed a hand to her stomach. It was all too much. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Then we should get you inside.” Rafael put his arm around her. “Father, we will end this discussion for now. Perhaps we can talk later, when we are more calm.”

“I am the king. You do not dismiss me. I dismiss you.”

Katie shook her head. “I’ll bet he was a real tight-ass when you were growing up.”

“Arrest that woman, too!” Xavier insisted. “Arrest them all.”

“He was a good king,” Rafael said. “But a distant father.”

“I’m sure it’s how he was raised,” Francesca said. “People often find it difficult to break with tradition. It’s comfortable and there’s a sense of guilt in forging a different path after so many years. In your case it would be what? A thousand?”

“Something like that.”

They all started for the house. The king continued to rage, but no one paid attention.

Once they were inside, Brenna opened bottles of Marcelli wine. The Grands did another of their instant meals-on-demand tricks. In a matter of minutes food covered the kitchen table. Mia sat with Rafael on her left and Danny on her lap.

“Are you really staying?” Danny asked tentatively.

“Yes,” Rafael said. “I will always be in your life.”

“Are you going to live here?”

Mia wasn’t sure how he would answer the question, but Rafael jumped right in.

“Not for a while. Your mother and I have to get to know each other again. That takes time. But we’re still a family. You’re my son and I love you very much.”

“Do you love Mommy?”

“Yes.”

Mia still had trouble getting her mind around that one.

“You abdicated,” she said.

“I am aware of that.”

“How could you? You’re supposed to rule your country.”

He shrugged. “I’m not losing you, Mia. I have waited my entire life to find you. What is a kingdom when compared with that?”

“It’s a kingdom! It’s being king. Your face on stamps and having buildings named after you.”

“None of that is important.”

“Fine. Then it’s about fulfilling your destiny. You were born to rule. Your people deserve a good leader. Do you really think Quentin is up to the task?”

“He can learn.”

“But-”

Rafael leaned in and kissed her. “Stop. If I am an ordinary man, you will see me as someone worthy of a second chance. As Prince Rafael, I will always be the man who deceived you. I am content.”

She found herself getting lost in his eyes. On a scale of one to ten, abdicating had to at least be in the twenties.

He picked up her hand and kissed her palm. “I will court you, Mia Marcelli. I will be here no matter what. I will love you with a devotion that leaves you breathless. When you are ready to trust me again, tell me, and then I will convince you to marry me.”

There were five other women in the kitchen and Mia heard every single one of them sigh. She would have, too, except she was already breathless.

“Rafael,” she whispered. “You know I never stopped loving you.”

“I know. I was a fool to let you go and a bigger fool to try to trick you. My time would have been much better spent realizing what was in my own heart and then convincing you we belonged together.”

“I’m sort of convinced.”

“Good.”

Grandma Tessa reached for Danny. “What would you like to eat?” she asked. “Some pasta? It’s your favorite.”

“That one,” he said, pointing. “Mommy? Daddy? Where are you going?”

“They’re just going upstairs,” Grammy M said as she pulled out a chair for the boy. “To, ah, talk.”

Katie poured him some milk. “They’ll be talking awhile. But that’s okay. After we eat, we can watch a video. Or play a game.”

“Can I go talk with them?”

Francesca smiled. “Not this time. It’s grown-up talking.”

“Talking, huh?” Brenna said with a grin. “Who would have thought it would come to this?”

Grammy M sighed. “I always liked that man.”

Tessa rolled her eyes. “If the devil had a title, you’d like him as well.”

“That I would.”

Hours later, when the house was quiet and stars filled the sky, Rafael leaned over Mia and kissed her.

“You’re not saying much,” he told her.

“I don’t know what to say. You abdicated, said you loved me, proposed, and then walked out on your father in a matter of twenty minutes. My head is still spinning.”

He kissed her again. “Good. I always want to make your head spin.”

She rubbed her hands across his bare chest. “Do you mean it? The not-being-king part?”

“Yes. I have no desire to change my mind.” He smiled. “I love you, Mia. I would do anything for you.”

“Even walk away from everything you are?”

“I am more than just a prince. It is time to discover the man.”

She believed him. There were no doubts, no questions. She opened her mouth to tell him so but what came out instead was, “You have to be king.”

He laughed. “Mia, no.”

She sat up, not caring she was naked. “Rafael, I’m serious. You have to be king. It’s what you were born to be. Plus I think you’d be a good king.”

“No. I’m serious about wanting to study medicine. Besides, you don’t want to be a queen, do you?”

She grimaced. “Not really, but I would. You owe yourself, and your people. And Danny.”

He pulled her down next to him and bent over her. “I think it would be best to discuss this later.”

She sank back onto the bed. “Fine, but don’t think for a moment I can’t change your mind.”

He lowered his head. “Mia, I have long since learned never to doubt you.”