The Irresistible Royal Read online

  The fake, tinkling little laugh from Lidia made Chloe want to slap her.

  ‘Darling, you can be so obtuse. You’re really not an opportunist, are you?’

  ‘I don’t see anything opportune about being sick,’ she grumbled. ‘And the only opportunity I want to grab right now is getting on a flight and getting the hell out of here.’

  ‘Don’t they teach you anything in America, darling?’ Lidia’s voice held a note of impatience. ‘I watched you with Marco and I know the condom broke. Think, Chloe. You told Marco you were on the pill, but you were horribly ill on the flight over and that was probably enough to render the contraceptive pill useless.’ Lidia looked like a cat that’d swallowed so much cream it was bloated.

  ‘I hope you’re not suggesting I’m pregnant.’ It was unbelievable how low Lidia would stoop.

  ‘You had unprotected sex with Prince Marco almost six weeks ago,’ her mother remarked with mild impatience. ‘You’ve been throwing up for days and I’ve been told you’ve hardly eaten a thing.’ When Chloe remained silent, Lidia added sarcastically, ‘Ever heard of morning sickness, sweetie?’

  Her whole face tight with contempt, she was thrilled to be able to tell her mother, ‘I’ve been on the pill for years and I haven’t missed a dose. I doubt being sick on the flight over would matter to that extent. Ever heard of a stomach bug?’

  Lidia’s expression grew more malicious than ever. ‘I’d bet my last shilling you’re pregnant.’

  ‘If Barry’s in as much financial difficulty as you claim, I wouldn’t bet anything if I were you. Anyway, I’ve been to the doctor, Lidia,’ she said scathingly. ‘There’s a stomach bug going around.’

  ‘Did he do a pregnancy test?’

  Chloe frowned. No, he hadn’t. When he’d asked if she might be pregnant, she’d answered no immediately, assuming she was safe on the pill.

  ‘Ah. I can see by your expression that he didn’t.’ She clapped her hands together. ‘Unprotected sex with Marco and hey presto you’re pregnant.’

  ‘I’ve been losing weight, not gaining it.’ Her jeans had become very loose around her waist.

  ‘Well, duh,’ Lidia said nastily. ‘That’s what happens when you keep throwing up. Plenty of women lose weight in pregnancy before they start gaining it.’

  No. It couldn’t be true. Still, hadn’t she thought her breasts were a little more tender when she’d soaped them in the shower?

  The blood must have drained away from every extremity because Chloe’s light-headedness returned. She stumbled away from the ensuite door and barely made it to sit on the edge of her bed before her legs collapsed from beneath her. She hadn’t even thought of pregnancy.

  Hasn’t common sense been saying this bug is lasting a bit too long? Any other stomach bug that’d ever struck her down had lasted only twenty-four hours or so.

  ‘Don’t sound so horrified, darling, and start praying you are pregnant. This is what I’ve been hoping for,’ her mother announced with growing enthusiasm. ‘This is the very reason I insisted you stay.’

  ‘But—’

  ‘Unless you’ve had it off with one of the ground staff without my knowledge, Prince Marco is the father of your child. I’m not sure whether you understand what it means. In case you need reminding, he’s a royal billionaire with powerful connections all throughout Europe and the world. He’s the father of your child.’

  Chloe’s brain had frozen at the thought of pregnancy. Without thinking, her right hand settled over her abdomen. Lidia continued speaking in an animated fashion, but Chloe blocked out the rest of her words. She’d assured Marco all would be okay. It hadn’t occurred to her that her hormone levels would be affected by her being sick. What were the chances?

  The doctor said it was a stomach bug, she reminded herself.

  But he did ask if there was a risk you could be pregnant, the devil’s advocate in her head argued back.

  With a sinking heart, she realised her last period had been extremely light. She’d registered it at the time and put it down to stress. Now she thought about it, she would’ve been smack bang in the middle of her cycle when she’d had sex with Marco. Possibly unprotected sex.

  A string of profanities she didn’t normally think, let alone utter, rolled from her tongue.

  No. No. She couldn’t be so unlucky.

  All the emotional stress had wreaked havoc with her cycle—that was all it was.

  Her mother’s behaviour, the whole Marco incident... finding out her dad wasn’t really her father... It’d all been hard to come to terms with. Now, she had the stomach bug.

  But the voice of optimism was drowned out. Hard facts assailed her, insisting she sit up and take notice of Lidia’s proclamation. Chloe had thrown up for days, all through the day. She’d been off her food. For the last week she hadn’t been able to stomach the thought of coffee.

  Pregnant.

  Her night with Marco may’ve been even more disastrous than she’d first thought.

  The cataclysmic possibility zipped around in her brain. ‘I can’t have a baby.’

  ‘Of course not. You don’t have to have the baby, darling, or get so far advanced with the pregnancy it ruins your figure. You just have to let Marco think you’re going to have the baby. He won’t want to be saddled with a kid any more than you do.’

  Chloe shook her head slowly in stunned disbelief. ‘Stop right now.’

  Lidia paid her no heed. ‘You go to him, tell him you’re pregnant, get him to make you a huge payout as a one-off in return for you getting the hell out of his life and promising never to foist the kid on him or sting him for another shilling of its upbringing. Once he’s paid out, you have an abortion and get on with your life.’

  ‘You’re unbelievable.’

  ‘Unbelievably clever.’

  ‘No.’ Pain squeezed at her temples and started to spread across her forehead. ‘You’re unbelievably evil and twisted and manipulative. I’m ashamed I’m your daughter.’

  ‘Never mind.’ Lidia brushed the declaration aside without a blink of her heavily mascara-laden eyelashes. ‘You can see the merit in the plan, right?’

  ‘Wrong.’ Chloe clutched at the edges of the bed to try to stop her body spinning with the room. ‘Is that what you wished you’d done with me, Lidia? Did you think you’d be able to get a quick abortion after Dad married you so he’d never discover that he wasn’t really my father?’

  ‘Luis always adored children. I’m surprised he didn’t remarry and have a dozen more.’ She held out her arm and brushed a tiny piece of lint from the sleeve of her jacket. ‘You were the reason Luis married me in the first place. I expected life with him to be very different or maybe I would’ve had a termination. He could’ve rubbed shoulders with all the rich and famous people who drink his award-winning wines. He could’ve priced his wines for an exclusive market and introduced me to that social set, but he kept turning down all the golden invitations.

  ‘When he finally gave in to my nagging and attended a Hollywood function he’d been invited to, I knew it was probably going to be my one and only society occasion with him. I had to act quickly to find my next husband that night. Luis was so uncomfortable there I knew I’d never be able to drag him to another event like it.’

  How did any mother stand there and tell her child all that? Each admission was like a punch in the guts and Chloe felt giddy. ‘You should be ashamed at the way you used him.’

  Lidia flicked her hands dismissively. ‘It was time to move on to greener pastures.’

  ‘Greener pastures being a Texan oil baron, a polo champion from Argentina, an Italian Formula One racing car driver and a French actor.’ Even though her voice was weary, the notes of scorn couldn’t be missed. ‘Is that it or have I forgotten someone?’

  ‘I didn’t know you’d followed my life so closely. I’m touched, really, but you forgot the husband from South Africa who owned a diamond mine, the New York stockbroker, and my divine young Hollywood star.’ Lidia’s tongue ti
p trailed over her lower lip. ‘But actually, as hard as it may be to believe, I really do enjoy being Mrs Barry Stewart most of all, which is why I’m going to fight dirty to rescue his business rather than simply walking away from him.’

  Chloe didn’t care one way or another about Lidia’s marriage, but one question had been burning at her brain these last weeks. ‘Did you ever tell the Irishman about me?’

  ‘No. I never saw him again.’

  ‘Do you remember his name?’

  ‘Let’s see now. The Irishman. Was it Paddy Malone? Sean O’Flannery?’ Her tone told Chloe that Lidia didn’t have a clue and found the question amusing. ‘Who knows? Who cares?’

  It was hard for Chloe to analyse how she felt about the man who’d fathered her not having had any idea he had. It was probably better finding out the guy hadn’t known about her. Otherwise she would’ve had to face the harsh truth that both her biological parents had rejected her.

  Giving herself a mental shake, she glared at Lidia and reassured herself it didn’t matter whether her natural father knew about her or not. Luis Salvatore was her dad and she loved him. He was the only father she needed. ‘Get out of my sight, Lidia. I don’t know how much clearer I can make it that I have no respect for you and don’t want anything more to do with you.’

  ‘Don’t be silly. You’re not thinking straight because your pregnancy has come as a surprise, but you need me now more than you’ve ever needed me. I have the experience to broker a good deal for you with the royal billionaire banker.’

  Chloe touched her hands up to her aching temples. Every word dripped venom as she said, ‘And you’d want a commission of course.’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘How do you sleep at night?’

  ‘Easily, darling. There’s a good night’s sleep in every tablet.’ She laughed as she reached into her pocket. ‘And thinking of medication and pharmacies, I had a servant buy this for you yesterday when I was told you’d thrown up.’ Lidia tossed a pink and blue cardboard box on to the bed next to where Chloe sat.

  Pregnancy Test.

  ‘Use it straight away, darling. Make certain you’re pregnant then I’ll issue demands to Marco.’

  Without even realising what she did, Chloe shifted wearily along the edge of the bed away from the packet. ‘If I’m pregnant, you won’t be issuing any demands.’

  ‘Nonsense. He’s the father, it’s his responsibility to cough up. He needs to pay for his right-royal screw up. After all, from the conversation I overheard between you, he knew you were relatively inexperienced. He shouldn’t be surprised at the result his little indiscretion will cost him.’

  No. Chloe could never face Marco again—especially if he thought she was coming after his money.

  If she was pregnant, did she need to tell him at all?

  Oh dear Lord, history was repeating itself. Lidia had never told the barman he’d fathered a child. She couldn’t turn into her mother. Marco had a right to know. Chloe had a moral obligation to tell him.

  But Chloe had grown up knowing Lidia didn’t want her. The rejection had been soul-destroying. Now she knew what her mother was like, she wished she’d never known Lidia was her mother.

  Wouldn’t it be as soul-destroying for her child—if she really was pregnant—to know Marco had known and rejected him or her; or worse, offered to do as her mother suggested and pay to make the ‘problem’ go away?

  ‘Marco would be horrified to believe I’m pregnant, especially when you’ve given him such a low opinion of me.’

  ‘Exactly. He’ll hardly want to sully the royal genes by having a baby with you, will he? It’s perfect. He’ll pay a high price to get you and the baby out of his life, and if he doesn’t I can always approach his father, the King of Ralvinia, and exert pressure there. Either way, you’ll come out of this a very wealthy woman.’

  Each word sliced through Chloe like a blade. She didn’t want to face Marco’s wrath or expose her child to face his rejection, and she certainly didn’t want some unknown third party—a king, no less—involved in the sordid details.

  ‘This is ridiculous. You’re talking blackmail, again.’ She reached out and pushed the pregnancy test further away from where she sat as the ugly scenarios played out in her mind. ‘I doubt I’m even pregnant. It’s just a bug—the doctor said so.’ She closed her eyes briefly and her head felt heavy on her neck, wanting to loll forward to her chest. ‘Please go and let me rest, Lidia.’

  Lidia ignored her. Instead of leaving, she strolled over toward the window and picked up a magazine from a low table. She flicked through a few pages then dropped it back down. Her expression was bored as she said, ‘Although I’m sure you’re pregnant, take the test, darling. A man as potently masculine as Prince Marco could probably make a woman pregnant just with his pre-cum.’

  ‘You’re really off. Get out of here and leave me alone.’

  Lidia crossed her arms over her surgically enhanced breasts and tapped her foot. ‘And what do you think Luis will have to say about this little fiasco?’

  ‘Dad’s nothing like you. He loves me. Despite what you say, I’ll always be his daughter.’ Oh just leave already, Lidia. Chloe didn’t have the energy for all this fighting. ‘Dad will stick by me no matter what.’

  ‘Probably. But he’s a man, darling,’ she sighed regretfully. ‘It’s times like this when every girl needs her mother.’

  As she listened to the saccharine sweetness in Lidia’s voice, Chloe had never felt so violent. She’d never hated anyone with such intensity as she hated her so-called mother at this instant. Ignoring her physical weakness, she got up off the bed, stalked to the bedroom door and pointed her finger towards the living room of the cottage. ‘Get out.’

  ‘Really, Chloe. I—’

  ‘Don’t ever think of yourself as a mother. You’re not fit to be one.’

  ‘Fine.’ Finally Lidia moved toward the door. ‘I’ll allow for all these pregnancy hormones running through your body and we’ll talk again when you’re more composed.’

  ‘No we won’t.’ Unable to control herself any longer, she summoned every bit of reserve energy. One huge push and Lidia was out of the room with the door firmly shut so she couldn’t get back in.

  ‘You’ll see sense, darling.’

  Shakily, Chloe turned the key in the lock and hoped her mother would let herself out of the cottage and not bother to return. The woman was toxic.

  Heart still racing, Chloe’s attention was drawn to the package on her bed.

  Shit. One single night. A single occasion she’d decided to abandon her strict code of morality and lived for the moment by experimenting sexually with a stranger who she’d never intended to see again. She’d never foreseen that it could have such a possibly catastrophic outcome.

  Biting down on her lip, she walked stiltedly over to the bed and picked up the pink and blue box. There was only one way to find out. She’d have to take the pregnancy test.

  Ripping the packet open, she sank down onto the feather soft mattress and started reading the instructions.

  Whatever the outcome, Chloe was determined to return home immediately. If she wasn’t pregnant, she could at least put this very unpleasant part of her life behind her. If she was pregnant...

  How would she face a man who must loathe her, and tell him she was pregnant with his child? After all Lidia had intimated, he’d probably think she’d planned pregnancy all along or that the baby wasn’t his at all.

  Gritting her back teeth together she made her way to the bathroom.

  No. None of that would be necessary. Her mother was wrong. This was only a stomach bug.

  Please God, let this only be a stomach bug.

  Chapter Six

  ‘Barry Stewart has been arrested for fraud, Your Highness.’

  It was the news Marco had been waiting for, and satisfaction streaked through him as he leaned back against the luxurious softness of his black leather executive chair. ‘The charges will stick?’

&nb
sp; ‘Without a doubt.’ Each word was confident. ‘The investigators were thorough. He’s going to prison for a long time.’

  Not long enough to atone for all he’s done.

  ‘We followed your directions and made sure all the television networks were tipped off,’ his chief of security confirmed. ‘I’m standing across the road from the main entrance of the Stewart office building and the media are in a frenzy. The police have led him out of the building cuffed, and he’s being bundled into the back of a police car as I speak. It’ll be all over the next news bulletin.’

  ‘Well done. Please pass on my thanks to the team and let them know I’ll be thanking them in person shortly.’ Marco sat forward at his desk, ended the call, and then reached for a remote to flick on to the news channel but keep the sound muted for the moment.

  Victory was hollow. Stewart—the man who’d been largely responsible for his friend’s death—would go to jail. Nothing would bring his friend back.

  The intercom on his desk buzzed. ‘I’m sorry to disturb you, Your Highness,’ his assistant announced. ‘Security at the front desk phoned up to say Mrs Lidia Stewart is demanding to see you regarding an urgent private matter. She’s creating a bit of a scene and threatening to go to the media if she’s sent away. Would you like to see her or should I instruct security to see her off the premises?’

  Marco straightened. Lidia’s husband had only just been arrested. Stewart probably hadn’t even had time to call her to tell her of his arrest and there was no way Marco could be connected with the investigation. Tension crept along the muscles of his shoulders and up the back of his neck. What was the woman up to now?

  His lips firmed as he pressed them together. This would have to be dealt with.