Catharine & Edward (20 page)

“Let me know if you need anything from RPS or me to help out.”

“Thank you, Sir. I will. Any news on Gerald? Or Andre Nouveau?”

“Gerald’s been keeping quiet for now. For once, he didn’t have anything to do with a threat against the family. There have been no comms in or out of his cell, and minimal interactions with the guards. He’s allowed outside for one hour each day, and even then he’s secluded.”

“Quiet doesn’t mean he’s not plotting. We find any more connections between him and any anti-monarchist groups?”

Marcello shook his head. “Not at the moment, though we’ve still got wire and phone taps we’re monitoring. We’re looking for chatter that could tell us if either Gerald or any of the groups are planning something for the wedding. God help us if there’s a security breach then. World leaders, our entire family, and a thousand innocent civilians, and that’s just in the church. We’ve also got to consider the tens of thousands expected to be in the streets that day. Jesus. It’s a security nightmare.”

“We’re keeping a close watch on Gerald, and those groups. Anyone breathes the wrong way, we’ll know.”

“Damn right we will. Philip alluded to a group that colluded with him, but never mentioned their name; we’re trying to break that out of him now. If we can get solid evidence, we might be able to take at least one group down before they get violent.

“Gori did break. Admitted he was working with Philip and Muffy, and arranged the blackmail for Vinnie. Muffy, Vinnie, and Cesaire confirmed Gori’s statement.”

Eddie frowned. “I don’t get why they involved Vinnie or Cesaire at all. If Gori was working with them, Gori could have planted the equipment in the palace without being suspected.”

“Muffy told us that involving Vinnie and Cesaire was her idea, since Cesaire had taken some not-so-flattering pictures of her and Vinnie had run them in the
Star
. Philip, in his own twisted way, likes Muffy and blackmailed them to keep her happy, but also to keep them under his thumb. They wouldn’t run a story on him or the fall of the Cortay family if Philip kept blackmailing them, so it was a win-win for him.

“If they’d managed to go through with their plan, and Philip married Cat, Philip was planning to keep Muffy as his mistress.” Marcello shook his head. “Muffy’s tattoo? The one Charlie saw? In case you were wondering, it was the Cortay family crest. She got it done to prove her devotion to Philip.”

Eddie bit back the shudder of revulsion that wanted to burst free. He never wanted to think about Muffy’s tattooed ass ever again. “What was Vinnie being blackmailed with?”

“A potential phone hacking scandal. Vinnie’s been trying to hack into the phones of celebrities and us royals. Gori initially discovered Vinnie’s scheme when we asked him to do the investigation on Sacheverelle a few months back. However, rather than tell me – his fucking boss – he used the info to align with Philip and become a traitor to the crown.”

“We sure the phone hacking scheme never got started?”

“Our electronics division is making sure, and everyone’s getting new phones as a precaution. We find out it’s true, we’ll release a statement to the public.”

Eddie shook his head. “How the hell did Gori ever become an agent? Get through our background checks, and security protocols?”

Marcello’s face went grim. “You can be damn sure I’ll find out. Changes are coming.”

Wasn’t that the truth? Marcello, and his whole family, would soon know just how much was changing once he and Catharine were revealed.

“We also just got some more bad news.”

Edward braced.

“Nouveau’s body was just fished out of the Rhone River.”

“God damn it. Have you told your brother or Charlie yet?”

“Going there now.” Marcello glanced at the waiting room, where Charlie was resting against Nate’s side, speaking in low tones. “She’s not going to take it well.”

“No, Sir. Would you like me to do it instead? No one forgets the person who tells them someone died. She’ll think about it when she sees you for some time to come.”

“I know, Bash, and thanks for the offer. I’ll still do it, though.”

Eddie nodded. “Of course, Sir.”

Marcello nodded. “Better do it now while the whole family’s there to support her.”

As Marcello left, Eddie realized that everyone was, in fact, in the waiting room together.

That meant his Catharine was alone.

Seizing on his chance, he strode down the hall.

C
at stared
at the dull ceiling in her hospital room. Eddie had carried her to a car and brought her to the hospital; after that, she’d lost sight of him. She’d hoped to speak to him, but there hadn’t been a chance.

Her family had come to see her. Her mother had cried, her father had been alternatingly incensed and relieved.

Her brothers had come.

Her sisters had come.

Charlie and Grace had come, too.

So had Rebecca, who’d told her that children were still likely in her future.

That meant Cat might not need to produce an heir.

She’d wanted to tell Eddie straight away, but he hadn’t come to see her.

She was trying to stay positive. Maybe he was just busy. She was sure he wasn’t avoiding her because he realized she was more trouble than she was worth.

Well, almost sure.

At a soft knock on the door, she glanced over, and relief poured through her at the sight of Eddie.

Even through his scruffy beard, she could see his lips were in a hard line. There was a crease between his eyebrows and his eyes were sharp and assessing.

“I’m all right,” she whispered.

He didn’t speak. He simply closed the door behind him, and made his way to her in just a few long, purposeful strides. He cupped her face with one hand, his thumb making small, circular strokes against her cheek.

“Are you really, My Lady?”

“Am I still yours?”

“You’ll always be mine.”

Her breath caught. “Do you mean that?”

He sat down on the bed and leaned over her, his hands bracing themselves on either side of her head. “Yes, but we need to tell your family.”

She wrapped her hands around his wrists, and felt his heart beating strong and true. “We will. As soon as I’m home and we can have more privacy for it.”

“You mean in case they decide to kill me? Less witnesses. Good thinking.”

“Eddie,” she snapped at him, though with a smile on her face.

The corner of his mouth curved up. “I’m only half joking.”

She sighed with fake exasperation. “What am I going to do with you?”

He leaned closer. “Love me for the rest of my life.”

She melted into the bed. “Eddie,” she said softly.

He gave her a soft, lingering kiss. “I need you.”

Three words that sent her heart bursting. Other women might have preferred three other words, but not Cat. No one had ever really needed her before. Sure, they’d wanted her, but they’d wanted the princess, not the person.

Eddie wanted
her
. Needed
her
. Loved
her
.

“Kiss me, Eddie.”

His eyes slid to her lips. “That’s dangerous,” he murmured, brushing her hair away from her face. “Your family’s just down the hall.”

“I need you, too,” she whispered.

His hand stilled on her hair, then fisted it almost painfully. “Catharine. My Catharine.”

He lifted her torso and cradled her against his chest.

Then his lips crushed down over hers.

Her arms wound around his neck, and his beard sent delicious, tingling goosebumps across her skin.

She moaned and the kiss went deeper, harder.

His hand slid underneath her shirt.

Her hand slipped down and fumbled with the buttons on his.

His hand slid across her ribcage, teasing the underside of her breast.

Her hand found the wiry hair of his chest.

His hand found her nipple.

Her hand trailed down over his abs, towards his cock.

His thumb toyed with her nipple until it stood in a tall, stiff peak.

Her back arched, and her hand covered his cock over his pants, rubbing and relishing in his groans.

He leaned her down towards the bed.

She shifted a hand to his zipper.

So close.

So close to the feel of him.

The scent of him.

The taste of him, all of him, of which she had yet to partake.

If only she could free him.

She could have him.

All of him.

So close.

“What the hell is going on here?” an angry voice called from the doorway.

Marcello
.

They froze.

His hand on her breast.

Her hand near his cock.

Their lips unmistakably locked together.

“Step away from my sister, asshole.”

Cat gasped, their mouths breaking apart as reality crushed her.

Marcello now knew.

The family would soon know, too.

And it didn’t look like they’d approve.

She and Eddie were still locked together. Eddie gave her a long look then gently brushed his lips against hers.

“Now, asshole.”

Eddie eased her away from him, slipping his hand out from under her shirt. She tried to button his shirt again, but his warm hands covered hers. “Leave it,” he murmured, a faint whisper in a thickly tense room.

“Eddie, it’ll be okay,” she whispered, though she knew Marcello could hear every word they said.

“You’re not moving fast enough,” Marcello barked. She glanced over and saw him standing near the closed door, his arms crossed over his chest, his lips in a thin sneer.

“Oh, shut it,” Cat told him, anger taking over for the worry she felt.

“He was manhandling you, Cat.”

Cat glared at him. “He wasn’t doing anything he hasn’t done before.”

Marcello rubbed a hand over his face. “Jesus fucking Christ. I didn’t need to know that.”

Eddie stood, turned towards Marcello, and began fixing his shirt. “You need to understand what’s going on here.”

“You don’t say one more fucking word,” Marcello said, pointing at Eddie. “I knew something was going on. When Cat asked after ‘Eddie’ when she was kidnapped, I knew then. You took advantage of her. That’s what’s going on here.”

Cat sat up in bed. “No, it’s not. Listen to me.”

Eddie put a supportive hand on Cat’s shoulder. “You should listen to your sister.”

“Take your fucking hands off her. I won’t tell you again.”

“You sure as hell won’t. You don’t have any right to tell a man he can’t touch his fiancée.”

The room went unnaturally still, as though time stopped.

Then it rushed quickly into light speed.

Eddie wanted to marry her!

Though, it would have been nice if he asked her first, before announcing it.

Marcello growled. “What did you say?”

“I said I’m marrying your sister.” Eddie turned to her, cupping her face with his hands. “You will marry me, won’t you?”

She sat up on her knees and wrapped her arms around him. “Are you really asking me to marry you?”

“I probably should have picked a better time to do it.”

“Probably. It wouldn’t change my answer if you had.”

“What answer would that be?”

She saw it, though he tried to hide it.

Fear and insecurity.

How could he doubt what she wanted? What she needed? “That’s a yes. No matter what happens, I’m with you.”

“Catharine.”

“Oh, Eddie.”

They only got the briefest of kisses in when the door opened, hitting Marcello in the shoulder.

They were still wrapped around each other when they both turned to see who it was.

Alex
.

Oh boy.

“Holy hell. What is this?”

“That’s what I’m trying to find out,” Marcello said.

Alex’s eyes narrowed on Eddie’s hands, which had shifted to rest on top of her ass. “Step away from my sister.”

“She may be your sister, but she’s my fiancée.”

Alex turned to Marcello, his face incredulous. “What. The. Fuck?”

“I just walked in on them before you did. Believe me, I am just as pissed as you.”

Alex snarled at Eddie. “How long has this been going on?”

“Not long enough.” Eddie tightened his hold on Cat. “I love her.”

Marcello stepped forward. “You abused your position to lure my sister.”

“I used my position to protect the woman I love, don’t ever forget that.”

Alex crossed his arms over his broad chest. “You won’t marry. I won’t allow it.”

At this, Cat snapped. “You won’t
allow
it? You have no control over who I love and who I marry. Is this payback? Because I wasn’t sure about Rebecca for you when you two got together? Even though I’ve apologized a million times for that?”

Alex looked aghast. “Of course not. But you can do better than him.”

“With who? Philip?” Marcello and Alex winced. “Or someone like him?”

Alex shook his head. “Cat–”

“No. You do not get to decide who I love.” She faced Eddie. “I love him. I love him so much.”

“I love you, too,” Eddie said gruffly.

Alex looked somber. “That’s not always enough. I’m sorry, but it’s true. To be a royal spouse, you need more than love.”

“We’ve got passion, too, don’t worry,” Cat said. “Lots of it.”

Alex looked to ceiling, as if trying to hold himself in check, then turned to Eddie. “You were supposed to be protecting my sister, not fucking her.”

“Alexander!” Genevieve said from the doorway. “Watch your language. Your sister’s injured.”

“I’m about to injure her
former
bodyguard.”

“Why?” Genevieve walked in, catching the pair in a locked embrace. “Oh. That’s why.”

“You’ll step away from my daughter right this instant,” Gabriel said from just behind Genevieve.

Eddie gave her a small smile, then let go.

It was one thing to ignore an order from her brothers.

It was another thing entirely to ignore an order from your king.

Though he let go, Eddie still stood near her and Cat slid off the bed to stand by him.

They were in this together now.

For better or worse.

“Papa, please listen to me.”

“Not another word, Catharine.”

“Papa–”

“Not. One. Word.”

Cat’s lips clamped shut. Over the years, there had been only a few times she’d seen him angry. Usually only her mother and Alex saw him in that state.

Now she could see why.

His entire body – from the tips of his salt-and-pepper mustache to the laces on his boots – was stock still. Rigid. At attention, as though he were still proving his worth in the military.

Alex stood like that sometimes, too.

As the icy edge of fear slithered into her belly, she shifted closer to Eddie.

Her protector.

Her lover.

Her fiancé.

Fiancé!

Just being near him gave her strength, let her find the strength she needed to face this.

She’d made her choice: Eddie. Now, it was time to answer for that choice.

“I love him, Papa.”

Eddie cleared his throat. “I love her, as well, Your Majesty.”

The entire room waited for Gabriel.

No one moved.

It seemed as though no one breathed.

Genevieve put a light hand on Gabriel’s arm. “Let me talk to our daughter.”

“Genevieve,” Gabriel began, his voice low and rumbling.

“Please? While I speak with Catharine, you can speak with Edward.”

Gabriel seared Edward with a long, disapproving look. “Fine. Marcello, escort him to an empty room. I’m going to take a walk to calm down first.”

Cat swallowed and clutched Eddie’s hand.

“I’m coming, too,” Alex said, his eyes locked on their joined hands.

Marcello walked over and tugged on Eddie’s arm, dislodging his hand from Cat’s. “Come on, Bash. Time to face the music.”

“In a minute.” Eddie turned to Cat. “I love you.”

A small amount of fear slid away. “They won’t harm you.”

“Yes, we will,” Alex and Marcello said together.

Cat shot them a stony glare, then softened when she turned back to Edward. “I love you, too.”

He gave her a brief, hard kiss that sent her toes curling. Before she could recover, he’d stepped away and was heading out of the room, Alex and Marcello on his heels.

The door closed again, this time leaving Cat with her mother. Genevieve looked, as always, stylish and graceful. Cat emulated those traits as much as she could, with her own unique flair.

However, she wasn’t sure they’d help her now.

“So,” Genevieve began, as she took Cat’s hand and they both sat on the bed, “you’re in love with Edward.”

“Yes.” Her voice was small, as though she was three years old again and she’d just been caught sneaking sweets from the kitchens. “I really do love him. I’ve cared for him for quite some time. We just ignored our feelings for each other until recently.”

“You’ve not been kind to him.”

Cat blinked. “What? I’ve always been nice to him. I never–”

“By encouraging a relationship, you’ve done him a disservice. What do you think your father’s doing in that other room right now? What do you think your brothers are doing? They’re not welcoming him into the family.”

“Well, they should!”

Genevieve sighed. “This whole situation isn’t about him. It’s mostly about you, and about how they found out about the pair of you.” She put a palm to her daughter’s cheek. “They adore you, as you know. You were our little surprise. The country’s surprise. Everyone’s doted on you. We couldn’t help it.”

“I know that. I love it.”

“It was never going to be easy for your father to let you go. He had a tough time at Arianna’s wedding; none of you children know how hard that was for him, to let his baby go, leaving not only the family, but Valleria as well.”

Genevieve sighed and dropped her hand. “You, however, were always going to be the toughest. Your father will never give you away to anyone he doesn’t feel is deserving of you.”

Her gut clenched. The bleakness of a wedding with no one to give her away fluttered through her mind, but she pushed it back.

Her family loved her. They would support her choice. She’d make damn sure of it. “Papa will come to understand. Eddie’s a good man.”

“He’s a commoner,” Genevieve reminded her.

“So are you. So is Rebecca. So is Grace.”

“Edward is significantly more rough around the edges than any of us girls are, and has a much darker past.”

“You know about that?”

She nodded. “I made it a point to learn more about him after he took a bullet for you. Your father knows, too. I just want you to be sure. You’ve never been in a long-term relationship. Are you sure it’s love?”