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"Forgive me, please," I say to Tanzi, refusing to acknowledge the Spanish billionaire.
"Yes, Rio. I love you and there is nothing to forgive. We both wanted to be loved for who we are, not where we come from. Our future is a little more complicated than I thought though."
"A little." I smile down at her, letting my love shine in the eyes only she can see.
Her return smile tells me everything coming is worth it.
"We do need to get back on the plane. The royal family's PR team is working with ours, but we need to face this news with a united front." Surprisingly, that comes from Tanzi's mother.
"Amber, as always, you are the voice of intelligent reason,mi amor."
"I'm going to be a grandmother," the voice of reason says in an emotion laden voice to her spouse.
"They're kissing. That should give us enough time to shower and dress anyway," Tanzi says dryly, looking past my shoulder.
CHAPTER 13: Tanzi
Reckoning Part II
With its soaring turrets and quintessential castle façade, the royal palace of Isole dei Re impresses me from my first glimpse through the limousine's window.
But it's the royal family, gathered en masse in their private reception room that intimidates me. Like seriously.
Rio didn't even flinch when my whole family showed up on the villa doorstep this morning, but I'm ready to throw up faced with his less than welcoming relatives.
And there are a lot of them. Grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins and siblings. Every single one of them royal and not one looking particularly friendly.
The prevailing emotion doesn't seem to be anger so much as utter shock. Which is something, I suppose.
Apparently, Rio is the responsible one, the guy everyone counts on to do the right thing. And in their eyes that right thing in this case isnotmarrying me. No one has come right out and said it, but the feeling is there in the tense air around us.
He hasn't left my side though. Not for a second. Not even to greet his parents, making it clear where his loyalty lies.
My parents and brothers stand behind us, dad's top two security guys flanking them.
It feels a lot like the Capulets and Montagues.
I’m not sure which is which, but I don't want to be enemies with Rio's family. I catch myself from turning to my dad for help and squeeze Rio's hand instead, seeking comfort and trying to give some.
This is the Rio and Tanzi show. Not the Miguel Menendez show.
King Claudio looks a lot like his son, except for the grey at his temples and the chill in his dark eyes as they take me in.
"So, you are the woman who has convinced my son to marry you in some elopement, abandoning his training and obligation."
He makes our beach wedding sound sordid, not private and special like we both wanted it to be. Or was that just me?DidI somehow convince Rio he needed to abandon royal protocol and elope?
"She is the woman I love." There is ungiving steel in Rio's tone.
Woah. That's not a voice I want directed at me. Ever.
"You love her so much, you did not think enough of her to introduce us?" The queen sounds more upset and confused than angry, her lovely Italian features wreathed with concern.
Rio's arms tighten around me like he's worried I'll take his mother's words as truth. "I had every intention of introducing you when the time came."
If anything, King Claudio's expression grows darker. "The time would have been before you asked her to marry you."
