Page 21 of Royal Salvation

“I’d feel happier knowing he’s beside you.”

Lucía wanted to bounce on her toes with excitement at the thought but tamped it down, knowing he was just doing his job and it wasn’t some fairy tale.

Her father turned his attention to Maria and Lucas, and she greeted her mother who enthused about her outfit and talked about her latest charity event. Soon she was called away to speak to her aunt who’d arrived with her uncle and cousin.

Not wanting to get pulled into the melee, she stepped back, taking a glass of champagne from the waiter.

“Princess Lucía, I’d like for you to meet my friends Bás and Valentina.”

Lucía shook their hands and smiled. “It’s nice to meet you both.”

“The pleasure is ours, Princess Lucía. If you need anything please don’t hesitate to ask. Val will be beside you whenever Reaper can’t.”

“It’s lovely to meet you.”

As Valentina beamed at her, Lucía had a feeling it would be difficult to dislike this woman. “Justice tells me you train dogs.”

She saw Bás and Val exchange a look before Val nodded. “I do. I currently have Scout and Monty.”

“A German Shepherd and an Australian Shepherd, right?”

Val beamed wider. “Yes, that’s correct. Scout is my calm one, Monty is more of a handful, but we’re getting there now he’s passed the wild teenage stage.”

As the woman talked, Lucía found herself really liking her and enjoying her company. She might only be there because she was paid but she was friendly and put her at ease which was welcomed.

“I’ve seen your photographs, and I must say they’re devastating in their beauty and poignancy and so thought-provoking. I remember seeing one of a little boy amongst the rubble of the earthquake in Haiti holding his toy car and it made me cry. The destruction we cause to the earth as humans is surely coming back to bite us, and I think seeing these pictures does more to alter a person’s mindset than all the nagging about recycling.”

“Oh, a woman after my own heart. You must sit with me at dinner so we can chat more.” Lucía took Val’s arm and led her to the dining room table as the bell rang to say the meal was ready.

For the first time that day, she was starving. The nerves and dread that had plagued her were gone as she was surrounded by people who would insulate her from vague, catty comments about her life and lack of a husband.

Once seated she found Justice on one side and Val on the other, with Bás on the other side of Val. Her father had the head of the table and her mother the seat to his left, with Maria taking the seat to his right as heir.

There was always a hierarchy and she was happy with her position. It was others who made it hard for her to forget or not care. They seemed to care more than she did.

Dinner was lovely, the dishes she’d loved as a child were served with her favourite wine. Justice kept his attention on her most of the meal, only answering questions as they were addressed to him. He wasn’t flirtatious in any way and was a perfect gentleman. She found although she liked this Justice, she preferred the real him who’d taught her how to cook burgers and laughed at the same Friends’ jokes while he sat with his feet on the coffee table.

“Lucía, have you found a match yet or are you still flitting about like you have no responsibilities to this family?”

A hush rang around the room at her aunt’s words, and she saw her cousin Amelia, who was only two years younger and engaged to be married, smirk. Lucía felt her ears burn with embarrassment, hating that the attention was once again on her and her failings, and this time Justice was there to see it. That shouldn’t matter to her, but it did, and she felt tears well in her eyes.

He tensed beside her, and she shook her head, knowing he was about to defend her and that it would only bring more questions than answers.

Chapter 9

Fury thrummed through him as the woman he knew to be the King’s younger sister made her barbed comment. Glancing around the room, which was now so quiet he could hear a pin drop, he waited for someone to say something. When it appeared the vile woman’s words would go unchallenged, he went to speak, only for Lucía to lay her hand on his arm and give him a look of warning.

Reaper wasn’t a fool. He knew making a scene would likely cause more harm than good, but he couldn’t fathom why the daggers were out for this amazing and kind woman, and why nobody was standing up for her.

His eyes found the King watching him as if he too was waiting. Reaper clenched his jaw so hard, he was sure his next dentist bill would be in the thousands as he tried not to say anything but lost the battle. Throwing his napkin on the table he stood. “My apologies but I can’t sit here and listen to Princess Lucía take these nastily veiled questions any longer. Since we arrived, I’ve seen her spoken to with rudeness, disdain, dismissal, and open hostility. I have no idea why I, a virtual stranger, am the only one willing to stand up for her.”

“Justice, please.”

He glanced down at the heated cheeks and saw her shame and the way her shoulders huddled over as if she was trying to disappear. “I’m sorry, Princess Lucía, but it’s the truth.”

The sound of someone clapping made him look up to see it was Princess Maria. “Bravo. It’s about time someone said something.”

“And who, pray tell, are you to speak to me like that? I’m a Princess, and you’re a nobody. At least my niece knows her place.” The woman, who would’ve been attractive if not for the pinched face and multitude of plastic surgeries she’d clearly had, asked him as she looked down her nose.