Page 3 of Claimed By the Crown Prince

‘So you stole my phone?’

She made atsking sound. ‘I’m not a thief.’

‘No, but you employed an innocent child to do your dirty work. What kind of a message is that sending out?’

She flushed at that, and Dax found it inordinately satisfying to see her flustered. How much more satisfying would it be to see her flushed with arousal?

He shifted minutely and cursed his imagination.

Princess Laia said stiffly, ‘I told him I knew you and wanted to play a joke on you.’

The fact that she’d considered the integrity of what she was doing sent a dart of something unfamiliar to Dax’s gut. A mixture of humour and something soft.Dangerous.

He stood up straight. ‘Enough chit-chatting, Princess, we both know why I’m here. It’s time to come home and fulfil your responsibilities to the people of Santanger.’

Her eyes glittered brightly. ‘Santanger is not my home and never will be. I already have a home and responsibilities to my own people.’

Dax studied her, curious about this intransigence. The marriage pact between Santanger and Isla’Rosa made sense on many levels. Not least of which were economic and meant to foster lasting peace in the region. There hadn’t been any active wars in at least a couple of generations, but there was still an underlying seam of distrust and enmity between the people in each kingdom, which was having an adverse effect on investment—even in Santanger.

Some investors that Ari and Dax had courted to do business had been put off by the merest hint of potential instability, and it didn’t help that things were still stirred up occasionally by very small but effective rebel elements who seemed determined to hang on to the enmity of past generations.

Ari wanted to stamp this out once and for all through his marriage.

But the risk of stirring up unrest was one of the reasons why the marriage agreement between Ari and Laia hadn’t been promoted with as much fanfare as would normally be the case. Everyone knew about it, and had known about it for years, but the details—like the wedding date—weren’t due to be released until just before the event, to minimise even the small risk of rebellion in either kingdom.

‘You know that marrying my brother will bring about a much hoped-for surge in goodwill from both kingdoms that will put an end to any rebel elements for good,’ Dax pointed out. ‘Not to mention a much-needed injection of capital for development in Isla’Rosa.’

The smaller kingdom was much poorer than Santanger. Santanger had moved with the times and grown into a modern and largely flourishing economy, with a thriving tourist scene for most of the year, thanks to its Mediterranean climate, but Isla’Rosa still lagged far behind.

It was a charming island, and attracted its own loyal tourists, who were captivated by the quaintly medieval capital city and idyllic villages and pristine beaches, but it badly needed hauling into the modern era.

‘Your father did your kingdom a disservice by not allowing more growth.’

Princess Laia had gone even pinker now. Dax was momentarily distracted by that wash of blood into her cheeks.

‘Don’t you dare mention my father. He was a great king and beloved by the people.’

Dax shrugged minutely. ‘I’m not disputing that. But our fathers were products of their time—stuck in the past. Santanger has grown and been modernised under my brother, and he can do the same for Isla’Rosa. You know this.’

‘I also know that I can do it for Isla’Rosa once I become Queen, and I intend to. On my own.’

She gathered up the bag that held his phone and moved around the table. Dax’s gaze tracked down over long, shapely bare legs and pretty feet in sandals.

He realised she was leaving. ‘Where are you going?’

‘Back to where I’m staying.’

‘You have my phone.’

‘If you want it you’ll have to come with me.’

‘I don’t intend letting you out of my sight.’

Something flashed across her face at that, but it was gone before Dax could decipher what it was. A curious mixture of fear and something else. But why would she be afraid of him?

She walked out of the bar and Dax saw a slightly battered four-wheel drive appear. The driver—one of the bodyguards—jumped out and held open the back door. Princess Laia got in. Dax went around to the other side and opened the door, to hear Princess Laia say frostily, ‘You can ride in the front with Pascal.’

Dax looked at her for a long moment, intrigued by this animosity, and then said, ‘As you wish.’