Page 67 of Claimed By the Crown Prince

One of the men stood up at the end of the table. Laia vaguely recognised him as one of her father’s less favoured advisors. She really had to do something about this motley crew.

He was shaking with agitation. ‘Queen Laia, since no one else here seems prepared to say the unsayable, I must. How on earth is it possible that our virgin Queen is pregnant?’

Laia had the absurd urge to giggle, but Giorgio caught her eye and shook his head. She stood up. She needed to get more women into this room.

‘Gentlemen. I know this comes as a huge shock, and believe me, I truly didn’t plan—’

But she was quickly drowned out by a cacophony of voices. All the men were asking questions now, and predicting disaster and destruction.

One man’s voice was more strident than everyone else’s as he shouted out, ‘Who on earth is the father? Is he even a royal?’

Before Laia could answer, the door at the end of the room swung open and a man appeared. Laia’s legs wobbled so much she almost fell back into her chair. She locked her knees.

Dax stood there. In a three-piece suit. Shaved jaw. He’d even had a haircut. He hadn’t looked this suave for his own brother’s wedding.

He said, firmly and clearly, ‘Iam the father of Queen Laia’s baby. And, yes, I am royal. For anyone who doesn’t recognise me, I’m Crown Prince Dax de Valle y Montero of Santanger.’

There were a few gasps around the table.

One of the men blustered, ‘You can’t just barge in here like this.’

Dax looked at Laia. This time there was no hiding. His blue gaze was mesmeric. She didn’t want to look away. She felt tired. As if she’d been running for a long time.

He said, ‘If you would all excuse us, please? I would like to talk to Queen Laia in private.’

One of the men gasped in outrage. ‘You can’t dismiss us.’

Laia didn’t take her eyes off Dax. She was afraid if she did he’d disappear. She said, ‘Please leave us.’ And then, more softly, ‘You too, Giorgio. I’ll be fine.’

The men sidled out of the room with lots of mutterings and deep sighs. At last the door closed and they were alone. It was silent.

Dax walked towards her.

She said, ‘What are you doing here? How did you know?’

He stopped a few feet away. ‘I followed you back from Santanger, even though you’d made it clear I was the last person you wanted to see.’

Laia winced. ‘Why?’

‘Because I was worried about you.’

Laia’s heart clenched. ‘You’ve seen the newspapers?’

He nodded. ‘I presume that is the crisis?’

She nodded. ‘I hadn’t been feeling well for the past month...a persistent queasiness.’ She blushed. ‘My period was late. Very late. I suspected what it was, but I was too terrified to get it confirmed. But eventually I had to go to the castle doctor, and he did a routine pregnancy test a couple of days ago. I think he was as shocked as me. One of his staff must have leaked it. Giorgio told me the media had the story the day before yesterday.’

Dax frowned. ‘At the wedding—that’s why you left?’

She nodded.

‘But you already knew you were pregnant.’

Laia nodded. ‘Only just. That’s why I was avoiding you. I couldn’t bear to look at you in case you saw... I was in shock. Trying to get my head around it. I felt so raw. If you’d come near me, touched me, I was afraid I’d combust or fall to pieces, and it was Maddi and Ari’s celebration. I was terrified it would come out...somehow.’

‘I thought you were avoiding me because you couldn’t bear to look at me. Because you were ashamed of what had happened between us.’

Laia shook her head. She stepped out from the table and faced Dax. He came towards her and then stopped. Her hands itched to touch him. Feel him.