Total pages in book: 230
Estimated words: 217798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1089(@200wpm)___ 871(@250wpm)___ 726(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 217798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1089(@200wpm)___ 871(@250wpm)___ 726(@300wpm)
Hanin’s mouth curled in obvious distaste. “Animals, all of them.”
“I’m sure they would say they’re fighting for democracy,” Weston replied.
“They’re threatening my son?” His mother carefully scooped out the jam Dayita had sent with the toast. “They do this all the time. I’m sure they’re particularly nasty now that the wedding has been called and they know the monarchy shall persevere.”
“They’re threatening to stop the wedding.” Weston sat back. “I’ve sent each of you my plans for security. It will be very tight, and everyone will be vetted by my firm. I suggest allowing in one sanctioned photographer and one reporter. The queen-to-be would like to auction off the photos, with all proceeds going to a charitable fund for education.”
The future queen was practically a saint. “Whatever she would like. I don’t think I want to do a ton of press though. How are we framing this? Does the world know this is an arranged marriage?”
“Of course not,” his mother replied. “As far as anyone knows, you and Dayita met in England and drifted apart but now you’ve gotten close again. Everyone knows you’re a bit on the reckless side. They will assume Day is pregnant and that is the reason for the hasty wedding. If you could make that happen on the honeymoon, it would be wonderful.”
Ah, there was his irritation. Not even the lovely eggs could get rid of it. “My procreation will be my choice, Mother. You’ve interfered enough.”
Hanin sat straight up. “You can’t talk to the queen mother that way.”
“Bah,” his mother replied. “I’m happy he’s talking to me at all. If I have one thing to be grateful to the cancer for, it’s the guilt that’s kept my son from running away to be with loose women. He always runs for the loose ones.”
“Or the spies,” Weston added helpfully. “When I first met him he was entertaining several hookers and a couple of undercover spies.”
Ah, the beautiful Kayla. Yes, he’d called her his Asian lily, and she’d been an American double agent. She’d quite scared him at times. Brutal girl, but lovely. “Could we forego hashing through ancient history? Well, not entirely. I would like to know why you chose Day as my bride when you did everything you could to keep us apart fifteen years ago.”
His mother flushed but remained steady as a rock. “Because I figured out I was wrong all those years ago. You have to understand that everything was crazy after your father and Shray died. You came home and all you would talk about was some young lady I’d never met before. I needed you focused on taking the crown. We were desperate at the time. I was desperate at the time.”
She’d been alone, her whole world washed out from under her. Perhaps a few years before he wouldn’t have been able to see things in such a fashion, but he could now. Still. “I only wanted to see her. I wanted something that was mine.”
“And I needed you to see the crown as yours. I needed you focused on the country.” His mother reached out, sliding her hand over his. “I was wrong, but at the time I thought I was right. I thought the feelings you had for Dayita were nothing more than a childish crush on a girl who likely reminded you of home. You didn’t fight hard. You sent her a single invitation and then we heard nothing more. She sent years of letters. I thought it was one sided.”
Had that really been it? At the time he’d felt so crushed. She hadn’t answered a single request and he’d given up, moved on. Day had written him letter after letter. She’d flown a thousand miles to see him.
He’d been the faithless one.
“You read the letters? Are they still around?”
Hanin put his fork down. “I kept them for history’s sake. Your mother asked me to keep them from you, but I always worried she would change her mind. So I kept them instead of trashing them. Three years ago she asked about the young woman, asked me if I knew her. I said no, but I did know a way her majesty could get to know her. And I gave her the letters.”
“And I fell in love with Day,” his mother said quietly. “I found out she was here in Loa Mali and I did everything I could to bring her into my sphere so I could watch over her. When the time came, I made my move to bring her back to you. I don’t know if I was wrong to do what I did in the beginning. I don’t know if she would have been a steadying hand or a distraction, but I do know you need her now.”
“You had no right to keep those letters from me.” But he kept his tone calm. He hated the fact that he couldn’t let his rage fly. And he truly loathed the reason why he couldn’t. How could he be angry with his dying mother? There was someone he could deal with. “Hanin, you became my employee the day my father and brother died. I consider following my mother’s orders in this case tantamount to treason. Would you like me to have your head cut off?”