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"That’s what I keep telling myself" She winced "I don’t want toto have to live in Calandria But there’s good news You could be on a sta for money, but a sta this conversation I guess if I do marry him we’ll move to Calandria fairly quickly We haven’t talked about it, but it makes sense I’m sure Rafael has responsibilities, and Danny and I need to start learning to be royal"

Mia stood and plucked at her T-shirt "Who aht this for five dollars at Wal-Mart The only designer clothes I own are my mother’s hand-me-downs I don’t do jewelry or knoaltz"

Brenna stood and es, you’re smart, you’re capable, and you’re in love Are you ever going to uy like Rafael? Because if you aren’t sure there’s another handsoht be the way to go"

Mia smiled "Kelly could probably teach hted to Follow your heart, Mia That’s the best advice I can give you If I’d followed hteen instead of wasting nearly a decade of our lives"

"Do you regret that?"

"I try not to, but sometimes, when I’m up late with the twins, I wonder what our lives would have been like if I hadn’t been afraid to take the plunge"

"Don’t you hate regrets?" Mia asked

"More than anything Follow your heart," Brenna said again "Don’t look back and think ’if only’ If you can’t io for it If you can, then don’t He’s Danny’s father and that’s never going to change The bottom line is you don’t have to decide today"

"I know I have two days until Danny’s birthday"

"You don’t have to elope You can tell him you need more time"

Mia considered that "I want to be with him," she said at last "I love hied again; then Mia headed back to the house She was going to do it She was going to elope with Rafael and then figure out what she’d gotten herself into

As she walked across the lawn, she noticed the pony tethered under a tree "I wonder what pony poop does to grass," she murmured as she climbed the steps and entered the house

"It’s me," she yelled as she walked into the elance at the clock told her the Grands were probably resting before they started dinner She stuck her head in the fa a cartoon video

"Doing okay?" she asked

Danny smiled at her and nodded

So if her son was occupied and the Grands were sleeping, that sort of left her at loose ends Maybe she and Rafael had time for a quickie

Anticipation propelled her upstairs She walked down the hallway toward his roo on the phone

At first the words didn’t register She wasn’t trying to listen in She caught a word or two in Italian and paused Was he talking business? Should she wait?

As she considered her options, she took another step and the floorboards creaked Instantly Rafael went silent When he continued the conversation, he spoke Portuguese

Mia froze Why on earth would he change languages like that? The most obvious explanation was that he didn’t want to be understood Which made no sense

Even so, she crept forward to listen

"Not to worry," he said, his voice low "Yes, all is well As I told you, Mia has agreed to as in a few days No, she knows nothing We will go after Danny’s birthday I have the paperwork all ready"

He was silent for a moment "We will return to Calandria as soon as possible I know Once we are there, Calandrian laws apply No, Mia would never think to study such a thing She has no idea that once the heir arrives in Calandria, he can never be taken aithout permission from the throne Of course I will have ain "Yes A divorce I have those papers as well It is unfortunate she is not more suitable, but I understand my responsibilities I will keep Daniel with me and send Mia way"

11

Mia found herself unable to breathe White-hot fury poured through her until she felt sure she couldit She stood as if nailed to the floor, unable to move as Rafael finished his conversation with his father A conversation that revealed everything

When he’d hung up, she forced herself to walk into her bedroom, where she picked up the phone and called Joe’s cell

"Get to the house now," she said, her voice low and thick "Bring a gun"

She hung up before he could ask anything; then she stalked into Rafael’s bedroom and wondered if she was truly capable of murder

At that moment it seemed more than possible-- it seemed likely She wanted him dead No, she wanted hih flesh She wanted hi, and she wanted to watch hireen sli with ?"

She could feel the screa, but as it hadn’t reached the surface yet, she spoke in a quiet voice, one laced with so er, it practically snapped

"Did you think I was so fucking stupid that I didn’t speak Portuguese?"

He paled slightly "What do you mean?"

"Just what I said, you bastard I heard and understood every da attention when you were speaking Italian I wasn’t even listening But you switched I guess you thought I could be Grandma Tessa, who also speaks Italian You sure as hell wouldn’t want her hearing your little plan for ry about his assumption that she wouldn’t understand him as she did about what he’d said That bothered her for a second until she realized it was safe to be furious about the language he’d chosen She wouldn’t kill him over that

"I heard you," she told him "I heard every word You lied You deliberately lied How dare you? You’re not here to marry le" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true"></ins>