The Playboy Prince’s Pregnant American: Sovalon Royals Book Two Page 3

  Marcus nodded. “I hear you.” A lot was riding on it for him too—his reputation, his father’s approval…

  “And, this project means something to me personally,” she said. Her eyes took on a faraway look. “Something more than just what it will do for my career.”

  Marcus wondered what she meant by that. He found he was curious about Kyra’s past. What made her tick? Why was this project important to her? He noticed her twirling a curl around her finger incessantly, an adorable nervous habit. He laid a hand on her shoulder, carefully as not to step over the line they’d agreed upon.

  “Look around, Kyra,” he told her. “Everyone’s bouncing around ideas. Something will click.”

  “I hope so,” she said.

  Meriter called for everyone to take their seats, and the meeting got underway. As members tossed around ideas for new locations and suggestions on how to make them work, Marcus watched Kyra, whose face was painted with worry. She continued to twirl her hair and bite her lip. Marcus wished he had some way to reassure her.

  “What about the green space behind the library?” Arlene suggested. “It’s at least five acres, right?”

  John Jacobs piped up. “It’s protected land.”

  A man whose name Marcus couldn’t remember stood excitedly from his seat.

  “I’ve got it!” he said. “The old casino! On the river.”

  “That place is a total nonstarter,” John argued. “Too much fire damage. It would have to be torn down completely and rebuilt.”

  Suddenly an idea came to Marcus, a solution that just might work. The other day his brother was talking about a historical estate home he was interested in saving. Edward’s fiancée, Clementine, was obsessed with old things. Her family owned an architectural salvage business, and ever since she and Edward got together, they’d been heading up repurposing projects left and right.

  Maybe the estate home could be repurposed as a shelter.

  The property was a bit out of the way, in the middle of nowhere really, but that could be an asset. An out-of-the-way location with sprawling grounds could be an escape for women and children who needed to get away.

  As the discussion continued around the table, Marcus mulled over the idea silently. The estate could really work! But would anyone even listen to him? He had to at least give it a try. He cleared his throat and addressed the board.

  “I have a suggestion,” he said. Suddenly all eyes were on him.

  “There’s a historic estate home an hour and a half from the city center,” he began and told them all about the wooded estate in Havershire.

  A stiff man with slits for eyes was the first to respond. “It’s too far out,” he said simply.

  “Residents will feel displaced,” echoed a woman with tight red curls and lipstick on her teeth. He thought he remembered her from a charity ball his mother had organized. He couldn’t for the life of him remember her name.

  “Actually,” Kyra piped in, “somewhere a bit further away might be a good sanctuary. Remember these women and children are typically running away from their lives.”

  Marcus’s heart swelled at her words. Those were his sentiments exactly.

  “True,” Meriter said. “But how livable is it?”

  “You said historic, right?” Arlene asked and Marcus nodded. “Historic typically means poor condition.”

  “Not always,” Kyra replied and glanced at Marcus. He noticed the hope in her eyes. “Historic sites can have just the right feel for someone in need of asylum.”

  Arlene scoffed.

  “The last place we looked at ended up having a lot of problems, which is why the deal fell through,” she said. “An old estate home could have a lot of problems too.”

  “It could, but we don’t know for sure. We shouldn’t jump to conclusions when it might be just fine,” Kyra said. “Let’s hear Marcus out.”

  Kyra’s positivity lit up something inside of Marcus. He suddenly felt a surge of energy, a motivation he’d never really experienced before. Maybe he hadn’t originally been dedicated to this project, but now he was committed. In a moment of emotion, he stood from his chair and addressed the board.

  “Look, I’ll be honest. The place hasn’t been inhabited in years which means maintenance isn’t up to date,” he said. A collective groan met his ears, but he was undeterred. “I’ll get a crew to work on making it habitable. We can send a few people to check it out, maybe even stay there for a few days to get a feel for the building.”

  Chatter filled the room, until Meriter announced, “Let’s have a vote.”

  As the votes were counted, Marcus’s eyes met Kyra’s. She smiled warmly at him, her dark brown cheeks showing hints of rose. Fantasies of ravaging her voluptuous body again began to play out in his mind, but he shook them away. He wished they could share something more than professional friendliness.

  Marcus was grabbed from his thoughts by Meriter’s loud voice.

  “Well, it looks like the board has voted to approve your proposal, Your Highness,” he said tightly.

  Marcus beamed. “Great,” he said. “I’ll get a crew out there tomorrow.”

  Arlene stood. “We’re going to need someone from the board to go and check the place out,” she said and several members nodded. More chatter ensued until John Jacobs raised his hand.

  “Since you and Kyra are the strongest proponents of this idea, I think it would be appropriate for the two of you to go and stay out in Havershire at the estate for a few nights then report your findings back to the board.”

  Marcus’s face grew hot at John’s words. He and Kyra exchanged a weighted look. He could see by her face that John’s suggestion had struck the same reaction in her.

  “Excellent idea, John,” Meriter said.

  Marcus sighed as his thoughts ambled once more down the lane of fantasy, recalling Kyra’s sensual curves and what a tigress she was in bed. How was he supposed to spend a night or two in close quarters with her and remain professional?

  “It’s settled then,” Meriter announced. “Once your crew deems the estate safe, you and Kyra will spend some time there to ensure all the necessary work has been done.”

  Marcus swallowed. He looked at Kyra, who nodded at him. They would have to do their best to keep their hands off of each other. This project was important to Kyra, and he was willing to put the effort in to make a go of it.

  From across the room, he watched Kyra walk to the coffee machine, as she usually did during their morning break. Her blouse was unbuttoned just enough to expose the lovely neckline he’d covered in kisses. He remembered she’d smelled of patchouli and vanilla. Her pencil skirt hugged her curves and boasted her long, muscular legs. Marcus felt a tightness in his core as he stared at her, losing himself in the memory of what was underneath those clothes.

  Damn.

  A two-night stay at the estate with Kyra was going to be challenging.

  And perhaps very interesting as well.

  4

  After only two and a half weeks, the estate was ready for a test run. Marcus’s crew had had minor repairs to complete, but, from what she’d been told, the home was in fairly good condition. Marcus had arranged for a driver to pick her up and drive her out to Havershire, so after handing her bags over to him to stow in the trunk, she slid into the limo.

  Everything was top quality, as usual. Tiny fairy lights ran the length of the roomy backseat, and a stocked minibar tempted her with its offerings. And not just her.

  “Auntie Kyra, look!” Ava exclaimed, her eyes stretched wide. “There’s a fridge in this car! And there’s orange soda in here! Can I have an orange soda?”

  “Too much sugar, Ava,” Kyra replied and closed the mini fridge. “Have a bottle of water if you’re thirsty.”

  “Awww.” Kyra complained for a minute but soon got quiet. She continued inspecting the limo as they drove off.

  Bringing her niece along on the visit to the estate hadn’t been the plan, but when it came to Maggie, things rarely
went as scheduled. Kyra’s sister had flitted off to Barcelona a few days ago, promising to return the next night but had then sent Kyra a text claiming that there were weather problems delaying her.

  Weather problems.

  In Barcelona.

  Please.

  Kyra was sure this was just another one of her sister’s schemes. Maggie thought nothing of dumping Ava on Kyra’s shoulders when she felt like letting loose and partying. Her sister was so irresponsible.

  Deep inside, Kyra admitted to herself that her feelings of frustration weren’t completely caused by her sister. Her stomach was roiling with another bout of sickness. For the past week, she’d been attacked by violent nausea every day. The onslaught of symptoms was so consistently timed, that she’d finally given into her suspicion and bought a pregnancy test. She hadn’t had the nerve to take it yet, but it was tucked securely inside her purse, just as her fear was tucked safely in the depths of her mind. She wasn’t ready to dive for it yet. Hopefully she just had a bug.

  “Auntie Kyra,” Ava cried. “Are we almost there?”

  Kyra sighed, acknowledging that Ava’s presence would leave little room for moments of peace over the next two days. The upside was that hopefully Ava would be a buffer between her and Marcus. Having Ava around might take some of the edge off being alone with Marcus. Maybe lessen the temptation she felt whenever he was around. Maybe…

  It took about an hour and a half to reach the estate. When they pulled onto the meandering grounds, Kyra was taken aback by its pastoral beauty. The estate was situated in the middle of a copse of tall oak trees, with woods on three sides. A perfect oasis for a worn woman.

  Marcus was waiting for her with a host of staff.

  “Again, I’m so sorry for the inconvenience,” she said and gestured to Ava. It had been embarrassing to have to text him to ask if her niece could tag along, but he’d been incredibly gracious about it. And now, seeing them, Marcus’s face lit up with a welcoming smile.

  “No trouble at all,” he assured her. “I’ve had your rooms prepared, and I even hired a chef to make some kid-friendly food. I hope she likes chicken nuggets.”

  “I love chicken nuggets!” Ava exclaimed.

  “Good thing,” Marcus said and tousled Ava’s hair.

  “I never met a real live prince before.” Ava stared up at Marcus, squinting her eyes in estimation. “You don’t look like a prince.”

  “Ava!” Kyra began to scold her niece, but Marcus laughed.

  “What do I look like then?” he asked playfully, and Kyra couldn’t help but notice how good he was with kids.

  “Just regular,” Ava said and ran into the house.

  “She’s something,” Marcus said, still laughing.

  Kyra shook her head and gave Marcus the full story about her sister’s purported weather troubles in Barcelona. She rolled her eyes. “Convenient, right?”

  “I heard about that on the news on the way here in the car, actually,” Marcus said. “Something about the winds and storms wreaking havoc with the train schedules.”

  A strong wave of nausea nearly bowled Kyra over. She could barely concentrate on Marcus’s words. “Where’s the bathroom?” she asked.

  With the door locked, Kyra emptied the contents of her stomach in the toilet, hoping Marcus hadn’t heard her retching. After cleaning herself up, she decided it was time to take that pregnancy test.

  “Are you alright in there?” Marcus called, as Kyra waited anxiously for the result to appear.

  When the little plus sign glared back at her from the test strip, her first instinct was to cry.

  But she didn’t.

  Instead, she walked out of the bathroom, and without a word, handed the test to Marcus.

  His eyebrows furrowed as he took the test from her. A moment later, all color drained from his face.

  “Am I okay?” she asked. “No, not really.”

  * * *

  Marcus’s head spun.

  Pregnant? How?

  Well, he knew how, but damn. What did this mean?

  “Is it…?” he stumbled over his words, unsure how to ask her. “Am I—?”

  Kyra placed a hand on his arm. “Relax, Marcus,” she said. “Yes, you’re definitely the father, but I don’t expect anything from you. This doesn’t change anything.”

  Marcus stared at her. She was wrong. This changed everything.

  “Look,” Kyra said, “I’ve been sick for days, and while I waited until today to take the test, I’ve been thinking things through the whole time. There’s no reason things can’t go on just as they are now.”

  “I need to sit down,” Marcus said. He walked unsteadily to the sitting room and fell into an easy chair as Kyra continued, her voice sounding superimposed above his thoughts.

  “I’m totally capable of raising this baby on my own,” she said. “We’ll finish the shelter project, and I’ll return to the US. I’m not interested in co-parenting or anything like that so don’t worry.”

  Marcus didn’t even know how to respond. On one hand, he was happy Kyra wasn’t a gold digger out for his money or for the celebrity of having a royal baby, but on the other he felt kind of rejected. He told himself he should be glad she wanted to be so independent, but a different feeling was nagging at him. Rejection.

  Kyra was brushing him off just like everyone else did. He thought she took him seriously, at least on a professional level, but obviously she didn’t believe he was good enough to be a decent father.

  “You don’t have to do this alone, Kyra,” he told her. He wouldn’t shirk his responsibilities as the father of this child. “I can help.”

  Kyra released a long breath. “I know you can, but like I said, I want to do this on my own. It doesn’t have to be a big deal, Marcus.”

  Her eyes pleaded with him, and reluctantly he agreed, but he felt completely blindsided.

  It didn’t have to be a big deal?

  She’d said the words, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that she was way off.

  It was a big deal—the biggest deal of his life.

  5

  While Kyra and Ava retreated to their rooms to put away their things, Marcus was still reeling from Kyra’s news. After he’d reluctantly agreed to let her deal with the pregnancy on her own terms, she’d asked him to show her around the estate. She’d seemed genuinely pleased with all the work he’d put in, and that made him feel better, but the pregnancy was blaring background noise to Kyra’s words of approval. The outcome just wasn’t sitting well with him.

  As Marcus sipped at a glass of water, his cell phone rang.

  “Marcus.” His father’s gruff voice was in his ear. “How are things going out there in Havershire?”

  Marcus cleared his throat. “It’s really great, Dad. Repairs have been made. Everything is up to code. It’s all good.”

  “Really?” the king asked. Marcus detected a note of sarcasm in his father’s voice but chose to ignore it.

  “Yeah. I’m here now at the estate. I’ll be staying here a few nights to evaluate the accommodations.”

  The king scoffed audibly. “Just remember that this is business, son. You’re not out there on a pleasure cruise.”

  Marcus rolled his eyes. Of course his father still didn’t take him seriously. “I’m on it,” he said.

  “I know all about your little fling with the American,” King Hanson said.

  Shit.

  “I have eyes and ears all over the kingdom, and so help me if you land in the papers with another international scandal…” He didn’t finish his sentence, leaving Marcus cringing at the thought of his father discovering the pregnancy.

  “I promise I’m on top of this,” he said.

  “Don’t screw up, Marcus.”

  As he bid goodbye to the king, a sight from outside the window caught his eye. Kyra had Ava in the rose garden. She was radiant in the afternoon sunshine. He’d heard that pregnant women had a certain glow about them. Could she already have it this early in the pregn
ancy?

  Marcus walked out onto the back deck, his father’s warning wafting around him. He knew King Hanson had been referring to the project when he’d told Marcus not to screw things up. But, as Marcus stared longingly at Kyra in the rose garden just below him, his father’s words went much deeper.

  He couldn’t screw this up.

  He had to do things right this time.

  * * *

  Kyra looked up from the beautiful flowers to see Marcus’s gaze fixed on her. Her heart jumped a little in her chest. Even though she’d told herself time and again there was to be no more funny business with him, she still couldn’t shake her attraction. He was so incredibly handsome. His dark wavy hair, always just a bit out of place, his chiseled arms and chest called out to her. She had to just keep trying to ignore his appeal.

  “What’s with the creepy stalking?” she asked, a semi-joking grin on her face.

  His dark eyes crinkled with laughter. “I’m not stalking, just watching.” Marcus’s stare travelled the length of her body, and Kyra wanted to melt into his eyes. She pinched herself instead. “Ava seems like a great kid,” he said.

  “She is,” Kyra replied. “I’ve helped raise her since she was a baby.”

  A wistful look passed over Marcus’s face. “You’ll make a great mom,” he told her.

  “Thanks,” she said, wondering if the revelation of her pregnancy was going to make Marcus get all gooey-eyed and go deep on her. God, that was the last thing she needed to deal with today. She’d rather him just remain the sexy eye candy that tempted her endlessly. That she could handle.

  “I could make a great dad,” he went on.

  And there it was.

  “Marcus, I told you,” she began, but he interrupted her.

  “Hear me out, Kyra. We’re going to be here for a few nights, and with Ava here, I can prove to you that I am good father material. That I have what it takes to be the man you need.”

  She caught herself silently twirling her hair, her nervous habit.