Read The Royal Affair (The Palmera Royals) for Free Online

Marina shot him a questioning look. “Your sister?”
    “My baby sister,” he said with a quick smile to Emerald. “Stella, my other sister, was your sister-in-law’s bridesmaid.”
    “Yes, I remember.” Marina offered her hand to the young woman. Baby in one arm, Emerald shook Marina’s hand, then caressed her baby’s head. Something inside Marina twisted. The baby reached out a chubby fist to her.
    Marina caught that little fist in her hand, and for just one moment, her heart felt as if it would explode, the sweet baby smell overwhelming. A baby. A family. Love and commitment.
    But you have the freedom you’ve worked so hard for. So why at this moment did she feel so empty? Lonely. The baby offered her a toothless grin.
    “I didn’t know you had a house guest,” Emerald commented with an intuitive smile.
    “Your brother kindly offered my bodyguards and me accommodation when the road was closed after the accident last evening.”
    Emerald’s eyes, which perfectly matched her name, widened with blatant interest. “That’s so sweet of you, brother. Really hospitable.”
    “Yeah, wasn’t it?”
    Suzie unhooked her hold on Jonas, slid down his length and stared wide-eyed up at Marina. Marina crouched down to her. “Hello, Suzie.”
    “Suzie’s…” But Jonas didn’t get to finish as Suzie pivoted round and raced inside the house. “Suzie? Suzie?” He went to run after her, but Emerald grabbed his arm, and his boots dug into the gravel.
    “Don’t fret, Daddy, she’s just doing what kids do. They run and play and—”
    “Speak, Emerald! They speak.” Jonas yanked away from his sister and scrubbed a hand over his face, bleak eyes staring up at the house. “They talk nonstop. Have you heard her do that? Have you?” He threw his hands up in the air. “I know, I know, it’s all about time. But it’s been years. How much longer will it take?” The croak in his voice was palpable, a man on the brink.
    Speak? Oh dear God. Marina gazed up at the house. Suzie? Marina’s stomach nosedived. That was his child.
    Then Suzie was back, running out the door, a book in her hands. She didn’t go to Jonas but diverted at the last minute and stopped in front of Marina. She shoved it toward her.
    “Would you like me to read it?” Marina asked.
    Suzie nodded, her golden curls shaking vigorously. She opened the book, tiny fingers flicking the pages, then she stopped and pointed at the storybook picture. “Pr…cess. Pr…cess.” She pointed again, then smiled and pointed at Marina.
    Marina glanced down at the open book, scanning the picture story. It was of The Princess and the Pea. The dark-haired cartoon drawing of the princess in a beautiful pink gown glittered with jewels.
    “You pr…cess.” Suddenly, the book dropped from Suzie’s fingertips and landed at Marina’s feet. But she didn’t have time to retrieve it before Suzie wrapped her arms around Marina’s legs, holding on tight. “Pr…cess.” Her tone was roughened but words nevertheless, and understandable.
    “Suzie. Let the princess go.” But Suzie buried her face against Marina’s legs, and Jonas’s repeated coaxing was of no use.
    Finally, he crouched down beside his daughter, hands gently on the child’s shoulders as he drew her away. Suzie reluctantly released Marina’s leg.
    Cradling his child in his arms, Jonas straightened. Marina was shocked to see tears in the joyous depths of his eyes.
    “It’s okay, sweet pea.” As the little girl snuggled into him, his dark gaze, full of emotion, fixed on Marina. “I’m sorry.”
    “No need to be. She’s a child.”
    “She’s my daughter and those are the first words she’s spoken in four years.”
    Sudden nausea swirled in her stomach as she struggled to stanch thoughts of Jonas with his wife, his child, his family.
    Stop it. Stop it right now.
    Dear God, she was jealous!
    “You better get on your way,” he said.
    “Yes. Yes, you’re right.” Marina swallowed back her growing