The Royal House Of Karedes Collection Books 1-12. Кейт Хьюит

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СКАЧАТЬ of it. The trouble was, the closer he’d come to her street, the harder his heart had beaten. All his hours of planning and doubt had dissolved like cotton candy in the rain. And when he’d bumped into a man on the stairs, he’d known instinctively it was Joaquin—and known, just as instinctively, that the guy knew who he was, too, and wanted nothing more than to flatten him.

      He could hardly blame him.

      Hell, it was what he’d have done if the situation were reversed.

      The men had taken a long look at each other.

      “Are you the prince?” Joaquin had finally growled. At Alex’s nod, the other man’s mouth had thinned. “She loves you, you jerk. And you don’t deserve her.”

      Alex had grinned. Then he’d put his hand out.

      “You’re right,” he’d said, and after a few seconds Joaquin had smiled. They’d shaken hands. Then Joaquin had stepped aside and Alex had continued up the stairs to Maria’s door when terror had stopped him cold. Certain of everything, sure of nothing, he had resorted to anger…

      And then he’d come to his senses.

      He would do whatever it took to win his Maria’s heart… and, looking into her eyes, he knew, with a rush of fierce joy, that her heart had always been his for the taking.

      Maria loved him. He loved her. And he’d be damned if he’d lose her again.

      So, in the end, there were no questions, no speeches, no doubts. There was only a man, baring his soul by stepping forward and opening his arms to a woman. And—thank you, God—there was the woman, his Maria, giving a little cry and throwing herself into his embrace.

      He kissed her. Kissed her for a very long time. Her mouth. Her eyes. Her hair.

      “Why did you leave me?” he said.

      “Because I have no place in your life,” she said, returning each kiss, each caress, each sigh.

      “I love you. You are my life.”

      Her heart soared, but she shook her head. “I can’t be.”

      “Do you love me?”

      How could she lie to him? How could she deny what burned in her heart?

      “Yes,” she said softly, “I love you. I adore you, Alexandros. But I can’t be part of your life. I—I’m not cut out to be a mistress.”

      “Of course you aren’t,” Alex said, in that imperious way that she’d learned to love. “You’re going to marry me and be my wife.”

      His words were more precious than any of the diamonds in the Aristan crown. She knew she would cherish them forever, even if what he’d just told her could never happen.

      “I can’t marry you,” she whispered.

      “Because?”

      “Because you’re a prince. You have obligations. Duties.”

      “I have nothing, unless I have you, glyka mou. You are my heart. My joy. My love.”

      Oh, how easy it would be to give in. To say, ‘Yes, I’ll marry you…’ But she couldn’t. She loved her Alexandros too much to ruin his life.

      “Alexandros, listen to me. Your father’s words to me were true.”

      Alex’s eyes darkened. “What are you talking about?”

      “The night he died—Aegeus said—he said I was wrong for you. That if I loved you, I had to leave you. He said—”

      “Was that why he wanted to see you?” Alex’s tone was harsh. “To tell you to go away?”

      “No. Yes. It was more than that. He said he wanted the best for you.”

      “You are the best for me, glyka mou.”

      “Also—also, I think he knew something about the diamond. I think—I think he had something to do with switching the fake for the real one.”

      “I don’t care about that diamond right now,” Alex said fiercely. “All that matters is us. What we feel for each other, the life we’ll create together… What?”

      Maria was laughing. Or maybe she was crying. He couldn’t tell; he only knew that something in what he’d just said had affected her.

      And then, he knew.

      Slowly, he clasped her shoulders. Held her just far enough away so he could look at her from head to toe. She looked different. Her face was fuller. So were her breasts. And, under her denim work-apron, he could see the delicate but clear convexity of her belly.

      It all came together. Her nausea. Her exhaustion. And now, these physical changes that made her even more beautiful.

      “Maria.” He could feel the smile starting to stretch across his lips. “Maria, my heart, my soul, are you pregnant?”

      She stared at him. She could lie. She could say, no, of course not…

      “Yes,” she said softly.

      Alex grinned. Then he gathered her in his arms and rained kisses on her face.

      “Pregnant,” he said, as if he were the first man in the world ever to hear such news. “My God, sweetheart, we’re pregnant!” He held her inches from him, his eyes searching hers. “Say the words, Maria. Tell me that you love me as I love you, and that you will do me the honor of becoming my wife.”

      Maria thought of how far they had come, of a time her Alexandros would have demanded to know if he was really the father of the baby in her womb. She thought of how he had crossed the ocean to claim her. She thought of King Aegeus’s warning, and how cold and empty the life he’d foreseen for his son now seemed.

      “Alexandros,” she said, because if life wasn’t worth risks, what was the point? “Alexandros. I love you. And it is you who do me honor, my beloved, by asking me to marry you.”

      Alex gave her a solemn look. “Is that,” he said carefully, “a yes?”

      Maria laughed, though she was crying again, this time tears of joy that streamed down her face.

      “Yes,” she said, “yes, yes, yes!”

      Her Alexandros kissed her. Then he kicked the door shut, swept her into his arms, and carried her to the bed.

      We chatted to Sandra Marton about the world of THE ROYAL HOUSE OF KAREDES. Here are her insights!

       Would you prefer to live on Aristo or Calista? What appeals to you most about either island?

      The two islands are both fascinating, but I would much prefer to live on Aristo. I love the contrast between the sophistication of Ellos and the wildly beautiful cliffs that wind above the Bay of Appollonia, the gentle climate, the white sand beaches kissed by the sea. My husband and СКАЧАТЬ