Page 39 of Marrying a Prince

From the forlorn look on Clara's face, Marianna knew she understood what was happening. The adults were leaving, and Clara would be left alone. Again.

Marianna wanted to comfort her, but she doubted that the queen would appreciate her meddling with the princess as well, so she kept her comments to herself. Mrs. DeLuca seemed to have grown bored because she walked over to a woman wearing a suit with her hair pulled up into a severe bun.

"It'll be okay," Marianna said, leaning toward Clara.

Clara looked up at her with wide eyes. "I'm going to be left alone. Again."

Marianna nodded. "I promise, as soon as I get back, we will color."

Clara shrugged. "Okay." She stood and set her napkin down on her plate.

It hurt Marianna's heart to see this little girl so broken up about her situation. It couldn't feel good, always being cast aside. She allowed her gaze to follow Clara out of the room. It wasn't until she was gone that Marianna noticed that Leo was studying her. Once he caught her attention, he tipped his head toward the open door.

Marianna nodded, finished up her food, and then stood. She nodded to a few people—praying that she looked normal and not like some crazed tourist—and, hoping no one was watching, slipped out the door.

Just as she walked by one of the rooms, she felt a hand engulf her arm and pull her into an alcove just off the main hallway. It was small, forcing the two of them to stand next to each other. She could feel Leo’s intensity as he stared down at her.

"So you heard?" he asked, pushing his hands through his hair as if he had all of this pent-up anger and didn't know where to put it.

"You and your mom?" she asked, keeping her voice low. It couldn't feel good, having your mother scold you like a child. Leo was going to be king, and yet his mother treated him like a disobedient kid.

His jaw clenched as he nodded. "Yeah. She's forbidden me to go out with you guys today. She said there is too much to do and I should focus on my responsibilities instead of gallivanting around the countryside." He sighed, leaning his back against the wall and tilting his face toward the ceiling. "I just want to get away from all of this."

Marianna wanted to reach out and brush her hand against his arm. Wanted to tell him that she understood what he was going through. She understood the frustration of being controlled by someone. But that felt too intimate, and right now, keeping her distance was best. So she just nodded. "I get it."

He glanced down at her, his expression serious. Tingles raced up her spine as he leaned closer to her. From the corner of her eye, she saw him reached his hand out like he was about to brush his fingers across her cheek. She braced herself for the myriad of sensations that always came from his touch.

But it never came. Instead he shoved both hands into his front pockets. "I should go," he said, dipping his head and stepping out into the hallway.

Marianna nodded. "Oh, okay." She pushed out the feelings that came from his sudden need to distance himself from her. It hurt more than she cared to admit.

He glanced over at her. For a moment, regret flashed over his face. He scrubbed his face with his hand. "My mom wants to take you out to do some shopping and sightseeing. I will be stuck here, dealing with contracts and issues." He gave her a weak smile. "Do you think you'll be okay?"

Marianna hated seeing him so stressed out, and she hated that he was worrying about her. With everything he had going on, the last thing she wanted to be was a burden. She forced a smile and brushed off his concern. "Are you kidding me? I'll be just fine. Go. Do whatever princely duty you have." This time, she reached out and rested her hand on his arm. She met his gaze with as much force as she could.

A look of relief flashed over his face. "Okay. That's good to hear. I won’t have to be stuck in meetings worrying about how you are doing." His gaze dropped to her hand and then back up to her. She could feel his intensity.

She swallowed, forcing her feelings to the back of her mind. "I'll be fine," she repeated. This time, her response was much less confident.

He patted her hand that was still resting on his arm, letting his fingers linger against her skin for a few moments before stepping out of reach. He gave her a wink and headed back down the hall.

Now alone, Marianna took a deep breath. She was probably never going to be the same after this trip. It was for certain, Leo DeLuca was slowly inching his way into her heart and taking hold. The possibility of leaving Caro in one piece was already well out the window. Instead, she needed to focus on keeping afloat. Protecting her heart just enough to survive their inevitable breakup.

Chapter Fourteen

Marianna watched as Mrs. DeLuca picked up a dress and held it against her. They'd been shopping for hours, and Marianna had felt uncomfortable the entire time. She wasn't sure what to say to the queen and every time she tried to speak, jumbled sentences came out.

So Marianna had resorted to keeping her lips shut tight and nodding anytime Mrs. DeLuca looked her way—which was few and far between. It seemed that Mrs. DeLuca had just insisted that Marianna come just to keep her away from Leo. It bothered Marianna at first, but then she brushed it off.

She wasn't here for the crown or the DeLuca family. She was here to help Leo, and the more time she spent around him, the more her resolve deepened. She was going to help free Leo from his mother's grasp. Help him escape the oppression he felt here.

"Are you ready?" Mrs. DeLuca asked, walking up to her and nodding toward the few dresses that Marianna had picked out and draped over her arm.

Marianna stood. "Yes." She wasn't going to say no to free clothes if the crown was paying. Might as well get something she wanted to wear instead of what felt like Mrs. DeLuca's personal style.

After they checked out, Marianna followed Mrs. DeLuca and a few of her friends—who Marianna hadn't bothered to remember the names of—out onto the sidewalk. The store may have been cleared for the royal family, but the street had not. Crowds gathered around them, each peering over each other, wanting to catch a glimpse.

Many people had their phones out and were documenting it. Marianna kept her head down, hating how it felt to be on display all the time. Everyone else seemed to enjoy it, stopping to pose and smile. Marianna blew past them and over to the limo, where she climbed in. After a few minutes, Mrs. DeLuca appeared, sliding in to sit next to Marianna.

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