Page 82 of Royal Games (The Royals of Monterra)

I figured the lapse into vehement Italian wasn’t good. “Basically a punk?”

“Si. He is horrible,” she seethed. “I hate him.”

“His mother is best friends with our mother, so you should probably go down there and be nice,” Rafe said.

Serafina fell dramatically backward against my bed. “I can’t be nice to him!”

He took his phone out of his pocket. “Just pretend. And I’ll let you use my phone.”

She stood straight up, a diabolical gleam in her eye. “Maybe I can be nice.” She took the phone, tapping away as she went out into the hallway.

“Did you just bribe your little sister to get me alone?”

He put his arms around my waist, tugging me close. “I might have.”

I giggled as he pressed a kiss against my forehead.

“What’s all this? My poor innocent eyes!” Rafe’s twin brother, Dante, entered the room, hand in hand with Lemon. We pulled apart as the two brothers greeted each other. Lemon hugged me. “I’m so glad you were able to make it.”

“And it only cost Rafe seventeen thousand dollars.”

“You’ll have to tell me that story later,” Lemon said with a conspiratorial grin. “Kat would have come by, but as you can imagine she’s really busy.”

I totally got it. Given the horde downstairs, I didn’t know how they were planning on pulling this all off.

“You know, you’re ruining all of Mother’s plans. She had a line of women she planned on introducing you to, since you’re now her only son who’s not engaged.” Dante jumped and landed on the bed. This family really did just make themselves at home wherever they were.

“You can’t be serious,” Lemon retorted. “She has to know how Rafe feels ...” Her words died as she looked between us. I hadn’t had a real conversation with her since she came to visit me. She didn’t know how things had changed, and she was being careful.

Dante got a wounded expression and put a hand over his heart. “I try not to be serious, but sometimes it just slips out!” Lemon laughed.

I couldn’t believe that I had ever thought Dante and Rafe were the same person. They were nearly polar opposites. Where Dante was all kinetic energy bundled up with constant flirting, Rafe was a mountain in a storm—sheltering, unmoving, reliable.

And they had chosen women who balanced them out. Lemon made Dante more responsible and serious, and he reminded her to slow down and enjoy life. Which was the opposite of Rafe and me. I helped him to be happy, and he made me feel safe and loved.

There was a knock at my door. A short, formal-looking man stood there, and he bowed slightly to me. “Signorina Genesis, I am Giacomo. I understand that you might need a dress for this evening and tomorrow’s festivities?”

That had to be Rafe’s doing. He knew I didn’t own anything fancy enough to attend a royal wedding.

“Whatever you need, ask Giacomo. He’s like a fairy godfather,” Lemon told me.

“Let’s go,” Dante said, as he stood up and grabbed Lemon’s hand. “I think there are some things I still want to show you in the castle.”

She grinned. “I know exactly the kind of thing you want to show me.”

“You wound me again with your insinuations!” he said. “You’re lucky I love you so much.”

He kissed her gently. It was an odd experience to see someone with Rafe’s face kissing someone else.

They told us they’d see us at the rehearsal dinner that evening. After they left, Rafe said, “I’m going to go see my parents while Giacomo helps you sort everything out.” He kissed my hand and said goodbye.

I felt a little uneasy at being left alone, but I remembered that Lemon had told me I was in good hands.

“Why don’t you show me what you brought with you, and then we’ll go downstairs and select whatever you’re lacking?” Giacomo pulled out a tablet, ready to go through my stuff. I was sure this very stylish man would find my clothes lacked a lot.

“What do you mean?” I asked. Did the palace have a store inside of it?

“There are several different Monterran designers who have come to the palace, and they have brought evening gowns, shoes, and accessories, in case a guest’s luggage was lost or someone had an accident with their dress. Or”—he leaned in as if sharing a great secret—“if they want to borrow something to upgrade their jewelry.”

---