Behind Palace Doors(16)

Stefan nodded. "Has something changed, Hector? I know Victoria and I  are scheduled for the homeless shelter and a library appearance to help  with funding."

"Yes, sir, but Her Highness's alma mater called and wanted to know if  you both could put in an appearance. They were hoping to have a special  dinner to honor the two of you. It won't be for a couple of weeks if you  agree, because we'd need time to set up security."

Stefan sighed. "Let me ask her, but I don't think it will be a  problem," he told Hector. "I can let you know by this evening. I don't  want to disrupt her while she's at work."

Hector bowed. "Of course, sir. I will check for a spot on the schedule that will accommodate both of you should she agree."

When Hector quieted but remained standing and staring, Stefan smiled. "Is there something else?"

Hector's lips barely lifted into a grin, but he merely nodded. "You  know I don't like to put my nose into anyone's business, but-"

Stefan chuckled. "It's your job to do so, yet you apologize for it  every time you interfere. There's always a valid reason, so let's hear  what it is."

Stefan gestured to the wraparound sofa and took a seat. "Something is  on your mind because you've waited until Victoria left to come to me."

The elderly man sat, not fully relaxing because he remained on the edge  of the cushions. "With Victoria gone, perhaps this would be a perfect  time to call one of her brothers."

Stefan shrugged. "I will. But, I'd like to see them in person. They  don't normally do documentaries, so I need to present all the facts  before they can make a decision."

"Have you told Victoria about your idea yet?" Hector asked.

Shaking his head, Stefan replied, "No. She's so busy with work, and this really doesn't involve her."

Hector came to his feet. "Everything in your life now involves her. I  wouldn't keep this to yourself too much longer, Your Majesty."

As was custom, Hector bowed before leaving the room.

His loyal assistant was under the illusion the marriage with Victoria  was genuine, so of course he thought this idea involved her. Stefan  would tell Victoria if her brothers agreed to the film. But right now  she was busy and she'd already done so much by taking on this marriage  and title. He wasn't going to pile more on her plate. He had to speak to  Bronson and Anthony first, and he didn't want Victoria to feel as if  she were obligated to help or caught in the middle.

Would they even go for something like this? Stefan didn't know Anthony  very well, but he knew Bronson well enough to ask if he would entertain  the idea.

A documentary with the Dane and Price names behind it would no doubt  kill any suspicion that the film wasn't thoroughly researched and  executed. That reputation of the filmmakers would certainly carry a lot  of clout in clearing up the speculation of his father's involvement in  his mother's untimely death.

Just because his father had admitted an extramarital affair, that  didn't mean he'd planned an accident to remove his own wife from the  picture so he could be with his mistress. Nor did it mean his mother had  taken her own life. The curvy roads were slick, the brakes needed  changing-a fact that had come out later from the police report-and his  mother had insisted on not using a driver that day. The series of events  led up to a tragedy, but Stefan refused to blame his father.

Oh, he'd blamed him at the time. Yelled and cursed at him for not  loving his mother enough and for going around having an affair, but once  Stefan saw the grief, the anguish that his father had gone through,  even up to his own death, Stefan realized that his father was only  human. His father may have strayed from the marriage once, but the man  had been completely in love with his wife.

Stefan came to his feet again and moved to the floor-to-ceiling window,  where he admired a view of the city in the distance. Somewhere in the  crazy overpopulated town was his wife, his best friend. He wanted her  opinion, but she had so much on her plate already and he hated to bother  her with his own issues. Wasn't she already going above and beyond by  helping him secure the crown and keep his country independent? He didn't  want to make her feel like she needed to step in and persuade her  brothers to agree to the film. Besides, as of this point, taking the  blemish off his father's reputation didn't concern her.                       
       
           



       

Right now he wanted her to concentrate on her designs, on letting her  creativity flow and her natural spirit shine through. She'd already done  enough for him, and he wasn't going to ask for another favor for a  really long time...unless he asked her to don a certain type of  lingerie, and that didn't count as a favor when the enjoyment was  mutual.

Raking a hand through his hair, Stefan recalled that Victoria's mother  was planning a dinner party tomorrow. If the right time presented  itself, he'd approach Bronson, but this wasn't something he'd announce  at the table. He really did want to keep this quiet until he knew for  sure this was a project Bronson and Anthony were willing to take on.

As the next king of Galini Isle, Stefan felt it was not only his duty  as the son of a man wrongfully accused, but he also knew telling the  truth was the right thing to do to keep his family's name and honor one  of integrity.

And he hoped like hell that intruder on his property had taken the  threat seriously, otherwise he'd have a whole new mess on his hands. He  already had enough to deal with without worrying if his country was  secure. So far this marriage was getting him closer and closer to his  title. He couldn't lose it now.

As he glanced around the spacious, brightly decorated living room, he  couldn't help but wonder what would happen at the end of the six-month  period. Would Victoria stay with him? He had to admit, being married to  his best friend was much better than he ever would've dreamed. And once  they put in a few royal appearances now that their honeymoon phase was  over and they were in L.A., Tori would get an even better sampling of  what being royalty truly meant. Perhaps she wouldn't like all the hype  and responsibilities.

He moved to a built-in bookcase and gazed over the snapshots of  Victoria with her family and friends through the years. There were even a  couple shots of the two of them together. In one they were laughing,  Victoria's hand on his chest. The captured scene ran through his mind  and he recalled that day so vividly. He'd come to visit her-it was  actually one of the times he'd been about to tell her he wanted to  explore a physical relationship. They'd been at a restaurant opening for  a mega-movie star who had started a chain, and the media was swarming,  waiting to get pictures of all the rich and famous.

He'd pulled her aside and asked her if they could skip the event. When  she'd told him it was rude, he told her he'd rather be having a root  canal without painkiller and she'd started laughing. Someone in the  press had snapped the picture, and it had ended up in several media  outlets with speculation that the two of them were more than friends.

But now fate had handed him this opportunity, and he didn't intend to  screw it up. While he may not have married Victoria for love, he did  respect her, and she was a perfect match for him. After all, she'd grown  up in the spotlight as well, and they knew going in that their privacy  was limited.

Besides, Victoria had her own life goals and issues to keep her  occupied. Which was why he'd keep this documentary idea to himself until  he found out if anything more would come of it.

He hoped the opportunity would arise tomorrow night to discuss  possibilities with Bronson so he could finally bury his parents in his  heart with the respect they both deserved.

* * *

Frustrated didn't even come close to describing the emotions swirling inside her.

Victoria let herself into her Hollywood Hills home and smiled at  Stefan's permanent bodyguard/assistant positioned by the door. That  would take some getting used to, but she was technically on her way to  being a queen, so just one more thing she'd have to deal  with...eventually. Right now she'd put it on the back burner because she  didn't have the time or the energy to even think about her royal crown  or any of the duties expected of her.

Her wedding gown designs were improving but still not to the point  where she was ready to start whipping out her needle and thread.

Her team had bounced around ideas all day, and by the time four o'clock  rolled around, Victoria was ready to strangle herself with a bolt of  satin.

She bypassed the living area and headed straight up the wide, curved  marble staircase that led to the second-story bedrooms. She assumed  Stefan was around somewhere because his guard was at his post.

When she went into her walk-in closet, she slid off her Ferragamo pumps  and sank her toes into the plush carpet. After unzipping her sheath  dress, she folded it onto the shelf, where she had a pile that needed to  go to the cleaners. Obviously something she'd forgotten to have done  before her whirlwind proposal, marriage and step up the royal ladder.