Wedding Vows: Say I Do: Matrimony with His Majesty / Invitation to the Prince's Palace / The Prince's Outback Bride

He gripped the phone tighter. “What is it?”

“I just had a phone call from Carl. Your uncle heard the news through a palace source. He and Renate have cut short their trip. They’re on their way home.”

Alex wasn’t surprised. “If he thinks he can put me and Isabella back together again, I have news for him.”

“That’s not his agenda, Alex. It never has been,” his mother confessed.

His brows knit together. “What are you talking about?”

“When your cousin died, and you still didn’t seem eager to marry Isabella, it was Vittorio’s intention to talk you into marrying Evelyn.”

Evelyn?

Alex was dumbstruck.

“Finding out you and Isabella are not getting married is the reason he’ll be arriving before morning. Carl let me know Vittorio has been secretly calling cabinet members to form a coalition forcing you to marry Evelyn for the good of the monarchy. He expects you to send Darrell and your son packing.”

Over the years Alex had tried to control his anger against his uncle for the way he’d treated Chaz. But by trying to pull off a coup like this to get closer to the crown, he’d started a war. One Alex vowed his uncle wouldn’t win.

“He’s out of his mind. It’ll never happen.”

“I’m afraid his jealousy of your father has driven him beyond rationality.”

“Dad?” a voice called out. “We’re here!”

“Mother? I’m sorry but I have to go. Thank you for telling me this. I’ll be in touch later.” He clicked off.

“Come out on the terrace.”

In a few seconds his son ran in to thank him again. Alex leveled his gaze on Darrell.

The white sundress against her golden skin was as stunning as her hair. The last rays of sun picked out the individual strands of gold and silver. Combined with eyes of amethyst, he couldn’t look anywhere else.

“I’m going to call him Brutus.”

With that declaration Alex was forced to pay attention to his son.

“It’s the perfect Roman name.”

“This is a fantastic view of the city,” Darrell murmured. “It’s like being in the helicopter.”

“Try these.” As Alex handed her the binoculars he’d brought out, her flowery fragrance swept him away.

He noticed her hands weren’t quite steady as she lifted them to her eyes.

“How incredible. You have to see this, Phillip.” Ignoring Alex, she handed him the glasses.

“Whoa—You can see everything!”

“From the time I was old enough to wander around by myself I always loved this view. So did Chaz. He would bring over his telescope and we would spy on people. When my father caught us, we were permanently banned from this apartment.”

Phillip laughed. “I bet you got in a lot of trouble.”

Darrell didn’t want to think about what form it had taken for Chaz.