“How do I know for sure? How do I get proof?”

“Hell if I know. Look, you want to believe him because he’s Danny’s father and for a couple of other reasons I don’t have to hear about. But proof, Mia? How do we prove anything in a relationship? It takes time. Is he going to be there when things get hard? Is he willing to make sacrifices? Are you equals?”

“I can’t answer the first,” she admitted. “The answer to the second two are probably no. How does a prince make sacrifices? Sleep on two-hundred-thread-count sheets instead of five? As for us being equals, in some ways we’re not. He’s royal. I’m the girl he knocked up. He certainly wasn’t willing to come after me until he found out about his son. Apparently I’m not princess material.”

Joe stared at her. “Do you want to be?”

“What? No. Of course not. Nothing about that life appeals to me.”

“But you’re pissed he didn’t come claim you.”

“Only in the sense that we’d had a relationship and he ended it by pretending to be dead.”

“You have to give him points for creativity.”

She punched him in the arm, then wished she hadn’t when his muscles hurt her fist.

“I can almost understand that,” she said as she rubbed her knuckles. “I mean, I was some American spy and he’s got to marry Euro-trash, as Kelly would say. But there’s a level of tackiness I just can’t support. Plus there’s the whole pretending to be in love with me so I’d marry him and he could take Danny. That’s annoying.”

When she thought of all the things he’d told her, she got mad all over again.

“Do you know he actually implied that I’m the reason he didn’t get engaged to any of the appropriate women his father brought around. That he didn’t realize it at the time but as soon as he and I were back together, he understood what had been going on.”

“You think he’s lying.”

“As much as I think the sun is going to come up tomorrow.”

Joe shifted. “The guy’s not married.”

“What? You’re taking his side?”

“No way. I’m just pointing out that for whatever reason, the guy’s not married. He’s what, thirty?”

“Thirty-two,” she said, fighting the urge to hit him again. Only, seriously, who would get hurt in that encounter?

“He didn’t know about Danny, so he had to be under some serious pressure to produce an heir. Why isn’t he married?”

“I’m sure there are a thousand reasons.”

“Such as?”

“He’s not willing to give up the babe banquet. Once he gets married, he’ll be in a permanent relationship. Rafael doesn’t like to cheat. I know it sounds strange, but it’s true.”

“He told you and you believed him?” Joe asked.

She rolled her eyes. “Yes, and yes. But I have confirmation from other sources. The woman he’d been with before me, plus when I Googled him, all the write-ups indicated he was pretty faithful to his girlfriends. Cheating was never listed as a reason for a breakup. I’m sure part of the reason he’s resisted marriage is that the thought of having sex with the same person for the rest of his life is horrifying.”

“Not so much as you might think,” Joe told her with a grin. “Some of us like it.”

She knew that her good-looking ex-Navy SEAL brother had never lacked for female companionship. Still…“I’m not sure your babe world compares with a royal one.”

“You’re saying he didn’t come after you because he wasn’t willing to give up the possibilities.”

“Maybe,” she said cautiously.

“So it wasn’t personal. He could have been madly in love with you.”

“Or not.”

“Did you ask?”

She glared at him. “Ask him if he loved me? When, exactly, was I supposed to ask that and why would I believe him now?”

“I’m not saying you should, but the answer could be interesting.”

Maybe to him, but to her, not so much. If she didn’t care about Rafael, then the question wouldn’t matter. But she did, and she didn’t want to have him flat out tell her he’d never loved her. Thinking it herself was one thing-she could always secretly hope she was wrong. But once he said the words, all her illusions would be shattered forever.

“I need therapy,” she muttered. “Long term. I might have to check myself in to a facility.”

“We’ll miss you, but I’m sure the Grands will visit regularly.”

“Your support is overwhelming.”

“I’m here to please.” He put his arm around her. “Seriously, whatever you want, I’ll do.”

“Can you turn back time?”

“Except that.”

“Then I guess I’m okay for now.”

Rafael walked into Brenna’s office without knocking. She looked up from her computer and rolled her eyes.

“You again.”

He closed the door and crossed to her desk. “How do I prove myself to her?” he asked by way of greeting.

“The her in question being Mia?” Brenna asked.

He nodded. “She won’t listen to me. She won’t believe anything I say. How do I change her mind?”

She turned away from her computer screen and faced him. “The first thing that comes to mind is maybe you leaving her and Danny alone until the kid is eighteen.”

She toyed with him, he thought impatiently. Didn’t she understand he was serious? That he needed help? “Daniel is my son. I cannot ignore him.”

“Your government will survive-”

“This isn’t about my government. I have a child I did not know about. Now that I have found him, I will not let him go.”

Brenna eyed him, then pointed at a chair. “You can sit down if you want.”

He sat and leaned toward her. “Mia and I have to come to some agreement. I have already spoken to several members of parliament and they are writing a new law that gives Mia equal rights in Daniel’s life. But that will take time. Weeks. Perhaps months. I am willing to wait-I will stay here as long as necessary-but something must change.”

“I believe that something you’re talking about is you.”

He straightened. “What do you mean?”

“Here we go,” she said wearily. “The whole ‘I’m Crown Prince Blah de blah. You are nothing but dust beneath my feet.’” She sipped her coffee. “It gets old.”

He had a feeling she was not referring to her drink.

“I am the crown prince.”

“No one is unclear on your title. So what? I’m married, but I don’t go around referring to myself as the wife of anyone. I’m my own person, separate from that. You’re still Rafael, crown prince or not.”

“I am not a separate person. My future has created the man I am today.”

“See, that’s the problem. If you had a little less prince and a little more man, you’d have a shot.”

“I do not understand.”

“Let’s say you and Mia had just met and dated and you weren’t a prince. You were just a regular guy. You broke up, she went back to America, and you didn’t see each other for five years. Then, suddenly, you discover she had a son, but she had never told you. She didn’t want to, didn’t think you’d be a good father, whatever. What if she had willfully withheld that information from you? When you found out and confronted her, she had a lot of good reasons, but nothing you really bought. Would you ever trust her again?”

He did not want to answer Brenna’s question. He didn’t want to understand the analogy. He wanted to tell her that his circumstances were different. That he hadn’t done it on purpose…only he had. He had let Mia leave Calandria thinking he was dead.

“It was easier that way,” he said quietly. “I adored her. She was lovely-bright, beautiful, fearless. But an American with no important family.”

“You’re rambling, so I won’t take issue with that last bit,” Brenna said, “but don’t push it too far.”

“There are traditions,” he continued. “Expectations.”

“Is one of them for you to wear a condom so there isn’t an unexpected pregnancy?”

“I told you. I had used…”

Protection. That was the next word. He’d always been careful. Always. Except for two times. The last two times with Mia.

She could be pregnant. Even this second, there could be another child growing inside of her.

He was torn, wanting to experience every moment he’d missed with Daniel, and uneasy at the thought of more complications in an already difficult situation.

“Earth to Rafael,” Brenna said. “Where did you go?”

“I must make her understand I am sincere,” he said quietly. “That I understand things now.”

“Do you love her?”

Love? “It is not relevant.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” she told him. “Love is the biggest relevance there is. It would help a lot, as would humility. Putting her on a stamp would work, too.”

“You’re mocking me.”

“A little. Just for sport.” She shrugged. “I like you, Rafael. I don’t want to, but I do. Still, I would never advise my sister to trust you again. How could I? You blew it so badly, I don’t know how you can recover. It would take a step of faith, and I don’t know if Mia’s that much of a believer. I’m sorry.” She frowned. “Wow-I really am sorry.”

He had been hoping for a miracle and she didn’t have one to offer. “I appreciate how honest you have been.”

“It’s my strong suit. I live to tell other people what’s wrong with them. Come anytime.”

Rafael helped Daniel from his pony.

“You are doing well,” he told the boy. “I see much improvement.”

“I want to ride more,” Daniel insisted, and stomped his foot. “Take me out more.”

“This would be the imperious child,” Mia said lightly. “He’s closely related to the overtired one. I like the funny one and the loving ones much better.”

“There’s just me,” Daniel told her. “I’m your only little boy.” He frowned. “No more little boys.”

“Wouldn’t you like a little brother or sister?” Rafael asked, keeping a close eye on Mia as he spoke, but she didn’t react.

“No! Just me.”

Daniel stalked off to sit on the bottom step by the back door. Oliver led Gaspare away.