Destined for Two (24 page)

* * * * *

Rhia took the seat across from Liza at the small table overlooking the railing. Below them, the sun lit up the solarium and the smell of the fragrant flowers floated up to fill the balcony with their scents. They mixed with the smell of burning wood from the fireplace. Rhia loved this room and decided she would probably spend lots of time here in the coming years.

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The fire felt good. The weather had turned a little chilly and the fire helped to knock some of the chill out of the room, filling it with light and warmth. Adjusting her skirt, she studied Liza.

“Keenas told me that if they hadn’t found me, you were to marry the twins.” Liza’s eyes widened slightly and her cheeks flushed. “I’m sorry, that came out rather blunt,” Rhia added, then grinned.

Liza grinned as well, and then shrugged. “Yes. If they agreed to it.”

“I’m sure they would have in order to keep the peace,” Morganic replied as he handed Rhia a cup full of tea.

She wasn’t much of a tea person and set the cup on the table in front of her. “I’ll just let it cool first. Thank you, Morganic.”

Morganic frowned, but nodded, then took the seat, his gaze shifting periodically to the tea.

“I understand you were my father’s cousin,” Rhia began, unsure what to talk with him about.

“Yes, but I would like to hear about your life, Rhianna.” He lifted his cup, taking a sip, and glanced again at hers. She frowned slightly, then glanced at the cup as well. Something told her not to touch the cup.

“There’s not much to tell. My nanny died when I was four. She was killed.” She stared pointedly at Morganic and he met her stare with an innocent one. But Rhia didn’t believe that innocence. Not at all. “After that, I was loaded onto an orphan freighter bound for Rhinari, but we crashed. That’s where I met Devlin and he took me in, claiming to be my older brother to save me from slave traders on Veenori. I owe him a lot.”

“But how did a twelve-year-old boy manage to take care of a little sister?”

“Father,” Liza cautioned, and he shot her a scowl before quickly masking his expression.

“I’m just curious, Liza. No harm in that.”

Liza nodded, sending Rhia an apologetic stare. Rhia smiled slightly and answered Morganic. “We managed, Morganic. That’s all that mattered.”

“Of course it is, Rhianna.”

Condescending…that’s what Rhia would call Morganic. She hated condescending men.

Without thinking, Rhia leaned forward to pick up the teacup and bring it to her lips. She inhaled the scent of tea leaves and mint, studying the reddish color to the liquid. She preferred Earth coffee or Tilarian korniga, not tea, but she refused to be rude and tilted the cup to take a sip.

“Put that down!”

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Rhia jumped, spilling tea on her dress. She grimaced at the stain, and then looked up to glare at who she thought had been Keenas because of the gruffness of the command. She was surprised to see Jorel stomping toward her, his hand reaching out to take the cup.

“Did you drink any of this?” he demanded, staring at the now half-empty cup.

She shook her head no, then turned to glare at Morganic as he stood and shouted,

“What the hell are you doing?”

Keenas and Devlin burst into the room and before anyone could guess his intention, Keenas strolled over and hit Morganic in the face with his fist. Rhia gasped. “Keenas!” Liza stood as well, quickly moving to stand next to Rhia, away from her father and Keenas.

“You damn son of a bitch!” Keenas shouted. “Did you think we wouldn’t find out?”

“Find out what?” Rhia snapped. “Keenas, what the hell is going on?”

“He was behind the death of your parents, Rhianna,” Jorel replied. “Theirs, as well as many others.”

“What?” She gaped, and stared in shock at Morganic, a member of her own family.

“Why?” she demanded, but Morganic ignored her, instead keeping his gaze on a furious Keenas. Devlin came to stand next to her, his hand holding her elbow to keep her close to him.

“Get up,” Keenas snarled. “You’re under arrest, Morganic. For treason and murder.” Morganic’s gaze flicked around the room in desperation. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Do you really think I’d kill my own cousin? Jerick,” he said as Jerick entered the room. Morganic’s hand wiped at the blood that dripped from his nose. “Tell them they’re wrong.”

Rhia turned to stare in surprise at Jerick. She knew him. He was a friend of Devlin’s from years ago. What was he doing here? Jerick didn’t say anything. He just walked forward, then put his arm around Liza’s waist, holding her close to him. Liza kept her gaze down, her face flushed and embarrassed.

“Liza!” Morganic snapped, and she shook her head before finally raising her gaze to meet his in disgust.

“I’m not coming to your defense. I know what you did and what you wanted to do. I’ll not help you. Did you really think I’d marry them? I would have killed myself first.” She glanced in apology toward Jorel. “No offense, Jorel.” Jorel’s lips twitched. “None taken, Liza.”

“You stupid bitch,” Morganic snarled, and Keenas kicked him in the side. Rhia could have sworn she heard bone break as his boot landed against his ribs and grimaced at the morbid sound, although she was sure it was her imagination.

“Get up, you fool,” Keenas growled.

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Four men entered as well, weapons drawn. Keenas turned. “Take him to prison. Jorel, test the cup; see if it contains corillium. If it does, Morganic, you’re a dead man.”

“Corillium?” Rhia murmured. She dropped weakly back into the chair. When she realized how close she’d come to drinking that tea, she felt ill. “Oh, my God. He was trying to kill me?”

Jorel moved behind her and placed a kiss on the top of her head, his hands gently massaging her shoulders. “We got to you in time, little one. Don’t think about it.” But she couldn’t stop thinking about it. She watched in stunned silence as they carried an angry, yelling Morganic from the room.

* * * * *

“I want to talk to him,” Rhia demanded as she stood before Keenas’s desk. Jorel and Devlin were also in the room, standing off to the side, but she doubted she’d get any help from them.

“No,” Keenas said with a firm shake of his head.

“Why?” she demanded, hands on hips.

Keenas looked up at her, his gaze full of worry. “Rhianna, we just proved he tried to kill you. There was corillium in your tea. Do you know what that stuff does to you?”

“I know what it is, Keenas. I also know he’s my cousin and I want some answers.” Keenas nodded. “And we’ll get you your answers.” She shook her head stubbornly, her anger rising. “I want to hear them myself. I want him to look me in the eye and tell me why he killed my parents. Why he tried to kill me.”

“Rhianna.” Keenas sighed and ran a hand through his hair in agitation. “I don’t want you anywhere near him.”

“He’s in a cell, isn’t he? Are you that insecure about your own security?” Jorel snickered and Keenas turned to glare at him. “She has a point, Keenas,” Jorel said with a slight shrug. “He is in a cell and we would be with her. What would it hurt?” Keenas sighed and turned his stare to Devlin. “What do you think?” Rhia raised an eyebrow in surprise. Keenas asking Devlin for his opinion? Things had certainly changed in the few hours they’d been home.

Devlin raised his hand in surrender. “I see nothing wrong with it, either. Rhia is stronger than you think, Keenas.”

Keenas nodded. “I’m coming to realize that.”

“Do the two of you not realize I’m still standing here?” she asked in aggravation.

The corner of Keenas’s lips lifted slightly, softening the lines around his eyes. He stood and walked around the desk, raising his hands to rub at her arms. The up and down motion

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of his palms sent a tingle down her spine. “Sorry,” he said with a cheeky grin. Leaning closer, he spoke softly. “I don’t like thinking about how close we came to losing you.”

“He can’t hurt me now,” she whispered back and brushed across his lips with her thumb.

Keenas nodded, and softly kissed her forehead. “All right. But your brother, Jorel, and I will be with you.”

“Agreed,” she relented.

* * * * *

Rhia stood outside Morganic’s cell. A wall of unbreakable glass separated her from her cousin. The cell contained a cot and privy. No privacy, no personal objects, not even a blanket covered the cot. Her emotions were a jumble. She wanted to hate him, but she also wanted to know what had brought him to this. He sat in the corner, dejected, small. He didn’t appear half as scary as he did earlier -- a smaller version of the man he once was.

“Morganic,” she said and he raised his gaze to meet hers through the glass of his cell.

“So the princess lowers herself to visit the prisoner. No real princess would have done this.”

She stepped closer to the glass. Keenas gripped her elbow, trying to hold her back. She looked at him over her shoulder and he loosened his grip, allowing her to slip free and step closer to the cell.

“Why, Morganic?”

Morganic snorted, but otherwise remained quiet.

“You owe me that!” she snapped.

“I owe you nothing. It should have been me on that throne, not your father. My father was the oldest male child, but he gave up his place on the throne to marry a commoner. Your grandfather was next in line and had to take his place. It should have been me to inherit. Not your father! It should have been my daughter to marry the twins, not you. So you see, I owe you nothing.”

Rhia stood speechless. “You blamed me for your father’s decision?”

“I didn’t blame you. I chose to right a wrong,” he sneered, then hit the glass with his fist. “Get out of my sight.”

Rhia stepped away, her heart racing. All this death for revenge. A resistance formed all because a man felt he’d been wronged. My God, he was insane. Jorel put his hand on her shoulder, and she felt a sense of relief at his support and presence.

“Come on, little one. You don’t need to hear any more of this.” 166

Rhia nodded, and quickly left the room, her stomach in knots. Was Morganic an example of all her family? Did they all feel she didn’t deserve to be here? That she didn’t deserve the title of princess?

* * * * *

Standing just inside Liza’s room at the Argonian castle, Rhia watched Liza arrange clothes. She hadn’t noticed Rhia yet. Liza moved with more confidence, as though a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Liza turned from packing a suitcase and jumped when she saw Rhia standing in the doorway. “Rhia,” she gasped, her hand flying to her chest.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“It’s okay,” Liza said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Devlin told me that you and Jerick are headed to Earth.” Liza nodded. “Yes. Jerick thought it would be best if we started over somewhere new.

Where people didn’t know us.”

“That’s probably a good idea.”

“I wanted to see you before I left. I want to apologize for my father. I’m so sorry that…” Liza paused, glancing toward the floor. “That he tried to kill you. I prayed he wouldn’t go that far.”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” Rhia said as she sat on the edge of the bed also.

“Your father…he…”

“He was nuts?” Liza offered, her lips twitching slightly.

“Maybe just a little,” Rhia replied, and they both grinned. “I hate see you go. I have so few family members left. It would have been nice to get to know you.”

“We still can,” Liza offered. “Sub-space communicators are great for that sort of thing.” Rhia giggled. “That they are. Let’s make a deal to keep in touch.” Liza smiled and her eyes lit up like sparkling diamonds. Rhia had the distinct impression that Liza wasn’t quite as timid as her husbands initially thought her to be.

“I would like that,” Liza said.

Leaning closer, Rhia engulfed Liza in a friendly embrace. Liza returned her hug and sniffed back tears. Rhia felt a little like crying herself. So much had happened over the last few days. She’d found out she was a princess and married to two men, found a cousin and hopefully made a new friend.

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Rhia stood back anxiously waiting for her adopted family to step from the transport.

Stefan and his wife, Krista, Sidious and his wife, Mikayla, Taron and his wife, Alyssa, as well as Damon and Kaylar. Rhia squealed, running to enfold Alyssa into her arms. Alyssa laughed and hugged her back.

“I can’t believe you’re getting married,” Alyssa said.

“Me either,” Rhia said with a giggle, then turned to hug each of the other women.

The men placed quick kisses on her cheek, and then headed to greet Keenas and Jorel and, of course, rib Devlin as always. It felt so good to have them here, she had to fight back tears of happiness.

The resistance quieted with the execution of Morganic for treason and attempted murder. Keenas had expressed hope that now that their benefactor was gone, the resistance would fall. The majority of the people on both worlds wanted peace. They had even taken her to visit Phelisine. She’d been so young when her parents were killed, she had no memory of that world. Only because it had been her parents’ home did she even feel a connection to it.

The beauty of the planet was breathtaking, so different from the mountainous terrain of Argonia, but she considered Argonia more her home. Argonia was where she belonged.

With a smile, she walked arm in arm with Alyssa as they all headed to the solarium for a visit.

Snacks and drinks had been set up on the center table. The morning sun shone through the roof, making it bright and warm, and flowers filled the room with their fragrance. She glanced around the table and smiled in happy pride at her family. They might not be blood related, but they were family nonetheless. They loved each other, fought with each other, but above all else, they were there for each other. And that’s what made family.

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“Is everything all in place, Rhia?” Kaylar asked. “Do you need any help with anything?”

“No. I think it’s all finished. Keenas even pitched in.”

“She suckered you into it, huh?” Stefan teased.

Keenas shrugged, his lips lifting into a perfectly adorable roguish grin. “I was compensated.”

“Oh, God, don’t go there,” Devlin groaned, making everyone laugh.

“I wouldn’t tease too much, Stefan,” Krista drawled. “I think you did a little more than help out when it came to our wedding.”

“Shhh,” Stefan said, clasping his hand over his wife’s mouth. Her eyes crinkled in laughter. “You promised you wouldn’t say anything about that, minx.”

“What’s the matter, Stefan?” Sidious drawled from the other end of the table. He was the spitting image of his father with long platinum blond hair and gray eyes the color of ash.

He carried the age of forty very well. “Afraid that picking out flowers will make you less of a man?”

“Kiss my ass, brother,” Stefan growled playfully.

“No thanks. Not my type,” Sidious responded, then grinned behind his cup.

“The two of you are impossible,” Mikayla said with a giggle.

“I think they’re just like us,” Jorel said, grinning at Keenas.

“God help you, Rhia,” Kaylar sighed, making everyone laugh.

“If nothing else, they’re entertaining,” Rhia said with a grin.

“You’ll never be bored,” Keenas murmured in her ear, then kissed her cheek.

She would definitely agree with that. She smiled up at him and he squeezed her knee under the table.

“Sidious, your house is incredible,” Jorel said.

“Thank you, but Mikayla deserves most of the credit. I just handled the security portion.”

“Rhia wants to build a house there as well. When we’re ready, we’d like to have you consult on our security. It would be nice to have somewhere to go that we don’t have to take a full staff of guards,” Keenas said.

Sidious nodded. “Whenever you’re ready.”

“Are you serious?” Mikayla asked. “You’re really going to build there?” Rhia smiled and nodded in excitement.

Mikayla clapped and jumped in her seat. “It will be so great to have you that close by.”

“I don’t know how often we’ll get there, but Keenas has promised it will be as often as possible.” She lowered her voice to whisper conspiratorially across the table. “I think they fell in love with the place.”

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Jorel crinkled his nose. “We really didn’t, we just liked seeing her smile too much to say no.”

“You’re so full of it,” Rhia accused.

Damon chuckled. “Might as well accept it, gentlemen. Women will call you out every time.” He rubbed at his chin and winked. “I should know.” Kaylar rolled her eyes and slapped at his arm, still as hard and thick as Sidious’s. Both men were mountains. Mikayla was gorgeous and feisty, her personality a perfect match for her dominating husband. Alyssa was like Mikayla, sassy, opinionated, and quick-tempered.

Krista was the opposite, soft-spoken and sweet, but Rhia had heard she could give Stefan a run for his money that would make Mikayla proud. She was also the only blonde, other than Kaylar, who was actually now more gray than blonde.

Her gaze moved to Devlin, who frowned into his drink. “Devlin?” she asked, kicking him under the table.

He glanced up at her with raised eyebrows. “What? Did I miss something?” All the men snickered. “You mean besides the entire conversation?” Sidious teased.

“I’m sorry,” Devlin said with a sideways grin. “My mind was somewhere else.”

“It must be on that brunette I sent him yesterday,” Keenas replied.

Rhia’s mouth dropped open. “You sent him a woman? A brunette?”

“Uh-oh,” Sidious clucked. “You screwed up, man.”

“Screwed up?” Keenas asked, a frown crinkling his brow.

“Devlin prefers blondes,” Rhia, Taron, and Stefan replied in unison.

Jorel laughed and so did Devlin, his head shaking in amusement. “It wasn’t the woman I was thinking about and don’t listen to them, Keenas. I may prefer blondes, but she was, ah…” He glanced toward Rhia. “She was fine,” Devlin finished.

She narrowed her gaze at Devlin. There was something he was keeping from her, she’d bet her life on it, and sooner or later she’d find out what it was.

“Still having headaches, Dev?” Taron asked.

“Headaches?” Rhia asked.

“Yes,” Devlin said as he sent Taron a pointed look that clearly said “shut the hell up,” then he turned back to her. “I’ve had one since I arrived. I’ve finally come to the conclusion it’s all the plants around here. I’m used to a desert, not a rain forest.”

“It hasn’t affected me,” she said.

“Then you’re lucky.”

Rhia opened her mouth to say something more, but Devlin stopped her by leaning across the table and speaking. “Honestly. I was just thinking about how much I’m going to miss that mouth of yours at the bar.”

“Will you really miss me?” she asked, fighting a grin.

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“No. I lied,” he teased and she again kicked him under the table. Devlin grunted, making everyone around the table chuckle in amusement. “Damn imp,” he growled playfully. “At least with you gone, I’ll suffer less bruising.” She pointed a finger at his nose. “Keep it up and you’ll get more than a bruise.”

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned about my wife is that she has one hell of a right,” Keenas said, rubbing at his jaw.

“I didn’t hit you that hard.” She frowned at his raised eyebrow. “Did I?” Keenas nodded. “Yeah, sweet. You did.”

“You broke two of my ribs,” Jorel said, and Mikayla choked on her drink.

“You did what?” She gaped.

Sidious sat beside Mikayla, his shoulders shaking in silent laughter. “Damn, we should have come back from vacation sooner. She’s turning out more and more like you every day,” Sidious said, smiling at his wife.

“I never broke your ribs,” Mikayla replied.

“No, you just drove me insane,” Sidious murmured with a grin. “Throwing glasses at my head, threatening to bite my tongue off, kicking me.”

“Well, I thought you were my enemy. What was I supposed to do? Lie on the bed and say ‘come take me’?”

“Yes,” Sidious drawled, wagging his eyebrows and Mikayla laughed.

Jorel chuckled as well. “This is a story we should hear more of, I think.”

“I’ll tell you all about it later,” Rhia said with a grin.

Jorel returned her smile and slid his hand up her thigh beneath the table. Her flesh warmed as she moved her gaze around the table at her laughing family. She’d held onto the hope all her life that she’d find husbands like these. The Marcone men were attentive, affectionate, protective, and loyal; they were everything a woman could want. She also knew her brother would be the same type of husband, if he could ever love again.

When her eyes landed on Keenas, her heart filled with love. Turning, she gazed at Jorel and felt the same love filling her chest. These were her dream men. The men she would spend the rest of her life with. She couldn’t be happier.

Trista lives in the land of dreams, where alpha men are tender and heroines are strong and sassy. When not there, she visits the mountains of Tennessee. Not a bad place to spend a little spare time when she needs a break from all those voices in her head. Unfortunately they never fail to find her.