Read Online Her Royal Masquerade (Her Royal Romance) by Natasha Moore - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Natasha Moore
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glance.
Chapter Five
Lies. Lies. Lies.
Were there no honest people left in the world? Could no one speak the truth to him? While he was growing up, people Vittorio had thought were his friends had often lied to get what they wanted from him. He’d learned recently that his royal advisors had been less than forthcoming with the state of the country. Even his father was guilty of lies of omission. And now this woman…
Back home in Mezzano, Vittorio stood on the balcony off his bedchamber and stared out into the darkness, seeing nothing but bright blue eyes and a deceptive smile. The connection he’d felt the night of the ball with the woman he thought was Princess Birgitte was something he should have known was too good to be true. She’d been playing a game, while he thought he’d found the perfect woman to rule at his side.
He knew he’d been foolish for thinking he could find anything close to a love match. To have been tempted by this woman, even for a moment, was a weakness he couldn’t afford. He was going to be king. The inevitability had lurked in the back of his mind always, of course. But the certainty of it now hovered over him like the dark storm clouds in the Stagatland skies.
Now, when he should be focusing on the upcoming meeting with his military advisors, all he could think of was Mia and how she’d lied to him. And how she’d touched him. Made him smile. Promised him things she couldn’t deliver. Could never deliver.
At least not in the long term.
But she owed him something for the lies she’d told. For pretending to be the person he wanted her to be. For the unspoken promise of the perfect future she’d dangled in front of him only to snatch it away.
Vittorio spun around, his gaze falling on the bed. It was freshly made, but he saw it as it had been last weekend, the covers thrown back, the sheets rumpled, a long, lean woman stretched along the mattress, flashing that temptress smile. Her hair had been spread out around her like platinum silk. He rubbed his thumb and finger together, remembering the softness of the strands as they had slipped through his fingers.
The memory of her taste lingered on his tongue, leaving him hungry for more of her sweetness. He craved her like a powerful drug. She’d invaded his body, gotten under his skin, into his bloodstream until he couldn’t think of anything else. He wanted her more than nearly anything else. She still tempted him from so far away.
He reached into the drawer of the nightstand and drew out the pair of long white gloves he’d tucked into his jacket pocket that night after he’d stripped them from her arms. Her scent clung to the soft fabric and he didn’t have to lift them to his face to catch it now.
This woman had robbed him of the happy future he thought he would have. He deserved some compensation for the lies she told. She had to pay for her deception.
Vittorio crumpled up the gloves and tossed them back in the drawer. He strode through his suite and flung open the door. He shouted down the hall. “Rico!”
Two days after she saw Vittorio in front of her grandfather’s bakery, Mia was grateful for misbehaving students. As she and Annika broke up the fight over in the corner of the classroom, Mia barely had time to think about how angry the prince had been. Or how good he’d looked. Or how much she missed him.
Eric, of course, had been the instigator, but all the children had cabin fever. Even their trek to the bakery earlier in the week hadn’t given them enough of a chance to burn off all that excess energy adults wished they possessed.
“At least there’s no blood this time,” Annika said as she ducked tiny flying fists and hauled Lars off of Eric. The rest of the children, who’d gathered around the fighting boys, groaned with disappointment when their entertainment was interrupted.
How could they have gotten into that much trouble in the few minutes she and Annika had been looking
Chapter Five
Lies. Lies. Lies.
Were there no honest people left in the world? Could no one speak the truth to him? While he was growing up, people Vittorio had thought were his friends had often lied to get what they wanted from him. He’d learned recently that his royal advisors had been less than forthcoming with the state of the country. Even his father was guilty of lies of omission. And now this woman…
Back home in Mezzano, Vittorio stood on the balcony off his bedchamber and stared out into the darkness, seeing nothing but bright blue eyes and a deceptive smile. The connection he’d felt the night of the ball with the woman he thought was Princess Birgitte was something he should have known was too good to be true. She’d been playing a game, while he thought he’d found the perfect woman to rule at his side.
He knew he’d been foolish for thinking he could find anything close to a love match. To have been tempted by this woman, even for a moment, was a weakness he couldn’t afford. He was going to be king. The inevitability had lurked in the back of his mind always, of course. But the certainty of it now hovered over him like the dark storm clouds in the Stagatland skies.
Now, when he should be focusing on the upcoming meeting with his military advisors, all he could think of was Mia and how she’d lied to him. And how she’d touched him. Made him smile. Promised him things she couldn’t deliver. Could never deliver.
At least not in the long term.
But she owed him something for the lies she’d told. For pretending to be the person he wanted her to be. For the unspoken promise of the perfect future she’d dangled in front of him only to snatch it away.
Vittorio spun around, his gaze falling on the bed. It was freshly made, but he saw it as it had been last weekend, the covers thrown back, the sheets rumpled, a long, lean woman stretched along the mattress, flashing that temptress smile. Her hair had been spread out around her like platinum silk. He rubbed his thumb and finger together, remembering the softness of the strands as they had slipped through his fingers.
The memory of her taste lingered on his tongue, leaving him hungry for more of her sweetness. He craved her like a powerful drug. She’d invaded his body, gotten under his skin, into his bloodstream until he couldn’t think of anything else. He wanted her more than nearly anything else. She still tempted him from so far away.
He reached into the drawer of the nightstand and drew out the pair of long white gloves he’d tucked into his jacket pocket that night after he’d stripped them from her arms. Her scent clung to the soft fabric and he didn’t have to lift them to his face to catch it now.
This woman had robbed him of the happy future he thought he would have. He deserved some compensation for the lies she told. She had to pay for her deception.
Vittorio crumpled up the gloves and tossed them back in the drawer. He strode through his suite and flung open the door. He shouted down the hall. “Rico!”
Two days after she saw Vittorio in front of her grandfather’s bakery, Mia was grateful for misbehaving students. As she and Annika broke up the fight over in the corner of the classroom, Mia barely had time to think about how angry the prince had been. Or how good he’d looked. Or how much she missed him.
Eric, of course, had been the instigator, but all the children had cabin fever. Even their trek to the bakery earlier in the week hadn’t given them enough of a chance to burn off all that excess energy adults wished they possessed.
“At least there’s no blood this time,” Annika said as she ducked tiny flying fists and hauled Lars off of Eric. The rest of the children, who’d gathered around the fighting boys, groaned with disappointment when their entertainment was interrupted.
How could they have gotten into that much trouble in the few minutes she and Annika had been looking
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