“Dexter, I love you. Nothing would make me happier than being your wife. But before we move to that step, my parents and I feel the best you know what’s going on. Someone has been sending threatening letters to my parents. We’re not sure what they want, or why they decided now was the time to do this. My coming home was more about being visible and showing a united front to our people. In addition to a public acknowledgment of my eventual ascension to the throne once my father retires from public service.”
“Who?” Dexter’s jaw ticked with anger.
She knew what he was asking, and the truth was the only option. “We don’t know. We have our royal investigators on it, but the person knows too much about the inner workings of the castle. They know too much about my life in the United States. And, the innuendo in the letters have become worse over the past few weeks.”
King Hans spoke up, his voice harsh with anger. “My advisors have told me not to engage. To let this threat pass since this is not the first time we’ve been targeted.” He shook his head, “I cannot. I will not,” he said as his large hand slammed against the table. The force was enough to make her, and her mother jumped at the sound. “I will not let them win. They will not threaten my family and get away with it. We will find who has been threatening our family, and we will make them suffer.”
Dexter looked at Raven’s father, a harsh look on his face. “No, Your Majesty, we will not.” Glancing at Raven, Dexter looked at her with a heated gaze. “Raven is my future wife, and I cannot—will not—allow anything to happen to her, or to her parents,” he said, glancing back towards the older couple. “Whoever is coming after you, they not only caused the stress to you and your Queen, they caused Raven to worry about your safety. Which then caused upheaval in our lives back in the states. I’d like to help you. I have some connections back in the United States and around the globe due to my job. If I’m going to be part of this family, I need to be included in this.”
Afraid to look away from Dexter, Raven smiled at him as he stood in front of her parents and committed himself to her and her family. She knew his word was his bond. His love for her would not allow him to do anything less. He would help them deal with whoever was coming after her parents. She’d never been happier to have him by her side.
Raven had no idea just how much she would need him.
CHAPTER 7
Raven
Everyone was silent when Dexter finished speaking. Raven’s mother stood from her chair and walked over to Dexter. She reached out her hands to him, the gesture, prompting Dexter to reach his hands out to her in return.
“I know you care for our daughter. We don’t know when this situation will end, or how long it will last. Are you ready for that, Dexter Sorensen?”
Raven watched as a smile came over Dexter’s face as he looked down at her mother. She noticed the light squeeze of his hands around the Queen’s smaller ones. “Yes, Your Majesty, I’m in this for the long haul. As soon as all the formalities are settled, your daughter will be my wife. That will make you my family as well. And I always protect my own.”
At her mother’s answering smile, Raven’s father stepped up behind his wife. “See, no one can resist your gorgeous smile,” he said before kissing his wife on her temple. Pulling her back towards his chest, King Hans turned Queen Vivian’s head, kissing her gently.
“Mother. Father. Please, you two. Get a room.” As her parents began laughing, Raven glanced toward Dexter with a smile on her face. She said those words to her parents often, whenever they showed affection to each other. It’s not that she was unhappy that her parents still loved each other and behaved like newlyweds on occasion. Just the opposite. Seeing them this way made her heart sing, which is why she had to protect them. By any means necessary. A knock on the door to the family’s private dining room interrupted the moment.
“Enter,” King Hans called out after releasing his wife from his arms.
Her father’s chief guard opened the door to enter the room. “Your Majesties. Your Royal Highness.” He didn’t greet Dexter, but there was no need. Only the royal family required a formal greeting. “My apologies, Sire. This missive just arrived. As requested, all communication is delivered to you straight away.”
King Hans reached out for the letter, taking it from his Chief Guard with a questioning look. Raven knew they weren’t expecting anything to be delivered tonight, so the only thing it could be was something from their blackmailer. Once he unfolded the paper in his hands, the older man’s eyes went wide. His lips pulled back from his teeth at his face. “Son of a bitch!”
That her father allowed himself to curse in front of her, was enough to set Raven on edge. Many years ago, her mother told her that once she was born, her father vowed to never use a curse word in her presence. That he would do so tonight made it clear that Raven did not want to hear the contents of the letter. Too bad, there was no other choice.
“Hans? What is it? What does it say?” Queen Vivian stepped closer to her husband, placing her hand on one of his arms. Once the man turned to his wife, his anger began to fade, and the redness left his skin.
“Dad?” Raven moved toward her parents to find out what was happening. Something with this letter was different.
“Your Majesty?” Dexter also joined in the conversation. It seemed they all knew something was happening. He needed to understand what it was.
“Tell us, Hans.” The Queen pleaded with her husband to speak up and share the contents of the letter had just read.
King Hans turned his head to look at his wife before leaning down for a quick kiss on the lips. “I love you, Vivian. No matter what happens, I need you to know that. This person is trying to tear us apart and bring our family to ruin. I cannot allow that to happen.”
“Dad, you’re making me nervous. What does it say?” Unprompted, Raven moved closer to Dexter, grabbing his hand within hers. She needed his strength right now. Having him here with her was the best way for them to get through this. She was glad she wouldn’t have to deal with everything on her own. Of course, her parents were here, and they would help each other get through these harsh times. But she knew Dexter’s strength was something she would need to lean on.
“Yes, you are making us very nervous.” Looking at her husband closer, Vivian raised a hand to his face, stroking his jaw. “Dear heart, nothing this vile person does will ever change what I know to be true. You love me as much as I love you. Our marriage is stronger now than it ever was. No matter what they do to try to break our family apart. They will not win.”
The King looked at the small group gathered around him. He lifted the note in the air before crumbling it within his fist. “They are now claiming that our marriage is invalid.”
Raven’s mother released a sound from her throat that was a combination of a gasp and a screech. King Hans grabbed one of her hands within his, pulling her closer to his side. Raven wanted to run to her mother. To wrap the older woman in her arms and tell her this would all be okay. But she couldn’t move. To run to her mother would mean she’d need to let go of Dexter, and that wasn’t something she could do at the moment. Raven had a feeling there was more to what her father had to say.
“Who cares what they put in some stupid letter? You know that it’s untrue.” Raven exploded. Her voice was loud as she challenged her father’s words. There had to be something more. Turning to her mother, she looked at the fear on her face. “What is it? What aren’t you telling me?”
Dexter touched her arm, caressing her skin. As he turned her around to look at him, he raised one hand to her face, cupping her chin. “Raven, sweetheart. Don’t you see? If your parents aren’t legally wed under the laws of Abingdon, you’re not the legitimate heir to the throne.”
“Is that true?” Raven pressed.