Royal Heir (Westerly Billionaire #3)(56)

Zinnia? What the hell was going on? Magnus strode away from Benito to direct his questions toward someone who knew better than to hedge around the truth. “Desi, what is going on here?”

Desi shot a quick look at the guards and stepped forward. “Your Royal Highness, it is a dinner for you and Miss Westerly.”

Still running on the frustration of the day, Magnus asked impatiently, “Then why is Benito here?”

Desi’s expression turned pained. “We took Miss Westerly to town this morning, as instructed.”

“And?”

“Everyone liked her.”

On any other day, Magnus might have found this mildly entertaining, but not that day. “I didn’t ask you what people thought of her, I asked about Benito.”

Desi straightened to a military posture. “Yes, Your Royal Highness. He is here to play music while you dance with Miss Westerly after dinner.”

“By my command?” Magnus demanded.

“No, Your Royal Highness.”

“Surely someone thought to ask my permission.”

“No, Your Royal Highness.”

Temper flaring, Magnus growled, “So, to clarify: I have spent the day determining and planning a defense against a real threat, while, instead of assisting in that, my royal guard has been occupied how?”

“Preparing for this evening, Your Royal Highness.”

“Preparing how? I’m guessing it wasn’t by patrolling the perimeter. Nor by questioning everyone in town to confirm there are no suspicious persons.” It was a sharper tone than he normally used with his men, but too much had been happening in Vandorra for them to not be extra vigilant.

“No, Your Royal Highness.” The remorse in Desi’s eyes was genuine. “It will not happen again.”

“It can’t, Desi, for the sake of my life as well as yours.”

Desi nodded respectfully.

Magnus turned and strode up the steps. Desi must have radioed ahead, because by the time he stepped into the house, his staff was in a panicked scramble. He walked from room to room, shaking his head at what they had wasted their time on. The dining room, as well as most of the first floor of the home, was full of white roses and lit candles. A quick glance out one of the windows revealed that a square dance floor had been created on the lawn facing the river. Benito apparently hadn’t gotten the news, because he and his band were still setting up.

Just as he returned to the foyer, Phillip appeared. “A moment, Your Royal Highness.”

“Did anyone clear this with you? They brought in food, flowers, entertainment. Do they understand how many unknown elements they introduced to my house? My house. Nothing happens here without my knowledge and my permission.”

“It appears this was a spontaneous idea they collectively went with.”

“Unacceptable. This will not happen again. We need to do better than this, Phillip. How can I protect her if my own men become unpredictable?”

“I will speak to them.”

“Where did they get the flowers? The candles? Were they delivered? And if so, by whom? I want to know the name and description of every single person who stepped into my home.”

“I’ll have that information for you shortly, Your Royal Highness.”

Magnus ran his hands through his hair. He knew he sounded like an asshole, but nice didn’t keep people safe. “Why? What is the purpose of all of this, anyway?”

Phillip hesitated, then said, “It’s my understanding that Miss Westerly met Zinnia in town today, and the two got on well enough that they hatched this idea in an attempt to please you.”

“Well, get it all out of here.”

“Are you sure? Miss Westerly obviously went to a lot of trouble—”

“You know what I didn’t need today, Phillip? Another fucking surprise. I don’t care how much work went into this. I want it gone.”

A gasp echoed through the foyer. Magnus turned and was sucker punched by a completely different version of Rachelle than he’d left that morning. Dressed in a strapless dark-blue gown that fit her like a second skin, her hair piled on top of her head in a sexy knot of curls, she stood halfway down the stairway, taking his breath away. He’d waited a long time for her, and there she was, wrapped up for him like a candy begging to be devoured. The anger in her eyes only fueled the wild passion burning within him.

“You don’t care about anyone but yourself, do you? And you don’t even bother to hide it.”

Phillip wisely withdrew, as did the rest of his staff.

Magnus spoke as he crossed the foyer to the bottom of the stairway. “You appear to be feeling better.”

“I am—well enough to be able to drive myself back to the city, if you could lend me a car.”

“That’s not how I see tonight going,” he said as he advanced up the steps. He was done playing games. She’d obviously dressed with the intention of pleasing him, and it had worked. He didn’t need roses, candles, and pretty dresses to want her—but he appreciated the effort.

She stood her ground, her chin raising the closer he came. He would have told her how long the move made her neck look but decided the kisses he’d rain on it would deliver that message. She said, “It appears we’ll both be disappointed tonight, because I’m leaving.”