"Daddy?" Daniel stepped back and looked at him. "Why'd you have to go away?"
"Business," Rafael managed as he stared at the boy. Until that moment, he hadn't realized he was afraid he would never see him again. "Sometimes it is work to be a prince."
"I like being the heir."
"I'm sure you do. Are you having a good party?"
Daniel nodded. "I have so many presents, and there's cake." He reached for his father's hand. "Come see."
Rafael stood and allowed himself to be tugged toward the gathering. He saw Umberto and Oliver surrounded by several of Joe's guards. While the other parents smiled warmly at him, the Marcellis all looked as if they were picturing him dead.
Mia wasn't kidding about protecting her son. She said she would use any means and he believed her. She was strong, but he was stronger. Somehow he would defeat them all.
* * *
"I love it, Daddy," Daniel said as he fingered the new leather saddle Rafael had given him. "There's a D and a A and a N…" He frowned, then grabbed his mother's arm. "It's not Danny. I thought it was Danny."
Mia glanced at the saddle, then narrowed her eyes. "You're right. It's not Danny. It's Daniel. I'm sorry your daddy got your name wrong."
"That's okay," Daniel told Rafael. "Sometimes I'm Daniel, but mostly when I've been bad."
"In Calandria, you'll be Daniel all the time," Rafael said easily. "As the heir, you will go by the more formal version of your name."
Daniel stared at him for a second, then shrugged and reached for the next present. It was a remote car from Joe. Daniel gasped with delight and raced over to his uncle.
"Can we play tonight? Will you play with me? Please."
Joe ruffled the boy's hair. "Sure thing, kid. We'll have a race."
Daniel hugged the other man. Rafael watched, uncomfortable with the boy's obvious affection for the larger man. He turned back to the table of presents and scowled when he realized his presents— the saddle, brushes for the pony, and an expensive set of leather-bound children's stories— had been whisked away. All the other presents were still scattered about, but his were gone.
He turned to Mia. "Will you keep my gifts from him? That seems very small of you. Whatever your complaints with me, they have nothing to do with my son."
"Our son," she said evenly. "The pony supplies are near to the pony, and Brenna and Nic took the books inside so they wouldn't be ruined in the sun. Danny's not used to leather-bound books. It will take him some time to learn how to read them responsibly. Or read at all."
He felt the censure in her words, as if he'd chosen inappropriately. "Those are stories for children."
"Perhaps on your planet. Here on earth, we don't read our kids literal translations of the Grimms' fairy tales. They're just a little too brutal."
"What are you talking about?" he demanded.
"Have you ever read them? Really read them? Children do not fare well. Although I do remember a particular favorite about an evil prince being eaten by a bear. Hmm, perhaps I'll read that to Danny tonight."
"Who wants cake?" Grandma Tessa asked before he could respond to Mia.
The two grandmothers carried out a large cake decorated with race cars. The children gathered around as the cake was placed in the center of the middle table. Four candles were lit.
Mia sat on the bench in front of the cake and put Daniel on her lap. "Okay, big guy. This is it. Your chance to make a wish. Now close your eyes and wish really hard. Then open your eyes and blow out the candles. Make sure you don't tell anyone your wish, okay?"
Daniel squirmed with delight. He'd long since abandoned his party hat, and there were several food stains on his striped T-shirt. While he screwed up his whole face as he considered his wish, Rafael thought of his childhood birthday parties.
There had been other children, of course, and their parents. Everyone had dressed formally. There had been an orchestra and some kind of entertainment. The gifts had been left on a table for him to open later, with his nanny. He'd been required to write a thank-you note after opening each present, which had stretched out the process to several days.
After he'd gone off to boarding school, birthdays had been joint affairs, celebrated with the other boys having birthdays that month. The school had prided itself on treating even royal sons like everyone else, so there had been no special celebration for him.
Daniel opened his eyes and blew out the candles. Everyone cheered.
"All right, birthday boy," Grammy M said as she hovered over the cake. "You get the first piece. Which one do you want? A corner, with lots of frosting?"
Daniel nodded, then pointed to the corner he wanted. Rafael recalled having to wait for his cake until everyone else had been served.
Grammy M cut him an impossibly large piece. Daniel took it and began to eat. The other children were served next, then the parents. Grandma Tessa passed Rafael a plate with a mint on it.
He stared at the small piece of candy, then looked at the old woman, who glared right back.
"Daddy, don't you want cake?" Daniel asked.
"Your father doesn't like cake," Mia said easily. "Isn't that true, Rafael?"
The fire in her eyes told him she would be delighted to have him defy her. That way she'd have an excuse to take him on again. But he didn't want to fight with Mia anymore. Not when the more important task was to win her back.
"Your mother is right," he said gently. "Birthday cake does not agree with me."
"I guess we'll have to put the rat poison in something else," Grandma Tessa muttered as she moved away.
Conversation quieted as the cake was consumed. Rafael was aware of how the Marcelli family kept tabs on him. If he moved close to Daniel, one of them was right there. Umberto and Oliver were never left alone. The other parents noticed nothing, but Rafael saw it all. The family had closed ranks against him.
Like Mia, he fought anger, but for a different reason. They were all acting out of ignorance. They did not understand that Daniel had responsibilities and a place in the world. He could not learn how to be king in this backwater.
At last the party ended. Parents collected their children and left. Rafael spoke pleasantly with them and waited until he could be alone with Mia. Somehow he would make her understand. But when the last guest had left, Mia picked up Daniel and walked into the house. The rest of the family followed. When he moved to go with them, several of Joe's security guards formed a line in front of the door.
"I don't think you'll be joining us for the post-party wrap-up," Joe said with a smile. "Sorry about that, but we didn't negotiate for more than the party."
Which Joe had done deliberately. "You can't keep me from my son forever."
"Were you kept from Danny? Did you miss any part of his party?"
"I must see him. I must speak to Mia."
Joe shrugged. "She doesn't want to speak to you. When you first arrived, I warned you not to hurt her, and you didn't listen."
"I'm not afraid of you," Rafael said contemptuously. "You are all talk and very little action."
"I can't tell you how much I want to prove you wrong right now, but I promised Mia I wouldn't turn you inside out, and I keep my word. You blew it, prince. Mia's reasonable and intelligent. She could have been on your side in this. She could have respected you. But you decided to trick her and she will never forgive you. None of us will. You may be Crown Prince Bla-de-bla from some fancy island, but right now you're on my land. Marcelli land. We make the rules and the current rules are, you're screwed."
* * *
"Where's my daddy?" Danny demanded, tears spilling down his cheeks. "I want my daddy. I'm the heir and you have to do what I say. Bring my daddy back right now!"
Mia did her best not to react to Danny's tantrum. He was exhausted from the long day of celebrating his birthday and strung out on way too much sugar. But what she knew in her head didn't prevent the helpless feeling in her heart.
"I want my daddy now!" Danny screamed. "Why did he go away? Why did he go aw-way."
Danny collapsed on the family room floor, sobs making his whole body shake. Mia crouched next to him. "You'll see your daddy soon," she said quietly. "He came to your birthday and gave you a lot of nice presents. That was fun."
"But he went away." Danny raised his head and stared at her. "Mommy, make him come back. Please? Make him come b-back."
The Grands swept into the room. "How's the big birthday boy?" Grammy M asked as she pulled Danny to his feet and cuddled him. "What a fun day you had. So many friends and presents and just a little too much cake."
Tessa crouched in front of him and smiled. "Imagine. You're four now. Practically all grown up. You'll be driving soon."
That made Danny smile. "I can't drive. I'm a little boy."
"You don't seem too little today," Grammy M said. "You seem very big. I'm not sure I can carry you upstairs myself anymore. 'Tis a shame, because I liked that part of my day. Tessa, I'll be needing your help."
Tessa straightened and shook her head. "No, he's too big for the both of us. We'll need a crane. One of those large construction types. We'll put it right there in the hallway and it can lift Danny up to the second floor."
"I like that," Grammy M said.
Danny giggled. "You don't need a crane."
"I'm thinking we do," Grammy M said as she led him toward the stairs. "They're yellow, which means it won't go at all with the decorations. We'll have to paint it. Maybe pink with flowers."
Tessa moved closer to Mia and lowered her voice. "We'll put him to bed tonight. He's tired. Don't take it personally."
Mia appreciated the support but wasn't sure she could take the advice. Danny had bonded with his father so quickly— how was she supposed to keep them apart now? She couldn't trust Rafael, yet didn't Danny deserve time with his father?
She waited until the trio was in Danny's bedroom, then made her way to her own. She closed the door and crossed to the window.
The night was clear and cool. She could see stars, and when she opened the windows the scent of the ripening grapes filled her room like a strong perfume.
She wanted to turn back time. She wanted to have things like they were before Rafael had shown up, because his arrival had changed everything. In a matter of a few short weeks, he'd altered her world and nothing could make it as it was.
She knelt on the floor and rested her arms on the windowsill. Anger filled her. So much anger, and with it the uncomfortable realization that she was still in love with him.
Oh, she hated him and didn't trust him, but none of that meant she didn't love him. Even knowing he was a snake, her heart continued to beat out a rhythm designed to be heard only by him.
She supposed that's what happened after being in love with the same man for over five years. She was going to need some time to get over him. Having to deal with him would make the process harder.
Danny would want to see his father. She'd made the mistake of talking about him to the boy long before Rafael had ever shown up. She'd said he was brave and strong and a wonderful man. There was no way she could now tell him the truth.
She felt trapped by circumstances. Trapped and alone and clueless about her next step. At least her family would help, she thought. The Marcellis would always be there for her.
She stood and crossed to her dresser. She pulled out the small box and looked at the silver ring Diego had bought her so long ago.
Purposefully, she went downstairs and into the kitchen. There she rummaged through the junk drawer until she found a hammer; then she walked out to the porch, put the ring on the railing, and crushed it with a single blow.