Free Royal Date by Sariah Wilson Page A

had laid out a pair of nice slacks and a cotton button-up shirt. I pulled out a pair of jeans and a purple sweater and put them on instead, along with a sturdy pair of tennis shoes. I put some extra jeans, shirts, and sweaters into my toiletry bag. My other suitcase was gone. I guessed that Giacomo had it sent down already.
    “Kat, darlin’?”
    I came back into my room to find Lemon. “Finally.” I threw my arms around her.
    “What the devil is this for?”
    “I’m just happy to see you. I waited hours last night to talk to you.” I stopped hugging her. She made me feel real and grounded again.
    Lemon’s hazel eyes lit up with interest. “I want every single little detail. Let’s get down to that car before it leaves without us.”
    I grabbed my toiletry bag, winter coat, and the to-go cup of hot chocolate Giacomo had left for me on my nightstand. I took a sip. I groaned. I wanted to bathe in this stuff. It was a good thing we were only staying in Monterra for a couple of weeks. Otherwise I was going to get seriously fat.
    She started pumping me for information, and I began telling her about the beginning of our tour, what he said, what I said, how he looked, what I did, how I felt.
    I saw Giacomo tapping on his tablet, standing next to a giant door at the bottom of the main stairs, and we headed toward him. The door had been opened, and I saw a black stretch limo. “Make sure you sit with me on the plane so we can get to the good stuff,” Lemon said. “I don’t think we’ll have any privacy in the car.”
    I heard male voices come up behind me. Their words echoed through the front entry hall and down to us. “You know he’s only interested in her because she’s convenient. She’s not even pretty.”
    “She’s nothing but a challenge to him.”
    I turned to look and the men stopped talking, and two of them smiled at each other. I felt absolutely sick to my stomach. They were talking about me. Me and Nico. And that he only wanted me because I wouldn’t let him have me.
    “Of all the rude, hateful . . .” Lemon whispered next to me. “Ignore them. They wanted you to overhear them. They deliberately spoke in English to make sure you understood.”
    “Aren’t those his friends?”
    “Salvatore is his friend, but that wasn’t him talking. Those other two are jerks. I met them last night and disliked them on sight. They’re like a couple of foxes in a henhouse. Don’t listen.”
    “But why would they . . .” She didn’t let me finish. She hustled me outside and into the waiting limo. I sat on the back seat while Lemon sat kitty-corner to me on the side seat. I started to move so that we could sit together when men began coming in through both doors.
    Dante and Rafe greeted me with more cheek kisses, asking me how my day was and wondering if they could do anything for me. I held back tears and just shook my head. Oblivious, they greeted Lemon in the same way and sat next to her, keeping her wrapped up in conversation. She looked over at me with a concerned expression and shrugged apologetically.
    Was any of that true? Did they all think I was some stupid little ugly thing throwing myself at Nico?
    Salvatore and the two douche bags got into the car and sat on the empty side seat. Dante rushed to make introductions. Davide, the Conte di Lerio, and Francesco, the Barone di Atanni. Francesco was the one talking about me earlier. He had an awful, evil smirk on his face. “They are family friends who also serve on the board of Nico’s charity, representing their families.”
    Davide and Francesco said their hellos, pleasure to meet me sort of thing. Davide at least had the decency to look embarrassed. I could only nod, afraid that I might start crying if I spoke. Lemon gave them the dirtiest, meanest look I had ever seen her give anyone. And I had seen her mad plenty of times.
    Nico was the last one to the car, and he apologized to everyone for making us wait. I couldn’t believe how much better