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“Good,” Matteo said, barely looking up from his desk. “I assume you have brought the woman with you?”

“Yes. As promised.”

“I knew I could count on you. Did she come quietly?”

He thought of the constant barbs that he had been subjected to on the trip.

“No. She is never quiet.”

Matteo grimaced. “That could be a problem.”

“Your Highness.”

Javier turned around at the sound of the breathy voice. Matteo’s assistant, Livia, had come into the room. She was a small, drab creature, and he had no idea why his brother kept her on. But Matteo was ridiculously attached to her.

“Yes,” Matteo said, his voice gentling slightly.

“It’s only that the United Council chief called, and he is requesting the presence of Monte Blanco at a meeting. It’s about your inclusion.”

This was something his brother had been waiting for. His father had stayed out of international affairs, but it was important to both Matteo and Javier that Monte Blanco have a voice in worldwide matters.

“Then I shall call him.”

“I don’t know that that will be necessary. He only wishes to know if you will accept his invitation to come to the summit this week.”

“Well, I’m a bit busy,” Matteo said, gesturing toward Javier.

“Oh?” she asked.

“Yes,” he responded. “Javier has brought my bride to me.”

Livia’s eyes widened, but only for a moment. “Of course.” That slight widening was the only emotional reaction given by the assistant. But Javier knew how to read people, and he could see that she was disturbed.

He could also see that his brother did not notice. “It is of no consequence,” he said. “We must attend. Javier, you will make sure that Violet acclimates while I’m gone.”

“Of course,” he said. What he did not say was that he was not a trained babysitter for spoiled socialites, but a soldier. Still, he thought it.

“See that my things are collected immediately,” Matteo said, addressing Livia. “All the details handled.”

He spoke in such incomplete sentences to the woman, and yet she scurried to do his bidding, asking for no clarification at all.

“Don’t you think this is a bit outlandish, even for you?”

“My mouse will have no trouble taking care of things,” he said, using his nickname for Livia.

“Yes. I forgot. She is your mouse, living only to do as you ask. Though your appalling treatment of your assistant was not actually what I was referring to. That you had me drag this woman across the world, and you will not be in residence.”

“It’s perfect,” he said. “A more traditional sort of relationship, yes? Hearkening back to the days of old. We won’t meet until the wedding.”

“You forget, she’s an American. A thoroughly modern one.”

“You forget: she has no choice.”

“Why exactly do you want Violet King? That’s something that I don’t understand.”

“Because we need to modernize. Because we need to change the way that the world perceives Monte Blanco.”

“I was told by your fiancée that the world does not perceive it at all.”

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