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“What is it?” she asked.
“My parents are at the palace gate,” he answered. “Finally, home from their trip.”
“Then I really need to get myself together. Emotionally, I mean,” Taryn added when Declan looked at her askance.
“You and me both,” he said. “Seems impossible to keep the turmoil of your stalker out of sight for my parents tonight.”
“But you and I are going to do it,” she told him. “We will do it with grace and aplomb because we love your parents. And tomorrow night, we are going to follow through on our promise to Phillip and his parents’ anniversary party.”
“I love you,” Declan told her. “You are emotionally more evolved than I am in a lot of ways. Men are such drama queens compared to women. And I am a man, so I can say that. When I first walked in tonight, I was a wreck. I wanted to bring back the stalker’s head on a platter.
“I was so angry this afternoon I couldn’t see straight. I wanted you to have the perfect day, and it was taken from you. But here you are, all full of grace. The palace looks glorious. The candles, the draperies, the seating arrangements, all of it. You’re doing so much better than me, my betrothed. My queen.”
Taryn stood from the couch, tears in her eyes, but she would hold them back until she had some privacy.
“I am going to freshen up and put on something loving and festive. Then my handsome king can walk me down to greet his wonderful parents.”
“Hanna believes that you will be the most adored and influential queen Noblegrace has ever had. Period,” he told her. “I suspect before tonight’s and tomorrow night’s parties are over, my mother will be voicing the same sentiment.”
TWENTY
DECLAN
He had been on Taryn like glue all day. His enforcers were even more prominent. If this increased security had upset Taryn, she hid the irritation well. He was going overboard with security. He knew it. And the way she had handled last night’s party, which had welcomed his parents home from their travels, had thoroughly charmed his parents, especially his mother.
She is going to be the perfect queen,Declan thought to himself.
“You turned them into puppies, you know?” he had told Taryn before bed last night.
“Who are puppies?” Taryn asked.
“My parents,” he laughed as he responded. “You ruined them. There is nothing Hanna or I could possibly do to outdo how thoroughly you spoiled my parents last night.”
“I am happy to hear you feel that way. I have a lot of love to give, and it’s good to know it’s been received well by some of my more recent targets,” she answered with a laugh.
“You are my all-time favorite target, but channeling love at your parents was a joyful reprieve from the hideousness that took place at the music festival. This whole stalker thing has become a black cloud that keeps getting darker and bigger, and now it’s festering.”
“You’re right,” he told her. “It’s frustrating and scary, especially since you have done nothing to cause this. What brings me comfort is that we are a great team, and we have people who love us.”
Today was the day of the big party. The party for the anniversary of Phillip’s parents. It was late afternoon, and the evening was coming fast. By three in the afternoon, Declan had summoned his beta and chief enforcer for the umpteenth time.
“This is what I want,” Declan told them. “I know you are already doing this on your own initiative because you are the best at what you do. Guests are coming soon. No invite, no entrance. That’s my rule. No exceptions.”
“As you wish,” said the chief enforcer. “I assure you it has already been that way all day. Unless they are an employee of the palace or here on official business that was vetted by the guard at the gate, they’re not to be granted access.”
“I need you to be me,” Declan told his beta, William, directly turning toward him. “Tour the grounds, greet guests, spot check the perimeter. I want you to do everything I do when we have parties.”
“Absolutely,” William answered. “For my own knowledge, where will you be during the evening?”
“I will be glued to Taryn’s side,” Declan answered. “I will be practically shackled to her.”
“Understood,” the beta answered.
“Understood,” the chief enforcer answered.
“I will take off now,” Declan told them. “Hanna will be here shortly. Taryn’s sisters Lexi, Addison, and Madison will be here right before or right after Hanna’s arrival. When the girls are at Taryn’s side, there’s a good chance I can get away from time to time. We’ll see.”
Declan left the two men to find Taryn. He’d only been away from her for about twenty minutes, but those few minutes felt like hours that day.
