The Princess in His Bed by Lila DiPasqua Read Free Book Online

Police.”
    “So?”
    “So I am permitted to detain anyone I choose and ask them questions.”
    Aimee’s ire heated her blood. “Do you dare speak to me as if I were a criminal? Have you forgotten your place?” She never threw her title or social standing around for clout, but he’d been made noble because of his political office.
    She was a noble by blood.
    “What is the problem, Renault?” Adam placed his hand on the vermin’s shoulder.
    She disliked everything about the man. His arrogance. His ill-treatment of Louise and her affections. She never understood what her dear cousin saw in the man.
    Upon seeing Adam, Renault changed his demeanor. “Oh, it’s you, Nattes. It’s nothing . . . Just a matter between a former mistress and me.”
    Adam looked at Aimee and lifted a brow.
    She immediately added, “He’s referring to my cousin. A lovely woman with terrible taste in men.” She looked pointedly at Renault. The last thing she wanted was for Adam—or anyone—to think she’d take a lover as unappealing as Renault.
    “Your ‘lovely’ cousin has never behaved herself a single day I’ve known her, yet she has stayed away as requested and not a peep has been heard from her,” Renault said. “A most uncharacteristic behavior. I want to know why. What is she up to? It’s usually no good.”
    “Perhaps she’s finally come to the conclusion that you are a waste of her time.”
    With that, Aimee picked up her skirts, turned on her heel, and stalked away on weak and wobbly legs, her heart pounding. That was all she needed—for Renault to be keeping Louise under close scrutiny.
    Reaching the long elegant tables with gold service, surrounded by torchères, Aimee scanned the area and quickly located Louise. She was by her side in an instant and sat down.
    “Where have you been, Aimee?” Louise whispered. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”
    “I got caught up in the crowd,” she responded vaguely.
    “Did you find Adam de Vey?”
    Just as Aimee was about to respond, she glanced down the lengthy table and caught Adam’s gaze. He was seated at the same table at the opposite end. He smiled at her and lightly ran the length of his finger along his upper lip, just under his nose.
    Heat rushed to her cheeks as the impact of what he was doing hit her. Her scent was on his fingers, and he was clearly enjoying it. She felt a quickening low in her belly. Her sex clenched, hungrily.
    She tore her gaze away and forced her focus onto Louise.
    “Oh, look, Aimee. Adam de Vey is at our table.” Once again, Louise pointed out the obvious. “Do you want to check his justacorps?”
    “No!” she cringed at how strongly that came out. “I mean, I already did, darling. There was no ring.”
    Louise’s disappointment was etched across her features.
    “That’s not all, Louise.” Aimee covered her hand affectionately. “Renault is suspicious of you and thinks you’re up to something.”
    Louise flinched. “Oh God! He does?”
    “Yes, I think I defused it some, but we must be careful. And we must act quickly.” Aimee glanced down the table, but found the beautiful Marquis de Nattes gone. His seat had been vacated and another sat in his place.
    Disappointment over his disappearance stabbed into her. And irked her.
    Her unusual behavior toward him was completely explainable. Her lengthy celibacy was to blame, motivating her wanton reactions to him. Nothing more.
    “Tomorrow afternoon the Marquis de Nattes has a meeting with the King.”
    Louise’s eyes widened. “And?”
    “And I intend to go to his personal apartments and check in each and every justacorps he owns until I find the ring.”
    All this madness was going to end tomorrow.

4

    “You can stop grinning like a fool, Robert,” Adam said dryly. Palms pressed against the large desk in the King’s private apartments, studying his drawings while waiting for His Majesty to arrive, Adam could see his friend out of the corner of his eye.
    “You’re