Heir Untamed - By Danielle Bourdon Page 0,70

part of the Royal family, Chey wanted no part of it.

She felt sorry for them all, unable to even enjoy a meal without Natalia making mountains out of molehills.

Finally, after a course of dessert, the torture was over. Mattias excused them at the same time Paavo and Aurora pushed back their chairs. Chey bade them all good evening and breathed a sigh of relief once she and Mattias were in the hallway.

He said nothing. One hand low on her back, he guided her off the private floor to the stairs and down to a more suitable level. Chey wasn't sure what to say to all that and her urge to kill Mattias a little had passed. He couldn't have known that would happen.

Could he?

At her door, Mattias released her and maintained eye contact. “Open it.”

“...what?” Startled, Chey frowned. He wanted to come in? Did Mattias have the entirely wrong idea about what was going to happen tonight?

“Your door. Open it,” he repeated.

“Mattias, now look here--”

“I want to check and make sure no one is hanging around that shouldn't be.”

Of course he would have heard what happened by now. Feeling ridiculous that she'd suspected he wanted something else from her, Chey fished her key out and opened the door. He stepped in before her, stalking through the space with a critical examination of the most obvious hiding places.

“Is it always like that? Dinner?” she asked, setting her purse and keys on her dresser. While he stepped into the bathroom, Chey pulled the pins out of her hair and set them down. Running her fingers through the curls, she let them settle around her shoulders and toed off her heels.

He returned, hands clasped behind his back. Mattias swept a look over her, head to toe. “Not always. Sometimes it's worse, sometimes more tolerable.”

“Why did you bring me?”

“I wanted you to meet my brother and his wife, for one. And because you're a guest in this house. Guests should be treated like they matter, shouldn't they? The King and Queen entertain only those they have to or the ones who can do something for them.”

“So they do it when they can't get around it, you do it to soothe your conscious.” That was the conclusion Chey came to after hearing his reasons and watching his stern expression.

“I think it's a little more involved than soothing my conscious.”

“Is it?” she challenged.

Mattias stopped in front of her and stared down into her eyes. Without her shoes on, she had to lift her chin another inch to maintain easy contact.

“With you, it's more than just soothing my conscious,” he repeated.

“Why? Oh, because I don't fawn over you like other women? I'm not afraid to speak my mind?”

“Viia and Aurora will speak their mind, have no doubt. As you've seen already. You wear your cynicism like a badge; Viia uses it as a shield. There's a difference. Not to mention that you're generally more pleasant to be around on the whole.” He arched a brow and stepped away to the door without warning. Grasping the handle, he paused to add, “The photo session has been moved indoors tomorrow. We're expecting the snow to continue and increase overnight, making an outdoor shoot difficult at best. The entire family will be present this time, so make whatever adjustments you need to.”

Chey wasn't sure what to think about her cynical side. He cast a new light on it, however, leaving her puzzled and bemused. Only half paying attention to the details about work, she inclined her head.

“Okay. Where am I supposed to go?”

“The south solar. Urmas will show you if you can't find it on your own.” Mattias paused half in and half out of the room. “I would apologize for tonight, except this is who we really are. It's unfair to pretend otherwise.”

Chey opened her mouth but he was already gone. Crossing to the door, she closed and locked it in his wake.

What a complicated situation. What a complicated family.

Chapter Fourteen

The south solar turned out to be an elaborate solarium with fully one whole wall and half the ceiling nothing but windows. Encompassing a view of the east woods, it was furnished with expensive leather and mahogany furniture, beautiful potted plants and collectible vases along with statues in marble wrought from the finest sculpting hands. Lacking the gilded décor of the King and Queen's private sitting room, the solarium made up for it with its tall backed tapestry chairs, tiki carved tables and large alabaster columns with complex designs