Alexander & Rebecca (Royals of Valleria #1)

Chapter 11

Rebecca was emotionally and physically exhausted. She'd been to see the charred wreckage of her home, despite the objections of her security team, and had cried at the site of her belongings destroyed. Things she'd worked hard to earn and save for, gone in less than a moment.

Thankfully, none of her neighbors had been hurt, though the other apartments in her building would be condemned as well; the building was too unstable for any of them to return.

From there, she'd gone to the palace grounds and to her parents' house. They'd learned about her apartment minutes before the media announced whose home had been targeted. Though her parents wanted her to stay with them, the security team with her had flatly refused such a request; she was to stay secure in the palace itself.

Her mother had prepared a bag of clothes for her. Rebecca often left clothes behind for those times she stayed there. Unfortunately, none of them would do for work in the morning. She already had a terrible headache, and the thought of work only made it worse. Her mother suggested she take a nap at home before she headed for the palace.

"I'm sorry, Miss Campo, you cannot do that," one of the agents replied.

"Don't you speak to her that way," her mother snapped. "My baby is taking a nap, then she'll go to the palace, and that's that. If you or anyone else has a problem with that, you can answer to me." Her mother crossed her arms over her chest and gave the agents a fierce look.

"I wouldn't argue with her," Ettore said nearby. "But then, I'm a man who knows when he's lost a fight."

After a moment, the agent nodded and went to the opposite side of the room.

"Jerk," Francine whispered under her breath as she helped Rebecca into her childhood bedroom. Rebecca giggled and felt mildly better.

She gave her mom a kiss. "Thanks for taking care of me, Mama. You know they're only trying to do their job, don't you?"

Francine harrumphed as she turned down the bed. "If they'd done a better job, you'd still have an apartment."

"Mama."

"It's true. I know it's not fair."

"Remember that someone planted that bomb; put your anger towards them."

"They're not the ones standing in the living room between me and my baby, now are they?"

"No, I suppose not." Rebecca slipped under the cool, familiar covers. "Stay with me for a while?"

"Of course." When her mother slipped in beside her, Rebecca curled up next to her, laying her head on her chest. Her mother's arms came around her and one hand began to smooth over her hair in soft, regular motions. The steady beat of her mother's heart helped calm her.

She may be a strong, independent career woman, but she still loved comfort from her mother once in a while.

Her phone beeped but she ignored it, guessing it was probably Alex again. Rebecca smiled as she thought of the messages of concern and worry he'd sent all day long. She hoped he wouldn't be worried when she didn't reply right away, she thought, just as she slipped into dreamland.

* * *

Alex headed towards Cat's offices. Marcello had let him know that Rebecca had finally returned to the palace, and he just couldn't wait another minute to see with his own eyes that she was safe and whole.

As he entered the offices, he heard Cat's trembling voice then, as he walked into her office, saw that she had Rebecca in a stifling hug. He'd never really been jealous of Cat before, but he definitely was now.