Read Online The Keys' Prince (The Royal Heirs) by D. D. Scott - Free Book Online Page A

to himself. Knowing Stella like he did, he imagined that, after working for her for several years, Franco was used to also assisting Auntie Elo however Elo saw fit. He’d probably carried a carafe or two, perhaps juiced whatever fruits and vegetables were in the nasty-looking green stuff and done many other things outside of security duties.
    But Dario would have bet money that he’d never see the day that one of his own protection officers would not only protect him, but also serve him coffee. He knew Auntie Elo was a force to be reckoned with, but obviously he had no idea just how convincing she could be.
    Stella’s beguiling ways definitely came from Elo’s part of the gene pool. He had a feeling there wasn’t anything Franco wouldn’t do for Stella or Auntie Elo. And it sure hadn’t taken them long to work their charms on his staff, too.
    “At least we’ve got juice, coffee and tea,” Stella said taking a seat at the large, umbrella-covered table on the sun-filled veranda just beyond the vaulted roof and motioning for everyone to join her.
    She poured Dario a cup of coffee, not bothering to ask if he’d prefer either green juice or herbal tea. Something as simple as her knowing his tastes brought him comfort he hadn’t experienced in ages. His heart beat stronger because of it. She’d always made him more comfortable in his own skin with the most basic of everyday gestures. Who knew pouring his morning coffee was the way to his heart?
    Serving Auntie Elo a glass of juice and herbal tea, and Franco and Stefan each a coffee straight up black, Stella filled a juice glass and tea cup for herself. After placing the carafes on the lazy Susan in the center of the table, she wrapped her hands around her tea cup, the same way Dario had always seen her do it. He still knew her so well, and he loved that. She liked to let the heat soak into her skin and warm her from the inside out.
    “We definitely can’t go home or to the shop,” Auntie Elo said, already finished with her first half glass of juice. “Emma Lou and Hollywood called to check on us. They said both places are swarming with reporters and paparazzi.”
    “That doesn’t surprise me,” Stella said, taking small sips of her tea. She’d never been one to finish off a cup with gusto. Dario used to tease her that he needed to get her a bottle instead of a cup and saucer.
    “It doesn’t surprise me either,” he said, hoping his modicum of cool remained convincing. It was one thing for him to handle the media when they were hounding him, but it was another thing entirely when the people he cared about were also in the crossfire.
    “I’m going to toss out an idea here,” Stefan said, tipping back in his chair, his suit jacket sliding away from his shirt just enough for the sun’s rays to settle on his shoulder holster and duty weapon. “I’m sure you’re going to think I’m crazy, but I ask that you simply hear me out.”
    “Okay. Fair enough,” Dario said, always willing to listen to Stefan’s plans. He usually had good ideas, even if Dario wished his abundance of precautions weren’t necessary.
    “What if we give the press what they want, so to speak?” Stefan asked making eye contact with each of them to make sure he had their undivided attention.
    “What exactly do you mean?” Dario asked, fidgeting in his chair, beginning to understand where his lead protection officer might be heading, but totally unsure whether or not he was ready to go along with what he could have in mind.
    “The reporters and paparazzi want to catch shots of you and Stella together, right?” Franco jumped in, evidently already having joined forces with Stefan.
    Everyone at the table nodded.
    “So, let’s give it to them,” Stefan said. “Franco and I will meet with them each evening to arrange one single photo op for them to attend the next day. They’ll take their pictures at that time, ask you a couple of questions, and then that’s it. You’re done with