Three Weeks Later

"I still don't like the way he looks at you," Jasper mumbles, his lips hovering over the edge of his glass of whiskey.

"Well I do," Eleanor replies flipping her hair batting her eyelashes at Henry. He apparently hears them as he blushes and makes it a point to avoid eye contact with the Princess. Probably the smartest decision if he wanted to make it to Venice without a black eye.

As promised they waited for Liam's release from the hospital. The doctors told them that he was doing fantastic and had a new sense of optimism on life. A second chance. The only down side was that he only allowed Jasper and Eleanor to visit along with Cyrus. Everyone else in his opinion contributed to hitting rock bottom on that tragic evening. This seemed to hurt Helena the most. But she followed doctors orders abiding by his rules for the time being. He was in recovery and she needed to support that. Robert on the other hand had been unusually absent around the palace and the public's eye. He would occasionally be seen sulking around the halls with his head low. His body language screamed at everyone to just leave him the fuck alone. On the plus side, this gave Jasper time off to spend with Eleanor and Liam.

Liam hadn't stepped foot in the palace since his release. Instead, he took up the offer to go on a trip anywhere in the world with Cyrus to get away for a while. He chose a fishing trip in Alaska. Cyrus was not one to go on a smelly boat with strangers reeling in fish. But it's what his nephew requested and he was more than happy to take him.. or at least appear happy. Cyrus took him under his wing once again. But this time in a pure, loving way as opposed to plotting their next move to dethrone the invincible King.

There was another couple hours left of their flight on the way to Italy, complimentary of Robert. Eleanor spent most of their travel eating pretty much everything in sight and sleeping. The morning sickness had passed a few weeks back which she was more than grateful for. The combination of her diet and how far along she was revealed a bump emerging from her belly. Having such a small frame naturally made it more obvious on Eleanor.

They went to their first appointment with the gynecologist soon after their final decision. She was approximately 7 weeks pregnant at the time. After doing an ultrasound the doctor implied that they would be able to determine the gender around the 10th week. Since she was presently going into the 11th week, they decided to find out once they returned from the postponed honeymoon.

Eleanor flips through The Early Stages of Pregnancy as she lounges on the bed placed in the jet for her comfort. Her right leg crosses over the left balancing on her knee. She anxiously rotates her foot in circles looking through pictures.

She suddenly yelps startling Jasper and Henry as she tosses the book to the floor.

"I'm having a C-section," she confidently announces sitting up crossing her arms. "I will not allow my infamous royal beaver be destroyed like that."

"So you'd rather have a scar on your stomach?" Jasper replies blandly. He had already grown accustom to her raging hormones and occasional ridiculous comments.

Eleanor retrieves the book flipping back to the page. "Here, you look at it."

"Get that out of my face." He irritably knocks it from her hand back on to the floor. "I'll already be traumatized enough the day of our delivery."

"Isn't he just the sweetest husband, Henry?"

The bodyguard keeps his usual vacant expression. Eleanor tried to make the guy crack a smile every once in a while to no avail. He was quieter than a mouse and as tense as you could get..

And she thought Jasper was bad.

But then again maybe it was her protective husband that kept him less than motivated to socialize. The Princess has a dramatic sigh before laying back on the bed throwing the covers over her head.

They spend their first day riding bikes around the city making stops at different destinations. Mostly food stands. But occasionally they would pull over to admire the beautiful architecture.

Their plans for the evening would be a romantic boat ride through the Grand Canal. From there they would attend dinner at one of the highest rated fine dining restaurants in the country.

Henry trailed behind everywhere they went. This seemed to piss Jasper off more than it should have, considering he had been in the same situation multiple times with the King and Queen.

"I don't trust him," Jasper says eyeing the bodyguard who's a few tables down looking back at him. "There's just something about him."

"That he's bloody beautiful?"

He raises a disapproving brow while taking a bite of his pizza. "Very funny." Not surprisingly, he didn't find her comment funny in the least. Her rampant flirtation and comments on Henry's appearance was really starting to get under his skin. He never hid the fact that he had extreme jealousy and abandonment issues so it made it all the more frustrating.

"You're just being paranoid due to your past. Not everyone in the palace has to be a god damn master manipulator.. or a murderer.. or a conman," Eleanor says motioning her hand at him.

Jasper doesn't respond verbally or physically with his line of vision dead set on the bodyguard. His lack of a reaction made it clear that what she had just said went in one ear and out the other.

Later That Evening

"This really is a beautiful spot," Eleanor says in between licks of her ice cream cone. "At least Robbie can do something right." She walks up to the spacious window gazing across the night sky. Being in a suite on the 40th floor gives them a view of what feels like the whole city.

Jasper wraps his arms around her from behind softly rubbing her belly. He playfully plants a purposeful big wet kiss on her cheek.

"Ugh." She flings the cone behind her dipping his nose in chocolate ice cream.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" he says in shock wiping his nose. It's hard to hold back a grin from his playful wife. He loved seeing her this happy.. even if it was at his own expense. "Just because you're carrying our baby doesn't give you the right to be a brat."

Eleanor turns around with a diabolical smile. "I've been a very bad girl," she teases taking an extra slow lick while maintaining eye contact. Her other hand trickles its way down his chest. His eyes flash with excitement.

"Give me that." Jasper snatches the cone from her hand. She lays down anxiously awaiting his return watching him walk to the kitchen. After disposing of the ice cream he wordlessly prowls back in the room. He hovers over her on the bed intensely staring into her eyes deep in thought. "No more ogling over Henry," he whispers shaking his head.

"What?" Eleanor laughs uncomfortably at the unexpected comment. He moves her hair to the side planting kisses along her neck to her ear. "Ouch." She naturally retracts as he nibbles on her neck a little too hard. It almost seems intended.

Jasper cups her face between his palms, his grey blue eyes studying her face. "Do you understand how crazy you make me?"

Eleanor hurriedly decides to let the possessive comments go as it certainly wasn't worth being defiant on this ridiculous topic. And if anything, in an odd fucked up sort of way, his overbearing possessiveness really turned her on. Plus it was nice to be reminded that he still deeply longed for her with the recent weight gain.

"I am yours, you daft thing," she taunts with a smirk. "Now come here already." She hangs her arms around his neck, her body squirming from beneath his in anticipation.

Still lingering over her he slips his hand beneath her dress firmly pressing two fingers against her panties. She lets out an unexpected gasp at the sensation. He watches her expression change to thorough arousal and pleasure.

"Promise me," he speaks softly lowering his lips toward hers.

"Promise you what?" Her breathing accelerates as she tries to kiss him but he retracts.

"I said, promise me."

She stubbornly looks him in the eye trying her best to portray a certain level of annoyance. But it's nearly impossible as he applies more pressure circling against her. While guiding his hand beneath her panties he swiftly pulls his arm from beneath her skirt.

"Jasper what the bloody hell is going on with you?!" She pushes him off this time genuinely annoyed. He sits up on the bed running a hand through his sandy blonde hair.

"I don't fucking trust him Eleanor."

"Well you trust me, don't you?"

"Of course I do, but-"

"Shh." Eleanor soundly pushes her finger against his mouth instantly shutting him up. She wraps her legs around his waist sitting on his lap facing him. "Now what I need you to do," she says raising herself so she can take her panties off. Next to get lowered was his jeans and briefs. "Is to shut up, and fuck me. Okay?"

For a moment he looks back at her, perturbed that somehow she had gained control in the situation. But there was no going back now. He was cast deep under her spell of seduction. She lowers herself slowly taking in his erection while digging her nails into his back. Her eyes excitedly search his face as she bites her lower lip.

"Okay," he pants nodding his head in agreement. A devilish grin spreads across her lips as he picks her up from beneath her legs throwing her on her back.

At the very least, he had the ability to take full physical control of the situation. And in the moment he was content with that.

Two Evenings Later

After a very lavish dinner they decide to go on a walk through the city. It was their last night in Venice which was bittersweet. Truthfully neither of them wanted to return to the palace in the least. However they would soon be finding out whether they'd be having a baby boy or girl.

Eleanor wanted to find a gelato shop. Jasper was personally spent on gelato and essentially any type of dessert, so he decided to go grab his wife a bouquet of her favorite flowers. He instructs Henry to take her straight back to the hotel afterward where he would meet them.

He finds a small vendor selling roses. They didn't have black ones, the color she favored, but red would do. The route back to the hotel passes the ice cream shop. Turning the corner he's surprised to find Eleanor still there. She's laughing heartily in between bites of gelato. Her hand rests on Henry's shoulder who's sharing the laugh with her.

This ignites a raging fire within the Vegas native. His mind runs wild. The one time the pretty boy was left alone with his wife he decides to reveal his newfound sense of humor. How ironic.

Eleanor catches eye contact with her husband. She instantly loses the smile revealing a nervous expression. With just days after the domineering jealous comments were made, it didn't take a rocket scientist to realize that shit was about to go south.

"Hey babe," she says, her eyes darting between the two and then on to the flowers. "Those are beautiful."

"I think we can make it back to the hotel without your assistance," Jasper says to Henry while handing her the bouquet.

"The Queen ordered I be within a 15 foot radius at all times while in public."

He rolls his eyes with a dismayed smile on his face. "Well you can tell your sister to go shove-"

"Jasper," Eleanor hisses at her husband shooting him a glare. "Don't."

To her surprise he actually listens to her remaining quiet the entirety of their walk back. Their footsteps echo against the cobblestone road among the awkward silence. She clings onto his arm occasionally looking up at him. His expression is impassive, but she knew him better. Although it may appear there was little to nothing on his mind it was quite the opposite. It made her insides churn.

Finally approaching the hotel Jasper untangles his arm from hers bringing her in for a hug. Henry had stopped quite a few feet back from them, clearly receiving the message that Jasper wanted him no where near him.

"I'll meet you upstairs," he whispers before kissing her on top of the head.

She looks up at him one last time with eyes narrowed. "Don't do anything stupid." Well aware that her comment would have zero impact anyway, she clutches on to her flowers stomping toward the lobby door.

Jasper puts his hands in his pockets watching her make it safely to the elevator before taking a casual stroll toward Henry.

"Got a minute to chat?" he says motioning his head toward an alley to his left. Although he doesn't verbally comply, the bodyguard follows behind remaining calm and collected. Within the blink of an eye Jasper grabs onto either side of his jacket slamming him up against the brick wall. Henry's jaw is clenched but other than that he remains visually unphased.

"Look buddy, Eleanor may think you're a fucking saint but I'm on to you. Trust me, I've done my fair share of shady shit and it takes one to know one," he threatens, his eyes wildly scanning the man's face. "Now why are you really here? Why do you want inside access to the palace? The Princess? Money?"

Henry passively stares back taunting him. Jasper has a light chuckle wiping his mouth with his index finger and thumb. He was really pushing him over the edge. With one fluid motion he retrieves the pocket knife from his jeans holding the blade up to Henry's neck.

"You wouldn't do anything," he challenges staring him dead in the eyes.

Jasper applies pressure as it slowly sinks into his skin. "You don't know me or what I'm capable of."

"Shit, I'm on your fucking side okay?!" Henry hollers throwing his hands up. With him finally showing some trepidation Jasper instantly lowers the knife. But his grip never loosens and he doesn't back away one step. "I do want inside access to the palace. But it isn't for money. And it isn't for your wife. Well, at least directly.."

Jasper frustratingly shoves him back once more crashing his body against the wall. Pacing back and forth he stops in place with both hands on his hips. He's furious yet thoroughly intrigued. Quickly glancing at his watch he looks back up at Henry.

"Well, I've got all night. Talk."