by C R Riley
Antonio’s explanation blew my mind into a thousand curious pieces. Had my mother actually given some thought to my full name when she picked it out. I knew from a little research that Larkin means fierce or rough. I had always just thought she was thinking of the bird, Lark, and just added the in to it. It made the most sense to me at the time. I’m still not completely convinced that it was more than that. And my middle name Moon, I had accused her of being stoned while gazing up and catching the bright light shining before absentmindedly writing it down.
Had she maybe held out hope that I could be the light to her darkness? Something that could pull her out of whatever it was that had her using drugs so intensely that they eventually took her life.
I have no idea, although I kind of like thinking that perhaps I had been wrong all these years. That my birth mother had loved me enough to give me a name with some real meaning behind it.
So, I glance up at the sky and stare at the bright moon, letting my mind ponder on that for a few moments longer.
Chapter 12
Antonio
I needed to get out from under all the eyes of those who thought my personal life was any of their business. Living inside a glass house can be very exhausting. Even when you have been raised inside of one and have learned how to ignore most of it, there is just only so much one can take. Privacy can be an advantage people born into this life don’t ever really get to experience all that often without fighting for it.
I move us though the nosey vipers and as I do, I move Larkin in front of me. I don’t want to lose her in the midst of the crowd and have to fight my way back to her. I just want to get us out of here as fast and quietly as I can.
I head for the doors that lead to my private garden. A place no one will be allowed to enter without my permission. As soon as we approach the large exterior doors my security team opens them so we can slip through, and then secures them just as promptly. Now that they know I am out here security in this area will be tightened, meaning Larkin and I will not be disturbed.
Because I am behind her, I get the pleasure of watching her body completely relax the moment we step outside. I continue to watch as she saunters towards the concrete railing and takes in a very deep breath of fresh air. It is as if she has been holding herself together by a few weak strings, and now that she is away from it all she can let everything go. Her head tilts back and she seems to be staring at the sky above us where the moon is shining brightly.
I wander up behind her, trapping her there by placing my hands on the railing next to hers. A shiver travels through her body and I notice her grip tightens around the edges.
I bury my nose into the crown of her head, where her hair has been gathered into a messy but stylish bun. Instantly I am hit with the fragrance of something sweet that causes my mouth to water.
Another shiver seems to travel through her, so I move my hands to her arms and begin running them up and down hers slowly. Her skin is soft and warm under my caress.
When was the last time I touched a woman like this?
I have to think really hard about that. I ended things with Dalia a few months before my father’s death. I had touched her in lots of ways, ways I probably really shouldn’t have since she wasn’t my wife.
Don’t judge me please. I’m not making excuses for myself here. I’m admitting I have faults where I allowed a woman to manipulate me. I am after all only a man, King or not, and I can fall just as easily as the next guy when things are offered freely and willingly by a woman.
I trusted her at the time, so I had allowed her to take some advantages to help me relax when I was stressing over matters concerning my father. Touched her body when she blatantly displayed it to me and then encouraged me to touch her while she pleasured me.
I know it was wrong. I knew at the time it was risky and wrong. Everything I had worked so hard for; all my plans could have gone up in smoke if I had allowed matters to go much farther.
I hadn’t though. Right before I was about to make a huge mistake and give in to temptation, my brothers made an unexpected visit to my home, bringing everything to an abrupt end. I had given God the credit later for sending them to make sure I didn’t get trapped in a loveless marriage because I had done something so stupid.
After our breakup I have only kissed a few women, striving to get her betrayal off my mind. Shortly after that I became King and my days, nights and weekends have been filled with balancing my responsibilities as King and raising the child that had been left in my care. Isabel has become my haven after long hard days. I didn’t really have time to think about dating or entertaining a woman. That little girl has kept me on my toes and given me more than I could have ever hoped for.
It wasn’t until I saw Larkin in that office had I even seriously thought about how much I missed that part of my life. She had awakened something inside of me that had gone dormant over the years.
Which probably explained why I had agreed to let my advisors suggest I start looking for a queen. Allowed them to invite potential prospects that would satisfy the criteria they felt necessary to uphold the integrity of the position as queen. That is all it really is to them, a station of the highest honor, and they want to fill it with someone that looks suitable on paper and will make their jobs easier. It benefits them if my future queen is someone, they can use to influence me during my reign. Everything about it is political and follows those unwritten guidelines that suggest a king/queen marry for power rather than love.
I can see where that was probably important back in the Middle Ages, when power and the size of one’s kingdom displayed their strength. But in today’s world things are completely different. We no longer conquer other nations; take them over simple because we can. It does me no good to marry a princess from one of the other monarch families who holds no power whatsoever. It isn’t as if by doing so we will suddenly be given a portion of their land, paid a dowry to settle debts, gain political status in the eyes of the world because our nations are now joined by the sanctity of marriage. It would mean more to them than it does us, since it would allow them to experience how it could have been if they hadn’t been forced to give up the power to their thrones.
Then there is the other option of marrying someone of status that lives here in this great country. The consortium of women who are considered elite, most of whom I have known most of my life, and none of them has ever done a thing for me. I can’t fully trust any of them to not have their own agenda, or believe that they will always be looking out for my best interest. I have no desire to marry one of them just so they can finally fulfill their fantasy of being granted the highest title in the land.
I want what most men out there want, someone to love them for the man that they are underneath the facade. Someone they can come home to at night and know that it is the one place they can relax and let go. I want a woman who loves me more than she loves the country she serves. Actually, I want a woman who could care less about all this and only see me, love me even if it all one day went away. Finding a woman like that, when you are in my position, feels like a fairytale fantasy, because they just don’t exist. Or at least I didn’t believe they existed until perhaps now.
I kiss the top of Larkin’s head before I back away from her. “Come with me. I don’t want to chance someone overhearing us, spying on us. There is a vine covered structure in the center that will keep us hidden from the nosey vipers.”
Larkin lets a pleasant giggle slip past her lips. “Nosey vipers? They sound dangerous.”
I tuck her arm under mine, and begin leading her down the stairs towards the path. “They can be dangerous if you allow them to be. Give them power over you and they will use it to get whatever they want. That is why it is important to always keep them underfoot. Do you understand?”
I can hear her letting out a deep exhale. “I think so. It’s why you decided to give me that made up title earlier. I’m not comfortable with that by the way. If I am not worthy enough as plainly Larkin Cros
s, then perhaps we should put a stop to this before it gets even more complicated.”
My feet stop dead in their tracks as I glimpse down at her. The light of the moon is bright, making her hair glisten. I have never seen hair reflect the moon the way hers is right now. Then she tilts her face up towards mine, letting the moon light it. The glow off her porcelain skin is nearly blinding and I become hypnotized momentarily.
“Is that what you think? That you are not worthy to be standing next to me Miss Cross?” I ask when my mind returns. “Because I can assure you my reasons for atoning you with a title had nothing to do with my thoughts on that matter. You are here right now because I want you to be here. None of that matters to me, but unfortunately it matters to them.”
“Which means that it also matters to you.” Larkin slips her arm out of mine and then starts walking again.
Does it? Do I really care what they think?
“No, it doesn’t.”
Larkin is now about ten steps away from me, so when I respond she spins around to glare at me. Her pale blue eyes sparkle in the light and a very definite roll of them shows me she disagrees. Then she spins back around and is now moving even faster. I can hear her mumbling, although I can’t make out exactly what she is saying.
When she has gotten a good fifty steps from me, she spins around quickly. Lifting her hand, she points her finger at me as she loudly voices her views on the matter. “That Your Majesty is a bold face lie. If I may speak freely Sir as not to offend, if you truly believe what you are saying, then you are a fool. A fool who was provoked by that venomous woman earlier and ended up giving her exactly what she wanted.”
Larkin huffs and then spins back around just a quickly. This time when she retreats, she is practically stomping off in those heels I know she is hiding under that lovely dress. I momentarily get distracted by the way it fits her form, showing off her backside the way I imagined it would when I picked it out.
Yes, I picked it out for her. I had my mother’s stylist bring several different styles to the Palace early this morning. One look at that dress and I knew it would look exceptional on her, and I was right. The color against her skin tone is the perfect combination. Bright vibrant colors are definitely kind to her and she should wear them often.
When I can no longer see her as good as I’d like my feet begin to move again. She is heading to the place I suggested and I hope I catch up with her before she veers off in another direction. At first, I thought maybe she did, because I don’t spot her when I step through the archway.
“For a man who has lived his whole life under a microscope, one would think you smarter than you act. I guess it just goes to prove that there is a sucker born every minute.” Larkin’s voice emerges from behind me. “That woman knew exactly what she was doing. She dangled that carrot in front of you and you took a bite like she knew you would. Well played Sir, well played.”
“Stop it Larkin.” I warn her.
“Or what? You seemed to like it when that woman poked her stick at you, am I wrong Your Majesty? Do you not like being nudged? Maybe you are more like a paper tiger, something that appears dangerous but is really nothing more than a piece of harmless paper.”
Larkin’s comments are doing exactly what she intended. Getting under my skin and stirring up something deep inside of me, reaching a place that up to this very day has never been disturbed.
“Does it bother you King Antonio to realize how easy it is for them to know what buttons to push? Showing that woman, who obviously knows you intimately, who clearly hurt you once, letting her prove to them just how vulnerable you really are. That while you claim to not care about their approval, the reality of it all is you need it, whether you want to or not. I think I should go.”
I stalked toward her slowly while she blurts out exactly what she is thinking. Each word she speaks is slowly chipping away at my ability to remain calm. As soon as she is finished, I pounce.
She wants to call me a tiger; I’ll show her exactly how dangerous of a tiger I really am. Would a helpless tiger be able to attack her so fiercely? I don’t think so.
I back Larkin up against the concrete pillar behind her, my hands clinching onto her hips. When her back hits the hard-cool stone pillar my lips take hers. This time I don’t asks for permission when I want to enter her mouth. I demand my way inside as I plunge my tongue through her whimpering lips. Talk about someone who displays her weakness, this woman is like putty in my hand whenever I get close to her.
Larkin gets her hands between us trying to shove me away, but I am having none of that. So, I grip onto them and press them into the pillar next to her head not letting up at all on my attack.
I have never in my life taken a woman like this before. I have always asked permission before kissing them, or at least warned them what was coming. But even then, I never went after them like I just can’t get enough. It is as if Larkin is feeding the tiger that has been trapped in his cage, teaching him just how good it feels to be free to roam.
Her body sliding down the pillar has me stepping back to give us both a chance to catch our breath. I release her arms and end up watching her slither her weak form down into a crouched position. She drops her head into her hands and I notice her body is trembling.
I immediately crash to my knees. “Larkin. Mi lunaita. Are you okay?”
She drops her hands, revealing a smile that tells me what I need to know. “You really have to stop asking me such a ridiculous question after you kiss me like that Antonio.”
“I will always ask.” I reach up and cup her cheek. “Especially when you have such a reaction to me kissing you. You are okay then?”
“I’m fine.” She reaches up and pats my cheek. “Your Majesty definitely knows how to knock a woman off her feet.”
I growl at the formal way she is addressing me. “No more mi lunaita. You will stop that right now. Call me Your Majesty one more time and I will show you what a King does to those who blatantly disobey his orders. I am Antonio to you always and forever. I will never correct you, not even in public for addressing me so informally. I am not your king, nor do I want to be. What I want from you Larkin is to earn your respect. I want you to see me like no one else ever has. I am looking for a woman who isn’t afraid to tell me what you did tonight, call me out when I am acting like a fool. I want a woman who will look out for my best interest, our best interest. I need a woman that will stand by my side always and not care should any of this ever go away. One that I can love and one who will love me back with everything that she possesses. That is what I want and need Larkin, and I am hoping that I can find that in you.”
“Well then.” She offers me her hand so I can help her stand. “That definitely gives me a lot to think about now doesn’t it? I can assure you that I could care less about all of this, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know how significant it all really is. That it is all a part of you and should I decide to date you it would mean accepting that one-day it could possibly be a part of me as well. Which means I need to think about whether I feel as if I am even capable of being a part of this world. Can I handle the pressure? Am I willing to take a risk on my sanity? Are you enough for me to willingly put myself in the public eye and have them all up in my business? I’m not sure of any of that right now.
“I also think you need to take time to think about it all as well. Are you willing to fight for me no matter what it may end up costing you? Is love really that important to you? I mean if what ends up happening between us should we date goes there.” She blushes and I laugh. “Because if you have any doubt about that at all, then I asked that you let tonight be a lesson to us both. There are some things that sound really good, even feel good, but the reality of what it may take to obtain them sometimes just isn’t worth the risk and so we have to let it go.”
“You are worth the risk Larkin.” I don’t even hesitate with my response. “Never doubt that.”
“You say that now Antonio. But this is just the beginning and as I
have learned so many times during my life, things always get harder not easier.”
Chapter 13
Larkin
Twenty-four days.
That’s how long I’ve lived in Hermosa Islas after practically begging my boss to get me out of Chicago. It’s also three-day shy of the number of days I have known Antonio.
Eighteen days.
That would be the number of days since the last time I have heard from Antonio. The last time I saw him was when he escorted me back inside the party to join the others. Shortly after that he got called away on matters that required his immediate attention. Left me in the care of his brother Esteban, who did his best to entertain me while my colleagues partied it up. Once the party started dying down and I was more than ready to get out of there, he escorted us back to our hotel and wished us farewell.
Farewell.
That is a word that I have begun to wonder if it meant more than I first predictable. It sounds so final doesn’t it? Maybe Antonio instructed his brother to do his dirty work and send me on my way so he didn’t have to.
Five days.
That’s how many days it been since I got called into Cameron’s office and was informed that Chandler Sloan would be joining us. I was then instructed to hand over all my designs that dealt with Palace Aragon to him once he arrived later today. I didn’t argue about it because I hated working on the Palace really. It was a constant reminder that the man whose home was inside of it was ignoring me.
I was being reassigned to work on Maximiliano Chateau in Homero. Homero is a town located an hour South of Aragon with rich rolling hills. Maximiliano was once the home of an English noble who fled to Hermosa Islas in the mid 1700’s. It is a beautiful chateau that has been neglected for way too long and was eventually sold to the Reyes family in 2009. It was bought as an investment and a way to preserve a piece of history that otherwise would have been torn down. The chateau in Homero was more up my alley; accordingly, I was looking forward to getting out of here and getting started on it. I was notified that there was a habitable cottage on the land where I could live while overseeing the renovations. It would serve as my home and office, courtesy of the Reyes family since housing in Homero was limited.