“Gabriel … are you angry with me?”
“We have not seen each other in years, Jessica. Why would I be angry with you?”
“Well, you have hardly looked at me, let alone talked to me since you arrived,” she pouted and laid her hand on his shoulder, leaning closer so her breast pressed against his arm.
Gabriel looked at her and had to acknowledge that she was a beautiful woman, yet she did not elicit any warmth in him. He smiled briefly.
“I have been out of the country briefly and have quite a lot of work on my mind at present. How have you been?”
Gabriel sat listening politely through her rendition of how busy she has been. If gallivanting over the globe from one holiday and party to the next could count as being busy. Freda and Michael returned and she pouted when she noticed her seat had been taken over by another and sat down with a frown across from them.
As soon as Gabriel finished his meal, Jessica also bullied him onto the dance floor. The only reason he rose and followed her was to avoid her incessant chatting. She pulled herself tight against his body and threw her head back to stare into his eyes. He smiled reluctantly. The woman was tenacious if nothing else. He drew her into his shoulder and started dancing her around the small dance floor, forcing her to concentrate on the steps.
How they ended up on the balcony on the side of the restaurant he didn’t know, but when she drew his head down and kissed him he stiffened. Then he drew her closer and kissed her intimately. The kiss did not last long before he ended it and pushed her away. She smiled blindingly at him, but he shook his head.
“I am sorry, Jessica, but nothing is going to happen between us.”
“Why? You kissed me and I could feel you want me too.”
He grinned and wondered how. His shaft was as flaccid as could be and that was why he ended the kiss. He kissed her purely to test his reaction to another woman now that he has been with Sienna. Now he knew. Someone as beautiful and sexy as Jessica did not even elicit one ounce of desire in him.
“No, Jessica, I don’t and I am sorry. I should not have kissed you. Let’s go back in. I’ve had a long day and I want to leave.”
Suddenly he had a strong desire to hear Sienna’s voice and just wanted to get out of there. The time difference would mean it was around midday in Washington and by the time he got to the Villa, he intended to phone her. He said his goodbyes to everyone and Leonardo accompanied him to his car.
“I am sorry about the ladies, Gabe. I forgot you and Jessica had a short fling and Freda … well, who knew!”
“Forget it Leo, although I would have preferred a quiet and relaxing night.”
Leonardo’s eyebrows rose. “You? What has happened, my friend? I know you’re not the libertine the tabloids make you out to be, but you always enjoyed the flirting and kissing of the ladies on a night like this. Tonight it seemed to irritate you.”
“You’re right. I guess I am tired, it was a long flight from Washington and with the time difference I am slightly of sync.”
“If you say so. Are you sure it has nothing to do with your little historian?”
Gabriel looked at him and grinned, but shrugged his shoulders. He was not ready to admit anything to his friend just yet.
“I just hope for your sake, tonight’s photos and articles are going to be limited to local papers and television stations. If your historian believes you and she have something and she sees them …”
Gabriel groaned remembering all the flashes while he danced with both ladies and he was relatively sure the kiss on the balcony was also captured. The paparazzi in Rome have always hugged his heels whenever he sat foot there.
“Dammit! I really don’t need this aggravation as well! Not much I can do about it now. If I dare try and stop any reporter they will believe there is something I am trying to hide and not leave me alone.”
“Well, I am afraid to say, my dear friend, that seeing you here tonight has already triggered their interest. Since your father’s death you have mostly disappeared from the social scene. You know to them you are like manna from heaven. You will not be able to turn a corner without them at your back!”
Gabriel ran his hands through his hair, realizing he was right. Another negative aspect of being part of royalty. You become a public figure and every move becomes public knowledge!
He waved Leonardo away and arrived at the Villa some thirty minutes later. Bone tired he dropped down on his bed and fell fast asleep almost immediately.
Chapter Ten
Gabriel woke up with a start and took a moment to find his bearings. Flying from one continent to another was tiring and the little sleep he has had over the past week caught up with him. He groaned and stretched lazily.
“Damn!”
He realized he never phoned Sienna the night before and a quick glance at his watch showed it was already after nine. A first for him in a long while. He never slept this late. It was already in the middle of the night in Washington and the phone call would have to wait until later in the day. He got up and was on his way to the office within thirty minutes.
The next three days ran away with him and before he realized it was already after five in the afternoon and the end of the week. He packed up and looked up when Leonardo strolled into his office.
“I must say I am quite impressed with the progress the team has made with the information they presented this afternoon, Leo. We need to look at that analysis on Monday. I have quite a few questions.”
“First thing in the morning will work for me. Up to dinner?”
Gabriel glanced at him wryly. “As long as it is not the same type of dinner as the other night.”
Leonardo laughed. “No, just us two. I find I can’t do all the late nights anymore. Suppose we are getting old, old chum!”
“Speak for yourself! But I would rather like to believe we are too mature now to be faffing away until all hours of the morning.”
“Yes, you might be right. Shall we meet at Alfredo’s at eight?
“I have a better idea. Why don’t you come over to the Villa and have some of my famous pasta?”
“Your creamy barbeque chicken pasta?”
“If that is your order, sure.”
“Great, I’ll see you later then.”
By the time Leonardo arrived at the Villa, the pasta dish was already in the oven, the salad in the fridge and fresh ciabatta rolls ready to be heated up.
They sat on the outside patio next to the pool sipping whiskey waiting for the pasta to cook. Gabriel frowned when the gate bell rang. He went to the intercom and dropped his head on his chest when Jessica’s melodic voice chirped over the device.
“My King, I thought it is a shame that you should spend the night all by yourself! Let me in and then we can decide how to spend the night.”
Gabriel glared at Leonardo. “How the hell does she know where I stay?”
“Must have been Michael that told her.”
Gabriel jabbed irritably at the gate button and went around the patio to meet Jessica at the front door. He stood waiting with his hands on his hips and literally glared at her. She ignored his irritation and stood on her toes to kiss him lingeringly on his lips.
“Gabriel … it has been so good to meet you again.”
“Follow me, Jessica. We’re on the side patio.”
“We?” She pouted with a frown between her eyes. “Who are we?”
“I invited Leo to dinner.”
The direct hint that she was an uninvited guest did not even faze her. He has never been so tempted to ask someone to leave as he was her. But his mother ingrained good manners into him from a very young age and he would never be able to do it.
He left the two of them to greet each other and disappeared into the kitchen. The pasta was ready and he quickly heated the rolls. He carried the dishes and plates and cutlery to the patio in the meantime and dinner took up at least another two hours.
Leonardo smiled at Gabriel rubbing his stomach.
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nbsp; “I must say, you make smashing barbeque chicken pasta. Even for a King!”
“Gmphf … there is a lot that I do that has no bearing on being a King!”
“I know, my friend, but I can’t believe that Benito is not here to look after you. I don’t know if you’re lost without him as much as he is lost without you!”
Gabriel chuckled in agreement. “Yes, we have become quite used to one another. He arrives in the morning. He seems to share your vision that I can’t look after myself.”
“You said you were out of the country, Gabriel. Where were you?”
Gabriel’s eyebrows rose and Jessica blushed. She forgot how much of a private person he was. He never volunteered any information about himself, his family or his business. It was seen as insulting for anyone to ask royalty about their business and she blushed.
“My apologies, King. I did not think!”
He nodded and looked at her, wondering why she all of a sudden pursued him so actively. She accepted that he had no interested in any type of relationship years ago and the few times they did come across one another, they barely chatted. This time … she openly flirted and tried to seduce him. Even after telling her upfront the other night did not faze her.
Leonardo noticed the thoughtful look on Gabriel’s face and he frowned. He knew his friend very well and it was clear something bothered him. When Jessica excused herself to go to the bathroom he approached the matter.
“What is worrying you, Gabe?”
“I’m not sure. I just don’t feel comfortable with this. She has not tried to pick up where we left of for years. Why now all of a sudden? And so openly and aggressively.”
“Now that you mention it. It is rather strange. Do you think she is trying to force your hand into something?”
“With her anything is possible. Let’s play this out and see where it leads to.”
After nearly half an hour Leonardo frowned and wondered aloud where Jessica was as she still had not returned from the bathroom.
“Best we both go and see where she disappeared to. As you said, something is going on and you might just be forced into something you don’t want.”
Gabriel laughed. “What? A shotgun wedding? It is not the medieval times, Leo and if I had to marry every woman I slept with I would have been married a few times already. Even royalty has urges you know!”
Leonardo chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, Gabe. I know all about your urges!”
They found her naked and sound asleep on Gabriel’s bed. Gabriel was immediately livid. If there were two things he could not stand, it was manipulation and deceit. He stood staring down at the sleeping woman and he realized with a start that even looking down at her naked beauty did not stir him. He growled and glanced at Leonardo, who clearly had a stronger reaction to her nakedness than he did and he shook his head.
“Maybe you should carry her to the spare room and see if you can wake her up later. I sure as hell am not interested!”
“Thank you, but no thanks. I do not need another deceitful woman in my life. What are we going to do?”
“I am tempted to phone her father. Not that it would do any good. She is already … what twenty six or something like that.”
“Maybe so. But I don’t think Beaumont Chastain will appreciate the King of San Italia upset with his family. Did he not approach you last year to invest in the new offshore oilrig he wanted to build?”
“Yes, I forgot about that. I told him then the time was not right and we should revisit the prospect this year.”
“And if his little spoilt girl upset you with this stunt, he is going to be mightily upset.”
“Or think he has leverage over my head.”
“You think that is what this is? What do you think … she cries rape or something like that and you immediately invest to keep it out of the media?”
“I imagine it is something that the sovereignty would frown upon. Not that it would bother me, but I have to think of my family. If that is what they planned, we better put a spanner in the works, then don’t we?”
“What do you suggest?”
“How about we go and hit the club scene for the rest of the night and make sure we are seen and followed all the way to the office in the morning. Benito can find her there and we allow them to play their hand. One benefit I have in my favor even without us leaving is that this whole house is under camera, out and inside. Even here, so let’s leave the light on shall we?”
“The way she is passed out, do you think she took a sleeping tablet so you are forced to keep her here for the night?”
Gabriel shrugged and shook his head. He changed into comfortable jeans and a tight golf shirt and they left immediately thereafter.
Inside he shimmered with anger. Beaumont Chastain was a highly revered business man and he was hard pressed to really believe he would play a part in this set up. But he was not prepared to take a chance and upset his family unnecessarily. Nor would he want Sienna to catch sight of something like this. It would be enough of an excuse for her to run for the hills. He glanced at his watch and realized it was already after twelve, which meant it was late afternoon in Washington.
He told Leonardo he was going outside to make a call and found a quiet spot before he made the call. He listened to the ringing in his ear and the longer it continued the more irritated he became. When her voicemail came on he ended the call and stood brooding for a while. He waited ten minutes and tried again, and once again her voicemail picked up the call. This time he left a short abrupt message.
“Red, call me.”
From that point he was plainly irritated, especially as the night turned into sunrise and she still has not returned his call. They left the club around six in the morning and went to find a Bistro for a quick breakfast and from there straight to the office. They both had clothes they kept there, and Gabriel had a private bathroom next to his office where they took to shower and dress.
He felt much better by the time he settled behind his desk and opened his laptop. It was nearly eight in the morning and he was fully annoyed that Sienna still has not returned his call. Not caring about what the time was there, he scrolled to find her number and dialed her again. He counted the rings and sighed in relief when she answered sleepily.
“H’lo.”
“Red … wake up, amore.”
“Gabriel, hi.”
“Why did you not return my call?”
“I have been busy.”
He frowned at her reserved answers and sighed. Clearly allowing her distance and time was not the cleverest decision he has ever made.
“I see. Too busy to make a one minute phone call or even just a text message?”
She stubbornly kept quiet and he rubbed his eyes tiredly. Staying up through the night was not something he did anymore and he was damn tired.
“How is Gramps?”
“She is fine.
“Sienna, what the hell is the matter with you?” Now he was angry with her continued short and abrupt answers.
“Nothing is wrong with me. It is in the middle of the night and I was sleeping.”
“Woman, don’t test my patience. I can hear something is bothering you. What is it?”
Sienna pressed her lips together and turned on her back, staring into the black night around her. She had to pull away from him. She had to, before he broke her heart when he got inaugurated as the King and she became expendable.
“King Gabriel, as I said, there is nothing wrong. I just managed to gain perspective once you left. I am sorry for seducing you the first time we met. Had I known who you were it never would have happened. Please understand, I have been contracted to perform research for your family, and that is all it should ever have been and will be, should I go back to finish the job.”
“Should? Are you about to renege on your agreement, Red?”
“I was hoping you would release me from it. I have found a colleague that is prepared to take over from me and she would be able to start immediately.�
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“I see. I am sorry to burst your bubble, Sienna but you signed up for the job and you will complete it. Or I will take you to court for breach of contract.”
“Please! This is so unnecessary!”
“I quite agree and clearly a waste of my time. Benito will be at the airport to collect you and your grandmother four weeks from today at ten in the morning. Be warned, Sienna. If you are not there, I’ll phone the authorities. You might survive a jail sentence … I am not so sure your grandmother would.”
“Wha … what do you mean?”
“You’re a historian, Red. You should know that opposing Royalty result in the whole family carrying the burden of punishment.”
“You wouldn’t?”
“I wouldn’t? As you rightly proved, Sienna … you don’t know me very well … as a matter of fact – you don’t know me at all.”
He ended the call abruptly, anger simmered inside him like a live volcano. If Sienna Thorne thought for one moment she was going to brush him of as easily as that, she had a surprise coming. There was no way in hell that he was done with her. That he has satisfied his hunger and lust for her and until he did, she will dance to his demand. Come hell or high water!
His phone rang and he answered it, his voice harsh. “Costa.”
“My King, it is Benito.”
“Are you well, Benito?”
“As well as can be expected, my King. I just arrived at the Villa. I am slightly confused my King.”
“And why is that, Benito?”
“I always thought of you as an honorable man, King Gabriel. I was quite elated when you and the little Historian became … you know …”
“Yes, Benito, get to the point!” Angry from the start at the mention of Sienna.
“So I do not readily understand why there is another woman in your bed, my King.”
Gabriel startled. He totally forgot about Jessica from the moment he heard Sienna’s voice.
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