by Melody Anne
“Good luck, brother,” Ballasare said before patting Robert on the shoulder and following their dad.
When they were both out of earshot Nic gave him a big grin before he moved closer and lowered his voice.
“Was it amazing to take the woman?” Nic asked with a sparkle in his eyes.
Robert felt his own lips turn up as he remembered the adventure of it all. “It’s still sending adrenaline through my body. I don’t regret a moment of it,” he admitted.
“Thatta boy. I want all the details as soon as possible,” Nic demanded.
“Of course,” Robert said.
“You’re going to have to marry the girl,” Nic told him.
Robert sighed. “I kind of figured that when I knew I’d taken the wrong woman,” he admitted.
“I thought so,” Nic said with approval. He then patted Robert’s shoulder and followed their father and brother from the room.
Robert sighed. It was time to go find his future bride. He had a feeling she wasn’t going to be too keen on the idea. That thought only made him smile more though, because he was ready to go a few rounds with the tempting beauty. She stirred his blood and made him want to become this alpha male who had to hunt his prey.
He’d had far too easy a time with women his entire life. It figured he’d be drawn the most to the one who thought he was nothing more than a plague to be stomped on. Tucking the ring away, Robert went to a window and watched as his father’s chopper ascended. He wanted to make sure his family was long gone before he went to the girl. He planned on getting both of them naked, and he really didn’t want any further interruptions. Once she was his, she would realize they would stay together.
It was a beautiful day on the island of Rubare Collina. Why not get engaged? Most successful royal marriages were arranged anyway, he thought with a careless shrug as he internally argued with himself.
He realized the customs of his land were so ingrained in him, he followed them without too much of a fight. Beyond that, he was loyal to his land and his family. And it didn’t hurt that the girl intrigued him.
His last thought, which would have Izzy kicking his ass, was that if he grew bored of her, he could always have a harem. Laughter echoed off the walls as he imagined what the American girl would have to say about that. He’d love to find out. Maybe he’d ask her. It had been a bit too long since he’d danced with danger.
CHAPTER SEVEN
ISABELLA AWOKE IN a less-than-pleasant mood. She’d searched her large suite for any sign of Robert, but he wasn’t there. There was no obvious indicators to show her if he’d come back to the suite after she’d fallen asleep.
What made her the angriest was the slight disappointment she felt at such a thought. She should be relieved he hadn’t followed through on the promise in his eyes as he’d gazed at her in the bathtub. It wasn’t what she wanted.
Of course that wasn’t true. She did want to be taken by a man — she just didn’t want it from him, she assured herself. She again knew she was lying. Who in their right mind wouldn’t want to be in that man’s unbelievably sexy arms? He was handsome, fit, and so incredibly sure of himself. She had no doubt he was an incredible lover and knew how to please his partner. She’d heard too many stories of women having bad sexual experiences. It was enough to make her never want sex.
But with her captor she had no doubt it would be amazing. However, the man had captured her against her will. For her to reward that behavior with the gift of her body didn’t make sense. Of course, none of this situation made a lick of sense if she was being completely honest.
Isabella was allowed out of her rooms with Ms. Betty at her side. The woman was chattering as she showed her the huge castle, pointing out different items with a proud set to her shoulders. It was beautiful and Isabella did love the history of it all, but she never had cared that much about royal traditions. Sure she’d turned on the television as most of the world had when Kate married her prince, but she hadn’t been thinking of all the responsibility the woman would then have to bare on her shoulders.
Who would willingly enter a marriage that took away their very freedom and privacy? Isabella certainly wouldn’t do that. The dream for many young girls might be to one day marry a prince, but reality had a funny way of sneaking up on a person, and a royal life was so much more servitude than people realized. They were controlled by their people, not the other way around, especially with the tidal wave of social media and cameras at every corner.
The tour of the castle continued and when they entered the library Isabella’s breath was actually taken away. It was something right out of Beauty and the Beast but even better. The room had to hold every volume of every book ever created; it stood four stories high and had exquisitely carved ladders in several places that would easily slide across the room. The need to run and see how easily they slid made her body practically shake.
No one was in the room, sitting in one of the large chairs by a crackling fire, and that surprised her. This was something she often visualized though. It was those who had the most who didn’t appreciate it or know what truly mattered. How sad for them.
Isabella moved over to a giant nook with sunlight pouring into the room through an open window, which also allowed the sea breeze inside. There was a comfortable bench surrounding the nook, and it was a perfect place to sit and enjoy a nice summer read while glancing out the window every so often.
When she looked at the grassy plain below her, she caught sight of Robert. He was riding a horse with sweat gleaming off his bare back, his head thrown back as laughter drifted up to her. The horse reared back before jumping over a log and every muscle in Robert’s torso rippled as he controlled the animal.
She also noted several scars along his skin. They in no way took away from his incredible looks, but they did make her wonder what sort of life he’d led that he had such marks on him.
“I see the frown. Are you noticing his scars?” Ms. Betty quietly asked.
“It’s difficult not to notice them,” Isabella admitted.
“Robert often spent time with our Christopher,” Ms. Betty said with a maternal smile. “The two really enjoyed adventure and pushing the envelope. It took them a while to grow up, but what I’ve seen in them in the last few years is a true maturing. He wears those marks proudly because they tell a story of fun and adventure. He will make a good husband, a loyal prince, and an honorable man. Give him a chance.”
These were the most words the woman had spoken to Isabella that weren’t about the castle. She didn’t know what to think of the small speech, but she didn’t want this woman, who had to know she’d been brought there against her will, to think she was complacent to it all.
“I’m not his,” Isabella said. Even as the words came from her mouth, she couldn’t tear her gaze away from the man in question as he marched his horse back into the barn. He truly was beautiful.
“Sometimes we aren’t left with a choice of who is chosen for us. Sometimes fate intervenes, and we’re slaves to our emotion,” Ms. Betty pointed out.
“I’m not a typical girl,” Isabella said, feeling sorrow even as she finished her statement. “I know how to deprive myself to achieve what is needed instead of wanted.”
“That isn’t something to be proud of,” Ms. Betty said. “If all we ever know is sacrifice then how are we supposed to truly live and be free?”
“Maybe some of us aren’t meant to. Maybe some of us are here to make the world a better place for others,” Isabella said.
It was truly a depressing thought that she might be meant to be that type of person, but at least she had a purpose if she was. Everything inside her rebelled at such a thought, but she wasn’t left with much choice in the matter. She did believe in fate, and so far, her purpose had been to serve and please.
Ms. Betty eventually led her back to her suite of rooms, and once again Isabella found herself disappointed to find no sign of Robert. If the man had brought her here for a reason, why wasn’t he try
ing to spend time with her? It made no sense. Maybe he truly had realized he’d made a mistake, and he was trying to figure out what to do about the situation.
She had read up on the customs of Rubare Collina, not on Rubare Virgina, so she was pretty sure they didn’t execute people simply to shut them up, but she also knew there were many royal secrets not shared with the rest of the world.
Even as she had this thought she realized she no longer had any fear of the situation. She might still be slightly angry with Robert, but she wasn’t afraid of him. She just didn’t want to admit that to him.
Ms. Betty left, and Isabella decided to read one of the books she’d chosen in the library. She really had nothing else to do, and getting lost in a great story was truly a joy for her. It might even make her stop thinking about Robert for at least a few hours.
She did eventually have to escape this castle. She feared she’d grow too complacent if she didn’t. She didn’t want that to happen — didn’t want to become just another silly female content with her life being changed without her permission.
Opening the cover of her book, Isabella was soon lost in a fictional world that did indeed take her mind off the situation — at least to some degree.
CHAPTER EIGHT
ISABELLA FELT HER dream slipping away as she began to stir. Slowly her eyes opened and she noted the sun had set and stars were already twinkling in the sky outside the large windows.
A sound alerted her she wasn’t alone before the familiar smell of Robert drifted over her like a spring breeze. Was she already used to him? She had been reading and hadn’t even realized she’d fallen asleep.
Her body ached as she slowly turned, stretching out her stiff muscles. That’s when she noticed the blanket covering her lap and the pillow against the wall supporting her neck.
“You looked so peaceful I didn’t want to wake you, but I tried to help you get a little more comfortable. It must have worked because you sighed as you snuggled into the pillow and then slept another hour,” Robert told her.
There was a strange look in his eyes she couldn’t quite interpret. Maybe it was the fog of sleepiness still surrounding her, or maybe it was the dim light of the room, but for some reason Isabella’s defenses were dangerously low as she gazed at this handsome man sitting only a couple feet from her.
“Thank you,” she told him. “Were you here the whole time?” She felt her cheeks heat at the thought of that, at him sitting so close, studying her while she slept. It was so intimate, and so overwhelming.
“I enjoyed the peace,” he said. His gaze was intense, making it difficult for her to continue looking in his eyes. But for some reason she wasn’t able to turn away.
“I saw you on the horse earlier,” she blurted. She was now grateful for the lack of lighting as she felt her cheeks heat. Why was she trying to have a conversation with him? She shouldn’t want to.
“I know,” he told her.
“How?”
“I felt your gaze on me,” he said. She expected laughter or a smile, but his eyes remained intense. It was enough to make her stomach tremble.
“Oh, well, I guess they say some people have a sense of things where they can feel themselves being watched,” she said, trying to find an explanation.
“I’ve never had that,” he told her before he scooted a little closer. “You do realize there’s something special between us, right?”
He reached out and ran a finger along the top of her hand. The powerful feeling of his touch made her want to pull away from him to protect herself. It also made her want to scoot closer and feel his body pressed to hers.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, but she couldn’t look him in the eye as she did. It was a clear lie, and they both knew it.
“We can continue to fight it or we can see where it goes,” Robert told her.
This time Isabella did look at him. It was as if she were being forced against her will. No matter how she tried to fight it, there was a connection between them. She now knew he wasn’t the monster she’d first thought he was when his hand had pressed down against her mouth, but that didn’t mean she should surrender to these awakened desires within her.
He turned her hand over and began to trace her palm before he gently caressed the skin of her wrist where her pulse was beating out of control. His lips turned up slightly as he felt the racing of her heart.
“Stop fighting both of us,” Robert said, his voice pure seduction.
He moved even closer and pulled her legs over his so they were facing each other, his mouth a mere inch from her own. Her heart raced, her blood boiled, and her core was pulsing with the need to be filled. He licked his lips, and her eyes were drawn to the movement with the need for her to close the small gap between them and take what she so desperately wanted.
“Tell me you want me,” he said, bending down and kissing her neck, his tongue lazily tracing her skin before he sucked on it, making her head fall backward to give him better access.
She opened her mouth to either tell him to stop or beg him to give her more. She wasn’t sure which. But all that came out was a low moan as his hands ran up her arms and over the top of her chest. She shook as her nipples throbbed with the need to be touched.
She wasn’t disappointed when his fingers drifted down, lightly brushing her covered chest, making her back arch as tingles rushed through her body. He trailed his mouth up her neck, kissing her jaw and cheek before his tongue circled her lips. She leaned toward him, but he pulled back and she whimpered.
His hands moved down her torso, stopping at the top of her quivering thighs before he moved them up her sides and rested them loosely on her back. Her eyes had drifted shut, but she opened them and found his intense gaze boring into her.
“Tell me with words that you want this, and I’ll give you more pleasure than you can ever imagine,” he said. The words were certainly a command, but she was certain they were a promise, too.
And just that easily Isabella decided to do the wrong thing for the first time in her life. She decided she wanted pleasure above doing what she should do. She didn’t want to be responsible, didn’t want to take the right path. She wanted this man’s hands and mouth all over her, and she wanted to keep feeling the sensations only he had managed to incite within her.
“Yes, I want this,” she said, barely recognizing her own voice. She was both pleasured and nervous at the possessiveness that instantly invaded his eyes as they darkened.
Without hesitation Robert stood and slipped his arms beneath her body before moving to the huge bed. He stood a moment at its side and gazed at her. She couldn’t have uttered a word even if he’d demanded it.
Slowly he set her down, her legs trembling as she prayed they’d hold her up.
“Have you been with a man before?” Robert asked.
She was so filled with desire and new feelings it took her several tries to process his question? Once she did, her cheeks heated again. Her skin was already so flushed, she was sure he wouldn’t notice the blush.
“Does it matter?” she asked, her voice squeaky.
“It definitely matters,” he told her, his eyes intense.
“Would I be impure if I have been?” she challenged, not liking the idea of that at all. Her desire was still incredibly intense, but a bit of anger began seeping in as well. And with that came reason. “Maybe this isn’t such a good idea.”
Even as she said the words, her body screamed that she was a fool. Robert’s eyes narrowed as he reached around her and pulled her against him. He lifted her leg up and pressed his hips forward, letting her feel how solid he was beneath his clothes. Even through both their layers of clothing she could feel heat pouring into her, and her core responded with a pulse that begged her to relieve the ache.
“There’s no question of our coming together. I just need to know if I need to be gentle,” he said before his lips turned up in a possessive grin. “Or if I can fuck you into oblivion. Either way I will s
ink inside your body, and I will do it soon. I will get lost in your heat, and I will lift you so high you’ll have a difficult time finding the ground again. If you haven’t had sex before, I don’t want to hurt you. I’m not judging you. I want you so badly I’m having a difficult time speaking right now. And Izzy, I will take you over and over again. So tell me now if I need to be careful this first time.”
His voice was thick and dark as if he was losing control, and between that and his words, Isabella lost the fight within her. She had caused this virile, sexy man to thicken, to want, to lose control. That made her body respond in ways she had never imagined possible.
“I haven’t been with a man before,” she said, unable to look into his eyes as she said it.
Robert groaned as he pushed his hips forward in a rocking motion that had liquid heat coating her core. Her body was calling to his, preparing to be taken.
“Then you will only be mine,” he said. The utter possession in his voice and eyes scared Isabella, but before she could even attempt to pull away, he stopped talking and captured her lips in a kiss so hungry all of her thoughts evaporated, and she reached around his head and held on tight. They would take this ride together, and she knew there would be no regrets.
Robert lifted her again and laid her on the bed. He quickly joined her as his hand cupped the back of her neck. She wanted his lips on hers, but instead he took a breath and pressed a kiss to her temple before slowly moving down her cheeks. His other hand rested on her chest, high enough to feel the thundering of her heart. His thumb drifted in a lazy circle just above her nipple making a moan escape her throat.
He was torturing her in the most pleasurable way, and she wanted to speed this up. The problem was she didn’t know what to demand, didn’t know what she wanted. All she knew was her body was an aching mass, and she needed him to ease the pain.
Robert paused as his mouth hovered over hers. Their eyes were both open, and he gazed at her as their breaths mingled together. It was such an intimate moment, heated and heavy, yet flirty and . . . sweet. She felt herself getting lost in him. She swept out her tongue and the tip reached his bottom lip.