by Melody Anne
She didn’t see blood, and there were no more aches. She remembered her mother telling her long ago that the female body was a beautiful thing, the way women were designed was the most protective place for babies. It took a lot to harm them while inside the body unless a person was to do it on purpose. That gave her hope.
“Let me help you up,” the man said.
“Thank you,” she replied. “What’s your name?” She knew some of the guards, but they were rarely seen as they patrolled the grounds, so it was easier for her to get to know the inside staff.
“I’m Triad,” he said as he helped her to her feet.
“Thanks for coming to my rescue, Triad,” she said.
“I couldn’t leave you here on the ground,” he replied with a chuckle. “My wife would make me sleep on the porch if I ever walked away from a lady in need.”
“It appears as if you have a good woman,” Isabella told him.
“Yes I do, and a beautiful three-year-old daughter,” he replied, his face beaming.
“Oh, you must tell me all about her,” Isabella replied.
She walked side by side with the man as she continued her walk and laughed merrily as he shared antics of his daughter. After all her stress of the past few days, it was incredibly refreshing to let it go and simply focus on this kind man as he sang praises of his family.
It grew late before she realized it, and Triad apologized profusely for keeping her out so long. She leaned in, gave him a hug, and backed away, feeling a little guilty when his cheeks flushed.
“Please don’t apologize. This was a perfect evening for me, and it took my mind away from the worries that have plagued me,” she told him.
He gave her a sincere smile and took her hand in his, kissing the top of it. “Then I am grateful I found you. Please take care of yourself. All of our people love you,” he told her.
Isabella was shocked by his words, but she thanked him again before turning and entering the castle. There hadn’t been one person who’d been anything less than kind to her. She knew when she had to leave she would miss them quite a lot.
But even though she’d grown attached to this beautiful place in his incredible country, she knew it wasn’t her home. Just as she knew Robert couldn’t ever be truly hers. It was with sadness she went to her rooms that night. And again Robert never came to her.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
IT WAS FUNNY how you could think you wanted something so badly and then when you had it, you realized it wasn’t what you really needed. Maybe Isabella was slowly losing her sanity. She wasn’t sure. All she knew was she was creeping to the bathroom door and listening for any sound from Robert.
He’d been gone for five nights, and she had missed him desperately. She’d found out he had a separate sleeping chamber from her and that information had crushed her very soul. She wasn’t sure why she was surprised. She’d suspected as much when he wasn’t at her side night after night.
But it did surprise her that she was trying to spy on him. Luckily he wasn’t a prince who liked to have twenty-four-hour guards with him, therefore it wasn’t difficult to sneak into his room.
She’d heard from a servant he’d had a bad day, and she felt an intense need to comfort him. She didn’t understand why. He obviously didn’t feel the need to give her comfort in her times of need. And besides, it wasn’t as if he needed her sympathy — he had an entire kingdom to give him that.
Beneath the closed bathroom door there was the slightest shadow, dancing. She wasn’t sure if he was in there or not. She leaned in to see if she could hear anything and got too close, instantly hitting her forehead on the solid wood, causing an ache, and making a sound that was far too loud for the silent room.
“Do you think you’re being sneaky?” The words came from behind the bathroom door, and they didn’t sound happy.
Isabella froze; she’d been caught. Maybe if she was completely still and silent he’d assume he was hearing things. She froze where she was, barely allowing herself to breathe.
“Open the damn door,” Robert called out. This time the irritation was very clear.
She could turn and run away but that might make him chase her. He’d shown her he had no problem with doing that. And considering the man was most likely naked in the bathroom, she didn’t think a chase would be wise. No, she had no fear of him attacking her. She was far more afraid of her own reaction to his wet and naked body. Her need for him was overwhelming and all-consuming. She couldn’t get enough. It had been five days since his last touch, and she was feeling vulnerable and needy, a combination she didn’t want to feel.
With a deep breath, Isabella turned the doorknob and stepped inside the darkened room. Her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting quickly, and she found him lying back in the tub, his body covered by only water. There was a half empty glass of amber liquid he seemed uninterested in. His eyes were glued to her as she stepped forward.
Making sure she looked no farther than his face, Isabella came a bit too close to Robert. This pull to be near him terrified her, but it was something she didn’t want to fight.
“Why do you look so angry?” she asked. She wanted to know where he’d been, but she didn’t want him to know she’d noticed his absence. His eyes narrowed a little as they caressed her face in a possessive manner. A shiver ran through her. Though he might be attempting to appear relaxed, she saw the tension in his arms. If she allowed herself to look lower, she was sure she’d see the same stiffness in the rest of his body.
“I’ve been away on business, serving my country, and I expected you to be waiting for me,” he began with a glare. A small flutter of pleasure filled her, knowing he’d been away from home and not avoiding her. Why couldn’t he have shared that information with her? It would have been so much easier on her pride. He continued and his next words weren’t pleasant at all. “I was told upon my return that you were out by the gardens in the fading light, laughing with a guard who was reported to be quite smitten with you.”
Isabella was shocked at the jealousy she heard in his tone. This was something entirely new in their tumultuous relationship. It took her several moments to figure out what he was talking about.
“Do you mean Triad?” she asked with hesitation.
“I’m so pleased you’re on a first name basis,” Robert snapped.
Isabella didn’t know what to think as Robert scowled at her. She needed to explain the situation, not because she had done anything wrong, but because she didn’t want to get a kind man in trouble. She wondered if a person could be locked in the dungeon for daring to speak with the mistress of the prince. She winced at that thought. She didn’t think of herself as dirty, but a mistress to her was nothing special. Sadly, she knew she was nothing more than that to this man, and yet she still allowed him to freely take her body anytime he wanted. She needed him that much.
“I fell in the garden while he was doing his rounds. He found me lying there and helped me to my feet. Then we walked and spoke for a while about the gardens and his family. Nothing inappropriate happened,” she told Robert. She felt anger stir inside her. He’d been gone without explanation, and he should be telling her what he’d been up to.
“I have done nothing to make you think you deserve the right to an explanation. You are the one who captured me. You are the one who wouldn’t allow me to leave. And you are the one with the problem. I’m simply explaining the situation because I don’t want you taking out your irrational anger on a good man.” She finished her words as she moved closer to him. How dare he question her.
Robert glared, and her fury increased even further. Before she had a chance to second-guess herself, she was lifting a bottle of soap and throwing it at him. It hit the tub with a loud splash, causing water to hit his face and her summer dress.
His eyes widened before an evil glint appeared. Isabella knew it was time to retreat. She spun on her feet and took a single step before he grabbed her arm and tugged . . . hard.
Her balance was upe
nded and Isabella fell backward over the edge of the tub, landing with a messy splash right onto his naked lap where it was more than obvious how hard he already was.
“Robert!” she cried out as her dress was instantly plastered to her body. She flailed in her attempt to keep her head above water. She wiggled against him but his solid arm held her tight. She wasn’t going anywhere unless he decided it. That was pretty much the sum of their entire relationship.
“If you don’t stop thrashing against me, I’m not going to be accountable for my actions,” Robert said with a groan and he pushed his hips up, his erection resting in the curve of her butt.
The all-consuming anger instantly began to fade as desire took its place. Isabella didn’t understand how this man could have this much control over her, how she could be so furious with him one second and then feel an intense need for him the next. She didn’t like the feeling, the loss of herself. But she also couldn’t stop it from happening.
Her white dress was soaked and her body wasn’t at all hidden from him. With a groan his gaze drifted down her chest and then he lifted her, turning her around so she was facing him and his mouth descended, taking her nipple into his mouth and sucking it hard through the wet material. A cry of pleasure ripped from her as desire pooled in her core.
Robert was nearly frantic as he switched from breast to breast, sucking and nibbling on her peaked nipples. She wanted the material gone. She couldn’t remember what they’d been arguing about. Her body was pressed tightly against him, and she knew she wasn’t going anywhere.
Robert lifted his head, and they gazed into each other’s eyes. She reached up to him, initiating the kiss herself. Time stopped as they fed off of each other, both too hungry to remember what they’d been fighting about. She pulled his tongue into her mouth and reveled when he gasped at the sensation.
Pleasure rushed through her as his hand cupped her tender breasts, his fingers squeezing her nipples before he rubbed his thumb over her sensitive flesh to soothe away the ache.
When he broke away from her lips she whimpered until his mouth trailed down her neck, and he took her nipple into his mouth once more. Her head fell back, to give him better access, and she opened herself fully to him.
His fingers trailed beneath her soaked gown, climbing higher until they slipped beneath the elastic of her panties and rubbed her where she needed his touch the most. He didn’t disappoint her as he slipped inside her slick folds and stroked the most sensitive area. Within seconds she was falling apart as an orgasm overtook her.
While she was still shaking, Robert ripped her panties away and held her over him, pulling her down as he thrust upward. She cried out as he buried himself deep, sending entirely new waves of perfect sensation through her.
They moved together, the water sloshing out of the tub, but neither of them noticed or cared. Isabella’s head fell back as she squeezed him tight and yelled out his name when another orgasm ripped through her. This time Robert cradled her close, his own body shaking with the intensity of his release.
She fell against him as the water cooled around them. This was what she had been longing for, the moment right after intense pleasure where she felt closer to him than any other time, where she knew his guard was completely down. If she could freeze this moment she’d never leave his arms again.
Maybe . . . maybe there was hope . . .
Isabella closed her eyes and a tear fell. He’d never know her pain as she swept it away with a splash of water. As sure as she knew her love for this man was real, she also knew it was time for her to move on. She knew she needed more than to be a mistress, and unfortunately that’s all she could be. But at least she’d had a perfect goodbye. She kissed his neck and rested. Tomorrow would come much sooner than she was ready for. Tonight she’d show him with her body and soul how much he meant to her.
If she could walk away feeling as if he’d think of her once in a while, then she’d carry him in her dreams, and she’d share him with their child when the day came. Until then all she would have of him was their child and memories. She wouldn’t take anything else.
They made love again when he carried her to his bed, an urgency unlike any he’d shown before, making them sink together in a tangle of limbs. It was like they both knew the end was near, and neither of them were ready for it. It might be nothing more than a wish on Isabella’s part, but it helped her hold on to these last few hours.
Sometimes all a person had left was hope.
CHAPTER TWELVE
ROBERT TOOK ANOTHER drink of his Scotch as he rolled his eyes, not caring that only Nic saw the rude gesture. He figured he deserved a medal for only doing that much as he was going into the second hour of his father lecturing him.
“. . . for the love of country. What in the world is wrong with you?” Heinrich sputtered.
It took several moments for Robert to realize the room had grown oddly quiet. He looked around and noticed Ballisare had started tuning into the conversation as he lifted his gaze from the computer screen he’d been staring at when their father wasn’t looking in his direction.
“Are you going to answer me, boy?” Heinrich demanded.
“Sorry, Sir, to which question?” Robert asked. He kept respect in his tone, although there was no question of the sarcasm that lay just beneath the words.
“Why haven’t you gotten that woman down the aisle yet? Your thirtieth birthday came and went. I could lock you in prison if I so desired,” Heinrich said as he puffed out his chest.
“I wanted to prove a point,” Robert admitted.
Those words stopped his father as he stared at Robert, looking lost. It wasn’t something Robert had ever seen in his father’s expression.
“Explain,” Heinrich demanded.
“Some of these traditions in our country are outdated and ridiculous. We aren’t suffering a lack of people, and therefore we don’t need to force our children into arranged marriages. A commitment between two people should be fulfilled out of love, not obligation,” Robert insisted.
“There is nothing wrong with serving your kingdom,” Heinrich pointed out.
“I agree, and I think I do a good job of serving the people of Rubare Virgina. I also am a man with needs, and I think that should be respected as well,” Robert told him.
“Is this woman not meeting your needs?” Heinrich asked.
“That’s none of your business,” Robert said.
Theo gasped at the rudeness of Robert’s statement. Nic wiped away a smile, and Ballasare went back to his computer, pretending he hadn’t heard such an insolent remark made to the king.
“You cannot speak to your king this way,” Heinrich yelled.
“You’re absolutely right. It’s a good thing I’m speaking to my father,” Robert informed him. Theo gasped again. Robert had pushed boundaries his entire life, but he’d never gone this far. It felt good.
“Maybe I’ll have to take care of the problem of this woman for you,” Heinrich said as he looked over at Theo, who suddenly appeared sick.
Robert felt rage unlike anything he’d ever felt before at those words. He took a threatening step toward his father that had both Nic and Ballasare on their feet. He barely acknowledged their presence.
“You are speaking about the woman I’m in love with. I’d be very careful about what you say next,” Robert said through clenched teeth. He was trembling with anger, and it took several moments for him to realize his father was now grinning.
“I already knew how you felt. Sometimes you have to be pushed to admit the knowledge of your true emotion,” Heinrich told him.
Both Nic and Ballasare let out a breath of relief, and Theo appeared as if he were going to pass out. Robert stumbled back a step as his own words slammed into his chest, making his heart beat out of control.
“When did this happen?” he asked his father, reverting back to a frightened child.
“It happens without our permission,” Heinrich said with sympathy. “It happened to me the nig
ht your mother told me she was pregnant with Ballasare. I looked at her and realized her health and safety mattered to me, she wasn’t just a vessel to produce my heirs. I was frightened with each pregnancy as she was so small and fragile, but your mother was also strong, and she reminded me of that quite often. She kept me sane when I would have otherwise fallen apart.”
Robert was in shock, and by the looks on his brothers’ faces, they were as well. This was a vulnerable moment between a father and his sons, and Robert felt bonded to his dad in a way he never before had.
“I love her,” he said in awe.
“Are you going to do something about it?” Heinrich asked.
Robert stopped and gave his father a lopsided grin. “That depends if I’ll be in the dungeon or not,” he said as he held out his hands.
“Believe me, I’m tempted to throw you in for a day or two to show you who has the true power here,” Heinrich muttered. “But I want grandchildren much more than I want power,” he admitted.
Robert did something he hadn’t done since he was a child. He stepped forward and threw his arms around his dad, squeezing him tight before letting go. He would swear there were tears in his father’s eyes, but the man looked away for several moments before returning his gaze to his son. His eyes were clear as he smiled.
“I’m proud of you, Son,” Heinrich told him.
“I love you, Dad,” Robert replied.
Heinrich turned away and Robert heard the slightest of sniffles. This entire evening had been completely surreal. “You’d better give that girl her ring,” Heinrich said as he gazed out a window at the early morning light streaming in.
“I think I might just do that,” Robert said.
“Shouldn’t you have some grand gesture, showing your love?” Nic said with a laugh.
“All we need is one another,” Robert said, incredibly sure of Isabella’s love for him. He’d been distant lately as he tried to sort out his feelings. He had a lot to make up for, but he didn’t doubt she’d forgive him.