by Krista Lakes
“Good point,” Marco said with a nod. “I’ll sit tight.”
From the back seat, Marco watched as Valetta walked up to the front door of the trailer home. She looked remarkably out of place in her designer shoes as she walked up the well worn path. She knocked a few times and a moment later, the door opened up. Sabrina stood in the doorway with a smile on her face.
Sabrina followed Valetta out to the car. She carried a large black suitcase in her right hand and had a giant gray duffel bag slung over her left shoulder. She walked with eagerness and had a cute spring to her step that made Marco smile. Valetta took Sabrina's luggage and put it in the trunk, then opened the rear door of the car for her.
“Good morning,” Marco said, smiling.
“Good morning, sir,” Sabrina replied cheerfully.
“No, no, please, Sabrina. Call me Marco,” he said, as he motioned for Sabrina to take a seat. “We’re going to be spending a fair amount of time together over the next couple of months. No need for formalities.”
“Okay, sounds good,” she said, as she scooted onto the seat and buckled her seat belt.
Marco watched as Sabrina fidgeted in her seat, unable to sit still as they pulled out of her neighborhood. He could tell she was nervous, but he hoped that she’d relax a bit once they were on the plane.
“Are you okay?” he asked. His eyes were locked onto Sabrina as he spoke. The tingling feeling of attraction filled his chest as her face lit up, hanging onto every one of his words.
“Yes, I’m fine,” she said, tapping her fingers onto the top of her knees. “Just excited about all of this. I’m really looking forward to seeing New York.”
“Have you been before?”
“No, never,” she replied. “I’ve wanted to for so long, but never had the chance.”
“Well, that’s one thing we have in common,” he said. “I’ve seen pictures, but that’s about all.”
Sabrina smiled and then brought her gaze out of the car window, watching as the trailer homes passed by. Marco wanted to ask her more about her life, but didn’t want to come on too strong. He was curious about her, though, and looked forward to getting to know her.
I’ll have plenty of time to ask more questions on the flight to New York, he thought.
“This is your plane?” Sabrina asked, as they boarded the small jet that was parked on a private runway near the airport.
“Kind of,” Marco said, as he led the group onto the plane. “I’m able to use it right now, so it’s as good as mine.”
“I’ve never even seen a private jet before,” she said, looking around the plane with the awe of a young child. “To be honest, I've never actually been on any plane.”
The pilot greeted Marco and they shook hands, while Sabrina and Valetta continued on toward the back of the jet.
“The weather is looking excellent today, so it should make for a smooth flight to New York City,” the pilot informed him. “Shouldn’t take but a few hours.”
“Perfect,” Marco said. “How long until we take off?”
“Ten minutes. If all of your party is here, we can start taxiing to the runway now.”
Marco nodded and turned down the aisle leading away from the cockpit. The cabin of the plane was small to his eyes. He was used to his private jet back home, but he was assured this plane could comfortably sleep ten. He wasn't so sure it would be comfortable, but as this was the best way to keep a low profile, it would work well enough. Besides, the flight would be relatively short.
Valetta had taken her seat in the very back row. She already had her sleeping mask over her eyes and her headphones on. She had been on countless flights with Marco and often used the opportunity to catch up on sleep. Sabrina, however, was still up and moving around. She had just handed off her luggage to the tall, brunette stewardess who worked for Marco’s pilot and was standing in the aisle when Marco approached.
“Where should I sit?” she asked.
“Sit next to me,” Marco offered, as he plopped down in a chair in the very front row.
Sabrina sat next to him and buckled her seat belt. Marco did the same and a few seconds later, the plane lurched forward, taxiing down the runway. She clutched at the arm rail in surprise.
“I’m really glad you decided to take this job,” Marco said in an attempt to distract her so she wouldn't be afraid of flying for the first time.
“I’m so happy you offered it to me,” she said, twirling her auburn hair between her fingers. She smiled at him, her blue eyes glowing in the fluorescent lights of the plane. “It’s already the coolest job I’ve ever had. I can’t believe I’m on a private jet right now.”
Sabrina's expression of innocent wonder said it all. It was utterly clear to Marco that he had just transported her into a world completely different from her own. And he loved it. He took great joy in the fact that he could treat such a beautiful woman to a piece of the life to which he was accustomed.
“So tell me a little bit about yourself,” Marco said, eager to learn everything he could about his new hire.
“I don’t have anything exciting to tell,” she said, with a frown.
“Nonsense. I don’t believe that for a second. Tell me where you were raised. Tell me something about your childhood. Anything. If we’re going to be spending time together over the next couple of weeks, I want to know who it is that I’m spending time with.”
“I'm honestly not sure what to tell you that I didn't say in the interview,” Sabrina said.
“Okay, well, why don’t you tell me why you wanted to take this job?” Marco asked. “It’s an unusual position, no doubt. I can’t imagine there are a lot of job openings for a traveling assistant. What about it intrigued you?”
“It seemed like a job that I would be good at and when I saw the pay, I knew that I had to try,” she said. “I really didn’t think I’d get it. I figured that there would be a line out of the door with people trying to get the position.”
“Many did apply, but I knew you were the one,” Marco said, with a satisfied smile. “So that’s it, though? You just thought it looked like a good job? Nothing else about it called to you?”
“I need to save up as much money as I can before the summer is over,” she said, bashfully. “And with the amount you’re paying me, I should be able to save enough.”
“Enough for what?” Marco asked.
Sabrina’s cheeks turned a little red. Marco was beginning to notice her shyness.
“I’m trying to save up for college,” she explained. “I know that’s what a lot of girls say they are doing, but I really am. I want to go to school and get a degree. You know, make something of myself.”
Marco listened intently as she spoke. His eyes lit up when she mentioned college. He had often wondered what a formalized education in the States would be like, since his only experience with it had been through movies and stories from friends. His own education had been completely taken care of in Orsino.
“I think that’s wonderful,” he said. “Do you know what you want to study?”
“English,” she stated, clear as day. “I'd like to teach English to people looking to become United States citizens. I love helping others and if I could get paid doing that, then I’d be happy as a clam.”
“I think you’d make a great teacher,” Marco said.
“You really think so?” she asked.
“I do,” he said. “You’re relaxed and you seem patient. I think most other teachers would hear my accent and eat me alive.”
Sabrina laughed and brought her hand down onto Marco’s knee. As soon as she realized what she had done, she quickly pulled away.
“Sorry,” she muttered.
Her touch made Marco smile. There was an obvious connection between them and he could feel it. If Sabrina had been any other girl, he’d have jumped on the opportunity to increase his flirtation with the intention of getting her in the sack. But Sabrina wasn’t just any girl, and Marco didn’t want to treat her as such. So inst
ead, he just relaxed and decided to let things between them play out naturally, without his interference.
After a few moments of silence, Sabrina spoke again. “So what do you do for work, Marco?”
“I’m the…” Marco began, then stopped himself. He'd nearly told her who he was without thinking.
Her brows raised as she awaited his response. He’d nearly let the words “Crown Prince of Orsino Island” slide off his tongue. He’d manage to stop mid-sentence, but Sabrina was still sitting there, waiting for an answer to her question. It had felt so right to just tell her the truth that it was difficult to come up with an answer now. Marco wished that he could tell her who he really was, but he was still a little bit cautious. Sabrina was nearly a stranger to him and for now, the less she knew, the better.
“I’m the... luckiest man alive,” he said.
“Lucky?”
“Yes, well, I just happened to be born into a fortunate situation,” he said. “I'd call that pretty lucky.”
The explanation was vague as hell, but at least he wasn’t lying.
“The luckiest man alive.” Sabrina repeated the words quietly, her eyes still focused on Marco. She blushed and looked down. “I feel like maybe I pried by asking. I’m sorry, Marco. I was just letting the conversation flow. I didn’t mean to offend you. You don't have to tell me what you do.”
“You absolutely did not offend me.” Marco assured her. “In fact, I’m glad you have an interest in what I do. I wish I could explain more about who I am, but I can’t right now. It’s kind of a complicated situation.”
She nodded in response, but Marco knew that his half-assed explanation would only make her more curious.
Now she’s probably going to think I’m a leader of some drug cartel or something, he thought.
Once again, he had the urge to just tell her, but he ignored it. There was too much risk in it. For all he knew, Sabrina could be an undercover journalist.
“Anyway,” Marco said, trying to shatter the awkward silence. “Tell me more about you. Were you raised in the same area where we picked you up this morning?”
Sabrina blushed and looked straight ahead. She seemed so embarrassed by the question.
“Yes,” she said. “My parents have lived there for my entire life. I know that it's a dump. The entire area is pretty bad, but it's all that they can afford. My parents are good people, though. You'll never meet people who work harder or have bigger hearts than they do.”
“I'm sure they're great people,” Marco said. “They'd have to be, to raise someone like yourself.”
“That's nice of you to say,” she said with a slight blush.
Marco beamed, pleasantly surprised to see that Sabrina accepted his compliment.
“What do your parents do for work?” Marco asked.
“My dad used to work at a factory, where he assembled air conditioning units for cars,” she said. “He got laid off last month, though, so he's looking for a new job right now. My mom is a substitute schoolteacher and works retail for extra money whenever she can. She works all the time now, just to try to make ends meet. There are weeks when she'll put in eighty hours. Dad was in an accident a few years ago, so medical bills tend to eat up most of our money. Finances became even more stressful since my dad lost his job.”
Marco frowned as he listened. There was so much history and so much pain behind Sabrina's eyes as she told the story of her parents. He knew that there was no possibility that he could ever relate to such a struggle, so he just listened.
“They sound like they're trying to make your life better,” he said. “I can respect that.”
“They really would do anything,” Sabrina said. “But they're getting older and now it's my turn to try to repay them for everything they've ever done for me. That's why I want to go to college and give myself, and my parents, a life that we've never had.”
“And a few minutes ago you said that you didn't have anything interesting to tell me about your life,” Marco said. “I think you just told me a fantastically interesting thing.”
The sound of the jet engines powering up temporarily filled the plane, interrupting their conversation. Sabrina paled slightly, but put on a brave face for her first flight.
“Good afternoon, everyone. This is your captain speaking. We're all set for takeoff. Please remain seated and buckled until our wonderful stewardess, Alyssa, tells you that it's okay to move around.”
Moments later, the plane took off down the runway and lifted into the air. Neither Sabrina nor Marco spoke during takeoff, but it was mostly because Sabrina's gaze was fixated out of the window.
“What are you looking at?” Marco asked.
“Just wanted to catch one last glimpse of my home town before this adventure begins,” she said. “I wonder if my dad is looking up right now and seeing us fly off. Wouldn't that be cool?”
“You never know. Maybe he is,” Marco said.
A plane that small gained elevation quickly and before they knew it, Alyssa was pushing the steel drink cart down the aisle toward them. “What can I get you two to drink?”
Marco looked to Sabrina. “What would you like?”
“I'll just have a tomato juice,” she said.
As Alyssa opened up a can of tomato juice for Sabrina, she brought her gaze to Marco. “And for you, sir?”
“A dirty martini, with extra olive juice and three olives,” he replied. It was his usual drink.
She expertly made his drink before taking her cart back into the galley to give them their privacy. Valetta was already snoring softly in her seat.
“Cheers,” Marco said, holding up his martini.
The olives swirled in his glass, spiraling clockwise in the center of the drink.
“What are we drinking to?” Sabrina asked.
“To my beautiful new employee, and to the amazing experiences that both of us will have over the next couple of months,” Marco said.
“I like that,” she said. “Cheers.”
Marco clinked his glass against Sabrina's tomato juice can and they both took a sip.
“Go slow with that tomato juice,” Marco said. “I don't want you getting too crazy on your first day of work.”
Sabrina chuckled and took another sip. “I know, this stuff goes straight to my head. It's more powerful than gin or vodka. One of these and you'd be dancing all over this plane in no time.”
They both shared a laugh.
“Just so you know, Sabrina, you're welcome to have an alcoholic drink whenever you like,” he said.
“But I'm technically working right now,” she said.
“This is true,” he said. “But I certainly don't mind it if you feel like cutting loose once in a while. Just want you to know, in case the opportunity arises while we're in New York City.”
“I'll keep that in mind,” she said. “Thank you, Marco.”
Marco took another sip from his martini and then leaned back in his seat. He felt great about how the conversation was going with his beautiful new hire. She was absolutely perfect for the position. She was easy on the eyes, sweet beyond belief and seemed to also carry a sense of humor. There was nothing that Marco didn't adore about her. But that fact concerned him as much as it excited him. He worried that he would have trouble keeping secrets from her, especially knowing that they would likely become closer over the next couple of months.
“Sabrina,” he said, in a relaxed voice.
“Yes,” she replied, turning to face him.
“I just want to say thank you for taking this job,” he said. “I've got a really good feeling about this.”
“I've got a good feeling, too,” she said. She grinned. “It's already better than I could have imagined.”
“I want to apologize again for not being able to be completely open with you about who I am and what I do for a living,” he said. “I feel terrible about it.”
“No need to feel bad,” she said. “I understand. And besides, it doesn't matter what you do. I'm here
to make sure your needs are being met that's all. Anything else you wish to share with me is completely up to you.”
Marco nodded and relaxed into his seat once more.
“Thank you for your understanding,” he said. “Truly, it's appreciated.”
I don't even know her, so why am I having to fight this powerful urge to open up to her? I haven't felt this in a long time, and certainly not for someone who is basically a stranger. There's something special about Sabrina, there's no denying that. I can't tell her everything about who I am, but I'll be as honest as I possibly can without giving away too much personal information. That's the best I can do. I want this girl. I want her bad. I just hope that keeping my royal blood a secret from her doesn't somehow screw things up between us, he thought.
Chapter 5
Sabrina
Sabrina's face was practically plastered to the small window of the plane. She watched with absolute wonder as they descended into New York. For her, it was as if they were about to land upon a newly discovered city, something reserved for daydreams and fairy tales. The downtown city of Memphis paled in comparison to New York’s skyscrapers that reached like modern-day castles into the sky. A fraction of New York could swallow all of Memphis, Sabrina thought, and she had never felt so tiny.
After a smooth descent, Marco’s plane landed on a small, private runway at John F. Kennedy International Airport. This put his private jet was out of the way of the big commercial airliners landing nearby. Once the pilot had stopped the aircraft, they all exited the directly onto the runway’s pavement where their driver would pick them up.
A gust of wind was the first thing to greet Sabrina when the door opened. It caught her hair and whisked it chaotically as she climbed down the jet’s attached staircase. Marco and Valetta were close behind.
“This is where I leave you two,” Valetta said, stopping and standing at the foot of the staircase with a hand still rested on its railing. “I believe that’s the driver right there.” She was forced to shout against the wind, pointing into the distance at a black Cadillac sedan approaching on the runway.