by Anne, Melody
“I have just let her know that there’s no other choice.”
“There’s always a choice, Adriane. This isn’t the old days; things need to be done a bit more diplomatically now. Yes, I understand that you don’t want your child to grow up elsewhere. I agree with you on that. What I disagree with you about is the way you are going about it. If you want this woman to stay loyal to you, you will have to give her a reason to be so.”
Adrian turned and looked at his mother. What was she trying to tell him? He was lost. Was his courting not up to snuff? If not, what exactly did she mean by the word? He’d never had to woo a woman before; they just naturally wanted to be with him. Of course they did; he had been a prince of Corythia, and since age seventeen, the future king. Now that he was king, there was a line of women who would be more than willing to be his wife.
A line of women that didn’t include the one who carried his child.
It was exasperating!
“How did you and my father come together?” Adriane had never cared to ask such a question before now.
“Now, that is a good question.” She sat back with a soft smile on her face. “I’m surprised that I haven’t told you this before. Your father was visiting the United States to get advice on improving Corythia’s economy, and he was a featured guest at a glittering fundraiser. I and a number of other American actors and actresses were there, and when I met him, his dark eyes, his stature, and his strong personality swept me off my feet.” Octavia stopped for a minute or two, and sighed. “Yes, a very strong personality. He did the barbaric thing that you’ve done: he kidnapped me. Not smart.”
“But you married him, Mother.”
“Yes, I did. But his actions almost turned me completely against him, attracted to him as I was. I let him know in no uncertain terms that I wasn’t an object, a treasure he could add to his collection. When he calmed down and actually courted me, I fell in love almost instantly. The story is longer, of course, but the bottom line is that he didn’t win my heart until he showed me he had one of his own. Once he did that, I didn’t leave his side.”
“Why do women need this? I don’t understand. I will provide well for her, give her a life most women would envy. Why isn’t that good enough?”
“Because women should be cherished, son. A good woman at your side will complete you, make you the ruler you are meant to be. She will be strong when the rest of the world has abandoned you. She will know you better than anyone else. She will embrace you when the weighted decisions of this country hang heavy upon your shoulders. You need to cherish her, love her, and give her a reason to hold you tight even through the strongest of storms.”
“How do I do that?” Adriane could figure out his country’s problems, but he didn’t know how to open his heart to Rachel. Hell, he didn’t feel a need to.
“How did you win Rachel’s affections in the first place? You must have done something right if she carries your child.”
Adriane stood silent for a moment as he thought back to his time on the beach. “I didn’t do anything different from what I normally do. She was swimming. I thought she was drowning and I ‘rescued’ her, though when she stopped laughing at my valiant attempt to save her life, which irked me just a bit, there was an obvious connection. I invited her for dinner. She didn’t leave for a week.”
“What did you do that made her want to stay with you for the week?”
Why all these questions? He didn’t want to think about the past. It was time to move forward, think of their future. But he knew his mother wouldn’t stop interrogating him until he gave her something.
“We just got along well. I spoke to her more than any other woman I’ve taken for the night. I wasn’t expecting to be with her all week. It was just that one day melted into the next.” Adriane threw up his arms.
“Then be that man again — the man who made her choose to stick around for a while,” she said, as if speaking to a young child.
“I don’t know how to do that. At that point in our relationship, we were both just looking for a good time; neither of us was worried about the future. Now, I need to persuade her to marry me willingly,” he said. “Besides, if she would fall back into bed with me, maybe I could persuade her more easily,” he mumbled under his breath, grateful when his mother didn’t hear.
Everything had been easier, though, so much easier. When they’d spent their week together in Florida, they hadn’t fought. That must have been because they’d been in bed half the time.
“You will have to give her something, Adriane, or she won’t stay, no matter what threats you issue.”
“What do I give her? What will make her stay?”
Why did his mother need to talk in riddles? This was important. She needed to guide him, not sidetrack him with silly talk of love. This wasn’t about love — this was about a child the two of them had created together, a child who deserved a mother and father in his life. A child he desperately wanted.
“That, my son, you will have to figure out on your own. And, I fear, until you do, you won’t ever earn her heart. You will never truly hold her. Yes, you can refuse to let her go, but at the first opportunity, she will be gone, taking your child with her. It is a privilege to hold a woman’s heart, and you had better figure out how to take care of it properly, or it’s never going to be yours, no matter how much you demand it of her.”
Women. His mother couldn’t be right. There were other, better ways to make a marriage work besides this love so many spoke of. He and Rachel had laughed together, spent passionate nights together, gotten along swimmingly. Love was simply an emotion that people professed to feel in order to get something from someone else. He’d never been in love. He never would be. They had something far better than love — they had companionship.
Many couples married with less in common. If Rachel would just open her eyes, she would see that they would be good for each other. They would never be miserable, not with the attraction burning so strong between the two of them.
Women were to be appreciated. He could understand that. They were pleasurable to hold in your arms, pleasurable to sink deep inside, and they filled an ache that had to be met, but this sugary, hearts-and-flowers emotion, love, that so many spoke about was nothing more than a myth, a meaningless fantasy.
His mother meant well. She believed what she said. But she didn’t understand his relationship with Rachel. The two of them had passion — which was so much greater than mere words of love.
Their marriage would work and it would be excellent. He would show Rachel and his mother. Love didn’t need to be in the equation.
However, maybe he could change his approach just the slightest. If Rachel believed she had a choice, then she might possibly soften toward him.
It was worth a shot. Everything else so far had failed.
“Thank you for your time, Mother. I appreciate it,” he said as he sat down next to her and kissed her cheek.
“I just hope that it wasn’t wasted, that you will listen to me,” she said, but there was doubt in her eyes.
“Of course I will listen to you,” he replied. And he had listened.
He’d learned that he needed to be a lot more savvy in the way he spoke to Rachel. She had to be playing some sort of game. And she was sure to lose.
She hid from their passion together, pushed him away, but he wouldn’t give up. The prize was too valuable.
His child.
And, of course, Rachel in his bed again.
Chapter Sixteen
Rachel poked her head through the doorway, peeked around the corner and made sure the path was clear. Today was the day.
She was getting off this damn island if it was the last thing she did.
After creeping down the endless hall, she peered around the next corner, and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw no one about.
Adriane must be supremely confident if he’d taken away his security detail. She wasn’t so foolish as to believe the guards were no longer t
here, but he was getting lax.
Since she’d heard the helicopter fly out an hour ago, she knew he had left the island. All she had to do was get ahold of her brother, Rafe, and she was home free. He’d trace the call and have a rescue party here quicker than Adriane could blink.
That would teach the king he wasn’t lord and master over all.
Rachel checked inside a few doors but had no luck finding a phone. Did this castle lack a single connection to the outside world? This was ridiculous.
Finally, she entered a large parlor with a writing desk in it. There had to be a phone there! It wasn’t possible that Adriane would have no communication with the rest of the world. He might be king of Corythia, but he was also a businessman with properties all over the world. He would need to stay in touch with them.
With an ear cocked for the sound of anyone approaching, Rachel slunk to the desk and smiled when she saw the large black telephone.
Bingo!
She picked it up and nearly shook with happiness at hearing a dial tone. Freedom was within her grasp. When she heard ringing, showing she’d made a connection, she was so grateful that her knees started shaking. She quickly plopped down on her butt in case anyone happened to look in the door.
“Operator,” the voice on the other end of the line said.
“Hello?” she whispered. Operator? Who was this?
“How can I help you, Ms. Palazzo?”
Who was this and how did they know who she was?
Rachel’s stomach sank to her toes. Of course escape wouldn’t be this easy.
Adriane wasn’t worried about her wandering about the castle because she was on a stinking island with no chance of escape, and he had an operator monitoring his phone calls.
Still, she wasn’t going to give up that easily.
“I would like to place a phone call to the United States, please,” she said, raising her voice to a normal tone, trying to make sure she sounded calm and sure, as if she weren’t doing something against the king’s wishes.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Palazzo, but any outgoing calls are not authorized at this time. Is there something else I can help you with?”
No! That was all she wanted. Sighing in disgust, Rachel slammed the phone down. Why bother being quiet now? Though frustrated, she was undeterred. If she had to swim off this damn island, she was going to do it. If she drowned in the process, then King Adriane would just have to live with his guilt. Not much consolation, but still…
Standing up, she faced the door, then stopped in her tracks at the sight of a man standing there with a lifted eyebrow.
“Is there something you need, Ms. Palazzo?” he asked with a slight accent, but in perfect English.
Though she knew she was doing nothing wrong, the man made her feel as if she were.
“I need to get ahold of my brother,” she said, firming up her voice as she stared him down. “It’s important.”
He gazed at her a moment before giving his head the slightest shake.
“I apologize, but that’s something we cannot do right now.” His voice was customer-service friendly, but unyielding at the same time.
“You do realize that my basic rights are being violated by your refusal to let me make a phone call. Heck, even prisoners are allowed their one call,” she snapped, no longer even pretending to be friendly.
If these people were going to keep her trapped here, pretend not to speak English or Italian when it suited them, and refuse her basic liberties when speaking in words she could understand, she wasn’t going to dance to the tune they were playing. She was going to throw a giant-sized fit.
As she watched the man look down his nose at her, Rachel realized he might not want her to be here. He probably didn’t think she was good enough to serve as his queen. What if she could turn him to her side? Maybe he would help her to escape so a proper queen could be found for his country.
Her attitude changed, and she put a bright smile on her face. His gaze narrowed suspiciously.
“What’s your name again?” Rachel asked, seeming to recall him from the States. He had to be one of Adriane’s right-hand guys.
“I am Nico,” he said, his expression not changing.
“Well, Nico, maybe you can offer your assistance,” she said, batting her eyes.
From his unaltered expression, she didn’t think her pathetic attempt at flirting was doing her any good.
“Of course, Ms. Palazzo. I am willing to assist you with anything I can,” he said, though his suspicious expression was telling her otherwise.
She had to try, though.
“I need to speak to my brother so he can return me to the States. We both know I’m not the right fit to be queen of Corythia. Wouldn’t it be better for everyone involved if I just disappeared? Adriane could then find a proper woman of royal or at least noble birth to be his wife and the queen of this exquisitely beautiful country.”
OK, so she might be laying it on a bit thick, but she was desperate.
“It is King Adriane’s baby you are pregnant with, is it not?” he asked, looking pointedly down at her stomach.
“Does it really matter? Many, many children have been born out of wedlock to royalty. They and their mothers don’t join the family. So we can all just pretend I never existed. Everyone can get on with their lives.” Rachel spoke in pleading tones, growing a little more desperate at the hardening in his eyes.
“Why do you want to leave?” This time there was no expression on his face, not a clue of what he was thinking.
“Because I won’t marry a man simply because I carry his child. I only spent one week with Adriane, knowing him then only as Ian, a beach bum who was romantic and made my world spin. Corny, no? That certainly isn’t enough of a reason for us to wed.”
He seemed thoughtful as he looked at her. Had she made him understand?
She continued to work on him. “You must know, Nico, that it’s not right for him to hold me captive here. I have a family back home. All you have to do is let me make one little bitty phone call. Just turn your back while I get through to my brother. Adriane need never find out.”
Nico’s lips tilted almost imperceptibly as he stared at her.
“I like your determination, Ms. Palazzo. I think perhaps that I may have misjudged you. Most Americans I have encountered aren’t as…resourceful as you. But still, I can’t go against my king. That would be profoundly disloyal, even treacherous. I will say that I believe you will make a fine queen,” he said, dashing the last of her hopes.
He was doing his job, so there was no use in getting angry with the man. But someone here had to be willing to help her. She had never found a group of employees to be completely happy in their jobs.
“I will see myself out,” she said, and she walked past him to the door. There was no point in continuing the conversation.
“I do apologize, Ms. Palazzo,” he offered as she passed him.
Rachel paused for a moment before continuing on. She wasn’t going to say anything more. She certainly wasn’t going to thank him. He hadn’t helped her.
With her head tilted up, and more determined than ever, Rachel retreated, for now, back to her room. This wasn’t over — not by a long shot.
Chapter Seventeen
Not again! Yet another night in which sleep played the merciless tease. If this didn’t stop soon, she was going to make herself sick — far sicker than just a mere fainting spell and slightly high blood pressure.
And yet, while sitting on the balcony, Rachel was at least able to enjoy the pleasant breeze as the sun rose in the sky. If she hadn’t been there against her will, she would think it an ideal place to be. The sea was so gloriously fresh that it was almost clear, making her desperately eager for a swim. The food was amazing, and the accommodations beyond luxurious.
This could be a resort.
There was just one minor problem: she’d been abducted, and that tended to color her mood. She wasn’t so relaxed that she’d forgotten the reason she was h
ere.
She hadn’t seen Adriane since the morning before, but she knew he was back. If she were able to fly the dang helicopter, she would have been hot-wiring it and making her escape. But, no, she knew how to fly only as a passenger, and she had no interest in ending up on the bottom of this beautiful sea.
This morning, when she’d looked in the mirror, she’d noticed the tiniest hint of a bump on her stomach, not enough that she looked pregnant, but enough that it was all becoming more and more real. Each time she experienced morning sickness, or felt dizzy, each time she looked in the mirror and found minor changes in her body — it all added up to the fact that she was going to be a mother.
In about five and a half months she would have a baby.
At this moment, it would be so nice to sit down and talk to her mother, ask her how she’d felt the first time she’d noticed a change in her body. Had she been afraid or overjoyed? Had she run to the toilet and thrown up or lay back and rejoiced? What had gone through her head and heart?
Of course, her mother had been happily married to a man who loved her completely and utterly. Rachel was sure that made a world of difference, softened the fears that went along with the condition.
Maybe if she played nice, Adriane would allow her to call her mom. Rachel wouldn’t burden her with the knowledge of her abduction. She just wanted to hear her mother’s warm voice.
Adriane had to understand that much.
If he didn’t, he was an even crueler man than she took him for.
“I hope you slept well.”
There was the man of the hour, or maybe of the nine months. Rachel didn’t turn to acknowledge him as he stood behind her. But just knowing he was there was causing her stomach to stir in ways that weren’t making her happy.
“No. As a matter of fact, I didn’t sleep well. If I’d been in my own bed, I’m sure I would have had a great night’s sleep,” she said.
“If you’d been in my bed, you would have been well pleased and then would still be sleeping,” he countered.
The most infuriating part of his statement was that it was most likely correct. Not that she would admit to that. His ego was bloated enough without her puffing it up further.