Every time Riley’s father ran out of money, he went on one of his drinking binges and threatened to do just that. For years it put the fear in Riley until he got old enough to realize it was the alcohol that made his father say it.
“Today you make me proud by taking the step that will turn you into a baro manursh. You have earned the right to give this to your Gadja bride.”
Before he even looked at it, Riley reached over and did something he’d always wanted to do as a grownup. He kissed her on both cheeks, then rocked her in his arms.
“I love you, Mitra. My Gadja bride won’t know the significance of this ring until tonight. But I can promise you that once she understands, she’ll wear it with great pride and honor.”
He finally let her go to examine the gold ring with the etching of a wild flower. She’d hidden it all these years.
Lifting his head he said, “Today I will honor you by having you sit at my side during the ceremony. That spot is normally reserved for the male parent of the groom, but I’m making an exception in your case.”
“Why must I sit?”
He chuckled. “You can stand if you wish. I was afraid you might get too tired.”
“I will stand. Now we must go in. I am curious to see if this woman is worthy of my Gadja child.”
“How will you be able to tell?” he teased.
“There are ways,” was all she said.
A quick glance at his watch told him they were late. The ceremony was scheduled for 11:00 a.m. It was already 11:10.
He climbed out of the car, then waved the guards aside while he helped her.
Riley had been here before to meet in private with the priest. Since this was Mitra’s first time, he smiled to himself as he watched her look around at the opulence of the long mirrored gallery with its gilt moldings and white marble floor.
They passed through the gold gate to the inside of the exquisite chapel.
The Tescotti family had assembled around Father Luigi except for Nicco and Ann. They would come in when the organist started to play from the loft.
With various expressions of relief, the wedding party in all their finery watched Riley escort the Gypsy to the front of the chapel.
“Everyone? This is Mitra, the woman who raised me from the time I was two until I was seventeen. She’s the only mother I’ve ever known. I’ve asked her to stand up for me today.”
All the women’s eyes filled with tears, but it was Callie’s green orbs that drew Riley’s attention.
He hadn’t seen her in anything but a braid. Today she wore her hair down and looked particularly radiant in a cream-colored lace suit wearing a calla lily corsage. The same kind of yellow throated flower pinned to the lapel of his suit.
For a moment he could be forgiven for thinking Ann was standing there. Lord…in a few minutes, he was going to have his heart’s desire.
The priest smiled at Mitra. “We’re honored you could be here for this sacred occasion. If the two of you will stand to my left, we can begin.”
The music had started. Outside the gold gate Ann shivered with fear and apprehension.
Riley was marrying her for the wrong reason. It wasn’t the way a marriage was supposed to be. But the thought of hurting Nicco kept her silent.
Right now her brother-in-law was holding her hands to warm them. He looked stunning in his formal navy suit with a calla lily attached to his lapel.
“The last time I stood here, my bride was still slung over my shoulder wearing her jeans and sneakers. I have to tell you that for Riley’s sake, I’m glad he’s going to see a vision in white and orange blossoms as you walk to him willingly and eagerly.”
“I’m sorry Callie cheated you out of that part, but I know something you don’t.”
His black eyes narrowed. “What?” he demanded. Anything to do with Callie and he became the intense, possessive husband her sister adored.
“She finally admitted to me that the evening she ran out of gas on your motorcycle, she could have ditched your bike much sooner and disappeared into the woods where you would never find her.
“But deep down, she wanted you to come after her because she’d already fallen in love with you. It was her plan to seduce you so Prince Enzo wouldn’t want her anymore. According to her, you were the one who wouldn’t cooperate in that department. That’s why she went kicking and screaming to the altar.”
Rich laughter poured out of Nicco. He crushed her in his arms. “Thank you for the belated wedding present. I owe you big time for that secret.”
“Don’t you dare tell her what I said.”
“I swear she’ll never know, but you’ve given me an idea for our first year anniversary coming up on Monday. Now let’s go. Your husband-to-be has waited for you long enough.”
He placed her hand on top of his left arm while a palace guard pushed the gate open for them. The walk to the altar began.
The moment she entered the chapel, Riley’s gaze locked with hers. He looked impossibly handsome dressed in a formal light gray suit. Her heart flipped over and over as Nicco led her to his side.
She let out a soft gasp of surprise when Riley unexpectedly reached out and grasped her hand in a firm grip, pulling her close to him. Nicco let go of her to join Callie.
While she became lost in Riley’s beautiful gray eyes, they swept over her from the crown of flowers in her hair to the tips of her white heels. The intimacy with which he studied everything in between created white-hot fire.
Faint from his devouring gaze, she finally looked away to discover a pair of unfamiliar black eyes staring at her until she felt uncomfortable.
Standing next to Riley was a Gypsy woman in a purple scarf. Her stoic expression reminded Ann of Boiko’s. She could be seventy or eighty. It was impossible to tell.
“Dearly Beloved, let us pray.”
Father Luigi’s voice reminded Ann they were in a sacred place and he was ready to proceed.
She averted her eyes and bowed her head. But throughout the prayer in Italian which she only partially understood, her mind was on the woman who’d played such an important role in Riley’s life, he’d made her part of the ceremony.
The priest spoke in Latin during the marriage portion of the ritual.
When it came time for them to make their responses, Riley surprised her by answering in the same language he’d spoken to the little boy, Boiko.
She didn’t understand any of it until he switched to English. “I, Riley Garrow, take thee, Annabelle Lassiter, for my lawfully wedded wife, and plight thee my troth with this ring that binds two souls into one mind, one heart, one belly.”
The words were so unusual, Ann’s breath caught.
She noticed the Gypsy woman nod as Riley placed a gold band on the ring finger of Ann’s left hand.
Then the priest indicated it was Ann’s turn.
She lifted her eyes to Riley, taking her cue from him. Though she didn’t know the reason, she sensed on some deeper level how intrinsically important this part of the ceremony was for him. There was a vulnerability coming from him she hadn’t thought possible. It frightened her that she might do something wrong and ruin the moment.
“I, Annabelle Lassiter,” she began in a tremulous voice, “take thee, Riley Garrow, for my lawfully wedded husband, a-and accept this ring that binds two souls into one heart, one mind, one belly.”
An odd stillness seemed to surround Riley, yet his eyes were alive with a silvery light. Whatever she’d done appeared to have pleased him.
Ann quivered in relief before he said something in an aside to the Gypsy whose gaze seemed to have the ability to look straight into Ann’s soul. Again the older woman nodded.
“Since Annabelle and Riley have pledged their love before God, family and friends, I hereby pronounce them man and wife.” Making the sign of the cross Father Luigi said, “In the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Ghost, Amen.”
While Ann stood there waiting for the priest to tell them they could kiss, he did the
most extraordinary thing and shook Riley’s hand instead.
“Congratulations on your marriage,” he said in English. Then his gaze swerved to Ann. “I will be happy to christen your baby when he or she arrives.”
She frowned, still confused by the strange ending to the ceremony. “We’re not having a baby, Father.”
Ann could hear Riley’s chuckle over and above all the others.
The priest put his palms together. “It is only a matter of time, my child.”
Her face had probably gone as red as the bits of color in the stained-glass windows forming the backdrop of the beautiful shrine.
“Let’s go,” her new husband whispered. “We’ll have time to talk to everyone at the party.” So saying, he grabbed her around the waist and rushed her down the aisle. She’d never seen any groom in such a great hurry to get away.
There were four palace limos waiting at the side entrance with police escorts. Riley climbed in the back of the first one. When a palace guard helped her inside and shut the door, Riley pulled her right onto his lap.
“What are you doing?” she cried. He’d bent her over his arm so she couldn’t move.
“If you’ll stop asking questions, I’m going to give you that kiss you were waiting for.”
“Not here where everyone can see us, Riley!”
His voluble laughter rang throughout the limo interior. “It’s a much better place than inside the church where you would have been forced to control yourself. I happen to know what you’re like when I get you in my arms.”
“You’re terrible!”
“I know.”
As he lowered his head, she caught the glint of raw desire in his eyes. The thrill of it shook her to the core of her being. Then his mouth took over.
It had been a week since they’d been together like this. She moaned in pleasure. But it turned to pain when she realized his body was the only thing involved.
Those words he’d spoken during the ceremony about one mind and heart were a travesty.
Yet the way he was kissing her, she was having an impossible time denying him the belly part he wanted. That was because she wanted it, too.
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE limousine finally came to a stop, forcing Riley to relinquish her mouth. When the driver opened the door for them, Ann suffered shock as a series of camera flashes went off in succession. She buried her face against Riley’s shoulder.
Nicco had warned her the paparazzi would rear their ugly heads. They always did when the royal family went out in public for an occasion like this. With their telephoto lenses, not even the police could control them.
What brought her fresh anguish was to realize she’d been caught looking totally ravished and disheveled by her new husband.
“My garland—where is it?” She was frantic.
“It just slipped to the side,” Riley whispered. He kissed her swollen lips once more while he set it back in place. “There. Now you look like my blushing bride. Have I told you your beauty gave me heart failure when you entered the chapel today?”
“No,” she grumbled. Ann wanted him to love her inner beauty.
“Don’t be too upset I didn’t kiss you in front of the priest.”
“I wasn’t upset.”
“Liar,” he muttered against the side of her neck. “A man doesn’t show his passion for the woman at a Romany wedding ceremony. He must wait until the right time.”
His mouth curved into a sensuous smile. “Out of deference to Mitra I waited as long as I could for me.”
Falling more in love with him every second, she raised her blond head to search his eyes. “Who is Mitra?”
He sobered. “After you, the most important female in my life. She and her family have prepared our wedding feast. Now that everyone is aboard the barge, come with me and I’ll introduce you.”
Though a ladder had been set up to help people climb down into the barge from the pier, Riley called out to Nicco. “I want to carry my bride over the threshold the old fashioned way.”
Her brother-in-law flashed them a smile before extending the plank to the shore. Riley gathered her in his arms and started across. Halfway there she felt him pause.
“What’s wrong?”
“I need a kiss before I can take another step.”
“Riley—you pick the absolute worst times!”
“Get used to it, Mrs. Garrow.”
Mrs. Garrow. She couldn’t believe it.
His mouth covered hers with smothering force. It was as if he was reminding her she belonged to him now and was staking his claim. In this mood Ann had no power to resist him.
He didn’t set her down until they’d entered the cabin lounge where the families were chatting and enjoying themselves. With his arm hugging her waist, he led her to the chair where Mitra was seated. Ann could see that with her bone structure, she would have been a beautiful young woman.
“Ann? I’d like you to meet Mitra. She understands English much better than she pretends. I never knew my birthmother, but it didn’t matter. Mitra became my mother. From the time I could toddle until I went to Russia with my father, she loved me as if I were her own. I’m not sure I would have survived without her.”
With those words, Ann’s heart melted. Unable to help herself, she bent over and kissed the woman’s cheek. “I love you for loving Riley,” she whispered against her ear so no one else could hear.
Mitra clapped her hands on either side of Ann’s face, then whispered back in her ear, “He will test your love in many ways. Be prepared.”
Test?
It was such a strange thing for her to say, Ann didn’t know what to make of it. But the warning coming from the lips of a Gypsy made it sound prophetic.
An odd shiver chased down her spine.
Riley must have sensed something irregular because he pulled her back against him where she could feel his heart pounding.
“What are you two mumbling about?”
“That you’re a challenge!” Ann said the first thing to pop in her head. Anything to prevent him from learning the truth.
His laughter followed after her while she worked her way around the cabin exchanging hugs and kisses with all the families.
He hovered close by, then introduced her to Mitra’s relatives. She’d brought two male and one female cousin who’d prepared all the food. When everything had been put out buffet style on the dining table, Riley announced they could start to eat.
Ann had never seen such a fabulous spread: beef, chicken, pheasant, fried potatoes, stuffed cabbage with rice, melon wedges and a kind of fruit cake drenched in brandy she couldn’t get enough of.
“I saw you take a second helping of dessert,” Callie murmured when they had a chance to be alone for a minute.
Riley had been summoned for a private conference with Nicco and Enzo. Maria had moved off the barge to say goodbye to the elder Tescottis.
“Don’t tell me you’re nervous to be alone with him after we all leave.”
“Maybe I am a little.”
Ann had never been intimate with a man and her sister knew it, but that wasn’t what was tearing her apart.
“It’s natural, but Riley’s so much like Nicco, he’ll put you at ease.”
“I’m sure you’re right.”
“You can tell the man is painfully in love with you.”
Ha!
Ann would give anything to be able to confide in Callie right now, but she didn’t dare. Her sister always told Nicco everything. This was one time Ann had to keep quiet. “Something else is wrong.”
Oh, no.
“What is it, Ann? What did Mitra say to you?”
“She wished me well.”
“If that’s true, how come you looked so strange afterward?”
“Did I?”
“Stop pretending and talk to me!”
“All right! Sh-she intimated Riley could be difficult.” It wasn’t exactly what Mitra had said, but close enough.
Callie grinned. �
�Spoken like a true mother. Don’t forget. She raised him and knows his greatness as well as his shortcomings.”
If Riley had kept in touch with Mitra all these years, then she knew a lot more than that, like his proclivity for women and his need to drive himself to the edge at every opportunity…
What she’d let slip to Ann was only the tip of the iceberg. There were still many secrets to be uncovered.
No doubt she felt sorry for Ann knowing that Riley didn’t love her. That’s why she’d told her to be prepared.
Little did Mitra realize her Gadja child had already broken Ann’s heart the night he’d coerced her into this mockery of a marriage.
“Don’t look now but Nicco’s making signals for me to leave with him. We both know Riley can’t wait to get you to himself. You have the rest of today and tomorrow to forget the world and enjoy each other.”
Callie squeezed her. “I’m so happy for you I can hardly stand it. When you come down to earth, call me.”
“I promise.”
They walked arm in arm through the cabin to the outer deck of the barge. Everyone had started to leave. While Mitra and her family climbed into one limousine, Enzo and Maria got into the other.
Pretty soon there was just Nicco and Riley. He stared at Callie, then Ann.
“You two are quite a sight,” he said in a husky voice.
“I second that,” Nicco followed.
Riley’s eyes narrowed. “In all fairness to Colin Grimes, he didn’t stand a chance.”
Nicco grimaced. “Nevertheless it’s long past time he started grousing in someone else’s preserves.”
“Nicco—” Callie sounded scandalized.
“He damn well better,” Riley bit out.
Ann felt Callie give her a tiny pinch at the waist. Whether it was personal or professional, Riley could be as fierce as Nicco if he thought anyone was crowding his territory. In that respect, the two men could be scary.
Callie let go of Ann and walked toward her husband. In that moment, Ann started to panic. She wasn’t ready to be alone with Riley yet. Suddenly now that they were man and wife facing the prospect of their honeymoon, it was the last thing she wanted.
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