Black Heart

by Jenny Lynn

  Once we were comfortable we took off. I watched Chicago shrink below us through the window until we passed the clouds. The sun beamed through the windows, shifting across the width of the cabin as we leveled out and coasted through the air. I turned in my seat and faced Nicholas.

  “Can I at least guess where we’re going?” I asked.

  He ran a finger along his chin, considering my request. “You get five questions, but that’s it.”

  I rubbed my hands together, trying to think what I could ask. The stewardess came towards us and asked us if we would like anything to drink.

  “I’ll have a glass of white wine, please,” I asked.

  “Scotch on the rocks for me,” Nicholas said.

  She walked away to fetch our drinks and I thought of my first question. “Are we staying in the States?”

  “Nope,” Nicholas said shaking his head. I thought some more, squinting my eyes at him.

  “Are we going to a beach?” I guessed. Nicholas shook his head again. The stewardess returned with our drinks and handed them to us. I watched him, trying to read his mind.

  “Is it in Europe?” I asked. Nicholas paused then slowly nodded.

  “Have we been there before?” He shook his head.

  “Last question Breanne, then no more guesses and you’ll just have to see when we land.”

  I took a long sip of my wine, trying to think of what I could ask. I tilted my head, having an idea. Nicholas did love wine, maybe it was Paris or Italy. But I only had one guess left, I was going to have to word it carefully.

  “Are they known for baguettes, or for pasta?” I tried.

  Nicholas laughed, then took a sip of his drink. “Neither,” he said with an arched eyebrow. “Now you’re just going to have to relax, enjoy the flight and see when we land.” I fell back against my seat and shook my head in disappointment, having lost the game.

  We flew for hours, Nicholas had his laptop and was able to get some work done while we were in the air. I read ahead in my textbooks, taking notes, preparing for Monday’s meeting with Randy.

  The longer we flew, the deeper my curiosity grew. The captain eventually informed us we would be beginning our descent and to fasten our seatbelts, I whipped my head to the side to look out the window. A city was taking shape in the distance, but I couldn’t determine where we were.

  I continued to watch as we made our descent, the drop in altitude causing a flutter through my stomach. We touched down with a slight jostle, the engine roaring as we slowed to a stop. Nicholas was looking at me, smiling. We unfastened our seatbelts and the door was opened, I walked down the steps into an unfamiliar place. A car was waiting for us, Nicholas took me by the hand and I looked up into his eyes.

  “Welcome to Vienna, Breanne,” he told me. I gasped in excitement and squeezed his hand, he smiled at my reaction and we headed into the car. As we drove through the city I took in the sights that sped by, I couldn’t wait to start exploring this historic place. The architecture was breathtaking: Gorgeous buildings lined the streets as we wound our way to our hotel. We stopped in front of a grand, elegant building and walked towards the door while our driver passed our luggage to a waiting bellboy. The lobby was expansive and tastefully decorated, we approached the front desk where a dark haired-woman greeted us with a wide smile.

  “Welcome to the Sacher Wien hotel, may I help you?”

  “Nicholas Blackstone checking in, I’ve booked a suite.”

  The woman checked her computer screen, tapping away at the keyboard, then nodding at him and handing over a key. “Yes sir, we have the Katja Kabanova Suite reserved for you. We’ll have your bags brought up, let us know if there is anything you need. Please enjoy your stay.”

  Nicholas took my hand and we headed for the elevator, to the top floor of the building. We made our way to our penthouse suite, Nicholas opened the door and gestured me inside. The luxury of the space took my breath away. The walls were covered in intricate wallpaper, with heavy curtains flanking the floor to ceiling windows. A bedroom off to the side had a luxurious king size bed; a sitting room with a fireplace had a comfortable looking couch and chairs atop a thick rug. There was a knock at the door and Nicholas opened it for the bellboy who arrived with our bags. As Nicholas passed him a tip I opened a set of double doors onto a terrace with a view of the city. It took my breath away as I looked out over the city stretched before me, steeped in history. I couldn’t believe I was here. I felt an arm circle my waist and leaned back as Nicholas pulled me against him, brushing the hair from my neck and kissing the exposed skin.

  “Well, what do you think?” he asked me.

  I turned to face him, running my hands along his chest. “This is incredible, thank you.”

  “I thought we could use a bit of escape. Are you ready to go and explore?”

  “With you, always,” I said with a smile, pushing up on my tiptoes to kiss him. He wrapped me against him as our lips moved over each other in surrender. Nipping my bottom lip Nicholas looked down at me and raised an eyebrow.

  “If you keep that up, we won’t leave the hotel room,” he warned. I laughed and we headed out the suite, back down through the lobby into the bustling city. “Are you hungry? We could get dinner.”

  “I’m famished,” I admitted. We strolled arm in arm through the streets. Nicholas stopped outside a quaint looking restaurant as the sun was setting, the street lights switching on and bathing the neighborhood in a warm glow. He opened the door for me and gestured me inside. There were wooden tables throughout the space with a single candle flickering on each. We took a table by the window and sat down, greeted in a few minutes by a waiter.

  “English or German?” the man asked.

  “English,” Nicholas told him with a smile.

  “Welcome to Weinbar, could I interest you in something to drink?”

  “Would you like to try an Austrian wine, Breanne?” Nicholas asked me. It seemed like a great choice, considering where we were. I nodded and he turned to the waiter. “We’ll have a bottle of the Smaragd variety.” The waiter nodded and left us. I looked around me, amazed that we were in this place.

  “What made you choose Vienna?” I asked.

  Nicholas gave a slight shrug of his shoulders. “It’s a calm city full of culture and beauty, I figured after everything you needed somewhere peaceful.”

  The waiter returned and presented a bottle, Nicholas nodded and it was uncorked then poured for us. Raising his glass to me, I did the same and we lightly tapped our glasses together. The wine was dry and flavorful, I let it roll over my tongue and sighed. It was delicious. Placing down my glass, I toyed with the stem a moment before I asked the question that had been in the back of my mind.

  “Did you really buy Cafe Mirage and fire Mark?” I looked into Nicholas’ eyes.

  His expression hardened. “I did,” he admitted.

  “Why?” I asked, still shocked by this news.

  “You know why,” he said, taking a long sip of his wine.

  “No, I don’t,” I countered. “I quit — I was never going to see Mark again.”

  Nicholas tightened his fist on the table. “He pushed himself on you, and the only option you had was to leave a job that otherwise you wanted to keep? Men like him are a problem, they think they can get away with anything and there are no repercussions for their actions. Well, there are repercussions. I love you, Breanne, and I won’t sit by if anyone tries to hurt you.”

  I was touched by the depth of Nicholas’ feelings for me, and I could tell this was important to him. I had to admit, knowing Mark got exactly what he deserved was satisfying. “Thank you,” I said as I reached across the table and placed my hand on his. The tension left his fingers and he wrapped them around mine. The waiter came back to take our order. Nicholas ordered the house specialty, wiener schnitzel, and I said I would have the same.

  The food, the ambiance was wonderful. I looked from the man I loved across the table, out the window at the city. We shared a decaden
t chocolate torte for dessert and finished the bottle of wine. When we left the restaurant, full and satisfied, we wandered the streets admiring the view. We came upon a crowd watching some sort of puppet show, stopping to watch the antique marionettes play out a scene. When we continued on our way, I realized Nicholas was leading us purposely, but not sure where. A Ferris wheel rose into the night sky in front of us and I looked at Nicholas who had a boyish grin on his face.

  “This is the Prater, it’s an amusement park and a well-known attraction in Vienna. Would you like to go in?”

  I looked out at the rides and laughed. This was completely unexpected, and I liked seeing the playful side of Nicholas. I nodded and he took me by the hand and led me into the park where people were walking about enjoying themselves. Together we headed for a fun house. We laughed and stumbled through the rooms. The floors shifted beneath our feet and we looked at our distorted reflections in mirrors. In a haunted house I held onto his arm tightly, making our way through as masked figures popped causing me to scream then laugh. Ride after ride we explored the park, finally ending our adventure on the Ferris wheel with a beautiful view of the city at night. We were lifted into the air again and again as the giant wheel turned, the ground rising and falling below us. I leaned my head onto Nicholas’ shoulder, sighing contentedly. It was the perfect end to a magical day in this beautiful place.

  9

  I stretched under the sheets, turning on my side in the large bed to realize I was alone. I slipped out and looked for something to wear, picking up Nicholas’ soft grey t-shirt and slipping it over my head. Walking from the bedroom, I found Nicholas on the terrace reading a paper and sipping a coffee. On a small table there was a plate of fruit and pastries, as well as a carafe of coffee. I leaned in the doorway, admiring the sight of him dressed casually with a bit of stubble across his cheek and messy bed hair. He looked just as drop dead gorgeous first thing in the morning as he did in a three-piece suit.

  “Are you going to stand there watching me eat, or would you like to join me, Breanne?” His voice broke my trance and I smiled, walking over towards him and feeling the morning breeze against my skin. I took a seat at the table and poured myself a cup of coffee, adding milk and sugar, then wrapping my hands around the steaming mug as I took a sip.

  “What would you like to do today?” I asked him.

  “I thought we could do a bit of sightseeing,” he told me, folding the paper and placing it down on the table.

  “Have you been here before? You seemed to know where we were going last night.”

  “I have,” Nicholas said as he took a sip of his coffee. “My father took me here when I was younger, just the two of us. I have a lot of fond memories of Vienna and wanted to bring you here.”

  I was touched that he wanted to share this place with me, which obviously held such special memories for him. “I love it here, it’s beautiful,” I told him. He smiled and picked up a slice of pear, popping it into his mouth.

  “Eat up, Breanne, we’re going to have a full day ahead of us.” I picked up a pastry and sunk my teeth into the flaky crust. Looking out over the city, all of my stresses and worries that had been bothering me floated away.

  After breakfast, I got dressed and ready. Nicholas and I headed downstairs. We started at St. Stephen’s Cathedral — it was magnificent, with tall detailed towers stretching into the blue sky. The atmosphere inside was silent and reverential, I admired intricate paintings and smooth statues as we moved throughout the space. There was a rich sense of history and I found myself moved by the significance of this holy place. We finally made our way to the roof, where we were rewarded with an awe-inspiring view of the city as the morning light cast everything in a glow. The clean lines and intricate detail of the classic architecture were stunning. The streets formed a spider web around the cathedral, stretching as far away as the eye could see.

  Next, we traveled to Schönbrunn Palace. It was incredibly vast, room after room decorated in a display of how the monarchy used to live in this spectacular place. Before venturing outside to the famous gardens, we enjoyed lunch in Cafe Gloriette, where the windows stretched the length of the wall up towards the vaulted ceilings. I had never seen anything so spectacular. Hedges towered high off the ground and we walked between them, admiring marble statues displayed on pedestals. The figures were frozen in their poses, the carving so detailed and intricate that I imagined the slightest breeze might ruffle the fabric draped over them, had it not been chiseled from stone. We passed fountains and ponds, walked beneath trails lined with trees, and admired the flower gardens. Exploring the palm house was like being transported to a tropical paradise. Behind the Neptune fountain, Nicholas held me against him and kissed me. I felt like I was in a dream, the sound of water trickling beside us and the sunlight on our skin while the wind rustled through my hair.

  Nicholas checked his watch then guided me by the small of my back towards the palace. “It’s time to go,” he told me.

  “Why?” I asked, reluctant to leave such a beautiful place even though we had been there for hours. “Where are we going?”

  “It’s a surprise,” Nicholas told me with a wink. I shook my head, he loved his secrets and there was no use trying to get any information out of him. We traveled back into the city center and walked into a high-end boutique.

  “We’re shopping?” I asked Nicholas, puzzled.

  “You need something to wear for this evening,” he told me, pressing his lips to my forehead. A saleswoman approached us. “Breanne Taylor, I called earlier,” he told her. The woman nodded.

  “Follow me, Miss Taylor,” she instructed. I looked at Nicholas confused and he said nothing, just smiled that gorgeous smile of his. I was led to a chair in front of a long mirror, where a woman was waiting.

  “Hello Breanne, my name is Mischa. I’m going to be doing your hair and makeup today, then you can pick out a gown and shoes for this evening.”

  “I don’t suppose you could tell me what I’m doing this evening?” I asked. Both women shook their heads.

  “Your fiancée swore us to secrecy. You’re a lucky woman, he’s very romantic.”

  “He certainly is,” I admitted, feeling a wave of pride.

  I sat down and Mischa started to brush out my hair, then began looping sections around the barrel of a curling iron. Piece by piece, she styled a delicate updo. Then she started on my makeup, using a soft palette and accentuating my eyes. When she was done and stepped back I was surprised by my reflection. I looked glamorous and elegant; clearly wherever Nicholas was taking me had a black tie dress code. Mischa passed me over to Ilsa, the stylist, and she showed me an assortment of gowns in my size. I tried on three before settling on a floor-length burgundy gown, the sleeves sitting off my shoulder. I twirled, feeling like a princess. Ilsa nodded.

  “That one is perfect, you look spectacular,” she told me. She brought me a pair of strappy shoes in a matching color and I slipped them on.

  “Thank you,” I said graciously.

  “It’s time,” she informed me as she glanced at the clock. I had been here over an hour. I cocked my head, puzzled, and she gestured for me to follow her. I walked towards the entrance and out into the street where the sun was starting to set, the horizon glowing. In front of the door was a horse-drawn carriage with Nicholas standing in front, dressed in a tuxedo. The sight of him got my heart racing. He extended his hand and I followed him into the carriage, speechless. The driver snapped the reins and the horses started to trot, heading down the street towards an unknown destination.

  “This is wonderful,” I said finally.

  “I wanted you to have an authentic Viennese experience,” Nicholas said with a smile. “You look beautiful, but there’s just one thing missing.” He reached into his jacket pocket and removed a long black velvet box, holding it out to me.

  I stared at it in my hands, then lifted the lid. The row of diamonds on the necklace caught the light and sparkled brilliantly. “Nicholas, this is beau
tiful. You shouldn’t have,” I gasped.

  “Please, allow me,” he said as he lifted the necklace. I turned and he gently fastened it around my neck, tracing it with his fingertip then kissing my shoulder. The carriage came to a stop in front of an impressive building; the entrance of which was framed by a row of tall columns and arches. There were well-dressed couples arm-in-arm, moving towards the entrance, one-by-one.

  “Welcome to the Vienna Opera House, Breanne,” Nicholas said as he stepped down and offered me his hand. “We’ll be attending their ball this evening.”

  I placed my hand in his and held the bottom of my dress as I carefully stepped down onto the sidewalk. Together we walked into the building, I looked up to the high ceilings and the sight took my breath away. Chandeliers illuminated the space, and an orchestra filled the air with music. Nicholas pulled me into the crowd, turned towards me and wrapped an arm around my waist. I placed my arms around his neck and we began to move to the music.

  “This is spectacular,” I said, looking into his eyes.

  “Our life together is spectacular,” Nicholas said. He lifted his hand to brush his finger along my cheek.

  “It still feels like a dream,” I admitted. “Especially when you keep surprising me like this.”

  “There is so much to explore in the world, Breanne, and I want us to explore it together. There is this sense of wonder about you, it’s captivated me ever since we met.”

  “I’ve always been worried about fitting into your world, Nicholas.”

  Suddenly he spun me then dipped me low, I gasped, staring up into his eyes. “You are my world, Breanne,” he said. He closed his mouth over mine and I held onto him as he parted my lips. He lifted me back to my feet and I held onto him for support, then we continued to move together in the sea of people while the music played.