by Holly Rayner
When the sheriff comes back to retrieve the tray, I thank him.
He leaves, and I’m once again alone.
Maybe I’m stronger than I thought. Maybe I can do this—with or without Luca.
I loved fairy tales as a child. I grew up knowing the story of the princess, saved by her knight in shining armor. But what if I don’t need a knight?
Luca may well never come to save me. I have to be okay with that.
A few moments later, the sheriff appears again. “Phoebe Miller, correct?” he says as he stands in the cell doorway.
I nod.
“Come with me,” he says. “You have a visitor.”
It must be Nikki, I think to myself as I stand. Good. I’m going to tell her that I’ve decided to be strong. I’m going to tell her that I’m going to do whatever I can to have a positive outlook.
She’ll probably tell me that Luca isn’t coming, and I have to be okay with that.
I lift my chin and brace myself for bad news from Nikki as I follow the officer down the long, cell-lined hallway.
Chapter 12
Luca
The visiting room has several tables in it, each surrounded by four or five chairs. Though there are many chairs, there are no people. I wait anxiously for Phoebe to arrive.
I don’t have to wait long. Soon the door to the enclosed room opens up and a man in a uniform enters. At his side is Phoebe.
She’s in wearing a loose-fitting top and pants, both bright orange, handcuffs around her wrists. Her long brown hair is pulled back in a ponytail. Her eyes look bright, and her expression is surprisingly calm.
She keeps her chin lifted as she meets my gaze. Though she’s no longer in the pretty clothing that I first met her in, she’s just as breathtaking as she was when I first met her, all those weeks ago at a cafe. Her honey-gold eyes are bright. Her features are angelic. Though her clothing is loose-fitting, I clearly remember the beauty of her figure, now hidden by her clothes.
It is so good to see her.
I walk up to her, without hesitation, and wrap my arms around her. I feel her stiffen at first, as though she’s surprised by my embrace. Then she softens and seems to relax.
“Luca,” she whispers as she leans into my hug.
“Phoebe,” I say. “Are you okay?”
She doesn’t answer. Instead, she continues to let me hold her. I rub my hands up and down her back, trying to provide some comfort.
“It’s okay,” I say softly. “It’s okay.” I have no idea what has happened to put her behind bars, but I want her to know that I am not here to judge her.
I just want to know that she’s safe.
“What can I do?” I ask, still holding her. “Does this have something to do with the situation you were running from?”
I feel her nod. I keep rubbing her back.
After a moment, she pulls away and looks into my eyes. “Luca, I took money from my employer. That’s why I fled to Europe. I acted impulsively, and I was afraid of the consequences. But I righted that wrong—just as you said I could. I returned all of the money, but now I’m being committed of a crime that’s much more serious than what I originally did. You believe me, don’t you?”
“Of course I believe you,” I say. I do. I see in her eyes that she’s innocent.
I also see how exhausted she is.
I walk toward a table and pull a seat out for her. She accepts, and sighs as she sits. I can see dark circles under her eyes.
I wonder if she’s slept at all since being arrested.
I need to get her out of here.
“I know what it’s like to be accused of a crime you didn’t commit,” I say.
“I remember that you mentioned something like that,” she says. Her voice trembles. “Luca… I’m sorry. I never imagined seeing you again, like this.” She looks down at the cuffs in her lap.
I move my chair closer to hers, and then reach forward and place my fingertips on her chin. I lift her face, so she can see my eyes as I say, “Phoebe, I’m just glad that I’m seeing you at all. You have no reason to feel bad about this. You’re innocent, and we’re going to get you out of here.”
She looks into my eyes. I see that she’s thinking. Her chest rises and falls quickly. She opens her mouth to speak but stops before the words come out.
After another moment of hesitation, she says, “What did you do? What was the crime you were accused of?”
I don’t like talking about my entanglement with the court system of Westegaard. It brings up so much darkness from my past that I wish I could completely forget. At the same time, I want Phoebe to know that she’s not alone. I want her to know that I understand.
I lick my lips and begin. “Phoebe, my parents died when I was fifteen years old.”
Phoebe nods. “I’m so sorry about that,” she says. “I found out when I read about you online. And I know what it’s like. I lost my mom when I was sixteen. She raised me and my sister by herself—I never knew my father.”
My heart moves to my throat. It’s a familiar lump. I feel it anytime I have to speak about the car accident that took my parents’ lives.
I begin to get emotional, but this time, it’s not just because I’m recalling the most traumatic year of my life. It’s because Phoebe lost a parent, too. She knows what it’s like. It’s no wonder I felt so close to her, so quickly.
This is the woman for me, I think, as I look into her beautiful eyes.
The thought comes to me so quickly, so naturally, that it almost doesn’t even register in my mind.
My heart swells with emotion as I continue. “You know, then, that it’s not easy to become an orphan as a teen. My behavior took a downward turn, to put it lightly.”
Phoebe blushes. “I’ve read some of the news articles about that, too,” she says. “I know… about some of the things you went through.”
I find that I’m flattered that she took the time to investigate my past. All this time, I thought she’d completely forgotten about me. Now I know that I was on her mind, just as she was on mine.
If she was looking into my past, she also knows that I’m royalty.
Yet still, she looks at me as though I’m Luca—the real me—not a celebrity prince from the magazines. So many women I’ve met have not been able to see the real me. Phoebe does. I feel that each time she looks into my eyes.
I continue with my story. “My family’s PR team has done their best to ensure that news about my arrest is no longer featured in the media. You probably didn’t come across it.”
“I didn’t,” Phoebe says.
“Like I said, it was five years ago. I had two friends—at least, I thought they were my friends at the time. Looking back, I see they never had my best interests at heart. They committed armed robbery and ended up injuring a security guard while they were at it. I wasn’t involved in the robbery at all, but that didn’t stop my friends from naming me, to try to save their own skin. I’m sure you can imagine the media circus that ensued.”
Phoebe nods. “Reporters must have loved it,” she says sympathetically. “What a scandal. A prince, behind bars…”
“They did,” I say. “Before I was arrested, most of the country’s population actually looked favorably on me. They likely felt bad that I was acting out after my parents’ deaths. But after news about the robbery came out, I became a pariah. I was everyone’s favorite person to hate. It was a nightmare.”
I lean closer and lower my voice. “But that’s my point, Phoebe. What I went through actually made me stronger. After I was vindicated, I turned my life around. I know it’s not easy to be falsely accused, but I can tell you from experience—you will be a better person because of it.”
“Thank you, Luca,” she says. “I really needed to hear that.”
“Good,” I say. “I’d hate to think I just talked your ear off in this stuffy room for nothing.” I smile, trying to lighten the mood. “I don’t want to bore you with my past, I just want you to know that I get it. I�
��ve been where you are now.”
“That means a lot to me,” she says.
I stand. “And that’s why I’m posting your bail, immediately. I know how much you probably want to clean up, eat some decent food, and lie your head down on a pillow that doesn’t feel like a bag of rocks. Am I right?”
She smiles, but there’s a sad look in her eyes that I don’t understand. I expected her to be relieved at the thought of leaving the filthy jail. Instead, she looks as though there’s something else on her mind.
I wait for her to speak, but she remains quiet.
Maybe I’m reading her wrong.
I stand and head for the door. “This shouldn’t take long,” I say over my shoulder. “We’ll have you out of here in no time.”
“Luca, wait,” Phoebe says.
I stop in my tracks and turn.
She looks frightened. “There’s more,” she says.
I return to the table and take the same seat. I face Phoebe, curious about what she is about to say.
She bites her lip, a crease forming between her brows. A lock of hair falls over her eyes. She looks down at her lap, avoiding my gaze.
After a moment, she looks up at me through her long, brown lashes. “Luca, there’s a reason I asked my sister to call you here to the States, and it wasn’t to rescue me from jail.”
I’m confused. “You want to leave this place, don’t you?” I ask.
“Of course I do!” she says. “But… Luca, I felt I had to tell you in person. Believe me, this is not the way I imagined it.” She looks around at the stark room. I watch her take a deep breath. Then she says, “I’m pregnant. I just found out yesterday. The child is yours. There hasn’t been anyone else.”
I feel my breathing speed up. My heart beats faster. Did she just say what I think she said? Phoebe is pregnant… with my child? I’m going to be a father?
I feel as though the room is spinning. I’m speechless. I don’t know what to say or do.
I look at Phoebe and am filled with awe. This beautiful woman, whom I haven’t been able to stop thinking about, is going to be the mother of my child.
I’ve always wanted a son or daughter, but I’ve never been in a relationship with someone that I could imagine spending the rest of my life with.
Now, looking at Phoebe, I feel joy rise up within me. She is going to be the mother of my child, and I couldn’t ask for a more kind, sincere, beautiful, authentic woman to fulfill that role.
I’m going to be a father.
My chest swells with pride and joy as I think about how it will feel to look into our baby’s eyes and know I played a part in bringing him or her into the world.
My joy quickly dissipates as another thought comes to me: I’m going to be a father, and the child’s mother might be going to prison.
I examine Phoebe, in her orange outfit and steel cuffs, and I know that she’s been struggling with this same realization. I see the fear in her eyes.
She bites her lip again and then says, “I’m sorry. Like I said, I never imagined having to tell you like this. I wish it was different, I just—”
“It’s not your fault,” I say.
“It is!” she protests. “If I’d never taken that money from Derek in the first place, I wouldn’t be here. I wouldn’t be putting us… all of us… in this situation. It’s been so hard on my sister, and I can only imagine what this might feel like for you…” Her lip trembles. “I’m trying to be strong, Luca, but I feel so terrible about all of this.”
I place my hand on her knee. “Phoebe,” I say softly. “We can handle this. First things first: let’s get you out of here. Then, we can deal with the next steps together. How does that sound to you?”
“That sounds… really good,” she says, her voice quivering with emotion.
I stand and wrap my arms around her. I kiss the top of her head and then say. “Let me go see who I need to talk to about posting bail. We’re going to have you out of here in no time.”
I hope I sound more confident than I feel. I can see that she’s crumbling under the weight of the situation. I want to be strong for her, but the truth is, I’m still reeling from the news that she’s just delivered.
I make my way to the door. The last thing I want to do right now is walk away from Phoebe when she’s feeling so vulnerable and scared, but I know that the sooner I walk away from her, the sooner we can be reunited—and this time, she won’t have cuffs on.
There’s so much more that I want to say to her. I want to tell her that I haven’t stopped thinking about her since she left my country. I want to tell her that I’ve dreamed of her every night and have relived our night in the hotel room—the night we conceived our child—a thousand times. I want to tell her that her name has been on my lips ever since she left, and I want to tell her how excited I was to know that she wanted to see me.
Even more than that, I want to kiss her.
I want to alleviate her worries. I want to protect her, and make sure she is safe. I want her to know that I can take care of her.
I can’t wait to hold her in my arms.
All of that is going to have to wait. First, I have to get her out of prison.
Chapter 13
Phoebe
I take a deep breath of fresh air as I step out into the spring sunshine.
Marla is just in front of me, Luca at my side. Marla leads the way down the wide steps and onto the sidewalk.
As I reach the sidewalk along with her, she reaches into her purse for her car keys. With the keys jingling in her hands she says, “I’ve got to run. I have a meeting with Casey Sheer in…” She eyes her wristwatch. “Oh, shoot. Ten minutes.”
“Go,” I say to her. “And thank you.”
Marla gives me a quick, fierce hug. Then she releases me as she says, “You get some rest. Don’t you dare even think about coming into the office. I’m going to get my intern from the law school to cover your position, and to help me start working on your case. I’ll be in touch tomorrow.” She looks to Luca, whom she just met an hour earlier. “Will you make sure she gets a good meal and some rest?” she asks.
Luca smiles, stepping closer to me. “She’s in good hands, Marla. I’ll make sure.”
The feel of his warm, strong body next to mine is so comforting. I manage to smile at Marla, and she waves goodbye before jogging down the block, heading for the parking garage.
I check my phone, and then eye the street as I say, “Nicole said she’d be here at four thirty. I don’t see her yet, but… oh!” I spot Nikki’s beat-up red coupe just as it pulls out of traffic, across the street. “There she is,” I say, pointing as Nikki parallel parks.
“I have a rental car,” Luca says. “I parked around the corner…”
“Why don’t you meet us at my sister’s place?” I say. I look up at his profile, drinking in the view of his handsome features. Seeing him in person like this, after looking at so many photographs of him, feels almost surreal.
He’s even more handsome than I remembered.
He took the news of my pregnancy so well. I saw him smile, just after I gave him my news.
I think I’m going to cherish the memory of that subtle smile for the rest of my life. It means that he wants this baby, just as I do.
Luca gazes down at me. “Are you sure that would be okay with your sister? I don’t want to be any trouble.”
“I’m positive,” I say. “She loves to cook, and she’s good at it, too. You just got here. There’s so much we have to talk about…”
We stare into each other’s eyes, each acknowledging all of the unspoken things that lie between us. What does the future hold for us? Does he have feelings for me?
I have feelings for him; that much I’m sure of. The instant I saw him, I knew. I may have only known Luca for a night, but in that short amount of time, I fell for him. Hard.
It’s like we’re meant for each other. I have never felt this strongly for another person before. I want to know if Luca feels the same, b
ut we have a lot of getting to know each other to do before I’ll be brave enough to ask him.
“Dinner sounds great,” Luca says, much to my relief.
A gust of early spring wind billows up around us, tugging at my thin sweater and pulling some strands of hair from my ponytail.
I manage to push my hair behind my ear so that I can look down at my phone screen. “Let me pull up her address so you can see it on a map. It’s actually not far from here. Just a few blocks.”
I type in Nikki’s apartment address, and then look up and across the street. Nikki steps out of her car, but traffic is too heavy for her to cross the street toward us. I signal to her that I’ll be over in a minute, and she gets back into her car.
I scoot in closer to Luca so that our sides are touching. I feel the electric buzz of tension begin to build between us, just as it did the first night I met him, when he stood next to me on the bridge and we watched the sunset.
How does he do this to me? Just being near him makes me feel like I might melt.
I point to the screen. “You’re going to go east on Highlands Drive, and take your second right, onto 5th street. Follow that for four blocks, until you see Kennedy Avenue. Take a left on Kennedy, and Nikki’s place is right there on the corner. See? Kilmore Apartments. We’ll meet you there.”
The wind stirs up around us again, and hair once again blocks my vision of the phone screen. Before I can push my hair behind my ear, I feel Luca’s fingertips on my face. He gently tucks the stray strands behind my ear.
I look up at him through my lashes. “I’m so glad you’re here,” I admit. I didn’t plan on saying it. It just came out.
He steps in closer to me. “Me too,” he says. Then he places a kiss on the top of my head. When he steps away, he gives me a smile. “I think I’ve got it,” he says. “I have a good mind for directions. I’m going west on Highlands Drive—”