She gasped when Darias opened the door to his loft. The battered steel door had left her totally unprepared for the extreme expanse of space it opened into. Aged-wood flooring stretched a good two hundred feet, with only a small island of modernist furniture over to one side. Tall paintings, some of them half finished, stretched along one wall.
“My studio. I like to live surrounded by my work.” He bolted the door and set an alarm. “I’ll miss this space.”
He led her into an enclosed corner where a door opened to reveal a minimalist bedroom with a low bed and a night table that looked like a slice from an ancient tree. “It’s late. We should get some sleep. The pilot will be ready for a dawn departure.”
There was only one bed. “Uh, should I sleep on the sofa?”
“Sleeping in the same bed will be necessary to convince people we are man and wife.” He shrugged out of his jacket and hung it in the closet. Omigosh. Is he just going to undress right in front of me?
“We’re not man and wife yet. I barely know you.” Her heart pounded. “Can we start a little slow?”
He looked amused. “Of course. Sandro tells me I’m far too matter-of-fact.” He indicated the bed. “You sleep here, and I’ll take the sofa. We can even sleep in separate rooms at the palace until the wedding. We can tell them you’re traditional.” His eyes twinkled. “My mother will like that. And after the wedding, of course, I’ll be gentle with you.” His mouth hitched slightly.
Adrenaline spiked through her. “Be gentle with me? We’re not going to—” Her brain raced. “You never said anything about sex.”
“It’s true.” He looked wistful. “I never did.” His dark eyes drifted over her face, sparking heat and desire that frightened her.
If she had sex with him, it would be hard to keep her feelings under tight control. There was a reason they called it making love. “We’re just pretending to be married, so there’s no reason for that pretense to continue behind closed doors.”
“In olden times the whole family would wait outside the young couple’s bedroom for proof that the marriage was consummated and the new bride was still a virgin.”
She shivered. “I hope times have changed. Besides, I’m not a virgin.”
“Luckily, that’s no longer a requirement.” He grinned, mischievous. “I guess I’m fortunate you don’t have a boyfriend to break up with.”
“I don’t have time for dating.”
“You must have men following you everywhere.”
“Not really.” She shrugged. “My friend Liz said I come across as an ice queen.”
“A queen, certainly.” He chuckled. “I can see that men would be intimidated by you.”
“Not you, though, apparently.”
“No.” Laughter danced in his eyes. “Not me. But for tonight I’ll take the sofa. My friends from abroad sleep on it all the time so I’m told it’s comfortable.”
“I appreciate it.” She waited for him to leave. Was he just going to stand there? Or maybe strip naked and then stroll out? Heat flashed over her at that last prospect. “Do you need me to leave so you can get what you need?”
“Oh, you want privacy. I’ll just brush my teeth.”
And grab your pajamas. She hoped he had some. She wasn’t ready to see that tall, broad-shouldered physique naked. Not just yet. She needed some time to prepare herself for that—and all the other strange new experiences coming her way.
“The sheets are clean. The maid came this morning.”
“Great. Thanks.” She should be relieved that the sheets wouldn’t bear his intoxicating man scent. She wasn’t ready to spend the night with that either.
He finally left and closed the door behind him, and she changed into her sleep shirt as fast as she could in case he came back for something. His bed was insanely comfortable, a huge change from her lumpy secondhand mattress she’d put out by the curb today. She hadn’t even told her landlady she was moving yet.
She didn’t sleep a wink last night and now she was so overtired she could barely see straight, but her brain wouldn’t settle down.
She drew in a deep breath. Jonas was safely at The Fountains, she was heading out on an adventure, and she’d just have to take this journey one step at a time.
“It’s time to get ready.” Darias’s deep voice roused her from a deathlike sleep. It took her a few moments to figure out who he was and where she was.
“I’ll be ready in a moment.” She needed a shower to wake her up, and after checking that the bathroom door locked, she took one with water so hot it made her skin red. She dressed in a designer casual outfit of gray jeans and a soft, patterned shirt, with some cute ankle boots. It was easy to look good with this kind of expensive wardrobe.
Darias looked at her with approval when she stepped out of the bedroom. “As we fly I’ll tell you more about my family.” They’d gotten sidetracked last time he’d started.
She nodded. “I’ve met your brother Sandro, and you mentioned your twin, Beatriz.”
His steady brown gaze unnerved her slightly. “I have other brothers and sisters. There are seven more of them.”
“Seven?” She stared, panic flaring through her. How could she remember that many names?
He simply smiled. “Let’s go.”
CHAPTER SIX
During the flight, Darias filled her in on all his siblings’ unusual names and told her a little about them.
Each one sounded more intimidating than the last. She didn’t want to hear any more about how Rigo graduated from Harvard Law School and that little Lina, the baby of the family, was studying philosophy at Oxford. “Won’t they see right through me? They sound like geniuses.”
He laughed. “The smarter people are, the easier it is to fool them.”
“Is that a fact?”
“More of an observation. It has to do with confidence.”
“Then you must be easy to fool.”
“Quite possibly, but only once.”
She laughed, and grew bold. “Have you been in love before?” It wasn’t such a strange question.
He shook his head. A wry expression haunted his eyes. “I used to dream of it but sooner or later they all turn out to be more interested in my title or my money than the real me.”
“Is that why you decided to marry someone who just wants your money?” The situation was laughable.
“Why not? It’s all cut and dried and no one’s faking anything. Maybe one day I’ll fall in love but it’s not the kind of thing you can rush and I’m under a deadline here.” A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
He was already looking ahead to love affairs after this weird business arrangement came to an end. Why did that make her heart sink?
“What kind of woman do you think you could love?” She was curious.
He frowned slightly, pondering her question—which warmed her heart when he could easily have blown it off with a glib answer. “Someone like my mom.” He lifted a brow. “She’s warm, funny, intelligent, caring and beautiful.”
“I bet she’d be touched to hear you say that.” Emma was also touched. They always said that how a guy treated his mom was a vision in to the future of his romantic relationships. “I can’t wait to meet her.”
“She’s wonderful. She always encouraged me to pursue art, even when others thought it a foolish waste of time.”
“Art is your passion.”
He nodded slowly. “Always has been.”
“Maybe no woman can compete?”
“You might be right.”
Good to know. Darias had thoroughly warned her off falling in love with him and she’d just have to keep that in mind during all those long dark nights in his presence.
He tilted his head and peered at her. “What about you? Have you ever been in love?”
“Not even close. I’m too busy.”
“You can’t have been too busy for your whole life.”
She sighed. “Between school, part time jobs, my crazy brother and trying
to help my mom keep things together, I didn’t have time for fun.”
“What was your mom like?”
She inhaled as sadness welled inside her. “Very sweet, funny, loving. Totally impractical. She lived in a sort of dreamworld. She wore an engagement ring my dad had given her once—they never did get married—even after he died. She was a true romantic even when there was nothing whatsoever to be romantic about.”
“I’m sorry to hear about your dad.”
“It’s okay. He died when I was young—a heroin overdose. I barely even remember him.”
“I’m surprised that didn’t scare your brother off drugs.”
“You’d think it would but I suppose he has the same head-in-the-clouds approach to life as the rest of my family. I don’t know why I turned out to be the steady, boring one.” She laughed, but it was rather forced. “I’ve prided myself on being dull and staying out of trouble.”
“I don’t think you’re dull at all. I think you’re very adventurous to agree to my madcap scheme and I promise you it will be worth your while.”
“Even if I can’t right the tell-all biography about it,” she teased.
“What kind of man do you think would be right for you?” His eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Tall, dark, handsome, kind, intelligent, rakish, artistic, royal—she wanted to tease him again but didn’t dare. He really was too delicious. And totally unsuitable. “Someone dull, I suppose. Maybe another teacher. Or a school administrator.”
He chuckled. “You can’t pick your future love by their career. You have to go on personality, compatibility, chemistry.”
“Even if he’s an undertaker?”
“Especially then.” They both laughed and their conversation flowed on in the same easy manner, despite the long trip.
Once they’d crossed the Atlantic, Darias pointed out the Pyrenees as they flew over Spain and France, and she felt her anticipation—and terror—growing as he announced they were now flying over Switzerland and the Alps of Northern Italy, drawing closer to the high peaks.
“My homeland,” he announced with a flourish, as a forbidding range of snowcapped mountains subsided into lush green fields dotted with tiny cows. “I always feel something when I fly back here.”
“I guess that’s lucky, given your situation.”
“Truth.”
A limo picked them up at the airport. As they pulled onto the road, a terrifying thought seized her. “Have you told your mom that…” She blinked. “That we…”
“That we’re getting married? No.”
“Why?” She felt her eyes grow wide. “Wouldn’t it be easier to break the news before she meets me?”
He shook his head, confident as ever. “If I told her over the phone, she’d be full of hard-to-answer questions. When she’s standing talking to you, they’ll fly out of her mind and she’ll be filled with joy.”
“There’s that dangerous confidence again.” She glanced at the back of the driver’s head. Of course she was only voicing worries that any nervous new fiancée might think. “What if she hates me?”
“She couldn’t hate anyone. She’s the most loving soul in the world.”
Emma certainly couldn’t question that in front of the driver. “I look forward to meeting her,” she lied. “What should I call her?”
“Call her mama.”
Emma’s nerves ratcheted tighter as they drove into a pretty town with a mix of medieval and eighteenth-century buildings. Even the streets were picturesque, with smooth cobbles and larger stones laid in two tracks for carriage wheels.
“This is Casteleone, the town that grew up around my ancestors’ old castle. We’re headed to a newer palace where my mom and dad lived.”
“It’s incredibly beautiful.”
“Casteleone has a long tradition of artists, architects and craftsmen.” He looked out the window. “I’m proud to follow in their footsteps.”
They drove through a tall set of black iron gates with elaborate crests tooled into the railings. Behind them rose a baroque palace, three stories tall, with impressive arched windows and long balconies.
Mama. This was not going to be easy!
“Relax. You’ll be fine.”
“Am I breathing heavy or something?” She was trying her hardest to appear nonchalant.
“You seem a little tense.”
“Wouldn’t you be?”
A smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. “Quite possibly.”
As the car pulled in front of the main doors, they opened and an elegant blonde woman appeared, flanked by two gray-uniformed staffers. She came down the steps as they opened their doors and climbed out.
“Mama, I missed you.” Darias kissed her on both cheeks, then again on the first one. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m trying to do things as Papa would have wanted.” She held Darias’s face in her hands. “I do miss him.”
“I know, Mama.” He stroked her hair. They were a very touchy-feely family. Emma’s heart ached to remember that her mom had been like that, too. “I have someone for you to meet.”
His mom looked over at Emma for the first time, and a curious expression crossed her face. She looked back at Darias, now expectant.
Darias held out his hand for Emma to come join them. Heart pounding, she took cautious steps across the white marble pavers. “Mama, this is Emma Ricci. I’ve proposed marriage to her, and she’s agreed. She will be my wife.”
Emma managed a shaky smile. The way he described their union sounded rather businesslike—which it was—and didn’t feel as fake as she’d imagined.
“Emma?” His mom focused her full attention on her, now holding out both hands to take one of Emma’s. “I’m so thrilled to meet you.” Her voice rang with surprise but also pleasure. She turned to her son. “Darias, why have you been keeping this beautiful young lady a secret from me?”
“You know how you are, Mama. You would have peppered me with questions that I wasn’t ready to answer.”
“And here your aunt and I have spent the last three days racking our brains and making phone calls all over Europe, looking for a bride for you.” She tutted, then turned back to Emma. “But I’m thrilled that we no longer need to find one. Welcome to the family, Emma.”
Before Emma could draw breath, she was enveloped in a deep hug. Worse yet, she could hear sobs rising in Darias’s mom’s chest as she was overcome with emotion. Emma tried to hug her back without feeling like too much of a heel. Still, she couldn’t come up with one single thing to say except, “Thank you.”
“Come in. Come in!” Now alive with excitement, Darias’s mom turned to climb the steps. “We must show Emma around.”
“She might be tired after our long flight, Mama.”
“I’m fine, really,” she protested. She wanted to fulfill her role to the best of her ability. “I’d love to see the palace.”
“You’ll live here with Darias, I hope.” His mom squeezed her arm as they reached a vast foyer of white marble. “The kings of Altaleone have lived here since the seventeen hundreds. Darias’s grandmother, the late queen, preferred a smaller residence in the center of town, so my husband and I lived here. I’ll move to the late queen’s house if it pleases Darias.”
“You shall live wherever you like, Mama.” Darias slid his arm around her waist and kissed her on the forehead. Emma was touched by how much he cared about his mom—enough to create an expensive charade just to keep her happy.
“Have the police made any discoveries?” Darias’s question tugged her back to the moment.
“Not a one!” His mom’s voice rang with distress. “I don’t understand how there can be no clues or evidence after the way they died. It was clearly murder.”
“We’ll get to the bottom of it. I’ve wrapped up my business in New York, and I can stay here now and focus on the investigation. This afternoon I want to visit the crime scene again.”
“It’s under heavy guard right now.” His mom sighed. �
�Do be careful, sweetheart. We still don’t know why they did this. As the next in line, you could be in grave danger.”
“I’ll watch my back. And I have a feeling a number of experienced security guards will be doing the same thing.” He shot her a wry smile.
“Yes. Security is greatly increased. We’ve hired an expert. An ex–foreign legion man with a reputation for solving this kind of crime. He thinks we should bug every room in the palace. He suspects an inside job.”
Darias’s eyes widened. “I hope he hasn’t bugged my chambers. I don’t think my new bride and I would enjoy our wedding night much if we thought half the guards in the palace were listening in.”
His mother laughed. “Of course not, darling. I told him his idea was nonsense, anyway. We’re all family here, and we look out for each other.”
Emma released a taut breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. It would be truly awkward if there was nowhere private for her to talk to Darias. Though she should be mindful that anywhere could be bugged, even their cars.
Darias introduced her to his twin sister, Beatriz, a solemn brunette beauty who seemed deeply surprised to meet his new fiancée, and who explained that the rest of their siblings had all rushed back to their respective careers and schools, leaving her to take care of their mom alone.
“I’m sorry I had to go back to New York. Poor Keane had been putting that show together for months. I couldn’t let him down.”
“You do realize that you’re going to have to stop painting now, right?” said Beatriz. “You have bigger responsibilities. This trip back to New York so soon after the funeral and right before the coronation was really uncalled for.”
“I had to convince my bride to return with me.” Darias slid his arm around Emma in a proprietary fashion that made her skin tingle. Beatriz’s shapely brows lowered slightly. Emma got the feeling that there was more than a little tension between them. Not surprising since he was about to become King and she wasn’t—yet she was the one left there to hold down the fort.
“I suppose it is a relief that you have a bride. Though Mama and Aunt Liesel put together an impressive list of prospects for you. It’s almost a shame to see their hard work go to waste. I had no idea that Europe had so many young royals left in it.” Beatriz snuck a glance at Emma, who’d never felt less royal in her life.
The King's Bought Bride (Royal House of Leone Book 1) Page 4
