Heart of Mine
Page 21
“Yes,” I answered resolutely. I skimmed my hands up Alexander’s chest to circle them around his neck. Running my fingers through his black hair, I kissed him ardently, with a need that was fierce and undeniable, wanting to drown out all other emotion except my passion for him.
After a moment, he raised his head and looked directly into my eyes. His own passion burned a dark, smoldering blue. “I promise to protect you. I’ll keep you safe, dolcezza.” He kissed me fervently, holding me close to his heart.
Two hours later we were in the king’s personal study after the prince had called an emergency family meeting. Since Arianna and Bennett were still on their honeymoon, it was only King Mathis, Queen Gabriella and Prince Ashton who joined us. Alexander had explained about the hate notes I’d been receiving, as well as our suspicions about the photos in this morning’s newspaper. They were particularly concerned by the suggestion that someone had been following me in America even before we had become a couple. I listened as they discussed safety protocol; Alexander insisting on assigning four more personal guards to me as added protection, with Gerard appointed as my Head of Security.
“I’m not going to take any chances with her safety,” Alexander said, pacing across the room. He turned a stern eye on me as if he expected an objection. “You will not leave this palace without your entire guard, no matter what.”
“Yes, Alex,” I replied softly. I hated the idea of losing even more of my privacy and freedom, but knew it was for the best. After discovering that someone was most likely stalking me I was worried about my safety, but even more concerned about Alexander. I was his weakness. His enemies might try to use me as bait. Knowing how much he loved me, I was certain that Alexander would give his own life to protect me. I could feel that spot of darkness within my heart growing, the tiny tendrils of doubt spreading, but I forced the emotions down.
“Do you think it’s more than just petty jealousy?” Ashton asked. He was sitting rigidly in an armchair. For once his cheerful demeanor was grim. “Do you think someone is trying to use Maddy to get to you?”
“I don’t know,” Alexander answered. “But either way Maddy is in danger.” His shoulders were stiff with tension as he paced, lines of worry etched clearly across his handsome face.
“We will keep her safe, son,” King Mathis assured Alexander. “We will do whatever it takes to find the person behind this.” He touched a hand to the queen’s shoulder in unity. Her expression was just as fierce and protective as she nodded in agreement.
Tall and imposing, the king stood in front of the fireplace with his jaw set in determination. His broad shoulders were drawn back as if he were carrying the weight of the world—or at least the weight of his country. His confidence and quietly exuded power made me feel less afraid, knowing that he was on my side on this matter. In that moment, he was every inch a king. From the hard glint in his cobalt blue eyes, he looked ready to head into battle.
Alexander paused in front of the window and turned to look at his father, his expression filled with gratitude. Despite their disagreement over Alexander’s decision to abdicate, I knew he was relieved to be able to count on his father’s help. “Thank you, Father. I think we should question the writers at the newspaper to find out where they’ve been getting their information. And I have a list of names to get background checks on.”
“It’s going to be a very long list,” I muttered, thinking about the twenty noblewomen who were most likely behind the hate notes. Alexander shot me an exasperated look just as a knock sounded on the door.
“Entrez,” King Mathis said.
The door opened and I met the concerned brown eyes of Ethan. Surprised, I started to rise from the couch as he quickly crossed the room and pulled me into his arms, hugging me tightly.
“What are you doing here?” Alexander demanded, speaking from behind me. Embarrassed, I stepped back from Ethan and bumped into Alexander’s chest. His hands gripped my arms as he drew me into his side and slid an arm possessively around my waist. I looked up at his face, but his gaze was fixed on Ethan.
“Arianna told me about the threats against Maddy and I wanted to make sure she was all right,” Ethan said defensively.
“She’s fine.” Alexander’s reply was curt. “She’s well protected.”
“How safe can she be when someone has been stalking her and sending her threats without you even knowing about it?” Ethan scoffed, bristling with anger.
I felt Alexander tense in response and his eyes narrowed indignantly.
I quickly stepped between them and braced one hand against each strong chest, eyeing them both in turn. “Stop it, both of you,” I scolded. “I’m fine, Ethan, and well protected just as Alex said. I wasn’t receiving threats—exactly—and we don’t even know for sure if someone has been stalking me. Please stop fighting. We are on the same side.”
They glared at each other for another long moment before Ethan finally took a step back, some of the anger in his eyes cooling. “What can I do to help?”
Alexander glanced down at me and studied my face for several heartbeats. I could tell that he was reluctant to involve Ethan, but his desire to keep me safe was stronger. He told Ethan, “We need to find out who sent the photos and information to the newspaper. Can you look into it?”
Ethan nodded. I could feel the tension between them fade as they became linked by the mutual purpose of protecting me. Despite their animosity I knew that the two of them could work together if it meant helping me. I secretly hoped that this temporary truce might allow them to become friends someday.
For the next two hours we continued to discuss our plans on how to narrow down our suspect list. Alexander suddenly straightened on the couch next to me, his eyes lighting up.
“What is it?” I asked curiously.
He looked at me, and though his eyes were bright, his expression was apprehensive. “I have an idea, but you’re not going to like it.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
It had been a week since I’d told Alexander about the hate notes, and only five days since the prince had put his plan into motion. In an effort to discover the person behind the hate notes, Prince Alexander had decided to throw a dinner party nearly every night, inviting the different noblewomen that were at the top of our suspect list. For the past week, I had dined with nearly every one of Alexander’s ex-girlfriends.
Glamorous dresses, dolled-up faces and fancy titles flitted through my head as the ladies themselves passed through the palace, one long brutal night after the next. The minutes had sluggishly ticked away as I waited impatiently for each dinner party to end. With the help of the Royal Family, including Arianna and Bennett, we nonchalantly questioned our suspects and their families, looking for clues that might lead us in the right direction. Divide and conquer; although we had yet to uncover anything suspicious.
Tonight would be different, I thought with certainty as I slipped into my lavender floral lace gown. Checking my reflection in the floor length mirror, I spun around in a circle, my focus narrowing in on the long split in the skirt that reached mid-thigh.
“Don’t you think this is a little revealing?” I asked Arianna. Our eyes met in the mirror as she came to stand next to me.
“That’s the whole point,” Arianna replied. “You need to wow everyone at dinner tonight, and with that dress, you will.” She shot me a satisfied smile, then handed me a pair of diamond earrings. “Put these on while I do something with your hair.”
She directed me to the vanity in my spa-like bathroom and pulled out a curling iron as I carefully set the earrings on the counter. A massive standing tub dominated the room, perfectly placed in front of a large window. The pristine white cabinets and marble tile floor glistened. The soft hues of blue and green accents were calming and peaceful.
As we waited for the curling iron to heat, Arianna told me about her amazing honeymoon in Hawaii. The newlyweds had returned home two days ago looking blissfully in love. My own heart squeezed with envy, wondering
if Alexander and I would ever share in that kind of romantic peace together. So far we’d faced nothing but challenges since starting our relationship. I was beginning to feel like the world was against us.
“Ari, have you ever thought about being the queen?” I asked curiously as she curled my long brown hair.
“Not really.” She shrugged, gaze focused on her work. “With two brothers in line before me I never even considered it. Why? Are you worried about upsetting me because you might be the queen someday?”
“No, not exactly. I was just wondering ... would you want to be the queen if you had the chance ... if your brothers weren’t in line before you?”
Her hands paused on my hair as she looked up to meet my gaze in the reflection. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “What are you trying to say, Maddy? I thought Alex was still waiting on Parliament’s decision before choosing to abdicate. Has there been any news?”
“No, they’re still undecided,” I said hurriedly, averting my eyes. “Alex doesn’t think it’s going to turn out in our favor though, so I’ve just been thinking about how abdication might be a very real possibility.”
“And you know that Ashton doesn’t want to be the next King of Coradova,” Arianna said softly. I looked up into the compassionate blue eyes that were watching me in the mirror. “So now you’re wondering about me.”
“Yes,” I admitted.
Arianna set the curling iron down with a sigh, then focused her attention on my hair as she started pinning it up. “The truth is, I’ve never imagined anyone else on the throne except for Alexander. He lives and breathes for Coradova, and his entire life has been spent preparing him to rule someday. I know that he understands the great burden he’ll have to carry by wearing the crown, but he has always been proud to follow in our father’s footsteps regardless of the cost.” She glanced at me with regret in her eyes. “Until he fell in love with you.”
“And now he’ll throw it all away because of me.”
“Maddy, that’s not what I meant.” Arianna frowned, pinning up another strand.
“But it’s the truth.”
The princess sighed and worked silently on my hair for the next few minutes until she was finished. It was perfect, with loose wisps of hair curling around my ears and neck, the affect seeming to soften my features. I slid the diamond earrings into place, then turned around to look directly at her.
She was watching me with years of friendship and love gleaming in her striking blue eyes. “Ashton and I talked about this before I left for Hawaii ... and neither of us want to be the next monarch.” Arianna paused and reached out to take my hand. “But Ashton has agreed to take Alex’s place if he chooses to abdicate. We love you, Maddy, and we love our brother. This isn’t exactly how we envisioned our future, but we’ll make the best of it. We are a family, and this is what a family does. You give of yourself for the ones that you love.”
Feeling thankful for her love and friendship, I hugged her tightly, but her words about family spun through my head. The gratitude in my heart churned with apprehension as that spot of blackness within continued to grow. The tendrils of doubt curved into claws that pierced my heart. Duty, country, family. For my Coradovan family that I loved with all my heart, could I make the greatest sacrifice of all?
We entered the front parlor ten minutes after our dinner guests had already arrived. The room was crowded with four different families tonight, and the tension was thick in the air. The conversation drew to a halt as all attention focused on us. I forced myself to breathe and straightened my shoulders, praying I appeared more confident than I felt.
At the opposite end of the room near the fireplace was Lady Adelia Béliveau and her parents, the Baron and Baroness de Fabvier, standing with Ashton and Bennett. By the large bay window was Lady Marie Delacroix and her parents, the Duke and Duchess de Anjou, standing with the king and queen. And finally, closest to the door was a beaming Lady Emma Rousseau and her parents, the Earl and Countess de Grignan, standing with Alexander.
Arianna immediately moved across the room toward Bennett, but I paused near the door and watched the emotions flashing across each face, varying from envy and pride to displeasure. Alexander’s loving gaze was exceptionally warm. I could feel the heat that sizzled and crackled between us as he slowly took in my appearance from my high-heels to my elaborately styled hair. His dazzling white smile made my heart skip a beat. He moved away from Emma without a word; her woeful eyes watched his retreat.
Alexander was dashing in a gray formal dress suit, his pale lavender shirt matching perfectly with my dress. With a wide smile he circled one arm around my waist and kissed me, his mouth lingering on mine. “Bellissima, you are stunning.”
“We look like we’re ready for prom,” I said wryly with a glance at our matching attire, making him laugh.
“This dress reminds me of the one you were wearing in the hospital when Arianna had her liver operation,” Alexander said as his eyes leisurely roamed over me, an appreciative smile spreading across his face. “It was the first time I’d realized just how beautiful you were. I could barely keep my eyes off you.” His hand slid up my back, pressing me closer, his blue eyes smoldering. “Now we’re surrounded by people and I can barely keep my hands off you.”
“It seems that this dress has made you forget about manners and propriety.”
“This dress has made me forget everything except you,” Alexander said hotly. His head lowered toward mine. Our lips were just inches apart when a voice spoke nearby, ruining the moment. Alexander leaned back with a sigh.
We looked up to find Marie watching us with one foot tapping impatiently. She was wearing a shimmering black evening gown with a deep revealing v-neckline, her makeup dark and seductive, and her smile adorned with her favorite crimson lipstick.
“Alexander, mon chéri. Come speak with my parents.” Marie smiled at the prince and completely ignored me. “They were very pleased to receive your dinner invitation for tonight. It was so thoughtful of you to include them.”
Without waiting for an answer, Marie slipped her hand through his other arm and led him toward the bay window. Alexander shot an apologetic glance my way and pulled me along with them.
After the introductions were made, I noticed that Lady Delacroix didn’t look particularly pleased to see me, while it seemed as if the duke had no problem at all. Lord Delacroix was jovial, with friendly brown eyes and hair that was more gray than blond. His demeanor was relaxed and at ease. Where he was tall and wide-shouldered, his wife was short and petite, her dark brown head barely reaching the top of my shoulder. Her hazel eyes were sharp and unforgiving, her smile proud, and the arrogant tilt of her chin reminded me of her daughter.
“Your Highness, my older brother is a member of Parliament,” Lady Delacroix said to the prince. “He told me that they have been very busy this last month trying to come to an agreement on a particular bill, but he wouldn’t divulge any details.” She lifted a delicate brow inquiringly.
“Oh, Maman, we’re not here to discuss politics,” Marie scolded, shooting a reprimanding glance at her mother. She nervously scratched her arm, then looked at the duke and said, “Papa, why don’t you tell Alexander about our fishing trip? He loves the outdoors as much as we do.”
Lord Delacroix’s eyes lit up at the suggestion. He smiled eagerly as he drew the prince into a conversation about fishing lures and shotguns. I glanced at Marie curiously. She enjoyed fishing? It was hard for me to imagine the blond socialite sitting in a boat with a fishing pole and live bait, dressed in anything other than a form-fitting gown and crimson lipstick. I shook my head, certain that she was only trying to appeal to Alexander’s interest in the great outdoors.
While the men spoke about hunting, I made polite conversation with Marie and Lady Delacroix, trying to observe Marie without appearing too obvious. Her eyes rarely left Alexander’s face, her gaze filled with admiration and longing. Whenever she did look at me, I could plainly see her unveiled animosity.
A few minutes later, we excused ourselves and crossed over to the fireplace so that Alexander could introduce me to Adelia’s parents, Lord and Lady Béliveau. They were both as haughty as their daughter, and all three were similar in appearance with varying shades of blond hair and dark eyes. After our previous encounter at the charity fundraiser, I could tell that Adelia was trying very hard to reign in her contempt. A forced smile was plastered on her face whenever she looked at me. Alexander had explained that after their one date nearly two years ago, Adelia had shamelessly continued to pursue him.
“Will you be at the polo match next weekend?” Adelia asked Alexander, twirling her finger through a strand of long sandy-blond hair. Her form-fitting dress was olive-green, with one lacy strap draped over her shoulder and the ruffled skirt reaching the top of her knees.
“Yes, we’ll be there,” Alexander answered, standing with his arm around me. His fingers were teasing a trail along my arm that I found distracting. “We’re looking forward to it.”
Adelia’s eyes flashed unhappily for a brief second before she smiled. “Well, then I look forward to seeing you there.”
“To seeing you where?” Emma asked as she strolled over to our group. Her curly black hair was styled half-up, with black waves just brushing over her collarbone. Her elegant evening dress was a deep ocean blue, flaring out from the calf like a mermaid tail. As she drew next to Alexander, the color of her dress brought out his striking blue eyes.