by Diana Ames
“Wait,” Alondra said, taking up a defensive pose. “I don’t know who you think I am, but I just need directions and to rent a vehicle.”
He stopped in his tracks and gave her a strange look. “You’re not here to be our new whore?”
Alondra shuddered. She remembered reading that prostitution was legal and even a viable part of the economy here. It appalled her.
“No,” she said firmly. “I need to get to the village with the prison.” Alondra relaxed now that it appeared the man wasn’t going to attack her. “Could I rent one of the vehicles out front? I also need a map and directions.”
“All those vehicles belong to the customers upstairs,” he said with a grin. “I’m sure someone would give you a ride if you asked real nice though.”
“I’ll walk,” Alondra said. “Could you give me directions?”
“Mighty long walk,” he said. “Probably three or four days by foot if you travel nonstop.”
“A bike? A horse? A donkey? How do you people get around?” Alondra asked in frustration.
It was obvious the man was playing with her, but for the moment, she was at his mercy.
“Knock it off, Paul,” a woman said, walking out from the back.
She was scantily dressed, and Alondra averted her eyes. The woman chuckled.
“James should be coming down any time now, honey. He’s all right. You don’t have to be afraid of him. He’s headed your way. He’ll give you a ride for a couple of bucks.”
“Thank you,” Alondra said to the woman, still unable to look at her. “I appreciate your assistance.”
“No problem, honey. Don’t mind Paul over here. We don’t get many new women out here. He was just having a little fun with you,” the woman said.
Unexpectedly, Alondra heard a smack, and she turned to the people standing across the store. Paul was rubbing the back of his head.
“Idiot,” the woman muttered.
Alondra smiled.
Twenty minutes later, Alondra was ensconced in a rattletrap truck with James. He turned out to be a pleasant man who had been more than happy to give her a ride. Alondra settled back and relaxed for the first time in three days, and then she fell asleep.
***
“Anton, watch the babies for a minute, would you?” Mellissandra asked. “I’d like to make myself a sandwich. I’ll make you one as well.”
“How about I make it for you?” Anton suggested.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Mellissandra said with a light laugh. “I’ll only be a few minutes. You’ll be fine. Just sit down here beside them and make sure they don’t roll away or grab anything that could hurt them.”
Mellissandra got up and quickly left the room. She was hopeful that the more time Anton spent with the babies, the closer he would become with them. Anton had been robbing himself of the rewarding experience of fatherhood even though his role was that of a benevolent uncle.
Mellissandra collected sandwich fixings and set out to make a light lunch for her and Anton. She couldn’t help but smile at the domesticity they shared. She knew he loved her. It was heartbreakingly obvious every time he looked in her direction. While Damian consumed her heart and soul, a part of her loved Anton as well.
She couldn’t figure out why she was so drawn to Anton. She was sure that it had begun over a year ago with one secret visit and an adult picture book. The way he’d explained the photograph seduced her, but it was his kind treatment and gentleness that had stuck with her. When he and Damian had found her at Wally’s place, Anton had comforted her and defended her even though he was siding against his own brother.
Mellissandra mentally shook herself. She wouldn’t allow herself to consciously remember the difficult path she and Damian had taken to reach their happily ever after; it was bad enough that she had to relive the pain in her nightmares.
***
Anton sat stiffly on the floor next to the two cooing babies. He didn’t want to look at them or touch them, but Mellissandra managed to force him to do so every so often. This was the third time in the last month that she’d had some excuse to leave him alone with the children.
He couldn’t outright explain to her why he didn’t want the children near him. He knew that she thought it had everything to do with the fact that one baby was biologically Gilly’s and his child. It was a factor, but in reality, he was afraid to get close and care for them and for them to care for him. Every time people cared for him, they tended to get hurt.
Anton panicked when he heard one of the babies whimper, and he whipped his head around to see what was happening. Dominic was the one fussing. He was the quiet baby. He usually had a solemn expression on his face, but like Arabella, he would flourish when shown love and attention. His unhappy noise had Anton looking toward the doorway and praying that Mellissandra would come back quickly.
When Dominic began actually crying, Anton knew he couldn’t put it off any longer. He leaned over and picked up the baby boy. He’d held both children when they were born, but this was the first time he’d touched one since.
Anton held Dominic at arm’s length and jiggled him around. The look on the baby’s face would have been hilarious if Anton wasn’t close to crying himself. Dominic gave Anton an are-you-serious look, opened his mouth, and wailed loudly.
“Oh, please, Dominic, please don’t do that,” Anton pleaded.
His voice caught the boy’s attention for a moment, and he stilled. The silence was short-lived though because Dominic was soon screaming again.
Anton had no choice but to pull the boy to his chest and try to comfort him until Mellissandra returned. Amazingly, the contact seemed to calm the crying baby. Anton looked down into Dominic’s eyes—so much like his mother’s—and his heart flooded. When the baby reached a chubby hand up and touched Anton’s face, he nearly lost it.
He didn’t hear her return, but Anton sensed eyes on him, and he turned to see Mellissandra standing there, holding a heavy tray. He put the baby down onto the blanket on the floor and rushed over to take the tray from her.
Setting it down, he turned to her. “I’m sorry,” he whispered in a broken voice. “I have to go.” He didn’t give her a chance to respond before he rushed out of the apartment.
***
Alondra awoke to someone poking her on the shoulder. She glanced over in the dark truck and saw James staring at her. Sitting up and stretching, she realized it was now night.
“I gotta stop for the night, lady,” James said to her. “I didn’t plan on driving this far all in one day. I’ll be happy to take you the rest of the way tomorrow.”
“Where are we?” Alondra asked warily.
“We’re in the village closest to the castle. It’s almost in the center of the island,” he told her. “I have a friend who lives here. She’ll let us spend the night, and we can get a fresh start in the morning.”
“I really hate to put you or your friend out,” Alondra said.
“Don’t worry about it,” he reassured her. “I’m actually going farther out than you, but I have to stop and rest, or we’ll end up wrapped around a tree before we get to where we’re going.”
“I’d be happy to pay for rooms in a hotel,” Alondra said.
“There aren’t any hotels on the island.” He laughed. “A few boarding houses, a dingy motel maybe…” He laughed again. “Lynn does run a boarding house, so you can try to pay her if you want, but she’s not likely to take your money. She doesn’t charge friends, and since you’re with me, she’ll consider you a friend, too.”
“But—” Alondra began.
“No use in arguing,” he cut her off. “Come on, let’s head inside.” He got out of the truck and came around to help her down. “Just grab what you need for tonight and the morning,” he said. “We don’t have much crime around here, so the rest should be fine to leave in the truck.”
Alondra smiled as she put her hands on his shoulders, and he lifted her to help her get down from the cab of the truck. She grabbed he
r carry-on case and her laptop, and she was startled when he took them from her. Alondra wasn’t used to old-fashioned manners, and her inner feminist nearly argued. But after three days of traveling and hours in the bumpy truck, not carrying those clumsy bags was actually a relief.
Alondra smiled at him and then followed him onto the porch of the large house in front of them. Her eyes went wide when the most beautiful blond woman she’d ever seen answered the door. James held the door for Alondra, and she went inside. The woman moved stiffly, and when they reached the lit foyer, Alondra gasped.
The woman who was so beautiful from the front had hideous scars on her neck and legs.
CHAPTER 2
Damian entered the apartment later than normal. The alcohol shipment for the club had gotten lost somewhere between port and him. It had taken six employees and almost twelve hours to track it down.
Most of the problems were due to the lack of infrastructure. The villages surrounding the castle were fairly technological, but the farther out one traveled, the less chance one had of finding a phone or getting a signal on a television. Some villages were even without basic electricity.
Damian had talked with Anton about bringing the entire island into this century. A road system that could be mapped out was supposed to be already in progress, and Damian knew Anton was planning an electrical grid. It was slow going, but any crawl forward was progress.
Damian sighed and rubbed the back of his neck as he poured himself a whiskey. He hated all the extra responsibility of being a prince. He resented the time he spent away from his family while trying to maintain his club and assist Anton.
Damian jerked slightly when two small hands began massaging his shoulders. He relaxed as Mellissandra’s scent wafted to his nose. Turning around, he gathered her in his arms and planted a passionate kiss on her lips.
“It’s been too long, love,” he whispered after breaking the kiss. “I feel like I’m always working and away from you.” He nibbled her jaw. “Are the babies asleep?”
“They just went down,” she told him.
“Let’s call a babysitter from the servant’s wing,” he said before gently biting her ear. “I’ve wanted to do something with you since the first time I saw you.”
“You know I don’t want just anyone staying with the babies, Damian,” she said before moaning. “Let’s just go back to the bedroom. I need you.”
Damian pulled away and looked at her. He took her face between his hands, his thumbs stroking her cheeks, her jaw, and then her lips. He searched her eyes with his probing gaze.
“Sandra,” Damian said, his voice serious, “how long has it been since you’ve been out of this apartment?”
“You know I take the babies for a walk in the gardens every day, Damian,” she said with exasperation.
“Without the babies, Sandra. How long has it been since you’ve been away from the children?” He cut her off when her lips parted to answer, “And I don’t mean for a quick shower or to fix yourself a meal. How long has it been since you’ve done something outside of this apartment without our children?”
“They’re not even five months old yet, Damian,” she whispered. “They need me.”
“Oh, my darling,” Damian said, pulling her into his arms. “I understand. I really do. It has been a volatile time for everyone.” He sighed into her hair. “Does your father still refuse to speak to you?”
“I haven’t tried to contact my parents since Mother came to see the twins,” Mellissandra said into his chest.
“We’ll go for a visit in a few days,” Damian told her. “Just the four of us. He’ll come around, Sandra. He’s just hurting.”
“I know, Damian. He lost his son and his daughter in one fell swoop,” she said sadly.
“He didn’t lose his daughter, love. She’s right here in front of me. He’s going to realize it one of these days. Just be patient.” Damian kissed her forehead before pulling away. “Now then,” he said, sitting on the sofa, “it’s time to revisit the nanny discussion.”
“No!” Mellissandra shouted at him, color rising to her cheeks. “I have told you this before, Damian. No one is raising my children, except me! I’m not sending them to that horrid nursery either!” She put her hands on her hips and defiantly stood over him.
Damian barely managed to contain his grin. It still amazed him that his wife had thought she could play the role of a submissive all those months ago. She didn’t have a submissive bone in her body—outside of the bedroom anyway.
“You have to get out of this apartment, Mellissandra,” Damian told her, using her full name to stress just how serious he was. “It’s not healthy for you or the twins to only see each other all day long. You need to maintain interests outside of our children. What are you going to do when they aren’t as dependent upon you?”
“Anton visits,” Mellissandra said stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest. “He even held Dominic today.” Her eyes softened. “They just stared at each other. It was so beautiful. I hope Anton has a chance to share a moment like that with Arabella as well.”
“That’s wonderful,” Damian said. He refused to be distracted though. “I’m thrilled that you and Anton have such a good relationship. I think it’s probably the first normal, healthy relationship he’s ever had with a woman. It’s wonderful that he shared a bonding experience with Dominic. The fact remains, you were still inside this apartment and focused entirely on the children.”
“I just don’t…” she faltered. “After everything that’s happened…”
“Do you think I don’t know that?” Damian said softly. “So much has happened this past year, and we have all felt the betrayal. But, my darling,” he said, rising to his feet again, “Gilly isn’t coming back. She’s locked up, and she will never be able to hurt anyone we care about again.”
“But, Damian…” Mellissandra started. “They’re my babies,” she whispered. “If something happened to one of them because I was off having me time, I would never forgive myself.”
Damian wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close again. Even in an argument, she managed to derail him with her caring and selflessness. It didn’t matter that he knew he was right this time or that her fear and distrust were irrational, her willingness to forgo her own needs to protect their children defeated anything he could say.
“We’ll argue another time, my love,” Damian murmured as he swept her up into his arms. “Right now, I just want to make love to my wife.”
***
Anton had been brooding since he left Damian and Mellissandra’s apartment this afternoon. When Dominic had looked at him and touched his face, Anton had seen something that had reminded him of his childhood—trust.
The puppy romped around his feet, and Anton laughed happily. He couldn’t believe his father had finally allowed him to have a pet. Anton knew he was going to take the very best care of it, and it would be his friend forever.
Getting down on his hands and knees, the prince played with the puppy for hours. They played tug-of-war and then tag. Anton had allowed the puppy to win both games because he was just a baby. Eventually, they curled up beside each other and snuggled together for a nap.
Anton awoke to a painful kick in his side. He looked up to see his mother standing over him and his puppy. He quickly put his arms around the little dog and shielded it with his body.
“What are you doing with that filthy mongrel, Anton?” his mother screeched at him. She grabbed his arm and jerked him to his feet. “You stink. You’re a dirty boy, Anton.”
She dragged him into the adjoining bathroom. When the puppy moved to follow its new master, she gave it a harsh kick. Anton heard his little puppy yelp in pain, but there was nothing he could do.
“We have to clean you now, Anton,” she said with a dangerous glint in her eye. She turned the water on and ran a bath. Steam began filling the room as she dug in the cabinet under the sink.
“Mother, please no,” eight-year-old Anton begged. �
�I’m a good boy. I’ll be a good boy. Please, Mother.”
She shoved him into the scalding hot water and poured the cleaning product she’d found under the sink in with him. He screamed in pain as the water burned his tender young skin while the cleanser got into all his cracks and crevices, stinging him like fire. He blacked out when she began using the scrub brush on him.
Several hours later, his mother finished with him and left him alone. He looked over at his puppy, hiding in the corner. The trust and companionship they’d shared earlier was gone.
Anton walked over to the puppy and kicked it hard. “This is all your fault,” he said hatefully before grinding his heal into its ribs.
Anton shuddered from the memories. He remembered taking the puppy to Gilly to fix later that evening. The next day, the dog had disappeared. It was the first of many things that had trusted Anton to its detriment.
At that moment, Anton decided not to visit with Mellissandra and the babies again during the day. Regardless of Dr. Servo’s beliefs, he was going to keep his distance. He loved them all too much to let himself hurt them.
***
Alondra knew the blond, Lynn, had heard her audible gasp because there was a slight hesitation to her footsteps. She was either used to the reaction or decided to let it go because she just continued into the house.
“I only have one room open tonight,” Lynn told them. “But I have a rollaway bed we can put in there if you’d like.” Her voice was stiff, and her face had morphed from friendly and inviting to closed and withdrawn.
“I’m sor—” Alondra began only to be swiftly cut off by James.
“That’ll be fine, Lynn,” he said quickly. “We’d appreciate the rollaway also.”
“Sure, James,” she said tightly. “First door on the right at the top of the stairs. It’s not locked. I’ll be right there with the rollaway.”
Alondra followed James up the stairs as she tried to quiet her rumbling stomach. She hadn’t eaten anything since this morning on the tugboat, and that hadn’t been much because it was altogether unappetizing. But she had a feeling she’d already offended the woman whose hospitality they were taking advantage of, and Alondra wasn’t about to ask for something else.
