by Diana Ames
“I think Damian told me that,” Anton said. “He was drunk so much during the time apart from you that I didn’t pay much attention to anything he said.”
“Don’t get me wrong. I respect that women have the right to sell their bodies if they choose to do so,” Mellissandra said. “But that shouldn’t be their only choice. I worked in a diner after I left here, and I could not have supported myself on my earnings. Even those who run boarding houses don’t make enough money not to worry when the next month of expenses rolls around.”
“I’m really out of touch with things,” Anton said. “I had no idea the women of Colania had it so bad.”
“It’s not that it’s bad, Anton,” she said. “We’re just limited. If a woman doesn’t get married, she can’t afford to leave her childhood home unless she becomes a whore.”
“And education will change this?” he asked.
“I think it’s a place to start,” Mellissandra said. “Knowledge can be very empowering, and many women don’t have access to that knowledge.”
“Well then”—Anton scratched his head—“where should we begin?”
For the next three hours, Anton and Mellissandra planned committees, discussed costs, and made lists. Neither had anticipated just how much work went into just the development stage of a project like this. When they finally called it a day, they were both satisfied with the progress they had made.
“I’ll get in touch with some of the key people we’re going to need,” Anton told her. “Hopefully, I can set up a large group meeting for sometime next week, and we can go from there.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited,” Mellissandra said, clasping her hands together in front of her. “I know these plans are just the start, but they make me feel like we’re really going to accomplish something.” She stood up, gathered all her notes, and prepared to go. “Thank you for giving me the chance to show I have something to offer,” she said softly.
Anton stood and came around his desk to hug her. He put his nose to the top of her hair and inhaled as his arms tightened. Her arms shyly made their way around his waist while her head rested on his chest. They stood like that for a few minutes, just holding each other and sharing in the mutual satisfaction of accomplishment.
“You have a lot to offer,” Anton said as he pulled away from her. “Don’t ever think otherwise.”
“Thank you,” Mellissandra whispered. Then, she grabbed her things and fled the office.
***
“It sounds like you’re off to a great start,” Wally praised Mellissandra.
They were sitting in the living room, and Mellissandra was nursing the babies.
“I feel really good about what we accomplished today,” she responded. “I know it’s not much, considering all we did was talk and make plans, but there’s something very satisfying about knowing our next move.”
“It’s good to see a sparkle in your eyes,” Wally remarked. “You’ve been pretty unhappy since I’ve gotten here.”
“I don’t want to talk about all of that, Wally,” Mellissandra said. “I’m thrilled that Anton and I had such a fantastic meeting. I’m euphoric to have my children in my arms. So, Damian and I are having a few problems right now. Every marriage goes through rough patches. I refuse to dwell on it when there is so much to be happy about right now.”
“Not letting it sit on your soul is one thing,” Wally said. “It’s a good thing even, but you can’t just bury your head in the sand either. What he did, what he’s doing…it’s not right.”
“I love my husband, Wally. He has his reasons for what he’s doing.” Mellissandra wished she could confide those reasons to Wally, but no one knew that one of her babies was actually Anton’s child. “I need to keep my head and not push him away if I want to have a husband when all of this is over.”
“When all of what is over?” Wally demanded. “You’ve been cryptic, and Damian is avoiding me—”
The conversation came to an abrupt halt by the sound of the apartment door opening. Light feminine laughter rang in their ears as Damian and Alondra made their way into the living room.
“Then, she smacked him,” Alondra said with a laugh. “I heard the crack all the way across the room.”
Mellissandra bit her lip to keep in her sarcastic comment as she noted Damian’s arm was around Alondra’s waist as he led her into the room. Damian had told Mellissandra that he didn’t want Alondra roaming around the castle, asking questions, and that he was going to escort her everywhere to keep an eye on her, but from where Mellissandra was sitting, it looked like he had more than an eye on the other woman.
“Oh, good,” Damian said, looking over at Mellissandra, “you’re home. I invited Alondra to dine with us this evening.”
“From our earlier conversation, I didn’t think you would be home,” Mellissandra said softly. “I was planning on calling for something from the main kitchen a little later.”
“You always cook,” Damian said with a peculiar look on his face.
“Well, tonight she didn’t,” Wally snapped at him. She rose to her feet and stared at him.
She ignored Mellissandra’s soft, “Wally,” and opened her mouth to speak her mind.
“What do you think you’re doing, Damian?” she demanded. “Haven’t you done enough damage to your marriage?”
“It’s none of your business, Walinda,” Damian said with narrowed eyes. “Mellissandra knows she can trust me.”
“I thought you were trustworthy as well, but it looks like you’re hell-bent on proving me wrong,” she snapped. “And it is my business! You brought me here. You’re my friend, and Mellissandra is a daughter to me!”
“Well, maybe I should take you back home,” he shot at her.
“Damian,” Mellissandra said with a gasp.
The babies at her breasts felt her unease and began squirming against her. Mellissandra knew with certainty that Arabella was about to pitch a fit.
“Wally, please take Dominic,” she said quickly.
When Wally took the squirming baby, Mellissandra shifted Arabella from her breast to her shoulder and stood up. She didn’t even bother putting her shirt back on. If Alondra had a problem with the most natural thing in the world, she could take herself back to her own apartment.
“Alondra,” Mellissandra said, turning to her, “once again, we are only showing you our bad sides. You have my sincerest apologies.” Mellissandra hoped she had managed to keep an even, calm tone of voice. “Please excuse me. I have to tend my children.”
Mellissandra motioned for Wally to follow her, and they both went back to the babies’ bedroom.
“He is just too much,” Wally said as soon as the door was closed. “To bring that woman into your home—”
“He already brought her into my home, Wally, just by bringing her to the castle. What’s the difference if he brings her here or not?” Mellissandra said with resolve.
“He’s just lucky you made me promise not to hurt him,” Wally said fiercely. “But all bets are off once Ryan arrives because he made no such promise.”
CHAPTER 17
Anton hung up his phone and turned to Mellissandra. She was working at the desk he’d ordered specifically for her. Working side by side with her every day for the past three weeks had given him a new insight to her. He’d spent time with her before, visiting her and the babies while Damian worked at the club, but this was different. Anton was getting to know her, not just her mother and wife identities.
He’d learned she had a great sense of humor and had no problem laughing at herself if the situation warranted. He’d learned that she loved all music. He would often catch her singing to herself without being aware of what she was doing. It had taken him one day to have speakers wired into the office for her. He’d learned she truly cared for others. It wasn’t because she had to or because it was to her benefit, but because her heart was just that big. The most painful thing he’d learned about her was that she was completely in lov
e with his brother and that Damian was destroying her.
Day after day, Anton would watch as she grew thinner and paler. At first, he’d tried to get her to talk to him, to open up and let the hurt out. But the more he’d push her to talk, the more she’d defend Damian’s actions until Anton had finally realized that she would do anything to be with the man who was slowly breaking her heart and her spirit.
Anton knew Damian had reasons for his behavior, but he couldn’t find it in himself to excuse his brother. They had other options in this situation, options that wouldn’t leave the woman currently sitting on the other side of the room a broken shell of a human being. Damian had refused to listen to anything Anton said though, convinced that he was the only one who could handle the situation. After his last interaction with the sexy reporter, Anton wasn’t sure Damian had been altogether wrong.
“Ms. Burkheart,” Anton greeted the raven-haired temptress standing in the corridor outside her door, “I’m surprised to see you out of your apartment without my brother.”
Anton’s eyes traveled over the slender body in front of him. The hot flash of desire pulsing between his legs made him grit his teeth. For a few seconds, he could actually see Alondra’s tiny wrists and ankles bound to the frame of his bed, and it disturbed him.
“My guard just dropped me off,” Alondra told him. She held up the towel that was draped around her neck. “I was working out in your gym.”
The hair on the back of Anton’s neck rose at her snippy tone, and he fought his urge to punish her with a bruising kiss. He met her eyes, and the visible defiance there pushed the tenuous grip on his control. He took a menacing step toward her.
“I’ll have to speak with security about that.” He loomed over her. “You are not to be out of your apartment alone, even for a few seconds in the hallway.”
“I’m not a thief or murderer,” she snapped, refusing to back away.
“We don’t know that for sure, do we?” Anton lowered his voice and filled her space with his body. “In fact, we don’t really know anything about you.”
Anton’s chest brushed against her, and he felt a slight tremor run over her body. For a moment, he thought he’d frightened her, but then he felt her nipples pebbling. He stepped away from Alondra quickly.
“Get in your apartment, and stay there unless Damian or a guard is with you,” he ordered harshly.
Spinning on his heel, Anton strode down the corridor as if he were being chased. If he were honest with himself, he would admit that he was running from himself and the dangerous need firing in his veins.
Snapping out of his reverie, Anton glanced at Mellissandra to see if she noticed that he’d mentally checked out. The weariness displayed on her face roused his protective instincts, and he would do whatever was necessary to see her smile again.
***
Mellissandra knew Anton was staring at her again. She wished he would stop resenting Damian and stop pushing her to do the same. Damian had only been doing what he thought was best for their children. If she wanted to place blame on anyone, it would be on Anton for not claiming his child in the first place. But she didn’t want to place blame, and she wasn’t about to give up one of her children even if they didn’t share the same genes.
She still just wanted Anton to ease up on bashing Damian. Anton didn’t realize that the distraction he was providing by allowing her to work side by side with him was all that kept her sane, and every time he brought it up, it would only remind her of how long it had been since she and her husband connected.
Damian would be up and gone every morning before she could finish nursing the babies. He would spend his days squiring Alondra around the castle, letting her interview security guards and examine old census documents. When he managed to make it to their apartment in time for dinner, he always brought her with him. The only time she had alone with her husband anymore would be late at night in their bed.
Mellissandra was concerned that they hadn’t made love more than three times since she’d started working with Anton and Alondra had moved into the castle. Mellissandra wanted to blame the lack of passion on stress and exhaustion, but she knew those weren’t the reasons Damian would turn away from her at night. She was afraid that by making her own way, she’d offended his masculine pride and thrown his dominant personality into a tailspin that she would never be able to pull him out of. She wouldn’t admit it to anyone but herself, but she was also terrified that he had begun to measure her against the beautiful Alondra Burkheart and found his wife lacking.
Mellissandra had started to understand why Damian had asked her to bring Anton into their marriage bed. It hadn’t been about either one of them even though she knew she would have felt pleasure beyond her wildest imagination. It had been about throwing Anton a bone, giving him a few minutes of feeling cared for and wanted by the person he loved. She had thought it would be cruel to give him hope of something that would never come to fruition.
Now, if she could go back, she would say yes to giving Anton that moment of connection because she would do anything for Damian to hold her, kiss her, and love her like he had a month ago. Even if it didn’t mean anything beyond the moment, she would hold on to the memory to sustain her.
“Mellissandra,” Anton called to her, snapping her out of her dismal thoughts, “the arrangements have been made.”
“I haven’t talked to Damian about this yet, Anton,” she said. “There is no way he’s going to let me take off for several months to scout locations and hold interviews.”
“Just pack for you and the twins,” he told her with a small smile. “Let me handle Damian.”
***
Alondra was hiding in the bathroom of an empty office. She snorted and corrected herself—the bathing chamber. This country was something straight out of the past, and it was starting to wear on her.
When she’d asked Damian about her satellite phone, he’d been only too happy to inform her that any communication needs she had would be met by the castle. They didn’t permit cellular phones or other wireless equipment to be used inside the castle. It was considered a security breach or some other bullshit. Really, it was just another way for him to railroad her and stymie her efforts.
Alondra was so sick of seeing his handsome face. Every time he shot her a charming smirk, she’d want to shove her finger down her throat and gag. The controlling bastard is probably standing outside the bathroom door, waiting for me to emerge.
She’d managed to get hair samples from the babies, Mellissandra, and Damian due to his insistence that Alondra’s every waking moment be spent in his presence. But she’d had no way to make contact with the technician Gillian had claimed would run the tests for her. Alondra had tried to get a clue from just looking at the babies, but besides one having red hair, they really did look like twins. If she were more familiar with Anton and Gillian, Alondra supposed she might be able to pick out some of their features, but she wasn’t, so she couldn’t.
Alondra sighed as her thoughts drifted to Damian’s wife. The poor woman had been looking like she was in hell. Alondra figured if she were married to a controlling man like Damian, she’d be in hell, too, but she didn’t think that was Mellissandra’s problem. Alondra figured Mellissandra’s issue was that her husband was devoting all of his energy to a woman he’d already been caught trying to seduce.
Although Alondra had been fooled for the first few days, she’d quickly caught on to Damian’s attempts at getting information out of her. She’d played the same game enough times to catch on and maintain the upper hand. When he flirted, she’d flirt right back. When he turned on the charm, she would crank it up higher. To anyone watching, it might look like they were performing some kind of mating dance, but in reality, it was more of a chess game that had reached a stalemate.
In the deepest corners of her mind, Alondra was grateful that she had been dealing with Damian rather than Prince Anton. She would never admit it, but every time his dark blue eyes met hers, she would feel like
he was touching her soul. As much as he disturbed her, the prince turned her on as well. He didn’t have to say a word. He could just stare through her with those eyes.
Alondra groaned when a knock on the door pulled her out of her fantasy. She couldn’t even have five minutes alone in the bathroom. She knew right then that she was going to plead illness and hide in her apartment for the rest of the day. If she didn’t get away from Damian for a while, she was going to rip out her hair or maybe his.
Gathering her resolve, Alondra left the bathroom. As expected, Damian was there, leaning against a wall while waiting for her to emerge.
“Are you all right?” Damian asked with some concern. “You were in there for quite a while.”
“Actually, I’m not feeling well,” Alondra said, trying her best to look sick. “I think I’d like to go rest.”
“We can have you checked out,” Damian offered. “Medical is in this wing. Do you feel like you’re going to vomit? Do you have any pain?”
Alondra wanted to scream. She didn’t know what it would take to get a few minutes to herself. If she didn’t know she’d be giving him exactly what he wanted, she would have packed it in and gone home a week ago. She wasn’t sure when this cat and mouse game had become a personal competition between her and Damian, but she was not going to let him win. Alondra was determined to have a few minutes away from him where she wouldn’t have to hide in a bathroom even if it meant hiding in her apartment.
“Damian, that’s very thoughtful of you—” Alondra began.
She was cut off by the two-way radio at Damian’s hip.
Damian snatched the box from his belt. “Bellaro, here,” he said, holding up a finger to silence Alondra.
“Prince Anton is requesting your presence in his office, sir,” the voice on the other end of the radio replied. “He says it’s urgent.”
“I have to escort Ms. Burkheart back to her apartment—” Damian began.
