I am so sorry, Dominic. I passed off her life story as my own, but I had no choice. I had to make you believe I was her. I am just a shoe saleswoman; I am not a writer. Marianne’s the one with all the talent in the family. She was really excited when she heard she was going to France. You see, you were one of Melanie’s favorite topics. They chatted for hours on end, and, most of the time, they talked about you. She showed her pictures of you, your paintings and your castle. Marianne liked you so much that she came up with that verse I told you in Les Bossons. She confessed to having a crush on you. And that’s what makes me feel so much worse about myself. I got into a relationship with the man my sister could have ended up with.
There are lots of things that I could say about ‘why’ I did that. But, the truth could not be simpler. When you came up to my bedroom, I just couldn’t believe my eyes. You talked to me, you soothed me, you kissed me… And when you said you had drawn my portrait? God… I can’t even begin to describe how it made me feel. In case you’re wondering, the reason why I cried that day was not my sister’s book. I just remembered her lying in a hospital bed, with all those tubes in her veins.
I really hope you can understand why we can’t be together. My little nephew depends on me. Our folks got killed in a car accident, four years ago. I’m the only family he’s got. I doubt you want to be with someone who filled you up with lies. More importantly, I don’t think you can be with a woman who will have to split her life between her job and a baby. Raising him doesn’t leave much room for a personal life. Even if you lived here, it would be too hard for us to keep seeing each other.
I’m looking at you right now, my love. So peaceful, so serene… I love watching that chest of yours rise up and down. Somehow, it brings me peace. But, my heart sinks at the thought that these are the last seconds I am spending with you: The man who opened up to me, who pulled me away from my reality, who gave me his heart and asked for nothing in return. I’m going to miss being called ‘little bird’; even though I was never the author that nickname was meant for. That song we danced to last night will always bring tears to my eyes. Because I’ll always miss you, wherever I am. How can I not miss you, my king? Your heart is so warm that it could melt through steel. Your kiss was so tender that it had me swooning. Every time we touched, I felt like I was living in a fantasy.
You will always be the love of my life, Dominic. You will always be the king of my heart.
P.S. Keep my stuff. It’s not much, anyway. Wearing those clothes will only worsen my pain…
All my love,
Rachel
The letter slipped out of his grasp, as a tear rolled off his face. Dominic raised his hands to his face and covered his eyes, shocked to his very core. A sigh of despair fled from his lips, as he looked down at the paper, through open fingers. In a split second, his body began to shake violently. Squeezing his eyes shut, he burst into tears, unable to believe his fate. Devastated by the truth, he dropped his face into his hands, the pain within shattering his heart. Immediately, he recalled his last breakdown. This time though, the woman who had taken him in her arms was not there to comfort him…
This can’t be happening,” He thought to himself, his tears soaking the skin in his hands, as he tumbled into bed. “Marianne… Or Rachel… You’re gone. Why didn’t you tell me any of this, baby? Why did you leave me out? I could have helped. No. I refuse to accept we are over. But, what can I do? Man, this is so complicated…
24
“Holy God…” Kate whispered, noticing the black circles under Rachel’s eyes, as she opened the front door to her apartment. “Jesus Christ, Rach… You look like you’ve been through a war or something.”
“Thanks for the warm welcome,” Rachel grumbled, closing the door behind her. “What are you doing here, anyway?”
“I came over to feed Manny.” She stated, as her friend’s ginger cat sprinted across the living room. “What on Earth happened to you?”
“You were right,” Rachel sighed, taking a few steps closer to her. The two friends exchanged a cordial hug, before she addressed her again. “I have been through a war. An emotional one.”
“How’s that even possible?” Kate wondered, surprise written all over her face. “I mean, you were in France, having tons of fun with this totally sexy guy. I thought you’d be happy.”
“I was,” Rachel said with a firm nod. “Up until I left.”
“Was he that good in bed?” Kate raised an eyebrow.
“It was a lot more than just sex, Kate.” Rachel said, using an emphatic tone. “Didn’t you read those texts I sent you?”
“Is it bad that I didn’t believe everything you said?” Kate’s usually squeaky voice came out hesitant. “I thought you were just trying to make me jealous.”
“I wasn’t,” Rachel lightly shook her head. “It was real. It was all wonderfully real. And then, I had to leave. I didn’t even have the heart to say ‘goodbye’ to him. I just…” She faltered. “Ditched him.”
“Ok, now I’m worried,” Kate spoke too fast.
“Why?”
“Because you haven’t told me off yet,” Kate explained. “The Rachel I know would at least glare at me.”
“I guess I don’t have the heart to do that, either,” Rachel said, her voice wobbly, as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Look, can we please talk about something else? Have you been to the hospital lately?”
“I was there last night,” Kate said, as a happy smile formed on her face. “Your sister’s condition hasn’t changed much. The doctors are a little more optimistic than they were last week. They said she’s responding to treatment, but it’s a little too early to tell if she will wake up or not. The good news is that they’ll be releasing our baby boy from the NICU, tomorrow morning.”
“Thank God,” Rachel sighed in relief. “I was a little anxious about that, to be honest.”
“Um, Rach?” Kate raised an eyebrow again. “I know it’s not my place to ask, but…” She paused. “Have you thought of a name yet? We can’t just keep calling him ‘baby boy’,”
“I’m going to wait for Marianne to wake up first, before I name him,” Rachel attempted a firm tone. “She loves that name; I don’t think it will take me too long to convince her. ‘Dominic’.”
“What?” All of a sudden, Kate’s voice turned into a high-pitched squeal. “You’re going to name that kid after him? Why?”
“Because it’s the only way for me to feel closer to him,” Rachel lowered her tone, blinking back tears, as she dropped her gaze to the floor. “I miss him, Kate. I miss him already.”
“Oh, my God…” Kate whispered while leaning closer to her, as Rachel bit her lower lip. Wrapping her arms around her friend’s back, she pulled her closer. “It’s going to be alright, sweetheart. You’ll see.”
“No, Kate,” Rachel disagreed. “It’s not. Exactly how is it going to be alright? I have a baby to raise and the man that I love lives across the ocean. Not to mention he’s going to hate my guts for lying to him.”
“Well…” Kate drew in a sharp breath, leaning back. “If he really is the man you’ve described to me, he’s not going to hate you. In fact, I think he’s going to love you even more.”
“I looked him in the eye and I lied to him,” Rachel spoke, her voice wobbly as a tear raced down her face. “Why shouldn’t he?”
Kate took her right arm off her friend’s back and used it to tip Rachel’s chin up.
“Because you had to,” She said, soothingly. “You had to make sure your nephew would have a father growing up and that Marianne would keep her job.”
“That doesn’t make me feel any better,” Rachel sniffled.
“Do you have a picture of him?” Kate asked. Then, her friend pulled her cell phone out of her coat pocket and handed it over to her. “Wow…” She cheered, swiping the screen. “Oh, my… The guy’s totally ripped. Look at those abs. Look at that chest. And that mouth? Mama, may I? Ok, get it out of my sight. Quick.” Kate added, shutt
ing her eyes, as she returned the phone to Rachel.
“Kate, what’s the matter?” Rachel asked her friend, her voice filled with curiosity.
“I’m sorry baby, I’m sorry, okay?” Kate spoke too fast once more. “I just pictured him going down on me.”
Rachel’s face cracked, as she burst into loud, hearty laughter. She even leaned in towards her friend, clutching her stomach, as Kate circled her arm around her neck, with a crooked smile on her face.
“Now that’s what I like to see,” She claimed. “Now, can we please, please, go shopping? Little Dominic is coming tomorrow and his room is still empty.”
“Thanks for that, darling. I needed it,” Rachel chuckled. “Sure. Let’s go.”
25
Back in Mont Blanc, Dominic was still trying to wrap his head around what had transpired. He could understand Rachel’s motives. After all, he was a reasonable man. Nevertheless, he was torn by indecision. As much as it hurt him, he couldn’t deny that she had a point. It would be extremely difficult for Rachel to keep seeing him, even if he decided to move to New York City. In essence, he would be dating a single mother and he was unsure whether he wanted that or not. Sooner or later, things would become rather awkward between them, as Rachel would struggle to find some time for him.
Something else troubled his already battered heart. The fact that she was an artist had lured him to her. Dominic wondered if he had fallen for the writer or the actual person behind her. Still, it didn’t take him long to answer that question. Yes, he loved her –supposed—talent, but there was much more to Rachel than just that. She was a sensitive, romantic soul, funny, intelligent and sexy.
“I’m hopelessly in love with the blonde girl that captured my heart, since the moment I saw her. Her name doesn’t matter.”
Not long after he had arrived back at his castle, as he crossed his rose garden, he saw a familiar face, coming his way. It was Melanie, dressed up and in a very good mood.
“Bonjour!” She chirped. “How are you? Where’s Marianne?”
“Marianne…” He murmured, as a bitter smile spread across his face. “I’m sorry, Melanie. Marianne was never here.”
“Pardon?” She squinted at him. He didn’t dignify her question with an answer. Instead, he pulled Rachel’s letter out of his coat pocket and gave it to her.
“Just read the first paragraph,” He urged. Within seconds, Melanie opened her eyes wide in disbelief.
“Rachel?” She said, as her eyes shot up to meet his gaze. “Her twin sister?”
“I thought you two were close,” Dominic muttered. “Didn’t you know?”
“I knew she had a sister,” Melanie declared. “I just didn’t know she was a twin.”
“Well, now you do,” He said, as she put the letter back in his hand. “She left this morning.”
“This is impossible,” She squeaked. “We spent a whole day together. I couldn’t tell the difference.”
“She mentions you in that letter. Rachel’s been studying you,” Dominic explained. “I’m not going to get into the specifics. Let’s just say I understand why she lied to the both of us. She left this morning.”
“Mon dieu!” Melanie covered her mouth with her hand. “Without saying ‘goodbye’?”
“That’s right,” He affirmed.
“And what are you going to do?” It was the question he had been dreading. Dominic clenched his jaw, tearing his gaze away from her.
“I don’t know.” He heaved a big sigh. “The situation between us is not as simple as I thought,”
“What do you mean?” Her persistence annoyed him, but Dominic didn’t think twice. Marianne was Melanie’s friend; he had to let her know of her predicament.
“Your friend was pregnant,” He spoke in a firm tone. “She had an accident. She’s in a coma as we speak. The baby survived. He’s Rachel’s responsibility.” Melanie gave a gasp of shock, putting her hands to her temples, as he turned his attention to her. “Do I want to be with her? Of course I do. I just don’t know how the hell we can make this work.”
“It is a tricky situation,” She exhaled hard. “But, I think you should try,” Melanie continued, dropping her arms. “Anyway, thank you for letting me know. I need to call the airport. Excuse me.”
“You’re going to the States?” He inquired, surprise written all over his face.
“Marianne is my friend,” She stated. “I want to be there, when she wakes up. If I were you, I would be there already. You say you love her. Prove it now.”
“And how am I supposed to do that?” He wondered out loud, a hint of sarcasm in his voice as he folded his arms across his chest.
“Raising a child is a 24/7 job,” Melanie replied, raising her tone. “Do you have any idea how exhausting this is going to be for her?”
“That’s precisely why I’m still debating,” Dominic glared at her. “She’s not going to have any time for us. I don’t want to get between her and that baby.”
“You don’t have to!” She yelled. “You just need to be there for her.”
“Like I said, it’s not so simple,” This time, he spoke in a calm, steady tone. “Not anymore.”
“Do you like being on your own?” Her words intrigued him. “Do you like living in this vast castle, listening to nothing else, other than your own voice? What’s keeping you here, Dominic? Your parents are dead.”
Unable to come up with a rebuttal, he remained silent, breathing deeply as he closed his eyes.
“I can understand your dilemma,” Melanie made her voice sound sweeter. “If you go there, she will be hard-pressed to find some time for you. She’ll be stressed, exhausted, but she’ll be happy. You both will. Isn’t that what love is all about? Happiness?”
“What happens if she’s too stressed and too exhausted?” His question put her in a difficult position. She kept staring at him, unable to force another word out of her throat. “Because, rest assured, Melanie: It’s going to happen. Rachel is going to be so tired that she will just fall asleep on the couch. She’ll neglect me. Eventually, we’ll drift apart. You know what follows after that.”
“I’ve said what I feel,” Melanie gave a small nod. “It’s up to you now. Think about it. Don’t let it end here, Dominic. For both of your sakes.”
26
Dominic’s interview was published and, as one would expect, it generated a lot of attention. In a matter of hours, quotes, larger or smaller parts of it and pictures of him were all over the internet. Most people were stunned to discover that the king of the Alps was actually a simple man, whereas a few others expressed their doubts over its truthfulness. To them, he sounded a little too good to be true. In their minds, the fact that a blueblood was an everyday, soft-spoken man was nothing more than a publicity trick. Common people were used to thinking of royalties as self-centered and egotistical and they simply could not make an exception about him.
Dominic could not care any less. For him, the interview was nothing more than a painful memory, something that he had to put behind. Knowing that reading it online would add to his misery, he didn’t even bother turning on his laptop. Unfortunately for him, his friend Jean did not share his view on the matter. Uncharacteristically for him, he was ecstatic about something. He called Dominic and requested to see him in his office, maintaining that they needed to plan his next move. The young king indulged him. Jean could be very stubborn; most likely, he would insist. It was the only way for Dominic to avoid an argument with him.
He found his friend with a broad smile on his face and a tablet in his hands. Jean was so distracted that he failed to hear his friend’s footsteps. He only looked up at Dominic, when he slammed the door behind him.
“Good morning,” He chirped. “Have a seat.”
“Thanks, but I’d rather stand,” Dominic spoke, his voice stiff. “Having fun reading that interview?”
“Oui. It’s very good,” Jean grinned, lowering his eyes to his tablet. ‘Polite, refined, gentle, sophisticated and very passiona
te about art, the king of the Alps is a very interesting man. He is not the playboy the media present him to be. On the contrary, he likes to keep a low profile and avoid the spotlight.’ Magnifique.”
“You said you wanted to talk to me,” Dominic murmured.
“His garage is full of high-end cars,” Jean continued. “Ferrari’s, Lamborghini’s, Porsche’s…”
“Jean!” Dominic’s stentorian voice rumbled like thunder. “If you don’t stop reading right now, I’m going to take that tablet and beat you to death with it!”
The skin on Jean’s face tingled with fear, eyes black with shock, as the device slipped from his grasp. Silence lengthened, as the two friends stared at each other. Dominic glanced down at the tablet, catching a glimpse of Rachel’s picture. It was upside down, but it was enough to make his heart sink. Tightening his mouth, he averted his gaze from it.
“Dominic, what is the matter with you?” Jean’s deep voice filled the air. “You never talk like that.”
“Losing the woman you love has that effect on you,” Dominic spoke in a much lower tone, slipping his hands into his pockets, as he moved around his friend’s desk. “Don’t ask me the same question Melanie did. It happened.”
Filthy Desires: A Romantic Suspense Collection Page 201
