“Once again you do things the wrong way around, buddy. You do know wedding is supposed to come first, especially from someone of your status?”
“Except there is not going to be a wedding! I told you Gabriel! You will not order me to get married! I might be carrying your baby, but that does not automatically spell marriage!”
She flung his arm from around her body and huffed as she stomped to Gramps who watched her worriedly. She knew Sienna still have not come to grasp with Gabriel’s status. Now even more so. His reveal during the ceremony that he was the King of the Country of Italy would have elevated him to an even higher level in her eyes.
She took her hands in hers and gazed deeply into her eyes. “Sienna, darling, how do you really feel about this?”
“Shocked and still trying to accept it. I only realized I am pregnant yesterday afternoon and the fact that it should not have been possible makes it even more of a surprise. I have been taking the pill diligently, Gramps, how could it have happened?”
“No contraceptive is one hundred percent guaranteed, darling. You know that. Are you sorry? Don’t you want the baby?”
“Oh Gramps! I am nearly twenty nine years old and you know I have always said I wanted kids. I started to think it was not meant to be for me. No, I am not sorry. In all honesty, I am elated.”
“But you said you are not marrying him?”
“And I am not!”
“Sienna, his child cannot be born out of wedlock. You of all people should know that!”
“Gramps, I will not be married because I am ordered to be! Or because I am expecting his baby! The day I get married it is because of love … not because of raging hormones and lust!”
Elaine smiled slowly. She could stop worrying. She knew they loved each other. It was so clear in the way they looked and touched each other. They only have to admit it to each other.
“What was his reaction when you told him?”
Sienna shook her head, smiled and looked at Gabriel. He was standing with Leonardo and Andreas with a wide smile, accepting their ribbing without his usual grumpiness.
“He actually noticed my fuller breasts and hips and asked me if I had something to tell him. He is over the moon. The fact that I am from a lowly status does not seem to bother him.”
“It never did and you know that very well, Sienna.”
She sighed. “I know that, Gramps, but you heard what he said. He is not just the King of San Marino. He is King to San Italy … the country of Italy. That makes it even more important for him to marry well … I don’t fit into that status, Gramps.”
“Maybe not, Sienna dear, but you have class and style that even the best of those exulted heiress can only dream to ….”
“Aunt Viola! I am sorry … I did not mean to bring dishonor to your family.”
“Dishonor? How?”
“Being pregnant.”
Viola laughed delightedly and shook her head, hugging Sienna against her.
“My darling girl, I could not be more delighted. Besides, it takes two to make a baby and if there is one that should be reprimanded it is that rake of a nephew of mine! Now, what is this nonsense of not marrying him?”
Sienna blushed and her gaze was caught by the lion like gaze of the man she loved. Elaine hooked her arm with Viola and they stood together like two conspiring high school girls.
“Apparently the poor boy ordered her to marry him the moment he found out she was incinta.”
“Oh, I see … tsk, tsk. Now that is obviously totally a unacceptable reaction from a King such as him! I imagine you took him to task immediately, Sienna?”
“Yes, but he does not seem to pay me any mind. The pregnancy has not even been confirmed yet! It is only a suspicion, based on missing my period.”
“Oh, I have no doubt you are indeed incinta, dear darling. You have a glow about you, an inner peace … quite similar in fact to what our dear Sophia is wearing …”
All three pairs of eyes moved to Sophia where she was standing happily in her husband’s arms, his folded protectively over her belly. Aunt Viola clapped her arms and they moved as one closer.
“Sophia, Andreas … perhaps you two also have something to share with us?”
Sophia gasped and Andreas chuckled. “I told you, amore, you would not be able to hide it from her!”
They looked lovingly into each other’s eyes and smiled. Sophia nodded.
“Yes, aunt Viola. We are also going to have a baby. We wanted to wait until tomorrow so as not to spoil Gramps day with other news. It is her happy and special day after all.”
“I am sorry, Gramps! I did not think! I was just so happy and wanted to share the joy. Are you very upset with me?”
Gabriel was genuinely upset and frowned down at Elaine. She gently caressed his cheek and smiled with her hand in Williams.
“To be told that I am going to become a great grandmother? Having the opportunity to hold Sienna’s baby in my arms? Of course not, dear boy.”
Then everyone stormed them to hug and kiss them. Gabriel was the last to hug his little sister close.
“I could not be happier that our kids will grow up together, nosy posy.”
“Oh, me too! I never even considered it, but now I could not be happier! How far along are you, Sienna?”
“Close to six weeks.” Gabriel answered, his arm around Sienna pulling her against his side.
“We’re eight weeks! This is fantastic! Which gynecologist are you using, Sienna?”
“She has not be …” Gabriel answered again and Sienna pumped him in his side.
“I do have a voice, Gabriel!”
He leaned down and kissed her gently on her cheek.
“Sorry, Baby. I am just so excited!”
“I have not been to see one as yet. This is why I did not want to say anything yet!”
“Oh posh! You are very clearly pregnant! My next appointment is on Wednesday. If you wish I will phone and see if I can get an appointment for you at the same time.”
“Oh … uhm …” She glanced at Gabriel, not sure if he would want her to see the same doctor. He nodded at her questioning eyes, elated that she looked at him for guidance and treasured his opinion.
“I would appreciate it. What time is your appointment?”
“Eleven in the morning.”
Sienna looked at Gabriel. His joy and possessiveness a clear sign that he would participate in every step of the pregnancy.
“How does your schedule look?”
His eyes glowed into hers and his voice was hoarse with emotion.
“Leo, you will handle anything that might be in my schedule on Wednesday, right?”
“I would not dare otherwise, buddy. I must say your reaction to this pregnancy news is totally opposite than what it was when Jessica made the same claim!”
“What!” Both Sophia and Aunt Viola erupted. “Jessica Chastain? I must say I was very annoyed when I saw all those video clips and photos, Gabriel!”
“No more so than, I, sister dear.”
“Let me get this straight. She claimed she was pregnant with your baby?”
At his nod, Aunt Viola glared at him. “Is there a possibility that it is true, Gabriel?”
“No, there is not!” Gabriel forgot to breathe when Sienna vehemently denied on his behalf.
“Red?”
She turned to him, her hands resting lightly on his chest, a small smile on her lips.
“Your reaction to ours was too honest and besides … there is no way you have enough energy for another woman!”
He laughed at her soft declaration and caught her tight against him and kissed her senseless in front of everyone. He ended the kiss reluctantly when Grand pop William eventually cleared his throat and said in a fatherly voice.
“Now that is quite enough of that, young man!”
It was much later in the evening when Leonardo asked Gabriel the question. “How do you think Jessica is going to react to this news, Gabe?”
“I don’t know and quite frankly, I don’t care. I have been very selfish in wanting Sienna for myself and have kept her out of the public eye, but it is time everyone meet their future Queen.”
“About damn time, I would say!”
Gabriel sighed as his eyes caressed over the beautiful woman that held his heart within hers.
“She is still too hung up on our status differences, Leo. I need her to see that the people have changed, that they want their King to be happy and in love. Not married for status only.”
“And exactly how are you going to get that right?”
“For starters, I am going to take her to San Marino … where it all started, then introduce her to the public, by having her by my side always. For one thing, I am going to make our visit to the gynecologist exactly what it is to me. The first visit of the proudest father to be.”
“Better prepare her for what is to come, my friend. It could be daunting.
“For anyone else maybe. My Red … she has style, class and an inner strength very few people can surpass. Even those of so called status!”
That night Gabriel made love to her so tenderly and lovingly she cried. He held her close to his heart throughout the night, to wake her up once again the following morning with a tender kiss and plunging into her slow and passionately, then deep and furiously as she pleaded for more.
Chapter Twenty One
“Baby, before we land there is something I have to warn you about.”
Sienna worried her lip with her teeth. He seemed so worried and solemn that her heart started thumping inside her chest. He smoothed the frown from between her eyes and smiled at her.
“Don’t look so worried, Red. I have no doubt to you; it will be a walk in the park. You referred to yourself as my dirty little secret, but the reason I kept you from the public eye was pure selfishness. I wanted to keep all your attention on me and you away from all those leering Italian eyes … which I know I am going to have a hard time dealing with! That is all about to change. From now on you will be by my side all the time. I want you to meet my people. To see for yourself what it is they want for me and not what you believe I should have or what you believe they want for me.”
“Gabriel, you can’t do that! You know it is not right!”
He frowned and a muscle in his neck twitched with anger. His eyes snapped fire into hers.
“Are you saying you prefer to be my … dirty little secret? That you would rather no one know about you and I lust after you only in private? Is that what you are saying?”
“Please, Gabriel. Honey, don’t get mad. It is reality. Your world and mine are universes apart! They can never meet!”
“Yet they have, my darling. In every way possible. I refuse – absolutely refuse to hide my child away because of his or her mother’s insecurities. I absolutely refuse to be used any further for satisfying your lusts in our hidden little corner!”
“Gabriel!”
“Don’t Gabriel me, Sienna! Hear me and hear me well. I will not hide my child from the world. I will not hide you from the world. I am going to make it public that you are the mother of my child. You decide if you want to be part of our life, but you will not take my child away from me – ever! If you decide not to be part of our life, you can go back to Washington after the baby is born. Alone! You will not take my child with!”
“You can’t mean that!”
“I am absolutely serious, Sienna. I told you we are getting married. I told you I will not hide you and our child from my people. You are the one with this stupid hang up on status!”
She gaped at him.
“You are so damn stubborn and arrogant, King Gabriel! Did you for even one moment just stop and think about the repercussions of doing that! You could alienate your own people, your whole family! I can’t allow you to do that!”
“Sienna, amore … I have lived in this country my whole life. I have lived that life as a Prince under the rule of Kings … first my Grandfather and then my own Dad. I think I am a better judge of what repercussions there can be. And it is my choice on how I wish to deal with them, if there are any.”
“Honey, please … I won’t be able to live with myself if I was the cause of you losing everything. It is your legacy!”
“You don’t get it, Red. I know my people well … I stand to gain a lot more, than what I stand to lose. This is exactly why I am taking you to San Marino for the rest of the week. I am going to start introducing you to my … to our people there. You will see for yourself, Baby … I need you to realize it for yourself!”
He drew her against him and leaned down to kiss her softly on her lips.
“But you are the one who needs to want to realize it, Baby. That I can’t force on you. In the meantime, I have scheduled our wedding for Saturday, a month from now.”
She gasped and snapped at him. “I told you Gabriel! I will not marry you because you order me to do so!”
“Be prepared for the press when we land at the airport strip, Sienna. It has become known that Sophia has an appointment with her gynecologist and that her brother, the King and an as yet unknown female have an appointment with him as well.”
“You didn’t!”
He shook his head and grinned sardonically. “How keen are you to put the blame on me for everything! I did not have to. Our family has always been of interest and the press doesn’t need much to elicit their interests in our movements. Better get used to it, Baby. You are about to become front page news!”
The minute Luca landed the helicopter on the tar in front of their private hangar, Gabriel’s words proved to be true. Photographers and reporters swarmed a small distance from the chopper waiting for the air thrush from the rotor to recede. Sienna stared at them in awe, her heart thumbing hard in her chest. Her hand involuntarily searched for Gabriel’s. He smiled at the gesture and his large hand engulfed hers. He lifted it to his mouth and softly kissed her knuckles.
“Just smile that lovely smile of yours, Baby. You’ll bowl them over.”
Luca shut the chopper down and hopped out to open the door, waving the car closer. Sienna gasped when she noticed the large black limousine with the Royal flags on the front, slowly itching closer waving between the crowding press.
“Really Gabriel! Do we really need to be so elaborate with the car?”
He grinned and winked at her. “What the hell, Red! Let’s do this in style and really give them something to write about!”
He had a naughty boy look in his eyes and she warned him rigidly.
“Gabriel, don’t do anything stupid … no! Put me down! Gabriel!”
Sienna screeched when Gabriel lifted her from the helicopter and cradled her against his chest, carrying her to the car. Luca chuckled at the look on Sienna’s face and Gabriel smile widely.
He got into the car with Sienna on his lap. He sighed heavily when she scuttled to the seat immediately and pulled her skirt down over her knees, flashing him an annoyed look.
“That was so totally un-kingly of you!” Blushing furiously at the non-stop flashing cameras from the moment they landed on the tar strip.
“Well. I have always said pure Kingly mannerisms are stuffy and boring!”
“So you are going to set a totally new standard all by yourself?”
“No, Red. I have you by my side now. We’ll do it together!”
Her glare was answer in itself and he chuckled, rapping her on her nose. He took her hand and placed it on his thigh and proceeded to give her a guided tour of the area they were driving through.
Sienna got more and more nervous the closer they got to the specialists consulting rooms. Her hand gripped Gabriel’s so tight her knuckles were going white. He soothed her hand with his fingers on her palm.
“Relax, Red. It will be alright.”
“I … I don’t know if I can do this Gabriel!”
His heart missed a beat. “Do what?”
“Are they going to be at the consulting rooms as well?”
“Mo
st probably. Come now, Red. You are the bravest person I know. You have the guts to call me a jackass … tell me to shove my royal dick up my ass and …”
“Gabriel!”
“Well, you did!”
“Well, that’s different!”
Now he laughed outright and from his stomach. She slapped him with her free hand on his chest.
“Yes … I suppose it is. What am I but a poor King against those high and mighty reporters?”
She saw the humor as well and could not help but laugh with him. That was the happy picture the photographers captured when Benito opened the door at that very moment and the tender kiss the King gave the beautiful woman on her still smiling lips.
Sophia and Andreas just walked out with the Doctor when they entered the waiting room. Numerous gasps were heard when the other patients recognized Gabriel. He smiled and nodded a greeting to them in general and introduced Sienna and himself to Doctor Berto Alban. They agreed to meet Sophia and Andreas at a restaurant close to Gabriel’s offices and the Doctor ushered them into his consulting room.
He asked a series of general questions about their health and blood groups and then asked Sienna to go and take urine and blood samples. She followed the nurse and returned dressed in her bra and panties and the usual examining dressing gown. Gabriel of course took being part of the pregnancy to the extreme and refused to be let out of the examining room. He stood on the other side of the bed and held Sienna’s hand throughout the examination. When the doctor indicated he was going to do an internal exam he frowned and wanted to know if it was really necessary.
Doctor Alban smiled at the possessive look in his Kings’ eyes and nodded. “If you are too uncomfortable about it, we can do sonar. That will tell me if there are any cysts, but not …”
“Oh this is ridiculous! Gabriel, this is the doctor that is going to bring our child into the world. Do you think he is not going to see me naked even during the birth? If you feel uncomfortable with this, then please go and wait outside. Let Doctor Alban do what is right and the best for our baby.”
You Owe Me, Baby Page 18
