Alex’s feet stayed rooted in place.
The Prince of Castelmare was happy——possibly happier than he’d ever been in his life because he’d solved his problem.
Of course he was still wide-awake! Now that Alex had gone to bed he could phone his lover and tell her a miracle had happened. He’d found his way out of the abyss that had been burying him alive all these years.
Yet just imagining the other woman’s joy sent a surprising stab of pain through Alex’s heart, causing her to stagger for a moment.
CHAPTER FOUR
“LUCCA?” His sister’s anxious cry almost broke his eardrum.
It was the middle of the night, yet she sounded as if she hadn’t been to bed yet. Not so the members of the palace staff he could trust. They’d already received a rude awakening from his nocturnal phone calls. At the moment they were busy carrying out his orders.
“Ciao, Regina.”
“Please don’t tell me you’re not coming home. It’s been close to two months. I’ve run all the interference with the parents I can.”
“No man ever had a better friend. Only one more favor.”
“Lucca—”
“Scusimi, cara. Don’t talk, just listen. This is important.”
He heard a groan.
“It’s four-thirty palace time. In three hours the helicopter will be waiting to fly you to the airport in Nice. We need privacy, so we’ll meet for breakfast on board the jet.”
“But—”
“No questions now. I’ve been working half the night and need a few hours’ sleep before the plane lands. All will be answered when we see each other. Ciao.”
Lucca clicked off. Now that everything had been set in motion, he could pass out. After putting his phone on the bedside table, he turned on his stomach and buried his face in the pillow for what was left of the night.
“Your Highness?”
Through waves of torpor he heard the steward’s voice and let out a moan.
“Si. What is it?”
“You asked me to waken you at seven.”
Lucca frowned before glancing at his watch. He’d been asleep three hours already? How was that possible?
“Is Princess Alexandra up yet?”
“If she is, she hasn’t left her cabin.”
The thought of seeing her this morning produced an adrenaline rush, bringing him fully awake. “Before we’re ready to land, ask her to join me in the study.”
He nodded and left the cabin.
Once Lucca had showered and shaved, he opened his closet doors. After a quick perusal, “The tan suit I think with the brown silk shirt. No tie,” he muttered to himself.
Five minutes later he entered the study to discover she was seated near the window drinking coffee. Filled with relief that yesterday’s earthshaking events hadn’t been a figment of his imagination, his muscles relaxed.
“Buongiorno, Alexandra.”
“Buongiorno, Lucca. Come va?”
She must have asked the steward for help. It pleased him she was already trying to communicate in his native tongue. One day she would be fluent.
“Va bene. Grazie.” His gaze took in her plum-colored silk mandarin-collar shirt and gray denims. She had superb dress sense. Most Italian women of his personal acquaintance weren’t as tall. None had her artless sophistication. When he realized he was staring, he poured himself coffee from the tray placed on the table. Then he sat down opposite her. “How did you sleep?”
She smoothed some hair away from her temple in an unconsciously feminine gesture. “Probably as well as you did.”
He chuckled before swallowing the hot liquid. “If we’re always this honest with each other, we’ll have no problems.”
“Lucca—” She put her mug in the drink holder. “This is all new territory for both of us and we’ll have to make it up as we go along, but there are a few things we need to discuss before I meet your parents.” Her breathlessness was more pronounced this morning, a sign her composure was only surface deep.
“You took the words out of my mouth. As soon as we land, I’ll do my best to prepare you so you’ll feel at ease.”
In reaction to his comment she rolled those fabulous eyes of hers. The unexpected gesture made him smile. Along with everything else about her, Alexandra had a healthy sense of humor. Living with her was going to be fun.
With perfect timing the seat-belt light flashed on. “Have you been to Europe before?”
“No.”
They both buckled up.
“I envy you seeing everything for the first time.”
Her knuckles looked white where she gripped the armrests. “If there is a first time.”
Lucca’s laughter resounded in the cabin. He’d done this hundreds of times before, but had forgotten the steep descent wasn’t to everyone’s taste. While she took in the view of one of the world’s most famous coastlines, he preferred to concentrate on the view seated across from him. She was all soft shoulders and long legs.
Mio dio, her mouth …
No sooner had they taxied to a stop than Lucca was at his desk, talking to someone on the phone. Alex sensed a hum of activity both in and outside the plane.
Cocooned as she was in the body of the jet, she felt a certain comfort in being relatively isolated from the world, but her heart did a double clutch to realize that before long she’d be stepping into his world. The gravity of what she’d done was starting to seep in.
Footsteps in the corridor drew her attention away from the window where she could see men and maintenance vehicles clustering around to service the plane. Her ear picked up a woman’s voice.
Alex felt her stomach muscles bunch in apprehension. Lucca had virtually promised her they’d talk before she met his parents. Surprised she might not be able to trust him after all, she turned to him. However, no words escaped because the steward had just wheeled in a cart of food. Behind him came a woman who couldn’t possibly be his mother.
“Lucca—” cried the adorable-looking female who launched herself at him. She was maybe five-four with a cap of glossy black curls and a figure to rival that of Gina Lollobrigida.
Alex’s boss, Michelle, had worked around movie stars for years and thought the curvaceous Italian film idol of the fifties was the essence of feminine beauty. Apparently, Lucca thought the same thing. Was this the woman he loved? His dark eyes flashed with emotion as he rushed around to crush her in his arms.
“Regina,” he murmured.
The sight of him rocking her curvy body dressed in a trendy-looking, ribbed top in navy with white cargo pants drew a groan from Alex. Though she’d made a promise to herself to help the two of them all she could, she hadn’t expected to be thrown in at the deep end this fast.
Obviously, something very private was going on. The other woman was crying gut-wrenching tears. They seemed to pour from her soul, and why not? After all, the separation must be brutal for both of them. Even Alex with only ten Italian words in her vocabulary at the moment could tell he was crooning endearments to her. Suddenly she knew a terrible envy to be loved like that.
The steward continued to lay out breakfast, seemingly oblivious to their uninhibited reunion. Alex wished she could remain as unaffected. Shocked by another strange jolt of pain and embarrassed for anyone to notice, she turned her head away and ended up looking blindly out the window again.
“Regina? I want you to meet someone.” Lucca had switched to English. That was Alex’s cue to give them her attention. With pounding heart, she pivoted around, then came to an abrupt stop because the lovely face and moist eyes staring at her was the feminine version of Lucca’s.
She was his sister!
A wave of intense relief washed over Alex, catching her by surprise. She clung to the back of the seat.
“May I present Princess Alexandra Carlisle Grigory of Beverly Hills, California. Alexandra? I would like you to meet my one and only sibling, Princess Regina Schiaparelli Vittorio.”
“How do you do?”
both women said at once and shook hands. The puzzled, curious look in his sister’s expression couldn’t hope to match Alex’s dazed condition. In trying to recover, she made the mistake of glancing at Lucca.
His eyes were so alive Alex knew he had to be thinking about the freedom he now had. It wouldn’t be long now before he could go to his lover and tell her there was a way they could be together. “Regina, I wanted you to be the first to know that Alexandra has consented to be my wife.”
Following that revelation a gasp broke from his sister. Her eyes, a burgundy brown, stared at Alex in shock before darting to Lucca. “I-is this the truth?” she stammered, as if she were afraid to believe it.
“As God is my witness,” came his solemn response.
Alex wasn’t prepared for the way Regina’s eyes lit up or her strong hug that came close to knocking Alex down. It was a good thing she was taller and could take the impact.
Once again Lucca’s sister was sobbing, but these seemed to be happy sobs for her brother who appeared to have picked the bride he wanted. All these years Regina had to have been aware of Lucca’s pain. Now she was misinterpreting the situation, but it didn’t matter. In witnessing the degree of love Regina felt for her brother, Alex was more determined than ever to facilitate matters for the two lovers.
Already Alex loved Regina for being so devoted to him. This was the way family should be, all for one and one for all. Lucca’s happiness was the goal that would bind her friendship with his sister.
Over Regina’s heaving shoulder, Alex met Lucca’s gaze. His dark orbs were thanking her. She smiled slowly at him, letting him know he could trust her to be his friend. He smiled back. The moment was so piercingly sweet she closed her eyes to savor it.
In the next instant Regina moved out of his arms. “Forgive me,” she said, wiping her eyes. “What a beginning!”
“Being an only child I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have a sister,” Alex confided. “I’m no longer nervous.”
Regina laughed gently, but was still shaking her head, bewildered. “How did it happen? Where did you two meet? When? Mama and Papa know nothing! This has to be the best-kept secret of the century.”
Better stick to the truth as much as possible. “In a roundabout way through my mother.”
“That’s right. On business,” Lucca added. “Let’s eat while we talk, shall we?” By tacit agreement the three of them sat down at the table.
Breakfast for a king, that’s what had been ordered. Alex was starving. She filled her plate with a little bit of everything and ate her fill. Lucca’s healthy appetite told its own story this morning, but Regina was too excited to eat more than a peach.
“Men are never good with the details, so I want to hear the whole thing from you, Alexandra.”
Alex flashed Lucca a signal of distress but he was no help and bit into another roll with those beautiful white teeth of his. Apparently he and his sister had few secrets … except the biggest one.
“My mother died a little more than five months ago leaving a large debt. Her attorney advised me to sell her diamonds and suggested the House of Savoy in New York. I flew out and—”
“And that’s how we met,” Lucca took over. “The attraction between us caught us both by surprise. It will interest you to know that Alexandra’s mother was Kathryn Carlisle, the film star. Her first husband was Alexandra’s father, Prince Oleg Grigory.”
Regina cocked her head and studied Alex for a full minute. “With those Russian roots, I think you’re even more beautiful than your mother and that’s saying a lot considering I’ve seen several of her pictures. Trust my brother to find the cream over in America.”
She breathed deeply. “Thank you, Regina. I feel the same way about him. We complement each other in the ways that are most important.” What else could she say? Theirs wasn’t a love match or anything close to it, but Lucca expected her to reciprocate his affection in front of the public and his family. That’s what he’d said.
“With many discoveries still to be made,” Lucca imparted unexpectedly. His hand closed over hers across the table. “Isn’t that right, bellissima?”
A glorious word to hear from a man if he truly loved you.
Alex crinkled her nose. “That’s what has me worried, Regina. I sing off-key, I’m messy and I don’t know if I snore. There, Lucca.” She squeezed his hand before letting it go. Hers was on fire. “That’s my confession for today. Tomorrow, three more.”
Lucca threw his head back and laughed. Regina joined him. When it subsided she said, “I could tell you a lot of things about my brother.”
“But you won’t,” he clipped out. “Let Alexandra discover them one at a time so I don’t scare her off.”
“Is there a reason why she’s not wearing the betrothal ring yet?”
“Si, piccina. All the reason in the world. I didn’t happen to be carrying it around with me when I left on business weeks ago.”
“Besides, Lucca knows I don’t like rings,” Alex inserted before he could say anything else. “In between working toward my degree, I’ve been a makeup artist at a movie studio for the past eight years. Rings and bracelets just get in the way.”
“Even so,” he supplied, “we’ve decided on a simple gold wedding band at the ceremony. That’s all two people need to symbolize their true feelings.”
“I agree,” Regina murmured as if she had something else on her mind. “What did you major in?”
“Biology.”
“You’ve led an amazing life.”
Alex’s gaze collided with Lucca’s before she looked away. “I was rather thinking the same thing about you, Regina. My father died before I was a year old, and I was raised by nannies. I didn’t grow up in a palace like Castelmare with two doting parents and grandparents and a loving brother like Lucca.”
“Which brings us to the subject at hand,” he stated in a way Alex was coming to recognize as his monarch voice. He’d used it at the store when she’d tried to get away from him. “Alexandra will be living at the palace from now on. Until the ceremony I’ve arranged for her to sleep in the blue suite next to yours, Regina.”
“I hoped you’d suggest it. I’d love it if Alexandra were close to me. It’s lonely down that hall.”
“I thought you might like the idea.” Lucca grinned. “She’s eager to learn Italian, and I can’t think of a better way for her to pick it up than to spend time with you after her lessons.”
“I’ll ring Professor Emilio. He’ll be the best teacher for her, Lucca. Between sightseeing and shopping, it won’t be long before she’s rattling off Italian with me.”
“Bene. I knew I could count on you.” He sounded inordinately pleased with his sister’s ideas.
Alex smiled at her, reassured by her warmth and generous nature. “You and Lucca speak impeccable English. I’m very impressed.”
“Thank you. We had excellent teachers and spent time in England.”
“It shows. How many languages do you speak?”
“Five.”
“Now that’s incredible.”
“Not really. Papa speaks a dozen.” Regina’s expression suddenly grew sober. “Has Lucca told you how sick he’s been?”
“Yes. I’m so sorry.”
“When he hears the news about you two, he’ll be overjoyed. Mama and I are convinced it will add years to his life.”
“Knowing Lucca is going to take over will come as a major release for him, I’m certain of it,” Alex assured her.
On that note her husband-to-be got up from the table and came around to place his hands on her shoulders, massaging them gently. “What do you say we fly on to the palace. I’m anxious to get you installed and comfortable. This evening will be soon enough to present you to our parents.”
Her relief was so great that he was going to give her the rest of the day to get her bearings that she wasn’t prepared when he leaned over without warning and kissed the side of her neck. Regina was getting the totally wrong impre
ssion of the way things really were, but that was the whole idea.
The feel of his mouth against her hot skin was positively erotic. Liquid fire ran its course through her body. She wasn’t sure she could leave the cabin on her own power. Her weakness increased when Lucca put his hand behind her neck and guided her out of the jet into a lovely warm June midmorning.
They walked a short distance to the waiting helicopter. Regina and her own bodyguards had gone ahead of them. Lucca’s bodyguards stayed close. Paolo was the last one inside the ten-passenger interior before they lifted off.
Alex didn’t know why, but all of a sudden the upward movement seemed to break the trance she’d been in for the past twenty-four hours. The people surrounding her were strangers, all speaking a language she didn’t understand.
The sight of the gleaming white jet with its royal coat of arms receding from view was as unfamiliar as the curved coastline bordering the plain of Nice. She was being whisked away to the home of the future king of Castelmare. In four weeks, she would be his wife.
Like a leaf tossed in the wind, she was rootless, being swept along over high-perched villages and blue-green water by some unseen force so much greater than she could comprehend, she started to shiver and couldn’t stop.
A hard-muscled arm slid around her shoulders. Lucca pulled her into his side as close as the straps would allow. “It’ll be all right,” he whispered into her hair. “You should have told me you don’t like helicopters. We could have driven the short distance instead. Just cling to me. We’ll be landing on the north grounds of the palace in two minutes. I swear it.”
“I’m fine,” she croaked, too shaken by events to correct his erroneous assumption. He smelled divinely male and felt so solid she rested against him, needing his strength. She was probably creasing the expensive-looking tan suit adorning his striking male physique, but he didn’t seem to mind.
By the time they landed on the helipad, her tremors had subsided. To her chagrin other sensations had taken over she didn’t want to feel or acknowledge. Fearing he could sense her emotional turmoil, she undid her seat belt and stood up, forcing him to relinquish his hold on her. At the same time she noticed the speculative glance Regina had given her and Lucca.
Diamonds Are Forever: The Royal Marriage ArrangementThe Diamond BrideThe Diamond Dad Page 6
