by Diana Ames
When Mellissandra stormed out of the room, Anton waited for Damian to go after her. Realizing that Ryan wasn’t letting Damian go anywhere, Anton took off after her at a breakneck pace. He found her sobbing on the back porch steps. He sat down beside her and pulled her into his arms.
She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face against his chest. Her sobs were tearing him apart. Her cries were becoming hoarse, and each ragged sob broke his heart. When it finally appeared she’d worn herself out, his shirt was soaked, and he was ready to sob right along with her.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“No need to thank me,” Anton said softly. “But I would like to know how you ended up in place like this.” He’d phrased it gently, hoping to draw her into talking. Hooking a finger under her chin, he looked deeply into her bloodshot eyes. “Damian told me about your brother. How is he?” His question brought fresh tears, and he cursed softly before drawing her back into his chest.
She pushed away though as she managed to contain the tears. As he saw her breasts quiver with a deep, cleansing breath, he cursed at not having had more time with the raven-haired beauty. He didn’t want to frighten Mellissandra with his arousal. He shifted, so she wasn’t pressed against his side, and then he drew his knees up one step for disguise.
“He died,” she whispered. “He died before I got home. Everything I did and everything I sacrificed was all for nothing.” Her lip trembled with the effort to hold back the tears. “My father blamed me because he wasn’t with Brady when he passed. Apparently, my father spent the night with security in the castle, trying to get to me.”
“Oh, sweetheart,” Anton said. “He made his decision just as you made yours. No one forced him to come looking for you, and no one forced him to stay in the castle overnight.” Anton found himself angry with Mellissandra’s father for laying so much heartache on her slender shoulders.
“Thank you for saying so,” she said, looking up at him. “But if I had obeyed my father in the first place, we both would have been with Brady. I just couldn’t…” She took another deep breath. “I just couldn’t let my brother die without doing something.”
“We’re going to change things,” Anton said suddenly. “No one else’s brother or sister or mother or father is going to die because they can’t get to a fully functional medical facility.”
“I saw the press conference,” Mellissandra said, straightening up. She was excited that Prince Anton was going to implement such a big change to their country. “Did you really mean it? About bringing the country out of the past?” she asked enthusiastically.
Anton was a little stunned by the fast change in her. One moment, she was sobbing and emotional, and now, she was exuberant. He smiled at her though. Exuberant Mellissandra was definitely preferable to sobbing Mellissandra.
“Oh, yes,” he answered her with a smile. “I’m going to drag my people kicking and screaming out of the dark ages. I’ve already started the process by acknowledging Damian as a royal prince.”
Her face fell at Damian’s name, and Anton cursed himself for reminding her of the man who’d just been screaming at her. Anton sighed and stood up. He extended his hand to her and pulled her to her feet.
“Come on,” he said with resignation. “It’s cold out here. You don’t want to get sick.”
***
Damian glared at the hand restraining him. If it weren’t for the fact that they were such old friends and that Wally would have his balls for a wall ornament, Damian would have broken the offending hand. Because they were friends and Wally was one scary woman when it came to Ryan, Damian merely jerked away. If Ryan wasn’t still slightly off-balance from the gash on his head, Damian knew he would have never gotten free with that small movement.
“You better start explaining yourself, Damian,” Ryan said in a low, threatening voice.
“I don’t have to explain anything to you, Ryan. Perhaps you should explain why a girl I had delivered to her family, two villages away, was in your living room,” Damian said in an equally threatening voice.
“That’s the girl Wally and I have taken in, Damian,” Ryan said. “And you’re lucky it was me here when you were yelling at her like that. If Wally had heard you, I guarantee you’d be just as bloody as I was a few minutes ago.”
“That’s the girl…” As Damian’s voice trailed off, he could feel the blood draining from his head. He swallowed hard as his mind connected the dots between his conversation with Wally and the shouting match with Mellissandra. Her parents threw her out. Her parents threw her out because of me. She’s pregnant. The father of her baby didn’t want anything to do with her.
“Oh shit,” Damian said, sitting beside Ryan on the couch. He put his head between his knees and tried not to pass out. He was fairly certain he was about to be a father.
***
Sitting in the security office, Gilly read over the autopsy report for the dead whore. She was tempted to panic everyone by telling them the woman had been murdered, but a more reasonable mind prevailed.
“It appears to be completely natural,” Gilly said.
“She was twenty-four. How can it be natural for a twenty-four-year-old woman to just drop dead?” the captain asked scornfully.
“Her heart gave out. She probably had an undiagnosed birth defect or possibly heart disease in her family history,” Gilly told him. “We’ll have to get in touch with Damian to get her records before we know any of that for sure. What I can tell you now is that her heart shows signs of distress and that at least one ventricle ruptured. If she was not alone, she could have been saved.”
“How long do you think she has been dead?” the guard asked.
“My best guess would be anywhere from twenty-four to thirty-six hours,” Gilly answered.
“Did she appear to have been raped?”
“She lived and worked in a sex club,” Gilly said, rolling her eyes. “She showed signs of having sex recently. While there was some vaginal bruising, that could be consistent with having several partners or even having consensual rough sex. Nothing I saw indicated rape.”
“I don’t like this,” the captain said to Gilly. He watched her closely for a reaction. “Two deaths around the same time don’t sit well with me.”
“I don’t see how they’re related,” Gilly said. She kept her face calm, but internally, she was cursing the arrogant prick in front of her.
“I have nothing to lead me to believe that they are related, except for my instinct. And my instinct hasn’t led me wrong yet,” he told her. If he hadn’t been studying the doctor and hadn’t spoken with her frequently over the past two days, he would have missed it. But he had noticed her flinch a tiny bit when he’d insinuated that the deaths could be related.
“Are you finished with me?” Gilly asked. “I have patients, living patients, who need my care.”
“Yeah. If I have more questions, I’ll give you a call,” the captain said.
He watched her stride to the door. It was almost funny that the little woman had a powerful walk. As she retreated, the captain made a point to find out where she’d been and who she’d been with recently. He knew something wasn’t right with that woman.
***
After Anton led Mellissandra back into the kitchen, he gently pushed her into a chair. He went through the cabinets until he found the ingredients for hot chocolate. He figured she needed something warm and sweet to help her recover from the shock she’d just had.
“So,” Anton began, putting a pan of milk on the stove, “you still haven’t told me how you ended up here of all places.”
“I didn’t know princes knew how to make hot chocolate,” Mellissandra said, avoiding his eyes.
“Princes can do anything they set their minds to,” he told her. “Now, stop avoiding the subject because from what I could see earlier, you aren’t going to be able to avoid it for long.”
“After I returned home, my father was just so angry with me. He resented me because he had b
een away from Brady and probably also because I had not been with Brady myself when he died.” Mellissandra let out a big sigh. “I hate myself for not being there for my brother, but my father couldn’t see anything beyond his own anger and pain. After nearly two weeks, my father and I had a huge fight, and then he stopped talking to me altogether.” Mellissandra’s voice cracked as she fought hard to contain tears.
“I take it that you and your father were close before all this?” Anton asked, sitting a mug of hot chocolate in front of her. “Drink. It’ll help.”
“I was a regular Daddy’s girl.” Mellissandra took a sip of the piping hot beverage. “Mmm,” she murmured. “You make a fine cup of hot cocoa, my prince,” she said with a small grin.
Anton looked away from her. His body was reacting to her every word, her scent, and even the way she drank cocoa. He had to keep reminding himself that Damian regretted what he’d done to her. Damian loved her. She belonged to Damian whether she knew it or not.
“So, why did they throw you out?” he asked, trying to get a grip on his rising desire. He longed to wrap her long red hair around his fist and pull her to him for a passionate kiss. His insides quivered at the thought of that hair sliding across his belly as her hot little mouth engulfed his cock. “How long have you been here?” he asked, his voice cracking with the effort to contain himself.
“I’ve only been here…well, I’m not really sure. I think it’s only been about a week,” she said. “The days and nights pass here without many changes to mark the significance.”
Anton nodded, understanding exactly what she was talking about. He had often found himself looking at the calendar, wondering how it would already be summer when it seemed like just yesterday it had been snowing. One day could easily morph into another when a person’s entire world was contained inside one building and there was no need to worry about mundane things, like due dates on bills or grocery shopping. Just talking to Mellissandra had Anton feeling like he’d found a kindred soul, someone not just to be desired for her body but cherished for her spirit.
“My father made my mother drive me to the far border. He didn’t want anyone finding out…” Her voice trailed off.
“Finding out what?” Anton asked.
“Finding out that she’s pregnant,” Damian answered from the doorway.
Damian came into the room and sat down next to Anton, looking at Mellissandra from across the table. After a few minutes, he recovered his senses and realized that he’d sent the mother of his child running out into the cold night. When Damian had started after her, he was surprised to find Anton and Mellissandra chatting comfortably in the kitchen over what looked to be hot chocolate.
“Isn’t that right, Mellissandra?” Damian asked mockingly. “Daddy couldn’t handle the fact that his little girl was an unwed mother-to-be, so he sent you packing.” Damian knew he was playing with fire, but he couldn’t stop the incendiary words from leaving his mouth. He was furious; furious with her, furious with himself, and especially furious with Anton for the adoring look on his face.
Mellissandra bowed her head in shame. She knew Damian held nothing but contempt for her. He’d proved that with the note and money, but now, he was being deliberately hurtful.
“I shamed him and our family by whoring myself,” she whispered. The tears she’d fought so hard to contain rolled down her cheeks.
“Unless you were very busy during the month we’ve been apart,” Damian said harshly, “you are not a whore, and your father is just an idiot.”
“Don’t talk about my father!” she shouted at him.
“Hey, hey,” Anton said. “Let’s not start this again. You were finally relaxing and maybe feeling a little better.” Anton wanted to punch his brother for his rough treatment of the fragile girl sitting in front of them.
Mellissandra shot Anton a shy smile. He was being so kind to her. Considering the rumors that went around about his sadistic nature, it was something she had not expected of him.
“So, your family threw you out because you’re pregnant?” Anton asked. He was terrified of her answer to his question. If she really was pregnant, he was sure it was Damian’s child.
“Yes,” Mellissandra said in a whisper. “I’m pregnant, and that was why my family threw me away.” She sighed and took another sip of the cocoa. “Before everything happened, I worked a twelve-hour shift at the diner, and when I got home, I wanted a sandwich. I guess from having six children of her own, my mother noticed the signs. When she began talking about it, my father overheard.”
“You don’t have to tell us anymore,” Anton said quietly. It was making him physically ill to hear about how her life had been affected by the few days she’d spent in the castle.
“I might as well get it all out now,” she said with a shrug. Taking a deep breath, she continued. “My father was so scary that night. He was so angry. I’d never seen him like that. Even my mother was a little frightened. He threw the envelope of money Damian had given me and told me to get out. My mother drove me to the border, and I started walking.
“I was so tired. At one point, I remember thinking about finding a tree to sleep under for the night. My vision was blurring. When I saw a light, I thought I was hallucinating, but I pushed myself to get to it. I don’t remember much more other than Wally answering the door. Then, I woke up in a bedroom.
“Wally and Ryan fed me, and I explained how I needed to look for a place to live and a job. Wally had warned me that this village is extremely close-minded, so she offered me a job and a place to stay if it didn’t work out for me there. I had to try, so Ryan gave me a ride into the village.
“It was worse than they said. No one would even rent me a room. One motel offered to let me stay there, but I would have had to do…” She paused, shuddering. “Favors for the manager. When I stormed out, there was Ryan.”
Damian was gripping the edge of the table, barely containing his rage. He couldn’t believe how the woman in front of him had stayed so strong. She’d been through him, her father, and an entire village, and still, she had kept going.
“Well, you won’t have to deal with any of that again,” Damian said with determination. “We’re getting married.”
Mellissandra’s head snapped up so fast that she made herself dizzy for a moment. “Excuse me?”
“We’re getting married,” Damian said again. “That is my child in your belly. It won’t be labeled a bastard, it won’t be raised in a whorehouse, and its mother won’t face this alone.”
“You have lost your mind if you think I’ll marry you,” Mellissandra snapped and jumped to her feet.
“You will marry me!” Damian said, rising as well.
“Oh Lord,” Anton said. “Not again, you two,” he pleaded with them.
“My child will not be a bastard,” Damian insisted. “And if you won’t marry me…” He glared at her. “I will take the child when it is born because you obviously aren’t mature enough to know what is in its best interest.”
“You can’t do that,” she replied incredulously. “I’m not some surrogate womb. No one in his right mind would allow you to take my baby from me. You run a sex club and train submissives as a way of life.”
“And this whorehouse you currently reside in belongs to me. You won’t be staying here another night,” he told her.
“You would kick me out again?” she asked, her face paling.
“You are coming back to the castle with me. Regardless of my way of life,” he sneered, “I also happen to be a royal prince, and that child in your belly is the next generation of the royal family. You can marry me, or you can be a womb. The decision is yours.”
Damian stalked out of the kitchen, leaving a distressed Mellissandra staring after him.
***
The security captain followed Gilly’s whereabouts from the nights in question via camera footage. He didn’t know what it was, but something about her set his teeth on edge. He hadn’t gotten to his position by ignoring his instinc
ts and feelings. Security tape after security tape showed Gilly in medical and the royal wing. It was like the woman had no life outside of her job. He knew, as did everyone, that she and Prince Anton used to visit on a regular basis, but even that seemed to stop well over a month ago.
The captain frowned as he thought about the recent changes in the prince. Calling up images from the corridor outside the three royal apartments in use, he sat back with his finger on the fast forward button, reviewing the content from the past three days. Just ten minutes into the videos, the captain sat straight up. He’d found a link.
***
Anton found Damian sitting at the now empty bar. Wally had closed down early after the fight. He grabbed a shot glass from behind the bar and then pulled up a stool beside Damian. Anton didn’t know how much whiskey had been in the bottle before Damian started drinking, but right now, it was half empty.
“Don’t start,” Damian said, throwing back a shot. He didn’t need to hear just how much of an ass he’d been, especially from his on-the-wagon sadistic brother. Damian knew he’d handled the situation badly, only causing Mellissandra more pain.
“Can’t a guy have a drink with his brother?” Anton asked innocently.
“As long as he keeps his mouth shut, he can,” Damian said scornfully.
“Well, since you brought it up—” Anton began.
“I didn’t,” Damian interrupted.
“You don’t have to marry her,” Anton finished.
Damian swiveled his head to look at his brother in disbelief. Of course I have to marry her. If he had only controlled himself that last day, she wouldn’t be alone and pregnant. She wouldn’t be living in a whorehouse, albeit not as a whore.
“Don’t look at me like I’ve lost my mind,” Anton snapped. “The way you acted toward her in there…” He sighed. “You don’t have to marry her in some great self-sacrificing gesture, Damian.” He took a deep breath. “I’ll marry her.” Anton hoped he didn’t end up with another beating for his ploy.
