Chapter Twenty-Five
Later that day and much to his surprise, Luca’s interview was published in the New York Register. To no one’s surprise, it renewed a lot of interest in the Tanner family and the monarchy in Moreno. In a matter of hours, quotes for the piece and pictures of him were all over the internet. Most people were stunned to discover that a bachelor king from a beautiful European country was relatively down-to-earth, whereas others expressed their doubts over its truthfulness. To them, he sounded too good to be true. In their minds, the interview was little more than a publicity stunt. No one seemed to care which was the truth; all that mattered were the think pieces on the subject that were paying the salaries of journalists all over the world for a news cycle.
None of it mattered to Luca. For him, the interview was nothing more than a painful memory, something that he had to put behind him. Knowing that reading it would add to his misery, he didn’t even bother. Unfortunately, Bax didn’t share his view on the matter. Uncharacteristically, he was actually ecstatic about the article’s release. He called Luca and begged him to come to his office, maintaining that they needed to plan his next move. The young king indulged him, mostly because he had nothing better to do.
When he walked into Bax’s office, he found his friend grinning as he held his tablet in his hands. Bax was so distracted, he failed to hear his friend’s footsteps. He only looked up at Luca when he slammed the door behind him.
“Good morning,” he chirped. “Make yourself comfortable.”
“Gee, thanks,” Luca said stiffly. “Having fun reading that interview?”
“Oh, yeah. It’s very good.” Bax grinned, looking down at the tablet. “‘Polite, refined, gentle, sophisticated, and very passionate about art, the king of the tiny European nation of Moreno is a fascinating man. He is not the playboy the media portray him to be. On the contrary, he likes to keep a low profile and avoid the spotlight.’ Magnificent.”
“You said you wanted to talk to me,” Luca murmured.
“’His garage is full of high-end cars,’” Bax continued. “’And yet his real interests lie in the…’”
“Bax!” Luca’s powerful 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!”
Bax paused for a second as if analyzing the seriousness of his best friend’s threat, but when he realized he was just letting off steam, he shook his head with a soft laugh.
“Luca, what is the matter with you?” Bax’s asked sadly. “You never lose your cool.”
“Losing the woman that you love has that effect on you,” Luca said quietly, slipping his hands into his pockets as he sat against his friend’s desk. “Please, don’t ask me the same questions Elle did. She can fill you in later. What happened, happened.”
“I won’t. I mean, I don’t have to. She already told me about Grace or…” he faltered. “Aurora or whatever her name is. I’m sorry. The reason why I wanted to see you is that your interview has intrigued a lot of the US media. I know you’re not interested in any more interviews, but there’s something else you might find appealing. Peter Brown, a gallery owner in Manhattan, would like to show some of your paintings,”
“That’s insane, Bax. I’ll pass,” Luca grumbled, looking out the window of his friend’s office. “My paintings aren’t for sale, anyway.”
“Luca, please let me finish.” The pleading sound in Bax’s voice was unexpected. “It’s not about selling the paintings. It’s about showing your work, and introducing Americans to the country you love. The rest of the world knows so little of Moreno. This is a chance to let them see us as you see us. Plus, it’s New York, man. You could go see Aurora.”
“That does sound promising,” Luca admitted. “But I would want full creative control on what goes in the gallery. And I want to meet this guy before we sign anything. As far as Aurora, it’s not just my decision. It’s up to her if she even wants me around.”
“So, you’re in?” Bax asked, rising from his seat.
“Okay,” Luca said with a nod. “Provisionally. I will make a final decision after I talk to this Peter Brown guy.”
“That’s wonderful!” Bax cheered, patting him on the back, as a huge smile lit up his face. “I hear New York is beautiful in spring.”
“It’s really great,” Luca agreed.
“Luca, please do yourself a favor and go find her as soon as we get there,” Bax suggested. “I hate to see you like this.”
“Like what?” Luca turned to him.
“Grumpy, ready to snap,” Bax explained seriously. “I barely recognized you earlier. Honestly, you scared me a little bit.”
“There’s nothing I want more than to be with her again,” Luca confessed.
“Then do it,” Bax urged. “Elle is a handful. She’s loud, and a bit too touchy, but I couldn’t imagine my life without her. Now, I’m asking you as a friend, please, go find your own soulmate.”
“Are you two in on this together?” Luca inquired with a laugh.
“Why do you say that?”
“Because that’s exactly what she said to me,” he responded. “I’m not stupid, Bax. I’m just lost. Anyway, call my pilots. Tell them we’re leaving tonight. I’ll see you at the airport.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
As soon as he arrived at the only airport in Moreno, Luca was in for a rather unexpected surprise. Bax was there and he was not alone; Elle was with him. Apparently, she had decided to just fly out with them since they were going anyway. After everything that happened, she was intent on checking on Grace and finally meeting her friend, whatever that meant. As much as he loved Elle, Luca wasn’t entirely looking forward to an eight-hour flight with her. She was always so upbeat, and he was more in the mood to brood. The last thing he wanted was to be optimistic about this trip, especially when he had no idea how Aurora would receive him.
When they finally landed in New York, despite the jet lag and the fact that it was already 10pm, Elle announced that she was going to straight to the hospital where Grace was being treated. Bax tried to change her mind, yet she remained adamant. She asked if Luca wanted to go with her, but he wasn’t ready to see Aurora yet, and he knew there was a chance she might be there. Instead, he decided to go to their hotel near Central Park and get some much-needed rest.
The next morning, the two friends had an appointment with Peter Brown at his art gallery. For the first time since his breakup with Aurora, Luca was actually feeling a little bit better. The idea of having the world see a different side of him, all while introducing them to his beloved Moreno, truly brought him joy. Bax was all smiles, but for different reasons. He couldn’t take his eyes off the massive, steel towers. The bustle of Manhattan appealed to him. He didn’t seem to mind the heavy traffic or the honking as they made their way to the gallery. Luca actually thought there was a chance he could lose his oldest friend to the States.
The exterior windows of Peter Brown’s gallery on the Upper West Side were lined with massive, elaborate oil paintings; the interior was no different. A young woman welcomed them as soon as they walked in and ushered them back towards Brown’s office. Luca was mesmerized by the sheer beauty of the paintings all around them. While they were varied in their content, each was well-crafted, with fine lines and deep, rich colors. The receptionist left them outside her boss’s office and excused herself.
When he finally walked out after making them wait for twenty minutes, he wasn’t at all what Luca had expected. All of the gallery owners Luca had met in Europe were fastidious young men in fancy suits with arrogant attitudes. Brown was a tall, balding man in his early 60s, his face creased from years of worry but his smile genuine and warm.
“Come in! Come in!” he said in a hoarse voice, waving them into his office. “A royal in my gallery. What a pleasure.”
“Pleasure to meet you,” Luca offered his hand for a handshake.
“Bonjour, monsieur,” Bax grinned, playing up his accent. “
My name is Bax Laurent. I’m the king’s lawyer.”
Brown reached out and shook his hand as well. “Please, be seated.”
Luca cast a few, intent glances at the walls as they obliged. The paintings in Brown’s office were just as good as the ones outside, but there was one major difference: they were all female portraits.
“My wife is from Europe,” Brown continued, sitting back down.
Bax’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Oh? Where is she from, exactly?”
“She told me once, but I can’t remember,” Brown replied with a laugh. That struck Luca as odd. He can’t remember where his wife is from? Some husband. “Anyway, let’s get down to business. You should know that my daughter is the one who expressed interest in adding you to our gallery, your majesty. She loves portraits, and yours touched her deeply.”
“Is that why you have so many in here?” Luca asked.
“That’s right,” Brown gave a quick nod. “She has excellent taste in art. Now, your lawyer said you expressed some initial hesitation at the idea of showing your work here. Why’s that?”
“I paint for my own pleasure,” Luca declared. “I don’t do it for the money.”
“I’m glad he was able to change your mind,” Brown’s smile disappeared. “You’re an excellent painter. Even if we aren’t able to sell your work, I know many people in New York who are going to be thrilled to be able to view your paintings. Including my daughter.
“Thank you, but I’m confused,” Luca confessed. “There are hundreds of artists in New York who would kill for a gallery show. Why me?”
“We show local artists all of the time,” Brown said. “Some of them are good, and some them are revolutionary. But you have a particular draw that cannot be quantified. Plus, my daughter is very interested in discussing your inspiration, as well as your ideas for the future of this gallery.”
Something is odd here, Luca thought as he leaned back in the chair. Very odd, indeed.
“Where is your daughter now?” Bax interjected.
“My best guess is she’s shopping. She’s always shopping,” Brown smirked. “When can you start?”
“Tomorrow,” Luca answered quickly. “I still need to recover from the trip. And I didn’t bring paintings with me, so they would need to be delivered from Moreno.”
Brown nodded. “Your majesty, are you sure you can’t be convinced to sell the paintings?”
“Excuse us for a second. Hey, Bax, can I talk to you in the hall?” Luca stood, then they walked outside Brown’s office and shut the door behind them.
“I think I have an idea.”
“I really hope you’re still not planning to do this for free,” Bax responded.
“I’m a king with centuries worth of family money. I’m not taking payment for my art, Bax. Call the palace. Tell them to ship over twenty-one of my paintings,” Luca requested.
“Twenty-one?” Bax squinted at him. Ignoring him, Luca opened the door and walked back into Brown’s office.
“I changed my mind about my paintings,” he said. “I’ll put up twenty of them for sale, on one condition,”
“That’s great news!” Brown cheered, as his smile returned. “What’s your condition?”
“How much do you think my paintings are worth, Mr. Brown?” Luca asked in return.
“That’s hard to tell,” Brown shrugged. “A friend of mine said he would pay twenty-five thousand for one if it was offered to him.”
“My condition is that you cut your commission down by half,” Luca leaned over the desk, his hands planted firmly on the edges. “And any money that would normally go to me will instead be donated to local charities of my choosing. It will be made very clear in the press that this is a charity sale to benefit the citizens of New York. Do we have a deal?”
“Absolutely!” Brown said without hesitation, jumping from his seat.
“Good,” Luca gave an appraising nod as they shook hands. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”
“You have no idea what this means to me!” Brown could not stop smiling, in a way that almost unnerved Luca. He was grateful to walk out of the office when the time came.
“That was superb!” Bax said happily when they finally walked out on to the street. “And the charity angle will be great press for you, man.”
“I didn’t do it for the press,” Luca answered as he approached their waiting car. “Anyway, make sure the paintings are sent over ASAP. I have an errand to run.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Night had fallen by the time he got out of his car, his hands uncharacteristically shaking. He stood outside Aurora’s apartment building, his heart pounding in his chest.
Luca stood in front of the intercom box, debating whether or not to press the button that connected to her apartment, and finding he lacked the courage to do it. After what felt like an eternity, an elderly gentleman happened to open the front door, and Luca saw an opportunity he wasn’t about to let go to waste. The door took long enough to close that Luca was able to slip through before it slammed shut behind him. Then he ran up the stairs to the fourth floor before he lost his bravery altogether.
“This is it,” Luca said to himself, lightly knocking on Aurora’s door. When it opened, he saw Aurora, fast asleep on the couch across from the door. Strands of her hair were hiding her face as she snored lightly under a blue quilt. A few beams of moonlight lit up her face, making her look like an angel. Luca was so distracted by the sight of Aurora, he failed to notice the tall brunette in front of him.
“Jesus Christ!” Beth exclaimed, her eyes wide. “Oh shit, oh shit…”
“Um, hi,” he croaked. “I’m…”
“I know who you are,” she interrupted. “I’m Beth. I’m Aurora’s friend. Come on in.”
“I can come back another time,” Luca whispered.
“No, no… Come in,” Beth urged. “Talk to her. I’ll be in the kitchen.”
“Thanks,” he sighed, stepping into the living room. Beth gently closed the door and left them alone. With a heavy heart, he started towards her and knelt down in front of the couch. Reaching forward, he tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. Luca touched her cheek, watching as Aurora’s eyes fluttered. Running his fingers along her jawline, he leaned over her. He closed his eyes and gave her a tender kiss, something he had been desperate to do ever since she left him in Turin.
“Who are you dreaming of, sweet girl?” he whispered, running his thumb across her cheekbone. Her eyelids twitched as his hand slipped up and into her hair. When she finally opened her eyes, shock sparkled through them.
“What the hell…” she mumbled, surprise coloring her face.
“I missed you…” he whispered.
Aurora sat up. “I missed you too. Obviously. But Luca… What are you doing here? In my apartment? In the middle of the night?”
Luca laughed. “It’s 8pm. Hardly the middle of the might.”
Aurora looked at the clock on the TV and ran her hands through her hair. “God. I’m so tired. I went to work at 4am and then spent hours at the hospital with Grace. I kind of have no concept of time anymore.”
Luca sat down next to her and took her hands in his. “What do you do that you have to be at work at 4am?” Luca had never done anything other than learn how to be a king, so the realities of “work” were often lost to him. Aurora smiled at him as one would smile at a child learning the alphabet and failing.
“I work in bakery. My family’s bakery, actually. ‘Brewster’s Bagels.’ We’ve owned it for generations. Believe it or not, Grace is the black sheep. I love writing, but when our parents died, I took over the bakery.”
“I didn’t know…” Luca whispered. Aurora couldn’t help but laugh.
“There is a lot you don’t know, Luca. And that is my fault. I am so sorry I lied to you. But I just didn’t…”
“You had no choice. I understand that now. You needed to protect your sister, and her baby. You did what you had to do. I hope I would do the same.�
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“Oh, Luca…” Aurora couldn’t believe he had come so far to see her, to tell her he understood. She felt overwhelmed by her love for him, a love she had never expected or even wanted. Her heart fluttered as she felt his sweet mouth on her own and they got lost in a long, tender kiss.
“When did you get here?” she asked when they finally separated.
“Last night. I’m staying in New York for a while.”
“How long?” Aurora whispered.
“A gallery on the Upper West Side wants to show my paintings. The Brown Gallery?”
Aurora raised her eyebrow. “Oh, that’s interesting. I read about the gallery. I’m surprised you haven’t heard of it, actually.”
“Why would I have heard of a gallery in Manhattan?”
“Because…”
Aurora didn’t get a chance to finish her sentence. In a flash, Luca noticed a red laser sight focused on Aurora’s shoulder, and it was inching its way down her body, until it stopped resolutely over her heart.
“Get down!” he screamed at the top of his lungs, reaching forward as he lunged at her. In an instant, a bullet shattered the window, sending hundreds of tiny shards of glass into the living room. He pushed her to the left at the last second, throwing her against the wall. But he wasn’t fast enough. The bullet entered his chest, just above his collarbone. It knocked him backward, sending him plummeting to the floor. Luca landed flat and hard on his back and screamed in agonizing pain, his head slamming against the floor.
“No!” Aurora screamed, dropping to her knees beside him.
“Aurora!” Beth yelled, sprinting towards them, as a pool of blood spread across Luca’s chest. “Aurora, what happened?”
“Call 911!” Aurora shouted. “Luca, stay with me, stay with me…” she said, her voice overflowing with tension and fear.
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