Heart Captivated

by Lindsay Bergman

  When it was over, we walked together toward the winning team in order to offer Adam our congratulations. Standing at the edge of the field, I felt a prickle on my skin and froze. I could feel someone watching me again. I searched the crowd, looking for dark hair that was too long. And there he was, the same man from the harbor. He was hovering on the outskirts of the crowd closest to the Royal Family, with his dark gaze once again focused on me.

  My heart rate sped up, unnerved by this unknown man’s second appearance.

  “Is everything all right, Bree?” Emma asked in concern. “You look pale.”

  “Someone’s watching me,” I breathed, unable to take my eyes from him. If I lost sight of him, where would he appear the next time? He was already ten yards closer than he’d been at the dock. Too far away to make out his age or any distinct features, but close enough that I could feel his stare. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw both Adam and Ethan stiffen.

  “Where is he?” Ethan demanded, moving closer to me. “Is he a threat?”

  “I don’t know, he’s just watching me. He’s over there, next to the Royal Family’s tent. Dark hair, dark blazer.”

  “I see him,” Ethan confirmed. “He’s close to Sophie and Ashton. Are you sure he’s not a threat?” I could detect the alarm in his voice, which shot up my own level of panic.

  “I don’t know, but this is the second time I’ve caught him watching me. Ashton said someone has been asking around about me and Sophie.”

  Ethan cursed under his breath at the same time as I heard Adam call over a royal guard and quickly relay the situation. He moved to flank my other side and said, “Guards are moving in now. They’re not willing to take any chances with the Royal Family in attendance.”

  “I should warn Maddy and Alexander,” Ethan said urgently.

  After what had happened to Maddy last summer, I wasn’t surprised that Ethan was so concerned about her safety. But before he could make a move, a rumbling thunder of hooves shook the ground and screams ripped through the air. Three horses barreled around the corner and raced straight toward a small group of people on the outskirts of the tents.

  A gasp lodged in my throat when I recognized Mackenzie as one of the guests in danger. Everyone else scattered, but Mackenzie wasn’t fast enough.

  Before I could so much as blink, a tall and black-suited figure sped across the lawn and shoved her away in the nick of time. They rolled together across the dirt, landing in a tumble of arms and limbs, with the dark-haired guard I recognized as Gerard propped up on his elbows above her. Flat on her back beneath him, Mackenzie stared up at him in a daze. She blinked, and color flooded her cheeks a moment later.

  Chaos erupted around us as the crowds split. Half ran toward Gerard and Mackenzie to make sure they were all right, while the other half broke down in hysterics and loud chatter. Several men raced out to catch the runaway horses, as the number of surrounding guards increased exponentially. A group of them ushered the entire Royal Family away to safety, including a protesting Ashton. Amid the chaos, I spotted Sophie at the edge of the farthest tent, talking to the dark-haired man in the black blazer.

  “Sophie!” I shouted, but my warning was lost in the noise. I rushed toward her, kicking off the stupid heels that hindered my ability to run. People kept getting in my way, and I was forced to shove past them, my fear rising, and panic lodging in my throat. I repeatedly lost sight of her amid the crowds. My fear doubled each time, afraid that she would disappear before my very eyes.

  When I finally reached her, I was out of breath—and the man was gone. “Sophie,” I gasped out, clutching at her shoulders. “Are you all right?”

  She was pale as a ghost, and the hand that grasped at mine held on in a fierce grip. She stared at me with distant eyes, lost for a moment, before finally focusing on my face. I watched her forcibly pull herself together piece by piece, and fake a smile that I didn’t believe for a second. “I’m fine, Bree,” she said, releasing her grip on me. “It’s Mackenzie I’m worried about. She was nearly trampled.”

  She tried to turn away from me, but I gripped her upper arms and stared fiercely into her averted brown eyes. “Sophie Anne Parker, do not lie to me,” I growled, the panic still laced through my voice. “I saw the man talking to you. What did he want? Do you know him?”

  She brushed away my hands and my questions. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Brielle. Everything is fine.”

  “Stop lying to me!” I shouted, drawing the attention of several people nearby.

  Sophie shot a glance at them, then stepped closer, dropping her voice into a harsh whisper. “Whatever you think you saw, you’re wrong. You need to let it go, Brielle.”

  “Sophie—,” I argued.

  “No!” she barked, adamant. “Let it go.”

  If a guard hadn’t arrived the very next moment, demanding that we follow him to safety, I would have hounded her for an answer. Sophie was clearly hiding something. And I knew, without a doubt, that it involved the mysterious man who had been watching me.

  I didn’t know who he was or what he wanted. But I was certain that his presence would only cause trouble.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Once we were back inside the palace, I set off in search of my sister, leaving the others to gossip about the events at the polo match. Sophie had disappeared the moment we’d arrived, and I was determined to get an answer out of her this time. After finding no sign of her on the first floor, I climbed up the grand staircase and rounded the corner that led to our guest rooms.

  In the hallway outside her room, I caught sight of Ashton and Sophie locked in a kiss. I stopped dead in my tracks and stared. His hands were on her waist, holding her close, and her arms were twined around his neck, pulling him even closer. I blinked, wondering if I was imagining it.

  Nope—definitely not imagining it. A small, horrified gasp of surprise escaped my lips.

  Ashton stiffened at the sound and broke their kiss. He whipped his head around to meet my gaze, a look of chagrin on his face. “Bree,” he uttered, stepping toward me.

  I backed away in haste and shook my head at him, blinded by denial—and tears. In my rush to get away, I tripped over the stupid heels that my sister had insisted I wear to the match. The sister who was clinging to Ashton’s hand. The sister who now had rosy lips after just being kissed by the prince we were both in love with. Pain lanced through my heart, shattering it. I twisted away from them both and fled down the hallway.

  “Brielle!” Ashton shouted. His footsteps pounded out after me, too fast for me to escape.

  He caught my arm at the top of the landing and spun me around to face him. “Let me explain,” he said hurriedly. “Sophie—”

  “You don’t need to explain,” I interrupted, quickly wiping at my wet eyes before he could see the tears. I didn’t want to hear about how he’d finally realized that Sophie was the one for him, and I didn’t want him to see how much his choice had hurt me. Valiantly trying to hold back the remaining tears, I said in a trembling voice, “You don’t owe me anything, least of all an explanation. I’ve been pushing you away since we met; how could I be upset with you for finally taking me seriously?” I angled my face to hide behind a curtain of auburn hair, and away from his probing, soul-searching eyes. “I’m really happy for you both. But if you’ll excuse me, I have somewhere else to be.”

  Which was anywhere, but here. I tried to tug my arm loose, but his grip only tightened.

  “Brielle,” Ashton began, clasping my chin and forcing me to meet his eyes. “You don’t—”

  “Please, Ashton,” I interrupted again, jerking my face away in order to avoid looking into his eyes. “I can’t be here right now,” I whispered raggedly. I was very close to losing control and didn’t know how much longer I could keep the tears at bay. The last thing I wanted was to allow him to see how crushed I was. “Please let me go.”

  “Not until you listen.” Ashton brushed the veil of hair from my face, exposing the lone tea
r trailing slowly down my cheek. “Oh, Bree,” he murmured, his voice heartbreakingly tender. He reached out to wipe away the tear. “Please don’t cry, bien-aim—”

  “Don’t,” I warned, stiffening against his touch. “Please don’t call me that.” I was dangerously close to flying over the edge. If he called me his beloved, I didn’t think I could keep myself from slapping him. How dare he kiss my sister and then continue to call me sweet endearments? “Let go of me, Ashton.”

  Something in my expression finally registered with him.

  “All right,” Ashton placated. He carefully released me and held up his hands in a calming gesture, as if I were a frightened horse. “I promise to only call you by name, but I need you to listen to me.”

  Sophie chose that moment to join us. She peered at me around Ashton’s shoulder, and her brow creased with concern. “Are you okay, Bree?”

  “I’m fine,” I told her, before looking away.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ashton tense. “Sophie, I need a moment alone with Bree.”

  “Actually, I need to go,” I blurted, sidestepping away from him. “He’s all yours, Sophie.” I tried to escape down the staircase again, but Ashton was too quick for me.

  He moved like a flash of lightning and blocked my retreat. “Brielle, will you stop running away from me?” he demanded, his voice a low growl. He dragged a hand through his hair and blew out a frustrated breath. “How can I explain when you won’t even listen?”

  “There’s nothing to explain,” I denied.

  “What do you need to explain?” Sophie questioned at the same time.

  As Ashton fumbled for a response, Alexander appeared in the long hallway behind him.

  “Ashton,” the crown prince called out.

  “What now?” Ashton muttered, shifting to glare at his brother. “Can this wait a minute, Alex?” He cocked his head in our direction. “I’m in the middle of something.”

  Alexander’s eyes narrowed slightly in speculation. He looked over the three of us, his eyes lingering on my strained expression, then he returned his gaze to his brother. “You’ll have to finish it later. We need to discuss what happened at the polo match.”

  Ashton sighed, his shoulders dropping in acquiescence. He flicked a glance at me and quietly warned, “This is isn’t over, Brielle.”

  I nodded minutely, then fled before he could change his mind.

  Halfway down the stairs, I heard Sophie tell him, “I’ll be waiting for you out in the garden.”

  I didn’t wait to hear Ashton’s response.

  I followed the path that would lead me to the secluded gazebo. The sky was bright, with not a hint of clouds in the sky. But my mood felt dark. Discarding my heels, I walked barefoot along the gravel pathway and tried to lose myself in the sights and smells of the exotic palace garden.

  I paused near a row of crimson rose bushes and reached out to gently touch a ruffled petal. It was a beautiful flower, layered in shades of deep red. It had an appealing, fragrant scent and was lovely to look at. But to pluck it, one had to risk the thorns. Love was like a rose, I thought wryly. When falling in love, you had to be willing to risk the thorns.

  “Bree?” Sophie called out from behind me.

  I closed my eyes on a sigh, and hesitated before turning around to face her. Our matching brown eyes met, both brimming with emotion. As we stood rooted in silence, a breeze picked up, whipping the auburn hair around our faces, and ruffling the hems of our dresses. The tense silence lengthened.

  Sophie was the first to speak, her voice hesitant. “Your feelings for Ashton are stronger than you’ve admitted, aren’t they?”

  A mixture of grief and shame swamped me. I confessed in a whisper, “Yes, but I didn’t mean for it to happen.”

  Sophie looked down for a long moment. “Are you in love with him?”

  An ache rose within my chest, nearly suffocating me with the constricting pain. How could I possibly confess to loving the same man as my sister? All I could manage was, “There’s nothing going on between us. We’re only friends.”

  “That’s not what I asked, Brielle,” Sophie said softly. She promptly crossed the distance between us and took hold of my hands. “I saw your face when you found us kissing in the hallway. You looked … heartbroken. Can you please tell me the truth?” She paused to draw in a deep breath, and continued. “Do you love him? I need to know.”

  My eyes closed, the ache within deepening. “Sophie …” I pleaded, shaking my head.

  “You do, don’t you?” she whispered painfully. “It’s written all over your face.”

  What else could I do, but admit the truth? “Yes, I love him.” I opened my eyes and saw her crestfallen expression. “Please,” I begged, clutching her hands tighter. “Please don’t hate me. I didn’t mean to fall for him, I swear.”

  “I know,” Sophie said on a sigh. “I couldn’t help but fall for him either.”

  We looked at each other, our eyes overflowing with tears of heartache. How could we have both fallen in love with the same man?

  “I know that identical twins share everything, but this is ridiculous,” I joked, laughing dryly.

  Sophie cracked a smile and brushed the tears from her eyes. “I know, right? Look, Bree,” she said, her expression growing serious. “I never would have pursued him if I’d realized how strong your feelings were. I thought you were just a little smitten. I didn’t realize you were falling in love.” She turned her head away to stare out across the garden. “I won’t stand in your way if you want to be together.”

  The ache in her voice betrayed how difficult it must have been for her to make that declaration. My heart softened with compassion, and an equal amount of devotion.

  “There’s nothing going on between us, Sophie. I’ve done nothing but push him away since we met, and he’s finally given up. You’re not standing in the way of anything, I promise.”

  She snorted in disbelief and sent me a look. “Did you not see how he reacted when you caught us kissing? He couldn’t chase you down fast enough. I’d guess that he has strong feelings for you, too.” She dropped her gaze and fidgeted nervously. “And I should admit that I was the one who kissed him. You walked in on us seconds later, before he had the chance to push me away.”

  My breath caught in my throat as I tried to process her words. Did that mean that there was still the chance of a possibility between us? Remembering the heartache in my sister’s eyes, I shook the thought away. It was too late now.

  “It doesn’t matter,” I told her, meaning it with my whole heart—cracked and all. “You are my sister, and no matter what I feel for Ashton, I won’t let it come between us.”

  “I love you too, Bree.” She tucked her hair behind an ear, then sighed. “But what kind of sister would I be if I let you give up the man of your dreams?”

  “A selfless one. If you can give up the man of your dreams for me, then you can at least let me do the same.”

  Sophie shook her head and wrapped an arm around my waist. “We make quite the pair. Twin sisters, in love with the same man.”

  Resting my head against hers, I sighed. “This sure is one heck of a complicated love triangle.”

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Not long after, a melancholy Sophie left me alone with my thoughts. I wandered mindlessly past colorful bursts of flowers, until I reached the gazebo draped in long vines of bougainvillea. Even though I’d sought out this spot, I couldn’t bring myself to go inside—not where the vivid memories of being held in Ashton’s arms would be too strong and potent.

  How was I supposed to erase him from my heart when every part of Coradova held a memory of him?

  I sat on a nearby stone bench instead, with ankles crossed and head bowed. Deep in thought, I lost track of the time. When the garden lights flickered on, I looked up to see the sky darkening from violet into deep, midnight purple. Night was fast approaching.

  A moment later, I heard footsteps crunching over gravel, and stood to peer
down the pathway at the lone figure heading my way. It was Ashton, moving toward me with long, purposeful strides. His expression was filled with determination as he quickly closed the distance between us.

  Without a word, Ashton took me into his arms. Our eyes met for a mere heartbeat before his mouth claimed mine, covering the protest I couldn’t get out fast enough. An explosion of warmth spread through me like pops of fireworks. His kiss was even better than I remembered. I knew I had to give him up for my sister’s sake, but what could one last, heart-pounding kiss hurt? I leaned into him, splaying my hands over his firm chest, savoring every touch and emotion coursing through me, and kissed him back with surprising ardor.

  When his hand tangled in my spill of hair, I abruptly realized that he might have made a mistake. With our hair down and matching dresses, Sophie and I were irrefutably identical—both Adam and Madison had gotten us mixed up earlier. During my flight down the stairs, I’d heard Sophie tell Ashton that she’d be waiting for him out in the garden.

  What if Ashton thought I was Sophie?

  Feeling utterly ashamed, I braced my hands between us and pushed against his chest, even though I really just wanted to bring him closer. This was wrong. I couldn’t take advantage of his mistake—no matter how much I wanted to.

  I broke the kiss and tried to pull out of his embrace. “Ashton, wait.”