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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 impression 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.
One day Regina would observe too closely and learn the truth, that she and Lucca were only playacting. Though her brother was in love with another woman, he had to walk a fine line in order to convince everyone his marriage to Alex was built on solid ground. For the moment she had to respond like a woman in love, yet already she was worn-out with the strain of it and longed to be alone to think.
When it came her turn to climb out of the helicopter with Lucca’s assistance, she noticed a swarm of staff from the palace descending on them. The crown prince and favorite son had come home at last.
No sooner did that thought fill her mind than Regina put a hand on Alex’s arm. “Now that we’ve arrived, my brother’s life won’t be his own. Come on. I’ll show you to your suite. After a transatlantic flight I’m always exhausted, even if I’ve slept.” Regina understood a great deal.
Lucca stood behind her and gave her waist a surreptitious squeeze, melting her insides. “Go with my sister,” he whispered before kissing her temple. “I’ll ring you later in the day when you’ve had a chance to rest.” It was clear there’d be no introductions to anyone until she’d been presented to his parents.
Alex nodded without looking at him and followed Regina’s lead, but with each stride that took her away from him, she felt the keen loss of his presence.
Better get used to it, Alex. Lucca is only a figurehead in your life. Concentrate on obtaining your goals, then you won’t be a pathetic creature who listens for his every footstep and hangs like a heavy millstone around his neck. Focus on your surroundings.
Her surroundings …
She paused midway to the north portico at the rear of the sprawling Renaissance palace. It was perched on the lower part of a steep hillside. In the late-morning sun the ornate, three-story structure gleamed like a dazzling white jewel against a backdrop of an impossibly blue sea and sky.
Her gaze lifted to the stunning flag with a white cross on a red field designating the House of Savoy. Below it was a flag with a crown and shield of the reigning Vittorio family coat-of-arms. She’d seen the same insignia emblazoned on the jet’s exterior.
Everywhere her eyes traveled she discovered fruit and palm trees. Flower gardens with too many varieties to name dotted the fluid carpet of velvety green. The marvelous scent of roses mixed with lemon and orange filled her lungs.
Southern California had its share of fabulous estates, but nothing she’d ever seen came close to this. Regina walked back to her. “It’s breathtaking to me, too, and I’ve lived here all my life.”
“No ordinary gardener created this paradise. It’s been done by a master planner. I’m staggered by so much beauty.”
Regina’s heart-shaped mouth curved into a smile that lit her warm brown eyes. “I’ll tell Dizo what you said.”
“Who’s that?”
“His real name is Dinozzo. He’s the oldest son of Guido Fornese, the head gardener, but between you and me Dizo is the genius. I’d never say that to anyone else because I wouldn’t want to hurt Guido’s feelings.”
“I’ll never tell,” Alex assured her.
The younger woman stared at her. “You’re nice.”
“So are you, Regina.” She had a sweetness in her. Though they were only a year apart in age, their life’s experience had been so different Alex felt much older.
“Wait till you see the view of the front from your bedroom balcony.”
Alex put a hand to her breast. “Do you think my heart can take it?” she teased to cover her emotions spilling all over the place.
In that lovely face raised to her she saw traces of the charismatic man who’d cast a spell over her. Otherwise why would she be standing in this Garden of Eden instead of a cubicle on the studio lot in Culver City building a nose for Cyrano de Bergerac.
Gentle laughter broke from Regina. “I’m still alive if that means anything.”
“It means a lot.”
“There’s another reason why Lucca wants you in the blue suite.”
“What is that?” Alex asked quietly.
“I’d better not tell. You’ll find out soon enough.” The comment made her feel giddy with curiosity. “Come on, before he gets after me for not taking the proper care of you.”
The palace had a staff of a small army of people, two of whom opened the doors for her and Regina. Alex stepped onto a checkerboard floor of deep rose and white marble. Across the grand foyer rose an exquisitely carved marble staircase. The walls and niches were filled with statuary and gold-framed paintings of immense size.
When Regina noticed Alex’s interest in everything, she said, “The core of the present palazzo dates from 1467 and was originally the town residence of an ambitious Capriccio banker. The ruling family of the House of Savoy liked the location and bought it in 1498. The families that came after began to build on to it, filling it with great treasures until it looks the way it does today.”
“You’re surrounded by history,” Alex marveled. “The palace is absolutely beautiful inside and out.”
“I think so, too. Some of the most precious items have been moved to the museum so visitors can see them.” They started up the stairs to the second floor.
“Lucca told me the family jewels are kept there.”
“Yes, including the Ligurian diamond. Did you happen to see it on display in New York?”
“Only a glimpse, but during the flight here he let me hold it up to the light so I could see into its heart,” she explained as they curved around to the next story.
Regina paused on the top step to study her for a moment. Alex had no way of deciphering the other woman’s thoughts before following her down the spacious corridor. Everywhere she looked the ceilings and walls were a masterpiece of frescoes and gilt cornices forming frames around them.
When Regina opened the double doors halfway down the east wing, Alex let out a cry of delight. The large apartment with its ornate white woodwork was a vision of blue and white stripes against a smaller blue-and-white pattern on the walls.
Through one set of double doors was a den with a computer and every possible accoutrement for her comfort.
“Lucca will have ordered a lunch tray for you. He wants you to relax and enjoy yourself.”
“Thank you for everything, Regina.”
“You’re welcome. If you need anything, pick up the phone and dial 1 for housekeeping. Dial 2 for Lucca, 3 for me and 0 for an outside line. Talk to you later.”
Dial 2 for Lucca …
Regina shut the doors behind her, leaving Alex, who was charmed by her new world. A fabulous blue-and-white Persian rug covered the gleaming white, marble floors of the sitting room. She walked across it to the bedroom. Alex saw that her suitcase had already been placed at the end of the king-size bed. At the opposite end of the room was a fireplace framed by hand-painted blue-and-white tiles. Exquisite.
Tall French doors had been opened to reveal Capriccio’s curved bay with its myriad of yachts. Drawn to the balcony, she looked down on the terraced grounds where she saw a long, blue rectangular pool graced by ornamental flowering trees and statuary. Exotic plants delineated the borders of each terrace. Steps led down to the private beach. Between the view and the warm, sweetly scented air, the whole ambience was out of a dream and left her speechless.
“After your fright on the helicopter, I didn’t think you’d make it any further than the bed.”
Lucca’s deep male voice jarred her out of her trance. She turned around but couldn’t see him.
“Look up.”
Surprised, she lifted her head and discovered him staring down at her from a balcony on the third floor, one suite over.
“I put you in there so I could keep an eye on you without an audience.”
She assumed he meant the bodyguards. Minus his suit jacket, he was leaning on his forearms, giving her the impression he’d been out there for several minutes and was happy to be home after being away so long. Knowing there were no secrets between the two of them had to make this the supreme moment of his life.
Alex wished she could feel happier about it. “I thought you’d be with your parents.”
“I spoke to them from the plane. They’re expecting me at five this evening after Papa’s nap.”
“So they still don’t know about me?”
“No. I’ll come for you at ten to five. We’ll make our entrance together. In the meantime I have business I must attend to. Enjoy your meal. It happens to be one of my favorites.”
Alex couldn’t fault him for anything.
As he turned away, she glimpsed the play of muscle in those masculine shoulders covered by his silk shirt. His well-honed physique was proof he kept fit. Not wanting to think where his personal business might take him this afternoon, she went back inside the apartment to eat. One of the maids had set the tray on the oval table in the sitting room.
Though the scallops and pasta were delicious, she ate with little enthusiasm, leaving most of it to start making phone calls home. Michelle was her first priority. Alex glanced at her watch. Her boss would be up and getting ready for work by now. Once she arrived on the lot, pure chaos reigned. Now would be the best time to catch her.
Alex hadn’t been looking forward to telling her she wouldn’t be coming back to work. For the moment all she would say was that while she was in New York, she realized she needed a complete break from her life in California. For the time being she was looking into attending medical school and would get in touch with her when her plans solidified.
