Diamonds are Forever

CHAPTER EIGHT




LUCCA was still trying to recover from that moment of ecstasy in her arms and the period of agony that followed.

“Well, what do you think?” he queried again just to say something to break the silence.

“It’s stupendous, but then, so is the one from Dirupo where civilization hasn’t encroached. Did I pronounce Dirupo right?” Alex answered breathlessly.

“Perfettamente.”

“I’m serious.”

“So am I. There was no trace of an American accent just then.”

“Thank you. With only one word to pronounce, there shouldn’t be.” She rolled her eyes, an unconscious trait he never tired of watching. “Wait until I try to string a sentence together. But I’ll keep working on it, Lucca, for you.”

“You sound charming.”

“Americans don’t sound charming. Ours isn’t a charming language.”

A smile lifted the corner of his mouth. “Who told you that?”

“No one. You can simply tell. The way you speak Italian, Lucca, it sounds beautiful, like melted butter dripping all over the place. Americans speak English like they’re spewing meat through a grinder, plopping big globs everywhere.”

Lucca thought he’d heard everything, but that wasn’t the case because he never knew what was going to come out of that succulent mouth. Earlier it had given him a heart attack. Right now he couldn’t stop laughing.

“You see?” She grinned. “I was right.”

He held up his hands. “As they say in your country, I plead the Fifth.”

“Always the diplomat, and brilliant besides,” she muttered.

Once his shoulders stopped shaking he said, “Are you hungry?”

“Yes! You didn’t know your grocery bill was going to go up when you took me on.”

He chuckled once more. “It’s worth the price for the pleasure of your entertaining company. Let’s go inside the epicerie across the road. You choose the items for our picnic.”

“And what will you do?”

“Hold the basket for you.”

After he took both their helmets and locked them on his bike, he slid his hand up her back to her tender neck and guided her toward the store. In the open doorway was an inviting display of fruits and vegetables.

All the little signs were in French, but she’d learned her first Italian lesson on foods well enough to impress him. “We’ll have pane, mela, formaggio and suco d’uva.” She dropped the items in the basket. Darting him an impish glance she said, “Can we afford dessert?”

“What do you have your eye on?”

“Anything. You choose.”

“Done.” He took two napoleons from the plate and put them in the basket. They moved to the counter so he could pay. It had been too long since Lucca had enjoyed this kind of fun with a woman.

As he was putting his wallet back in his jeans his cell phone rang. It was Carlo. “Si?”

“Someone broke through the blockade and rammed into your cycle!”


“Accidenti!”

Alexandra knew that word well enough and shot him an anxious glance. He turned away from her.

“We don’t know if it was intentional. Leave through the back door where the limo’s waiting to drive you to the helicopter.”

“Capisco.” He hung up.

“Lucca?”

“No time for explanations now. Come with me.”

Paolo was there to help hustle her through the back of the shop to the alley. A dozen of Lucca’s people hovered around three limos. Now that he had Alexandra to worry about, he was thankful for the added security.

“What’s wrong?” she begged after they drove away.

“Some crazy ran into the motorcycle.”

“Oh, no—”

“It might have been accidental. Whatever the explanation, I’m not taking any chances with you.”

Another minute and they arrived at the helipad where he helped her into the helicopter. Within seconds it lifted off and he could relax.

“Sorry about our picnic, bellissima. Another time.”

“Do you think I care?” she cried softly. “What if someone was intentionally trying to hurt you?”

“It’s happened before.”

She shuddered. “I’ll never complain about Carlo and Paolo again.” Her eyes searched his. “This will be all over the news. What will you father say when he finds out? It could set him back.”

“By now he’s already been told you and I escaped any injury,” Lucca muttered morosely. “Until the coronation, we’ll maintain a low profile. That’ll keep both him and my mother happy.”

“Lucca?” He could hear her mind working. “Do you always plan exactly where you’re going to be at any given moment?”

He clasped the hand closest to him. “Pretty much.”

“That kind of kills any spontaneity on your part.”

“Si.”

“It must be hard on your security people, too.”

“I’m afraid there’ll be times when it’ll be much harder on you.”

“Forget me.”

Then he might as well quit breathing. “We’re almost home. I’m afraid I’m going to be tied up for a while with the debriefing. Do me a favor and relax. I’ll have dinner sent up to your room. Feel free to explore any part of the palace you like. If it’s possible, I’ll join you later.”

“That won’t be necessary. I’m going to work on my next lesson and impress you.”

If she did any more to impress him, he was seriously thinking of a honeymoon before the ceremony.

Besides today’s incident, which brought home as nothing else could the fact that Alexandra’s life had been in danger, he needed to get his security people to do a thorough background check on Manny Horowitz. Lucca wanted to know chapter and verse about the man preying on Alex. The phone call from her mother’s agent was the one contingency he hadn’t conceived of when contemplating the many obstacles to their marriage.

He didn’t really believe she had a romantic interest in Manny, but he didn’t want her going near the man no matter the reason. The desire to pay off her mother’s debts had driven her to fall in with Lucca’s plans, but even he could see how Manny’s offer held great appeal. A love of acting could be in her blood and she just didn’t know it yet. Alexandra was a Carlisle after all, still young and damnably vulnerable.

The woman journalist had been right. Alexandra could have any man she wanted. Some idiot actor could get to her. There’d be physical intimacy on the set with the men playing opposite her. She could be enticed to do another picture and another. It would be an escape from the prison she’d walked into by agreeing to marry him. One day she’d want her freedom and reach for it without looking back.

That wasn’t the way Lucca intended for things to happen. That wasn’t acceptable. “Maledizzione!”

He felt a light touch on his arm. “Lucca? Does that mean damn or hell?”

Alexandra, Alexandra.

Regina rushed down the steps to embrace them. She cried something in Italian to Lucca before remembering to speak English.

“Are you all right?” she asked Alex, her eyes full of concern.

Before Alex could answer, Lucca pressed a hard kiss to her mouth. “I’ll see you later,” he whispered. After tweaking Regina’s cheek he took the steps two at a time to the second floor.

His physical demonstrations of love for the benefit of the family were getting more difficult for Alex to handle when she knew the real reason behind them. Trying to ward off the latest assault on her senses, she linked her arm through Regina’s and they finished climbing the stairs to the second floor. Both of them watched his swift progress down the hall toward their parents’ suite.

“Thank God nothing happened to you.” Regina sounded shaken. Slowly they moved in the direction of their own bedrooms.

“I had no idea anything was going on. We were in a small grocery store and suddenly Lucca told me we had to leave.”

“Then you don’t know?” his sister cried.

“About the motorcycle, yes.”

“No.” She shook her head. “The police uncovered a plot to assassinate Lucca. It won’t have been the first time. He had a close call in Rio a year ago while he was there doing business.”

“How close?”

“He was shot.”

Alex gasped.

“Carlo was able to deflect the bullet. It lodged in Lucca’s shoulder instead of his heart.”

She squeezed her eyes together. For a moment Alex felt sick to her stomach. Lucca had been so clever in playing down the trouble today, she had no clue of the magnitude of the situation.

“He’s all right, Alexandra. So far four men have been arrested, one of them a plant at the motorcycle dealership Lucca patronizes.”

“We were just there,” her voice trailed shakily.

Regina nodded. “Intelligence says two more men are involved but have left the country. It’s because they don’t want Lucca on the throne. Since Papa’s illness last year, Lucca has virtually run the government. His rigid policy for closed immigration borders and strict banking laws has frustrated certain elements as you can imagine.”

“Do you agree with him?”

“Absolutely. Papa has stopped short of allowing electronic eavesdropping for surveillance to go on, but once Lucca is king, all that is going to change and the enemy knows it.”

Alex shuddered. “He’ll never be safe, will he?”

“No, but his first duty is to keep the rest of us safe.”

Regina sounded like a queen herself.

“That explains why there was so much extra security at the House of Savoy in New York.”

Her dark head whipped around. “So that was the shop you referred to at the press conference? I’ve been dying to know where your great love affair began.”

Alex moaned inwardly. “He was in the security room with his bodyguards and saw me on one of the monitors getting upset with the head jeweler.”

“My brother can’t make a move without a small army protecting him.”

The reason Lucca hadn’t been to see his lover was no longer a mystery. It looked like it was time for Regina to know everything. Until his sister was armed with the whole truth about the reason for their engagement, Alex wouldn’t be able to help him.

“Regina? Will you have dinner with me in my room?”

“I was going to suggest we eat together. Mama and Papa want to be alone with Lucca.”


“I’m sure he wants that, too, if only to reassure them he won’t be planning any more crazy outings with me.”

“They’re not crazy.” His sister sounded mournful. “He just wants to live a normal life like other men.”

Alex opened the door to her suite. “There’s something else he wants, Regina.”

“What do you mean?”

The way she asked that question in all naiveté led Alex to believe Lucca’s sister really didn’t know about his secret love.

He was a private man who gave so little away, you had to have radar to catch the slips. Alex had a private nature, too. Maybe that was why she’d been able to pick up on them.

“Come inside and let’s talk.”

Once they’d ordered a sandwich, Alex took off her new leather jacket and boots and curled up on one end of the couch. Regina slipped out of her sandals and tucked her legs beneath her on the chair facing Alex.

“Regina … what I’m going to tell you has to stay between us.”

She crossed herself. “I swear it.”

Alex sat forward. “You’re going to fight me on it.”

Lucca’s sister looked utterly bewildered. After a long pause she said, “I promise I won’t.”

“Grazie.” Both women smiled at each other with a perfect understanding.

“Your brother’s in love.”

“I know. He’s so madly in love with you, I’m euphoric. So are my parents. None of us thought it would or could happen. When he asked me to meet him at the plane, I knew he’d reached the darkest point in his life and needed me. I’m afraid that’s why I fell apart the moment I saw him. I was so upset for him, I didn’t realize you were standing nearby.”

“He’s a better actor than my mother ever was.”

Alex waited for those words to sink in before she continued.

“There’s a commoner he’s been in love with for a long time. I don’t know her name. We don’t discuss her. I have no idea if she’s Castelmarian, French, Italian, British, Australian or American, or from somewhere else entirely for that matter. I’m presuming they spend their time together whenever he leaves the country to go on those six-week business trips.”

Regina stayed true to her word. She didn’t make a sound, but suddenly her lovely face was all brown eyes.

“If she is one of your countrywomen, then the heightened security would explain why he hasn’t tried to be with her since our arrival. However, I’m digressing from the main point which is this—your brother and I are getting married to solve two problems that appeared insoluble to us both until we met. Love doesn’t come into it and never did.”

Alex waited for lightning to strike her dead. When it didn’t, she unloaded on poor Regina who sat there for the next five minutes looking shell-shocked. “So now you understand everything.”

The words had scarcely left her mouth when the maid knocked and brought in a tray. After thanking her and seeing her to the door, Alex walked back to Regina.

“What I need you to do is go to him in private and tell him that you know the truth. Convince him I want to help him so he can be with her before the wedding. She needs an explanation.

“He’ll be furious with me, but I don’t care. His happiness and safety are more important to me than anything else in this world.” Her voice trembled. “I know you feel the same way. On the plane I witnessed that love.”

Regina’s eyes filled, but she continued to remain silent.

“I have a plan.” One that had been burning up Alex’s mind during the motorcycle ride to Eze. The scare after they’d been shopping for a picnic had set the seal on it. “Tell Lucca it will enable him to be with her right away without worrying about anyone’s safety.

“When he asks why I didn’t talk to him about this myself, tell him I didn’t think he would take me seriously. But I knew he’d listen to you because he loves and trusts you, Regina. We both need your support if this is going to work.”

Alex took another fortifying breath. “You, above all people, know how much he’s suffered over the years knowing he would have to marry someone he didn’t love. It shouldn’t have to happen to anyone. My mother went in and out of six marriages. None of them worked, and her life was a ruin.

“I don’t want that for Lucca. He’s the most unselfish, wonderful man in the world and deserves every happiness. With your backing we can help make his life bearable. Will you do it?” she implored.

Regina’s solemn eyes stared at her for the longest time. “How could I not? What’s your plan?”

Lucca bade the head of security good-night. It was close to midnight. Much as he wanted to talk to Alexandra, he would have to wait until tomorrow. She’d be asleep by now. Though he was exhausted, it was the emotional kind. He was positive he wouldn’t be able to sleep yet and opted to go for a swim in the pool in front of the palace.

He slipped out the south entrance into the warm night air and ambled down the steps. After leaving his T-shirt and jeans in a pile, he removed his socks and boots. For the sake of propriety because he was never solely alone, he kept on his boxers and dove into the tepid water.

On his tenth lap he heard a splash. Was it Alexandra?

His heart practically leaped out of his chest until he realized it was his sister doing the breaststroke toward him, leaving him fiercely disappointed.

Lucca’s sister was a champion swimmer. Still, he couldn’t help but wonder what had brought her out here this time of night.

“Ao, piccina.”

“Ciao, fratello mio. I’ve been waiting to talk to you. This is the perfect spot.” They both treaded water.

“You sound serious tonight.”

“I am.”

Some nuance in her voice convinced him. “Did the parents send you?”

“No.”

“I give up. What’s on your mind?”

“Alexandra has told me everything.”

“Everything covers a lot of territory,” he teased, not liking the direction this conversation had taken.

“Please let me talk until I’m finished. This time I won’t let you put me off because you’re uncomfortable.”

He tossed his head back to stop the water from dripping in his eyes. “Is that what I do?”

“When it gets too personal, yes, it’s exactly what you do. Like you’re doing right now.”

“Consider me suitably chastened.”

“Lucca … I know the real reason why Alexandra is going to marry you. While you fund her tuition for medical school, she’ll play the loving fiancée to get you off the hook. She told me all about the fake diamonds and her mother’s debts. I understand she plans to pay them off by earning the money. It does her great credit.”

“I agree.”

“What I don’t understand is why you told her you were in love with someone else when we both know it’s not true?”

“That’s my business.”

“Not any longer, but I’m beginning to understand why she asked for my help. You can be forbidding over the things you hold most dear. Did you know she has an elaborate plan to help you and your supposed lover spend some time together before the wedding without putting you at risk? I think it’s the most selfless thing I ever heard of.”

“Go on.” He couldn’t wait to hear the rest. Alexandra’s mind fascinated him.


“She has to fly to Los Angeles to finish closing up her apartment.”

A tight band constricted his breathing. “How is that supposed to aid me?” It seemed his fiancée had conveniently left Manny out of the conversation with his sister.

No way was Lucca going to let her go near him, not since his security people had found out the agent had a lot more to do with her mother’s bankruptcy than anyone had let on. He’d been taking huge cuts out of her income for years and figured he could do the same with Alexandra. Lucca would protect her from that barracuda at all costs.

“She’ll be coming right back, Lucca. When she returns to Castelmare, she intends to bring a friend with her for the upcoming wedding. That friend will be your fictional lover.”

“For once I have to confess I’m speechless.”

“You haven’t heard anything yet! Alexandra’s done makeup for years and says that if you’re worried about anyone recognizing your girlfriend, she can change her looks enough so that no one could identify her. I’d say it was a master plan. She even thinks they’ll stay in the blue suite together where you can have access to her.”

Santo Cielo!

Only Alexandra could have concocted anything so diabolically clever and insane at the same time. Today’s assassination attempt had brought out that deep well of compassion inside her. In the process she’d inveigled his tender-hearted sister, who’d worried over his secret sadness for too many years.

He moved to the edge of the pool and levered himself up onto the deck. Regina climbed out behind him. “You can’t let this lie go on any longer. She deserves the truth. Why have you allowed her to go on believing something so outrageous?”

“I have my reasons.” Lucca was still waiting for Sofia to return his call and release him from the promise he’d made to keep her plans a secret. The newscast announcing his forthcoming marriage to Alexandra had already devastated Sofia’s parents. There’d been phone calls to his parents. The sooner Sofia explained everything to her parents, the sooner the pain, for everyone, could end.

“Don’t take too long to be honest with her. She wants to leave for Los Angeles right away.”

He pulled on his jeans. After he’d gathered his other clothes, they returned to the palace. When they reached the second floor, he said, “I’ll talk to her tomorrow afternoon.”

“Why don’t you tell her first thing in the morning?”

“Because Papa has to go into the hospital for blood work and Mama wants me there. I’ll be back in time to give Alexandra another Italian lesson.”

“What do you mean another?”

“Until Professor Emilio returns, I’ve decided to take a break from my work schedule to give her some of my time each afternoon.”

In the privacy of the schoolroom he would tell her about Manny, who’d used her mother mercilessly. Lucca would do anything to protect her. He hoped this new information would help her develop a more-positive view of her parent.

Regina eyed him speculatively. “Are you sure you want to do that?”

“You don’t approve?”

“Of course, but cut her a little slack. Not everyone is the scary perfectionist you are. I ought to know. Buonanotte.”

Alex left for the schoolroom in a nervous state. She thought by now she would have heard from Lucca. A phone call. Anything. But he’d been out of touch. So had Regina, who, Alex had found out the day before, volunteered at an animal shelter run by her family.

The local news channel had been showing repeated clips of the smashed motorcycle followed by photos of the men arrested. She could follow bits and pieces of the Italian coverage because she’d been part of the story.

Though there were no clips of her and Lucca on his sport bike, they replayed segments from the broadcast showing him kissing the back of her hand. The television audience could be forgiven for thinking the crown prince was truly in love.

Had his lover seen the coverage? How could she stand to know he might have been killed yesterday? How could she bear to see him with Alex?

“Buon pomeriggio, Alexandra.”

Her heart did a kick. “Buon pomeriggio, Lucca.”

She didn’t quite know what to expect this afternoon. If Regina had found an opportunity to talk to him already, then there was no telling how angry he was that his sister had learned the truth behind their engagement. Even if he adored Regina, he would consider that Alex had broken a sacred trust.

Right now she couldn’t gauge his frame of mind. Being a royal he’d learned how to present a facade that gave nothing away.

Today he’d dispensed with a suit in favor of chinos and a dark green pullover. He always smelled wonderful. Afraid to be caught staring, she quickly averted her eyes and opened up her notebook to the exercises she’d written out.

He walked by her desk and reached for it. His arm brushed against her shoulder, reminding her of the way he’d made her feel when he’d crushed her against his hard body yesterday. She was a fool to expect a repeat performance, but the sensual part of her nature ached to experience those sensations again.

Until Lucca had aroused her passion, she’d thought she was one of those women who couldn’t get worked up over a man, probably because of her mother’s pattern of going from one unsatisfying relationship to another. Yet all he’d had to do was pluck her from the Grigory royal tree—yes, plucked—and after he’d taken one bite, she’d practically begged to be devoured whole.

“No mistakes,” he muttered. “Molto bene. Now let’s see how you do with your second verb. The most important one after ‘to be,’” he added in a tone as smooth as satin.

“To eat?” she quipped, knowing full well he’d meant something else.

“Mangiare comes third.” He sat on the corner of the teacher’s desk, way too close to her. “Repeat after me.” His dark eyes impaled her. “Io amo.”

Alex struggled to maintain her composure. “Io amo.” I love you, her heart whispered. Could he hear it?

“Again.”

She looked down at her book, unable to sustain his glance. “Io amo.”

“Perfetto,” he declared. “Tu ami.”

The lesson continued until she’d gone through all the conjugations of amare.

“Eccellente. You’ve mastered the present tense of the three verbs necessary for happiness.”

“Only three?”

He crossed his powerful legs at the ankles. “To be alive, to love, to eat—What else is required?”

Maybe this was his way of letting her know Regina had talked to him. Alex had to risk finding out.

“For everyone else, nothing more. For the king, an added subtlety—to be able to love the woman he wants?” she challenged, meeting his gaze head-on.

His expression remained inscrutable. “So you think we need to add a fourth verb to the list of life’s necessities?” The air thickened with tension.

“Where the king is concerned, yes.”

A lengthy silence ensued. “As long as you felt compelled to tell Regina the truth, why didn’t you reveal all of it?”

The question he shot at her was one she wasn’t prepared for. Her gentle frown gave her a piquant look. “What do you mean?”

Lucca stood up. “What about Manny and his film offer? I told you before I didn’t want you to do it, but I’m afraid now it’s out of the question. I had him investigated. He not only exploited your mother, he milked her out of millions of dollars and should be brought up on criminal charges.”


She lowered her head. “I think I already figured that out. My mother must have been the perfect pawn. This morning I phoned him and told him I wasn’t interested in his offer.”

Lucca’s solid body froze in place. “And he accepted it, just like that?”

“He had no choice. I told him I’m getting married and want as far away from Hollywood as possible for the rest of my life.”

Grazie a Dio.

She chewed on her lower lip. “I hope you don’t mind that I won’t be able to pay you back for my schooling for a long time.”

He moved closer to her. “We’ve already had that discussion. Let me pay the twelve million dollars and be done with it.”

“No, Lucca. We made a pact.”

He hadn’t meant to put more pressure on her. “So we did. What I want to know is why you told Regina you were flying to Los Angeles. We’ve already dealt with your apartment and personal things.”

Her gaze collided with his. “Didn’t she tell you about my plan to get you and your lover together?”

His hands gripped her shoulders. For a minute Lucca had forgotten. The knowledge that she’d turned Manny down flat had driven everything else from his mind.

“As my sister said, it was a selfless thought on your part, Alexandra, but it would never have worked.”

“You’re right,” she muttered. “I should have realized it would never have worked. I’ve been thinking what I could do to help the two of you, but sneaking her into the palace under false pretenses is pretty absurd.

“The thing is, yesterday it hit me hard that you’re a prisoner in so many dreadful ways. How can you possibly be with her when your every move is under surveillance? I … I thought I could help,” she stammered.

Lucca needed to be released from his promise to Sofia ASAP. He relinquished his hold on her before he lost complete control. “You’ll never know what your concern means to me, Alexandra. Give me a little more time and I’ll tell you all about her.”

She nodded. “Please forgive me for involving Regina. The poor thing. I was terrible to her,” she admitted.

He eyed her speculatively. “In what way?”

“I asked her to listen to me and not interrupt because I knew she would fight me. Regina loves you so much, she did exactly as I said. I’ve never met a sweeter person. She knew it was futile to go to you, but she did it for me.”

“My sister cares a great deal for you.”

She moistened her lips anxiously. “But you’re angry with me for telling her.”

“You’re wrong, Alexandra. I’ve taken you away from everything familiar. When I swore you to secrecy, I hadn’t considered how much you would need a friend to confide in.”

She peeked at him from beneath her lashes. “Who is it you confide in?”

Before Alexandra had come into his life, he and Sofia had used each other to commiserate, but those days were over. “I have you now.”

“That places a grave responsibility on me,” she whispered.

He studied her for a moment. “When I asked you to marry me, you didn’t realize what you were getting into. I’m afraid I didn’t play fair.”

Alex brushed an errant curl from her forehead. “You’ve been more than fair. Thank you for finding out about Manny. I’ve been naive about so many things, but I’m learning.”

“Aren’t we all,” he whispered. “Can I hope you don’t hate me too much?”

“That question doesn’t deserve an answer.” Alex let out a tormented sigh. “I haven’t even asked about your parents. How’s your father? When I watched the news this morning, all I could think of was his reaction.”

He rubbed the back of his bronzed neck absently. “Now that I’ve promised him there’ll be no unnecessary trips outside the palace until the honeymoon, he was in surprisingly good spirits after his blood test this morning and hasn’t had to rely on his oxygen today.”

“I’m glad he’s doing that well.” She hugged her arms to her chest. “I guess we have to take a honeymoon.”

He nodded. “Where would you like to go, and I’ll get my security people working on it.”

Her pulse quickened. “I haven’t traveled much, so anything would sound exciting. Is there some place you’ve never been you’d like to visit?”

“Dozens of them.”

Every once in a while she heard that yearning in his voice to disappear to the other side of the planet and be accountable to no one.

“What would be the easiest as far as security’s concerned?”

“The yacht.”

“I’ve never been on one.”

“It’s ideal if you’re looking for relaxation.”

She cast him a worried glance. “Would that appeal to you?”

“I have to admit it would be for the best. As long as we’re somewhere on the Mediterranean, it’s not too far away should Papa take a turn for the worse.”

“Then it’s settled. I’ll have hours every day to practice my Italian. What will you do?”

“Besides teach you?” A ghost of a smile hovered around his mouth. “Probably get back to my research.”

“What kind?”

“I’m a geophysicist.”

“You are?” Alex was stunned. She blinked. “So if you didn’t have to be king—”

“I would go on doing fieldwork around the globe looking for new diamond finds to shore up more resources for Castelmare.”

Her hand automatically crept to the pin attached to her cotton knit top. His gaze settled on it. “The Ligurian diamond is the reason I became interested in the subject. To understand how they’re formed and where to look for them captivated me from the outset.”

“I knew there was something more significant about this stone than the obvious.”

His eyes lifted to hers. “It has been my lucky piece in more ways than one.”

“How so?” she whispered. His nearness made her feel giddy.

“It brought me to New York at the precise moment Kathryn Carlisle’s daughter walked through the doors. Call it destiny … Kismet … our meeting lifted me out of the black void of my existence. For agreeing to marry me, you have my eternal devotion.”

Devotion, not love, so don’t kill me with your earthshaking brand of kindness, Lucca.

Her plea came too late as he cupped her face in his hands and lowered his mouth to hers. It wasn’t like yesterday after his escape from harm when he’d taken out his desires on her because he was missing his beloved. This time he kissed her as if she were his most cherished possession.

But it couldn’t go on. She wouldn’t allow it, because Alex had very recently discovered she wasn’t a half-a-loaf girl.

Slowly he put her from him. It wasn’t a moment too soon, because in another second she would have given in to the needs engulfing her.

His gaze found hers. “We’ll finish your Italian lesson tomorrow. Right now the dressmaker is with Mama. They want to go over the design for your wedding gown. Afterward we’ll have dinner with the family and Regina will join us. Later my father’s personal assistant will walk us through the wedding day so we won’t be apprehensive.”

“What do you mean ‘we’?”

She heard him inhale deeply. “In case you’ve forgotten, I’ve never been married before, either. I could trip on the steps outside the cathedral.”


“Lucca—”

He kissed the corner of her mouth. Alex felt it long after they’d left the schoolroom.