Scorched

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  ADRIANE DIDN’T LIKE to ask for help.

  It went against everything he believed in. He was the king. He was respected and revered. He shouldn’t have to ask anyone to help him.

  But Rachel obviously wasn’t cooperating at the moment, so that left him with little choice but to suck up some of his pride. He spotted Ari alone, which was a miracle, since her newly minted husband hadn’t seen fit to remove himself from her side most of the day.

  He was going to go for it.

  “Hello, Ari. I hope the day has been pleasant for you,” he said after he’d made a quiet approach.

  “Oh, Adriane, you startled me,” she gasped as she took the glass of champagne from her lips.

  “I’m sorry; that wasn’t my intention. Are you enjoying yourself?” He hated to waste time on pleasantries, but trying to soften her up.

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  “It’s been absolutely lovely, Adriane. I really appreciate all that you’ve done to make the day special,” she said in all sincerity.

  “Wonderful. Would you mind taking a walk with me? I would like to speak with you alone,” he asked, offering his arm.

  Ari hesitated for only the briefest of moments before accepting. As they walked outside, she looked him straight in the eye. He found it highly disconcerting. Could she see his very soul, if he had one? Though Adriane didn’t squirm, he found himself wanting to.

  “How is life treating you as king?” Ari asked as they reached an ornate water fountain, the sounds of its cascading waters soothing in the twilight.

  “All is well,” he said, his standard answer. Her eyebrows rose as she waited for him to continue. “Mostly, it is wonderful. I love my kingdom, love my people. Of course, I am responsible for a great deal,” he had to admit. There was a lot on his shoulders. Most of the time, it wasn’t a burden, but while dealing with this strange situation with Rachel, it was all a little bit much. Add to that his problems with Gianni, who had been strangely quiet the last couple of weeks, and he was about as highly strung as he could possibly be right now.

  That his brother was not making a move was more frightening than his threats had been. The man wouldn’t just disappear — Adriane knew that — which left him wondering what Gianni was plotting next.

  How he would love to have nothing more to focus on except for his business ventures. In years past, before his father’s final illness, Adriane had been carefree, worried only about making a few billion more to add to his and his country’s portfolios.

  He missed that rush.

  “It won’t take long for my husband to seek me out, so why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind,” Ari said.

  Adriane was impressed with this best friend of Rachel’s. Ari had grown since he’d first met her; she now oozed confidence and faced challenges head-on. She was a good match for Rafe. Adriane wondered whether he and Rafe would ever again share an easy friendship, the way they had before Adriane had met Rachel. At the moment, it seemed doubtful.

  “How do I make Rachel see there is no other choice but for us to marry?” he asked. If she was going to be blunt, then so was he.

  Instead of being horrified by his words, Ari laughed, a deep, highly amused laugh. Adriane wasn’t sure whether he should be offended. He was pouring his heart out and she was almost doubling over with laughter.

  “I’m sorry, Adriane,” she gasped in between giggles while she tried to pull herself together.

  Should he just walk away? It was obvious he wasn’t going to get any information from the woman. He turned to do so and her hand shot out and grabbed his arm.

  “I really am sorry. It’s just so like a man to put a question that way. Can’t you see that women don’t work like that? You kidnapped her, told her she had no other choice but to marry you, and then you haven’t given her a reason to want to stay. Do you care about her?”

  Her giggles stopped and she looked at him closely once again. Adriane didn’t want his soul under her microscope. That was closed, to everyone.

  “Of course I care about her and my children,” he said stiffly.

  When Ari continued staring him down, Adriane found himself wanting to loosen his tie.

  “I think you do care, Adriane. You’d be a fool not to, for Rachel is a very special person. I will tell you this — she won’t stay for anything less than love. If you want her to accept your proposal, then you have to give her a reason to do so. ” Ari didn’t blink once as she threw out her challenge.

  “Love is messy and unnecessary. There are better reasons for us to marry — the two babies she carries, for one,” he said.

  “That’s not a good reason, Adriane. That would only lead to dissatisfaction and a feeling of being trapped. You have to love each other, be passionate, and like being in the same room together. Marriage is about more than convenience,” she warned.

  “Arranged marriages have worked for centuries,” he pointed out. “Millennia, in fact. ”

  “That was duty, not love, and the world was a different place. Women had little choice, you know. But now they do. I know Rachel, Adriane, and she would die a little bit more each and every day if she married you for the sake of her children and nothing else. ”

  “I disagree. I think without messy emotions, a marriage has a far stronger chance of surviving. ” He wasn’t about to give up on his beliefs.

  “Why did you come to me and ask my advice if you’re unwilling to listen to what I have to say?”

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  That was a good question. Why had he come to her? He didn’t need her approval, or anyone’s approval for that matter, to move forward. He was just tired of hitting brick walls with Rachel. The two of them needed to wed — and he needed her lying beneath him. He was just trying to speed the process up.

  “You are her best friend. I thought you might be able to make her see reason,” he answered.

  Again, Ari laughed. “Oh, Adriane. You are in for a world of hurt if you maintain that attitude. I hope you figure this all out before it’s too late,” she said.

  The worst part was the sympathy in her expression. Adriane didn’t need anyone’s sympathy. He was the king of Corythia! That meant something. Didn’t it?

  “This will work. She will see reason,” he insisted. He and Ari were just going in circles.

  “I hope it does work out, but I have a feeling you’re up for a bit more heartache, because you are just so damn stubborn — a lot like my husband, actually. But the thing is, Adriane, it just doesn’t matter. The more you fight it, the harder you will fall. I’m sorry for what you are going through, but you honestly need to pull your head out before it’s too late,” she warned.

  “I don’t need your sympathy,” he said.

  “Yes, you do,” Ari told him, and squeezed his arm. She gave him one more pitying look and then she sauntered confidently away, leaving him alone outside.

  What was he going to do about his spitfire fiancée? And, yes, she was his fiancée, whether she wanted to accept that or not.

  Dropping down on the edge of the fountain, he listened to the tranquil sound of the water flowing behind him as he tried to decide his next move.

  A determined glint suddenly entered his eyes and he stood back up. It was time they came head to head.

  He was going to make her his again. That would cut through everything. If the two of them had one thing right together, it was chemistry.

  Adriane had to remind Rachel exactly how good the two of them were together. He’d make her remember.

  He marched inside the castle with a purpose and a smile of anticipation. Tonight was going to satisfy them both!

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  LIA AND RACHEL skidded around opposite ends of the room as they rushed forward just as Ari was standing on the balcony looking out over the audience. Her eyebrows rose and she sent a questioning look the
girls’ way before turning around.

  They were both a bit shamefaced at having left during Ari’s reception. Rachel, because she wanted to think, and Lia because she’d wanted to… Well, she wasn’t even going to justify her reasons to herself.

  When the bride launched the wedding bouquet into the air, Rachel and Lia’s eyes met, and then both girls took a step back as the other women in the room rushed forward, everyone trying to catch the bouquet, hoping for luck in capturing their future husband.

  To Ari’s delight, when the crowd cleared, it was her mother, Sandra, who was holding the beautiful bunch of flowers, her cheeks blushing pink as the other women grudgingly congratulated her.

  She thanked them before slipping away to help her daughter change for her ride to the airport. Lia stood by with a smile on her face. With the great-looking man Sandra had come to the wedding with sporting a mysterious smile on his face, Lia had a feeling the magical powers of catching the bridal bouquet might just have some meaning this time.

  The party moved outside, and the guests formed a double line for the newly married couple to walk through. Everyone was armed with rice to throw over the heads of the happy pair as a symbol of fertility and prosperity, though with Rafe’s billions, they didn’t need any luck in the latter department.

  When Ari reappeared with Rafe at her side on the other side of the rice throwing wall of people, the newlyweds made sure to give Rachel a parting “gift”: yet another firm lecture, letting her know she was to call them the moment she wanted to leave Corythia.

  Though Ari hoped that Rachel and Adriane could work through their differences, she wasn’t taking any chances. The king had already held her dear friend captive once. He wouldn’t be allowed to do it again.

  The women shed goodbye tears; the men stood by somewhat uncomfortably and shook hands. Rafe certainly didn’t trust Adriane, but he was going to respect his sister’s wishes.

  As Rafe and Ari left, a silence descended on the other two couples. Rachel wasn’t even looking at Adriane, and then in a flash, she disappeared once again, feeling that her room was the safest place to hide for the moment.

  Shane and Lia were left alone when Adriane stomped off. The rest of the crowd began to leave the palace, their stomachs full and their smiles genuine. It had been a lovely wedding and reception.

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  “Does this mean we are together now, Lia?” Shane asked as he grasped her hand and led her to a more private area in the palace. As exciting as their earlier lovemaking had been, he was eager to be where he could slow things down and make love to her the way a woman deserved.

  “It means that I’m tired of fighting how I feel. I don’t know what the future has in store, but I just know I want to be with you right now,” she admitted.

  Shane was surprised when a blush stole over her cheeks. Lia hadn’t been the blushing type in more than a decade. Her years of shyness had been pushed away, and Lia had never looked back, liking the woman she was now so much better than the shy teenager she’d been. Now she was confident, brave and ready for any new challenge thrown her way.

  “Marry me, Lia. ”

  Shane was shocked when the words popped out of his mouth, but when he had no desire to take them back, he knew it was the right thing to say, the right time to ask her to be his wife.

  She turned and looked at him, her expression dazed, but not horrified. That was a start.

  “You’re just carried away by the moment, Shane. We haven’t solved any of our problems yet, just masked them in a flurry of lovemaking,” she warned.

  “I don’t care. We can get through the problems, work them out as we go along. I don’t care if we fight or don’t agree on everything. I don’t care what tomorrow holds. As long as I know I’m coming home to you, I can face anything,” he said.

  She was silent as she looked into his eyes, just the two of them standing together in a large palace ballroom as the lights were dimmed and the music from the joyous party played back in Lia’s head.

  “Shane…” She seemed to not know what to say.

  “Don’t give me all the reasons it can’t work. I’ve known you half your life. I love you, Lia — more than any other soul on this earth, past or future. You have admitted you love me too, so why can’t we just stop playing games and be together? The two of us can jet off to Las Vegas and get married right now, then tell our families about it later. I just want you by my side for the rest of our lives. ”

  She looked at him with wide eyes before a beautiful smile overtook her features. “I do want to marry you,” she said before throwing her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her and kissing him with an unquenchable and fathomless need.

  Shane reluctantly pulled back from her. “That wasn’t a yes, Lia. Are you saying yes?” His eyes gleamed.

  Did she want to say yes? Of course she did! Was she going to let her fears stop her? Lia thought about it.

  “Yes, Shane. That’s a yes. I may change my mind, think this is a bad idea, but right now, all I can think about is marrying you,” she said, beaming up at him.

  “Then I had best hurry,” he said, abandoning the idea of going back to his hotel as he called a driver to pick them up.

  Before Lia had time to think, he had her in the car and was driving to the helipad, where they could immediately be transported to his jet.

  “What about our bags?” she asked with a laugh as she stepped from the helicopter and it flew away, zipping across the dark sea.

  “We can have them shipped to us. I’m not taking any chances that you’ll change your mind again,” he said, pulling her close to shield her from the sharp wind picking up around them.

  Lia snuggled close in his arms, drunk on what she was feeling in these moments. She did love him. All of the worries she had were still there, but they were tucked away. She wanted to be this man’s wife. She might end up losing him tomorrow, but at least she’d have him now.

  Their travels went quickly, and soon she was in a jet, lifting into the air — destination, Las Vegas. She felt only a twinge of regret that she was sneaking off to elope. Her family would forgive her — she hoped.

  As the jet flew smoothly across the dark, starlit skies, Lia nestled into Shane’s arms, falling asleep with her head resting comfortably against his steadily beating heart.

  This was where she belonged, and nothing the two of them could do from this moment on would be wrong.

  How could it be anything less than perfect when it felt so right?

  Shane knew their problems would still be there when they woke up after this act of impulse, but he didn’t care.

  When they faced tomorrow, they’d be man and wife.

  Sure, Rafe might try to throttle him, but it would be well worth it.

  Holding Lia close, he relaxed, feeling good for the first time since he’d lost his friend. Maybe it was time to turn in his resignation to the military.

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  He’d loved his time of service, felt he’d done a lot of good over the years, but now he had a new life to forge, a new life that would include his very beautiful wife.

  First, he’d marry her, then take her to buy the biggest diamond he could find. He wanted the world to know she belonged to him — forever.

  Shane fell asleep with his head against the seat of the jet’s superbly comfortable couch and with a very content and warm Lia held securely to him.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  “SIR, I THINK the king has had a…um…a breakdown. ”

  Nico sent a withering stare at the servant as he waited for the man to go on. “Do not forget you are speaking about your king,” Nico warned him.

  “Well, it’s just that the king is in the throne room…” the man started.

  “And?” Nico asked, though he wondered what Adriane might be doing there.

  “Um, it’s just that he’s in there pac
ing and talking to himself. No one but the cleaning staff has been in there in months. No ceremonies, no reason for him to be in there. ”

  “The king can be in any part of his palace he chooses to be in. I had best not hear of you spreading rumors,” Nico said before dismissing the servant.

  Nico walked down the palace hallways to check on his king. What in the world was going on now?

  * * * * *

  Adriane paced his throne room — alone — by choice.

  He’d growled at everyone when he’d been in his offices to get out and then he’d wandered the palace, finding himself in front of the ornate doors leading to the grand throne room. Walking inside, he’d looked at the cold room with its high-backed thrones, gold decorative walls and little else. This was a place for ceremonies, the place his wife would be crowned queen. That thought had stirred his blood. If she became queen. He’d remained in the room ever since, for almost two hours, while he came up with the details of how he was going to get Rachel into his bed.

  He wasn’t going to beg — he’d done enough of that. He was going to seduce, though so far that had failed as well. Maybe he was going insane; he just didn’t know anymore. Damn. Their time in Florida wasn’t this complicated. It wasn’t complicated at all. He’d asked her to dinner, planned on a night of hot sex, and had gotten a week instead. Now, he was pacing like a madman in a place of formal ceremonies and talking to himself.

  Adriane laughed aloud, the sound echoing off the walls.

  That’s it. He was losing it — really losing it. It was a good thing his staff couldn’t see him right now.

  Why couldn’t his time with Rachel be just as easy as it had been back in Florida?

  He didn’t think he was asking for too much.

  Finally finished with sulking on his own, he grabbed some of the fresh-cut flowers that were in a vase on a nearby table and made his way from the room.

  He knew how to seduce; he just hadn’t been putting in enough effort. A good king knew such things. Seduction was the essence of diplomacy, after all.

  As he made his journey to her room, no nerves assailed him, no doubts of his victory this time.

  Granted, his desire to have her like him as a person puzzled him. To have her love him, too? He wasn’t going there. He didn’t need her affection; her compliance was enough — well, that and her lying beneath him. He wasn’t going to be married without reaping the benefits of hot sex, and with Rachel, the sex was always hot. He couldn’t remember another lover turning him on anywhere near as much.