Scorched

  The villages all prospered with seasonal fishing, and they offered quaint restaurants and authentic souvenirs. Though Adriane’s country wasn’t large, it was hardly the smallest in the area.

  The country and its wonders would be around long after his death, long enough that his line could rule for centuries to come.

  Though Adriane hadn’t wanted to be king, his brother had left him no choice. Still, his initial reluctance to ascend the throne didn’t mean he wouldn’t fulfill his duties to the fullest. The people were a good people and he would never show them disrespect by leading them with a heart that wasn’t true.

  Adriane smiled as the car passed an orchard. It was good to be home, even if not all was going as planned in his life.

  Nico wasn’t happy, but his adviser would get over it. Nico had learned long ago that Adriane would listen when it was truly needed, but he was a man and now a king who didn’t lean on others, didn’t let himself get strong-armed into positions he wasn’t comfortable with.

  His council had butted heads with him on more than one occasion — and they’d lost.

  Their car reached the dock and Adriane scooped Rachel into his arms before striding to the awaiting boat.

  There were only two ways to get where he planned to take Rachel. By boat or chopper. Tonight, he preferred going by boat.

  Page 13

 

  This was where he parted company with Nico for now. The man had a lot to get done over the next few days, and Adriane had a plan. As he smiled down at Rachel’s softly lit face, he knew there would be hell to pay when she awoke.

  It would be well worth it.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  DESPERATELY TRYING TO calm herself, Rachel walked back and forth the huge room for the thousandth time, or at least what felt like it.

  When she woke up a few hours before, she’d forgotten for a few moments where she was and had simply luxuriated in the comfortable bed, and in the fact that her too constant companion, nausea, was taking a leave of absence.

  Then it had all come back to her, and anger had quickly taken over.

  Trapped.

  She was trapped in a gilded cage that was disguised as a large room, and there was nothing, absolutely nothing, she could do about it. Pounding on the doors, issuing threats, begging. None of it had worked. The men and women who had brought in food and drink either didn’t speak English or Italian, or just pretended they didn’t; no one would talk to her.

  They simply smiled, offered her items, and then quickly scurried away. When she’d made an attempt to get past the guards — yes, actual guards — they had gently but firmly shut the twelve-foot-tall doors after mumbling something in French.

  It was decided. She would have to murder Adriane.

  Yes, she’d either be executed or spend the rest of her days in prison, but it would be well worth it. The man needed to be murdered. He was begging for it.

  Furious with Adriane for bringing her here and then leaving her alone all day, Rachel looked around for possible weapons. But when she stopped and took a moment to think about her murderous intentions, she sagged against the couch.

  Of course she wasn’t going to kill him. But throwing a glass at his head — that was a real possibility. He deserved to be hit. King or no king.

  Rushing over to the closed and locked doors, Rachel raised her voice, yelling as loudly as possible. “I swear by all that’s holy, if you don’t get your worthless, kidnapping, traitorous king into this room right now, I’ll break every priceless item in here! And I’ll start by smashing one of these vases over the head of the first person who comes in to try to calm me down!”

  “The guards tend to frown upon visitors who threaten their king. As a matter of fact, they like to throw said ‘threateners’ into the dungeons for some much-needed attitude adjustments. ”

  With a gasp of shock and outrage combined, Rachel spun to her left to find Adriane standing in the middle of the room, looking far too smug and pleased with himself.

  Chest heaving, she took a menacing step in his direction, her eyes darting to one of the crystal vases nearest to her.

  “I would advise against that, Rachel,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes, as if he were enjoying her tantrum.

  “Then you’d best talk fast, Adriane. If you don’t set me free this instant, I will carry out my promise and this room will look like a tornado has swept through it. ”

  “You are spectacular in anger, do you realize that?” he gasped as he met her halfway, then stopped, standing only a foot from her trembling body.

  Why didn’t he just say, “You’re pretty when you’re mad?” His statement was bad enough, but she was angered further by the attraction she felt toward this man, a man who had taken her basic rights away. How pathetic. All she should have felt was contempt and outrage, not even the barest inkling of lust. But with his dark eyes crinkled at the corners, and his smooth shirt molded to his perfect chest, she was having a difficult time not appreciating his beauty.

  Those midnight eyes were trained on her right then, and the heat pouring from them was enough to singe her skin.

  Leaning her head toward the floor, Rachel inhaled, trying to get her temper and her hormones under control before she spoke again. To continue yelling at him obviously wasn’t going to do her any good, so it would be best if she tried another tactic. Maybe she could make him see reason.

  Through gritted teeth, she began: “You bring me to your country and then I wake up and am left in this room for hours! Your loyal servants have tried to force-feed me all afternoon, but no one will speak to me, let me near a phone, or give me any answers. I’m getting more and more irritated by the minute, and according to your doctor, that’s a bad thing, so you need to back the hell off. ”

  Darn. Though she’d tried controlling her temper, she wasn’t doing very well. Yet if she didn’t get to a phone soon, her fury was going to spike another few notches.

  “I do apologize for not being here when you woke from your nap. I had some matters of state to attend to. They’ve all been taken care of, so for the rest of the night, you have my undivided attention,” he said, as if that were something she wanted.

  Page 14

 

  Rachel’s mouth hung open.

  “Are you expecting my gratitude because you are granting me — a measly peasant — your undivided attention? Are you kidding me, Adriane?” she snapped.

  His carefree expression evaporated; his lips thinned and his dark eyes narrowed. King Adriane obviously didn’t like to be mocked or spoken back to. Well, too damn bad!

  “You would be wise to try to hold your tongue instead of just letting any asinine statement pop from your beautiful lips. ” He tried to look down at her with a sneer, but he had to fight the smile that was twisting his mouth in the wrong direction.

  “That’s it!” Rachel shot over to grab the vase. It was going straight for his head.

  “I don’t think so, Rachel. ” Adriane easily caught her and held her hands trapped against his chest as he pulled her to him.

  She leaned her head back so her glare would hit his eyes dead-on.

  “I’ve had enough, Adriane. I mean it,” she warned him, almost hyperventilating. She chose to believe it was from her temper alone and had nothing whatsoever to do with being pressed up snugly against his hard body.

  “Oh, Rachel. You haven’t had nearly enough of me. I don’t think either of us can possibly get enough of each other,” he said, his tone silky smooth as he lowered his head, bringing his mouth just a centimeter away from hers.

  “Don’t you dare kiss me, Adriane. Believe me, you will regret it,” she said, struggling against him.

  To her surprise, he released her, and Rachel stumbled backward before regaining her footing. She looked at him suspiciously before she searched the room with her eyes and spotted a door that was cracked open — the secret door he must have snuck t
hrough.

  “I wouldn’t try it. I’m not letting you leave. ”

  The foot that was lifting to make a run for it dropped as she looked at him. “You can’t keep me prisoner, Adriane. I have family and friends who won’t stop until they see me safely home. ”

  “I’ve already spoken with your brother. We came to an…understanding,” he said with a slight wince.

  “What do you mean?” she asked. Surely Rafe wouldn’t allow this to happen.

  “We have a week to work out our differences before he storms the island with the United States military,” he said with a chuckle.

  “What? He’s not coming to get me for an entire week?” Rachel gasped, feeling utterly betrayed.

  “Don’t get me wrong, Rachel. It wasn’t easy to convince him that you were being well taken care of. He had to speak to my doctor, adviser and prime minister. It helped that both Ari and your sister felt we should try to work this out. I think I quite like them. ”

  “Those traitors,” Rachel gasped, and she now looked for a phone.

  When she managed to speak to her family, they were all in serious trouble. How dare they leave her with this pompous jerk of a man?

  “I don’t believe you,” she said. It couldn’t be true.

  “It really doesn’t matter. If you are still opposed to our marriage in one week, then it looks as if Corythia is going to war,” he stated matter-of-factly.

  Rachel stared at him in horror before her eyes narrowed again. There was no way the country would go to war. Yes, there could be an international incident, but Corythia was small and this matter wouldn’t cause a war. If it did, they’d be wiped out instantly. Adriane wasn’t that stupid.

  “I am not an uneducated woman, Adriane, and I don’t appreciate you treating me as such. If you want a war, I sure as hell will give you one,” she promised with fire shooting from her eyes.

  “I’m up for the challenge,” he said boldly, taking another step closer.

  A little over three months ago, she hadn’t wanted to crawl from this man’s bed. Now, he had changed into a person she didn’t know and certainly didn’t like. He was arrogant and unfathomable, and he was holding her captive.

  Why then was her stomach knotted with a strange desire? She should want to bash him over the head with any blunt object that came to hand and flee his presence; to feel even the remotest form of passion for him was just bizarre.

  Still, she was stuck here for the time being, with no idea precisely where she was. Did she continue to fight him, or did she try to win back her freedom another way? She needed to think. Obviously she was all on her own.

  That was a depressing thought.

  “How do you think this can work, Adriane?” she asked. Maybe he’d see reason.

  “I want it to work; therefore it will,” he stated firmly. He spoke as if his words were law. Of course, here in Corythia, what he said probably was law.

  Page 15

 

  “I was raised in both Italy and America so you’re not my king. I’m sorry, but I don’t allow dictators to tell me what to do. I make my own decisions. I certainly won’t marry a man because he demands it or tells me that’s the way it’s going to be. You will release me, and then, and only then, will I consider what I will do next. Right now, you aren’t gaining any points with me in the father department. I won’t be jerked around just because I’m your living incubator. Do you understand me?”

  Her breathing was heavy as she finished speaking. She’d wanted so badly to keep calm, but the more he looked down his arrogant straight nose at her, the more upset she became. He wasn’t listening to what she was saying.

  Sure, he was letting her speak, but he certainly wasn’t paying attention. He thought he was too important to listen to the peasant, obviously.

  “Oh, Rachel, I am so grateful that if I am to have a child before I am ready to have one, it is with you. I will never tire of your temper; nor will I ever grow bored with you. Everyone all around me agrees with everything I say. I need your dose of reality in my world,” he said with a smile.

  Rachel’s face heated as he chuckled while bending down to pick up a glass. Then he began to fill it with bourbon as if he didn’t have a care in the world. He was seriously going to turn his attention from her while she was steaming mad, and laugh at her on top of it?

  That was it. Rachel reached for the vase and threw it before she could convince herself it wasn’t the best idea. Right before it hit him, Adriane looked up, shocked.

  Take that! Rachel thought before turning on her heels and running full speed toward the open door.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  IT WAS A good thing he’d been trained in the military practically from the time he could walk. Adriane dodged the vase at the last second, and it crashed into the wall behind him. Then he just stood, stunned, as Rachel sprinted away toward the door.

  He knew that running too hard couldn’t be good for her at this point, but she was incredibly fit and a bit of exercise wasn’t going to damage the baby. The blood pressure, on the other hand, he had to worry about. Maybe he should let her go for a while, cool down.

  She wouldn’t be able to escape his castle. It was well guarded. Even if she did manage to get outside the walls, she would be sadly disappointed when she discovered where they were.

  He decided to sit back and wait for her return. After contemplating the shattered crystal, he chose a seat that faced the door through which she’d have to return. He didn’t want her launching another item at his head without any warning.

  Taking his double shot of bourbon, he sat and waited. It wouldn’t take long.

  No more than ten minutes had passed when Rachel came back through the door, her eyes blazing as she stalked closer.

  His body pulsed back to life as he saw her chest heaving beneath her shirt and color splashing across her cheeks. She caused his blood to turn to lava, bubbling hot and flowing thickly through his veins.

  Rachel was beautiful, and it would be no hardship for him to lead her — hell, drag her — to the altar. It would be his great pleasure, in fact. He’d not been happy when he first learned he’d have to wed because of an unplanned child, but since then, he’d grown more than used to the idea.

  He was actually looking forward to it. That meant he’d get her in his bed. Every night.

  There would never be a need for other women to entertain him — not as long as he had Rachel by his side every day, and beneath his blankets after the sun went down.

  A smile curved his lips at the thought. He could just imagine her reaction if she knew his countrymen didn’t frown upon mistresses — they even thought it healthy for the king to have a voracious sexual appetite. And he did.

  The queen was to produce heirs and stand by the king’s side, or rather two paces back. She wasn’t expected to like or enjoy sex. Ah, but his queen certainly enjoyed sex. She would never bore him, just as he would never bore her, or grow tired of their play.

  The thought of her beneath him again had his body hardening to a painful degree. He hoped he had her beneath him very soon — tonight if he could manage it.

  “Did you have a nice stroll?” he asked, knowing he was pushing his luck with her, but unable to stop himself. Her fire was too bright for him to ever try to dim it. All he could think was that temper of hers would lead to some amazing makeup sex.

  “I am going to remain calm and I’m going to refrain from throwing another priceless artifact at your head. However, you are going to show me a phone. You will let me leave. ”

  Page 16

 

  She was trying hard to act as if she had it all under control, but she was far from calm. It was too bad he couldn’t push her further. He didn’t mind her flying at him. He’d take her, claws and all.

  “What’s so wrong with being here with me? Our week together in Florida was…intense. If you would simply stop fighting me, we could get?
??better acquainted again,” he said, his eyes flashing with a desire he made no attempt to hide.

  Rachel stared at him, trying to figure out whether the man had lost his mind. Did he seriously think she was going to simply walk on over and make his fantasies come true? “Really, Adriane? You are either the dumbest man alive, or you have one hell of a false image of yourself. This may come as quite the shock to you, but you are resistible,” she said scathingly.

  “Ouch,” he replied, a grin spreading over his face.

  “Wait. You’re King Adriano,” she said in a sugary voice, dragging out the o in the name that he rarely used. “I should, of course, fall to your feet and strip off all of my clothes, and then thank you repeatedly for the honor of being chosen to please you. ”

  His eyebrows rose and his grin grew even wider. “Well, if you insist. ”

  “Ugh, you are unbelievable. You take me from my home, leave me for hours on end trapped in this ridiculous castle, and then actually expect me to roll over for you. Sorry to disappoint, but it’s not happening. Not in this century,” she said as she resumed pacing so he couldn’t see the blush overtaking her features.

  Sadly, the thought of him throwing her across his bed wasn’t quite as abhorrent as she wanted him to believe.

  She blamed the pregnancy hormones. That had to be it, because she certainly didn’t want this man, didn’t want to lie beneath him, not after he’d deceived her, stalked her, and kidnapped her. Her body just needed a little bit of time to be as angry with him as her mind was. Then the desire would die down.

  “Nothing inside you is burning up with the need for my touch?”

  Rachel jumped as Adriane’s words whispered across her neck. She hadn’t even heard him move, and the shiver that passed through her at his nearness was too noticeable for him to have missed it. Yet though her body was burning, she’d make sure her words were just as scorching.

  Turning and looking up into his dark eyes, she smiled, doing her best to put him in his place by humoring him.

  “Been there. Done that. It was forgettable. There’s no need to go down that road again,” she mocked, quickly scooting away before her body fully betrayed her and she swayed toward the hard comfort of his chest.

  “You know what they say about liars, Rachel?” he said, stalking closer.