‘Dios, what did we agree, Lotte?’
‘I just want to see—’
‘Absolutamente no!You don’t touch anything until the authorities have been through here.’ His gaze clashed with the head of her security detail. The man pulled the phone from his pocket. Valenti switched his gaze to the housekeeper. ‘Ada, one of my men will drive you to the nearest House of Domene boutique. It will be open for you. Get Lotte everything she needs for an extended stay away from this apartment.’
Ada bobbed a curtsy. ‘Yes, Your Highness.’ She hurried out, the young maid on her tail, as Lotte frowned.
‘Wait, what are you doing? Valenti—’
He pressed his thumb firmer against her wrist, heard her sharp intake of breath and saw her swallow. His silent admonition only lasted ten seconds before she was glaring at him.
‘We need to talk about this. You know that, don’t you?’
He texted his twin with his request before sliding his phone back into his pocket, and met sparking blue eyes. Over her head, he saw Leif position himself in the doorway to her bathroom, a determined look on his face that made Valenti’s gut clench tighter. Valenti sensed that whatever was in there, far more than what was on his ward’s bed, was why the housekeeper hadn’t wanted Lotte to come in here.
Returning his gaze to her, he leaned close once more, ignoring how the sweet fragrance of her scent sparked pockets of sensation within him. Sensations he wasn’t going to examine.
‘If you insist. But it won’t be right now,pequeña. What you want or believe or disagree with doesn’t matter anymore. You have a stalker, Lotte. One whose existence you’ve treated with astonishing disregard. And while you might rail and hiss that it offends your feminine sensibilities, know that in this moment, only what I say goes. Know that until I’m one hundred percentcertain that you are safe, I won’t relent or retreat. Know that until such time when we’re free of each other,you belong to me.’
CHAPTER TWO
NO, NO, NO.
She wasn’t going to go there. She absolutely was not going to—
You belong to me. You belong to me. You belong to—
Lotte took another step back, desperately keeping her outrage at the forefront and the horrifying…elationburied at the back of her mind. She couldn’t be feeling this again. Wasn’t the most humiliating half hour she’d experienced three years ago enough? While Valenti would never be labelled effusive with his feelings, she’d believed for years that he was fond of her. At least tolerated her. Until that moment in Cartana when he’d scoured her with those silver eyes, something deeply grave and earth-moving, changing his demeanour. And his attitude. Changing their dynamic forever.
So no, she couldn’tlikehis hand on her. Not when he was running roughshod over her wishes. Not even if he seemed to have forgotten himself just now.
Because for one lousy minute, most likely in response to the horrible spectacle that had forever tarnished her well-loved bedroom, Prince Valenti Domene had lowered his titanium guard.
And he’d caressed her wrist.
She should be addressing this violation, the increasingly insistent and belligerent follower whose friendliness had crossed a line recently. Who she’d dismissed because deep down she’d trusted that Valenti, despite not wanting anything to do with her personally, had charged enough well-trained men—hell,a veritable small army and the last word in overkill—with protecting her.
She should’ve been thinking of that.
Not the waves of heat and ice unravelling through her. Unravellingher.
She withstood the all-consuming sensation, let it bathe her from head to toe. She had learned painfully that it was the only way, because her self-preservationwouldkick in. Sure she would be a little hollowed out, clutching the frayed tatters of her composure. But there would be enough left to pick herself back up again.
She stepped forward when Leif and Valenti exchanged another look. ‘What is it?’ she snapped.
Valenti’s jaw clenched. Then he turned to her and examined her for an age before he spoke. ‘There is more. And no matter what you feel I don’t believe it will benefit you to see further…unsavouriness. Will you stay here and let me?’ he rasped.
That…disarmed her. Threatened to dismantle her outrage. Because this less high-handed manner reminded her of the Valenti of old. The Valenti who didn’t order icily and instead…engaged.
She tried to resummon fury, but while it arrived on cue, another sensation threatened its potency. She vividly remembered how it felt to be draped over his hard, powerful body. How her fingers had brushed over his tight backside as he marched her out of the nightclub. She cursed the blush she could feel racing into her cheeks. Cursed her fair skin for consistently betraying her where this man was concerned.
Slivers of that guilt blasted her for the feelings she could never completely contain around this man as she boldly met his gaze. Searched for mockery or rejection. She found none, but then neither was there further evidence that he was softening. Maybe this was merely a ploy to get her onside, but…did she really needto see what other horrors had been left in her bathroom? ‘Fine, I’ll stay here. But we’re definitely discussing any other plans you’re cooking up. Including where we’re going and how long we’re going to be away.’
His eyes narrowed. ‘Why? Do you have a hot date to keep?’
She wanted to blurtyes, but that would be lying. Besides, he monitored every corner of her life. She’d known the deal when she turned eighteen and, erroneously believed she was free of him, only to be disavowed of that anticipation of bittersweet joy. Until she turned twenty-five, Valenti Domene held the key to her freedom. She’d tried seeking an ally in her brother, but Gunnar, after shamefacedly confessing he wasn’t ‘parent material’ had urged her not to fight the guardianship, subtly reminding her of the power and might of the Domenes.
As if she could forget. Even now, she couldn’t escape the granite perfection of his face. The high, proud cheekbones. The haughty nose.
