Alexander & Rebecca (Royals of Valleria #1) (28 page)

“I do want it.”

“Then it’s settled. Spin this. Use this. Turn this godforsaken situation into something positive.”

“I will, Alex. Thanks for the advice.”

Alex brought Marcello in for a fierce hug; Alex knew he would never have made it through the last few days without him. When he pulled away he kissed both of his cheeks, a Vallerian sign of love and greeting.

“How are you doing with everything else?” Alex asked; it was never easy to take a life, as Marcello had done last night.

“All right,” Marcello said with a shrug as they continued walking down the hall. “You know how it is.”

Alex did, and all too well. He could never forget the lives he had taken in the name of war. It was why he had switched to doing rescue missions during the latter part of his military service. He preferred to help, though he knew that sometimes hurting others was necessary.

It was a fine line for a leader to walk.

“It never gets easier, does it?” Alex asked.

“No,” Marcello said with a sigh. “I hope to God it never does.”

They approached the room just as the doctor walked out. “She’s doing fine,” she said. “She just needs to rest for the next week or so. Have the royal doctors check her at least once a day, all right?”

Alex nodded and shook her hand. “Thank you, Doctor.”

“My pleasure. She’s a lovely woman. She’ll need to stay a few more hours, but I’ll go ahead and get her discharge papers sorted so they’re ready to go.”

Alex knocked, then slowly entered the room. “Darling? Marcello’s here.”

“It’s all right. You can both come in,” Rebecca said.

When Alex walked in, he felt his chest lurch again at the sight of her battered form. She sported several new crisp, white bandages, and an IV hung and drained into her slim arm. With a smile on her face, however, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

He walked over and kissed her forehead as he took her hand in his. “Marcello wanted to take your statement. Do you feel up to it?”

Her smile turned into a slight frown and he felt as though the light in the room had grown dimmer somehow. “I want my parents to be here with me. I’d rather they didn’t hear it all, but they’ll ask me anyway. I’d rather only say it once.”

He kissed her forehead again. “They should be here soon. Did you like your smoothie?” he asked, spying the large drink on a side table.

“It’s lovely, and very large. I couldn’t finish it all at once. It must have a thousand calories in it.”

“You can finish it later,” Alex said; he would ensure she did.

“You’ll need the energy,” Marcello said as he sat on the empty bed nearby. “Especially if you’re going to make it through a family dinner. Hell, I might need one of those, too.”

Rebecca laughed, then winced at the pain on her mouth. “I’m looking forward to meeting everyone.”

“Liar,” Marcello said and earned a warning glance from Alex and an amused one from Rebecca. “You’re terrified of meeting everyone. That’s okay. I’m terrified of most of them on a daily basis.”

“I never had a large family. I’m worried about saying or doing the wrong thing,” she admitted.

Marcello waved a hand in the air while shaking his head. “I wouldn’t worry about that. The thing you’ve got to remember about large families is that we all love each other, we all tease each other, and we all would do anything to help one another. Remember that, and you’ll do just fine.”

She leaned over and took his hand. “Thanks, Marcello.”

Marcello kissed her hand. “Anytime, my almost sister. Anytime.”

***

When they finally arrived at the palace that afternoon, all Rebecca wanted was a nap. The rest of the morning had been a draining one as she had recalled the events of her capture. Her parents had wanted to stay in the room with her as she recounted everything, and she knew it had been particularly hard for her father and Alex to hear all the terrible details. At one point, she had just closed her eyes and held onto her mother, unable to see the anguish in their faces anymore or feel the burning mortification on her own cheeks.

Her parents had wanted Rebecca to stay with them at their house, which had been put to rights again, but Alex had insisted that Rebecca stay at the palace again. With the royal doctors on call and a bevy of staff to help her, it was hard for her parents to disagree with the idea.

Instead of the guest suite, however, this time Alex took her to his royal apartment.

“It wouldn’t look right for me to stay here, Alex,” she said as they entered the suite.

“I spent the entire night in your bed at the hospital, darling. I think we’ve been found out,” he said with a smile.

She sighed. “That was different.”

He took both of her hands and brought each to his lips for a gentle kiss. “If you think that I’m going to be able to sleep a single night without you by my side, you’re sorely mistaken. You’re moving in with me, and that’s final.”

“Excuse me?” Rebecca said, feigning anger to make a point, even while her heart wanted the same thing he did. She removed her hands from his grasp. “Is this how you expect married life to be? You blindly making orders without consulting me first?”

“You don’t have an apartment. It’s the most logical choice.”

“Thank you for reminding me that all my possessions have been destroyed. That did wonders for my morale,” she said and began limping away with her head held high. From the corner of her eye, she was pleased to see a look on confusion cross his face.

“Rebecca, I didn’t mean it like that,” he said as he almost reached out for her but stopped himself.

She slid on a controlled face and turned towards him. “Oh? How did you mean it, then?” She crossed her arms over her chest and the borrowed clothes she wore.

“I just meant, that, well. Oh, hell,” he said and sat grumpily down in a chair.

Rebecca bit back the smile and limped over to him. She lifted his chin with her hand and said, “You don’t make any decisions about our lives together unilaterally. Understand?”

Alex nodded and took her hand in his. “I’m sorry. I promise, truly promise that I won’t do that anymore. Do you forgive me?”

“Yes,” she said easily. “If you want something, you need to learn how to ask for it. Don’t just assume things, or take what you want to get your way, not with me. It’s as good as lying to me. Total honesty,” she reminded him.

He pulled her into his lap and rested his forehead against hers. “Total honesty,” he agreed. “I promise.”

She tenderly brushed her lips across his cheek and his eyes closed. “I love how your lips feel against my skin.”

“I don’t mind how your lips feel either,” she said with a small smile.

“I hate not being able to kiss you, darling.”

“You
can
kiss me, everywhere but here,” she said pointing to her lips.

“In that case,” he said as he lifted her in his arms and began carrying her.

“And just where are we going?”

“I’m going to give you a bath. The doctor left me with some very strict instructions.”

“Oh, she did, did she?”

“Oh, yes. I’m afraid I’m going to wash you quite thoroughly.”

Rebecca sighed and shuddered. She had wanted a shower ever since she had left that terrible warehouse. “Right now, I don’t know if I’ll ever feel clean again,” she said honestly.

He paused in his stride and held her tight against him for a long minute. She felt something in her unwind and some of the tension release, just because he was holding her. How did he do that? Or what that love that did that? She wasn’t sure.

He kissed her temple and said, “Oh, my love. Let me take care of you.”

She nestled her head against his shoulder. “All right. If you insist.”

When they got to the bathroom, he gently set her on her feet, and began to remove her clothes. Though the scene should have been erotic, all she was looking forward to was the bath.

After he filled the tub, he gently removed her bandages, which would need changing soon anyway. Then he began to remove his own clothes and Rebecca gave him a long look.

“Just what do you think you’re doing?”

“Joining you,” he said as he removed his boxers and stood naked and semi-erect in front of her.

“I hope you don’t think you’re going to get anywhere with that,” she said glancing at him down below.

He smiled broadly. “Not today anyway. Come on,” he said as he stepped into the fragrant steam and held out his hands to help her.

She gingerly stepped into the hot water, wincing slightly when the heat brushed her injuries for the first time. They both sat down in the cavernous whirlpool bath and sighed in relief. It struck her that perhaps Alex’d had just as long a day and night as she’d had yesterday.

Under the water, she caressed his thick, corded thigh nestled next to her hip. “I never really asked you how you were doing with all of this.”

He gently brought his arms around her, aware of the superficial injury on her ribs, and kissed the top of her head. “Thank you for asking, but I’ll be fine as soon as you are.”

“Sounds simple,” she said, sighing as he shifted and began to gently massage her arms and shoulders.

“Love is never simple, as I’m discovering, but my happiness does appear to be.”

“Happy girlfriend, happy life?”

“That’s ‘happy fiancée, happy life’, darling.”

She giggled. “It’s good you realize that now.”

“I’m sure it is,” he murmured. “Did you want to wash your hair?”

“God, yes,” she said and dunked her head into the water. When she emerged, Alex was rubbing shampoo onto his hands and began to massage her head. God, his hands were talented.

After washing her hair, he gently began washing the rest of her. Her long legs and arms, her neck and back. He was so gentle, she felt as though a cloud were whispering over her, rather than the soft cloth he used.

When he finished with her, she felt fresh again. She also felt strong enough to take care of him for once, so she picked up the cloth and said, “Your turn.”

“Darling, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he said as he shifted uncomfortably, causing small waves in the water.

With a wicked smile she said, “Oh, I think it is. Shall I start with your hair?”

Resigned, Alex dipped his head into the water and came out wet and gleaming. Rebecca licked her sensitive lips, again tasting the horrible medicated lip balm, but right now it did not matter. She knew her body was healing, but she needed Alex. She needed to feel power over a man again, and knew that he would understand.

Rebecca slowly massaged and washed his hair as he had done to her, then slowly began to wash every delicious inch of his body. Her slim fingers caressed his sculpted chest, slightly narrowed waist, and broad hips. His groan spurred her onward.

She waited to wash one particular part of him last. When her hands dipped between his legs, she found his thick erection bobbing in the water, desperate for attention. She wanted to be inside him, but this would do for now. She wrapped the cloth around his penis and began to rub him up and down, up and down, up and down.

Alex’s hands gripped the edges of the tub and his head fell back. “Fucking hell, Becca. You don’t have to.”