Bride Fit for a Prince

“That’s because I’m crazy about animals. How long has the prince had him?”

“Eight years now.”

“The lucky man. Does he let you take Valentino for walks?”

“All the time.”

“If I worked for him, that would be my favorite perk.”

He flashed her a glance she couldn’t decipher. “Come into the other room.”

Anxious to meet the prince and get this over with, she followed Nicco’s tall, rock-hard physique through a doorway to the living room of the apartment.

It was modestly furnished in what appeared to be secondhand furniture, exactly like the decor of her one bedroom apartment behind the clinic.

“Prince Enzo really has fallen on hard times. I feel right at home.”

“He’ll be glad to hear it,” Nicco replied with a hint of mockery. “Please make yourself comfortable.”

She sat down on one of the chairs. Valentino curled up at her feet. A few minutes of silence passed before she was prompted to ask, “What’s taking the prince so long?”

“He’s out for the moment.”

When the meaning of his words sank in, her head reared. “What’s going on here?”

Nicco sat down on the couch opposite her. “With his wedding day tomorrow, the prince is a busy man. He’ll be along shortly.”

“The prince better hurry if he expects the runner-up to arrive here in time.”

He lounged back against the cushion, extending his long, powerful legs in front of him. “Come now, signorina. Surely you’re not still maintaining that fictitious nonsense about a twin?”

Callie was on her feet in an instant. Her action disturbed the dog who instinctively tried to herd her so she wouldn’t move from the room. Under normal circumstances she would have laughed at the endearing trait, but this situation was not amusing.

“Where’s the phone? I’ll get Ann on the line and she’ll explain everything.”

“I’m afraid the prince only uses a cell phone.”

She took a struggling breath. “Then I assume you have one, too. May I use yours, please?”

“I would offer mine, but it needs to be recharged.”

“How convenient.”

As if proclaiming his innocence, he lifted those broad masculine shoulders still covered by his black Italian leather jacket. Her sarcasm had been utterly wasted on him.

“Before Prince Enzo arrives, we might as well begin a discussion of tomorrow’s schedule. It’s my job to prepare you for your nuptials. Why don’t you sit down again and relax. Too much anxiety before the wedding ceremony will carry over into the bridal chamber.

“Ever since he saw your photograph last month, the prince has been anticipating your wedding night. He expects to find his new consort as eager as he is to begin your life together as husband and wife. It’s up to me to make certain he isn’t disappointed.”

By now Callie’s face was on fire. “And of course I don’t have any say in the situation.”

“None. Of your own freewill—in front of the attorney for the benefit as well Prince Enzo’s personal attorney—you signed a contract I drew up for the prince myself. It is airtight, signorina. No power on earth, not even the Pope himself, can break it.”

“I didn’t sign it,” she said calmly. “My sister did.”

His gaze captured hers. She fought not to look away.

“Supposing that’s true…” His voice trailed. “And you really do have an identical twin named Ann…it still won’t stop the wedding from taking place tomorrow.”

Something menacing in his tone sent a spiral of fear snaking through her body.

“If your sister had looked carefully at the profile given her on Prince Enzo by the benefit committee, she would have seen that the blood of the Borgia’s as well as the Tescotti’s runs through his veins.

“It’s an historical fact that it was Cesare Borgia whom Machiavelli used as the model for his book about the prince who ruled without moral consideration for his terrified subjects.”

He leaned forward. “If I were you, I’d start thinking very hard how you’re going to influence your new husband not to have your sister arrested for sending you in her place. Prison is no place for the fiancée of Prince Enzo.”

Callie refused to be intimidated. “Ann’s not here to arrest.”

“That’s true. But you are…” His eyes had narrowed to black slits, like the kind you saw hollowed out in a castle turret where the bowmen shot their arrows.

“I thought Prince Enzo wanted me for his bride.”

“Naturalmente you’ll become his princess. When you’ve served your purpose, then you’ll be placed under house arrest.”

She felt her escape route closing fast, but she wasn’t about to let him know that.

“So now we get down to the real reason for this absurd farce. My sister has already written him a check for ten thousand dollars which is all of her savings.

“With this next film, I’m sure she’ll be able to give him five times that amount. What’s his price? If she can’t meet it all the way, I’ll go to my bank and see how much of a loan I can take out.” At this rate Callie would be in debt for the rest of her life.

“Your loyalty to your sister is nothing short of astounding, signorina. That is if you have a sister,” he drawled unnervingly. “It’s a pity money is not the consideration here.”

He reached in his pocket and threw the check down on the coffee table for her to take back.

“Then what is?” she blurted in exasperation. “Why has he gone to all the trouble of choosing an American bride? Unless—”

She darted him a wicked smile. “Unless, of course, he has some genetic defect handed down from the Borgias that every Italian woman of royal blood already knows about and has avoided like the bubonic plague.”

With the stealth of a panther, Nicco rose to his full height, bigger than life. “You’re not as empty-headed as I had supposed, so I’m not going to ruin the surprise. Tomorrow morning you’ll find out for yourself just exactly what you, or your sister, agreed to marry.”

“That’s barbaric!”

The moment she shouted the words, the boxer growled deep in his throat and went into his guard dog stance.

A taunting smile broke the corner of Nicco’s hard mouth. “Valentino likes you very much, which is surprising when you consider his passionate devotion to the prince. Keep your voice well modulated and he won’t treat you as an intruder. It’s the last thing he wants to do. As you can see, his short tail is wagging.”

Valentino she could handle. The dog was wonderful. As for Nicco, he’d backed her into a corner.