LITMIR.BIZ

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reaction. Great. Lucca never went anywhere without him. His permanent shadow. The bodyguard probably pitied Alex who was going to be nothing more than a token wife. Alex didn’t want his pity. The thought sickened her.

      “Is everything all right?” Lucca asked with concern. “My parents are waiting for me in the sitting room of their apartment, but if you need more time …”

      Me, he’d said. Not us. She shuddered.

      She flashed him a little smile. “Not time, just courage.”

      “I promise you they’re wonderful people.”

      “They would have to be in order to raise a man like you … and Regina,” she added as an afterthought so he wouldn’t get the wrong idea. Already she was letting things slip he could misinterpret.

      “She likes you, Alexandra, not simply for my sake.” When Alex shook her head he said, “Believe it or not, that’s what she told me a little while ago. My sister’s a good judge of character. I’m glad you’re going to get along.”

      If he was glad, she was, too. He dictated their pace down the hall toward the west end. He had to know she’d never been this nervous in her life. Though he pointed out various murals from his family history in an effort to put her at ease, she wasn’t in a mood to appreciate his anecdotes, amusing as they were.

      They could have been out for a leisurely stroll on the palace grounds instead of inside its walls walking the plank. That’s what it felt like to Alex.

      When they neared the double doors where more palace personnel were on guard, Lucca reached for her hand. His hooded eyes flicked to hers. “Your presence is going to add a year, maybe even several to my father’s life. For that you have my undying gratitude.” With another disturbing kiss to her palm, he opened both doors.

      By tacit agreement they moved inside the sumptuously decorated room, yet it showed signs of modernization with several comfortable-looking couches and chairs with ottomans. Lucca left her side long enough to kiss his parents, who were casually dressed in pants and shirts. Both sat in front of a television set.

      While they conversed in Italian, she hung back where she could study his attractive mother. She was small-framed with stylishly short dark hair, an older version of Regina both in coloring and features. Alex sobered, however, at the sight of his thin father, who shut off the TV with the remote. It sounded as if they’d been watching a golf match.

      No doubt the recent loss of weight and hair was due to his chemo treatments, but she could tell he’d been a very handsome man when he’d been healthy, just like his son. An oxygen tank with tubes rested against the side of his chair. This was a sight the public would never be allowed to see. The significance of it weighed on her.

      Lucca stood up and turned to her, motioning her forward. In English he said, “Mama? Papa? I brought someone home from America with me. Please speak in English until she learns our language.”

      “Don’t get up,” Alex begged when they both started to rise.

      His mother’s brown eyes caught sight of the diamond pin, and she let out a surprised cry. “Look, Rudy!”

      “I see it, Betta,” her husband’s voice shook. He sounded shocked and upset. “What does this mean, figlio mio?”

      In a lightning move Lucca reached for Alex and put his arm around her waist, drawing her breathtakingly close to his side. “It means there’s going to be a wedding.” He smiled down at her, kissing the side of her cheek. “Who knew my gorgeous bride-to-be has been waiting in the States all this time for me to find her. If I’d known about her sooner, we would have been married ages ago and would probably have had a child or two by now.”

      Oh, please don’t make the lie any worse than it is, Lucca.

      “May I introduce you to your future daughter-in-law, Princess Alexandra Carlisle Grigory.”

      “Grigory?” His father’s hazel eyes rounded. By now he’d gotten to his feet with some difficulty. Now she knew where Lucca’s height had come from. His wife joined him. Both were nonplussed.

      “Alexandra, these are my parents Rudolfo and Isabetta.”

      “It’s wonderful to meet you at last,” Alex whispered shakily. Lucca held on to her and hugged her tighter. “Her mother was the American film star Kathryn Carlisle, who tragically passed away this last Christmas Day. Her father, Prince Oleg, died when she was only nine months old. She never knew her grandfather, Prince Nicholas. However, her great-uncle Yuri is still alive and will be giving her away.

      “The three of us spent a very enjoyable afternoon together at the Russian Federation in New York while he helped Alexandra become better acquainted with her Grigory heritage. He’ll be sending you and Mama formal greetings right away.”

      His mother’s brown eyes brimmed with tears before she hurried around the low table to clap her hands on Lucca’s cheeks. “You’ve made me the happiest mother in the world,” she said in English before switching to Italian. The muttered endearments needed no translation. After hugging him hard, she turned to embrace Alex.

      “Welcome to the family, Alexandra. Except for when the children were born, this is the most joyful day of our married lives.”

      “It certainly is,” Lucca’s father concurred, and leaned closer to kiss Alex on both cheeks. She could detect his shallow breathing. “However, I know half a dozen young women who’ll want to scratch your eyes out, as my little Regina would say.”

      “Rudy,” his wife scolded him with mock feeling. “Lucca’s made his choice. Let that be the end of it.”

      Lucca caught Alex from behind and pulled her against his chest where she could feel the strong solid beat of his heart. “The truth is, from the moment she and I met in New York, it was love at first sight for both of us.”

      Alex swallowed a groan. How gallantly he played the part when he knew his parents were aware he’d chosen her out of duty. But being nobles themselves, they would pretend this was a love match and treat her accordingly. Only one person would be able to intervene for Lucca’s personal happiness. That would be his arranged wife, Alex.

      His father’s eyes flicked from the diamond to his son’s face. He nodded solemnly. “I can tell. There’s a light in your eyes that was never there before.”

      The king’s playacting was beyond comprehension.

      “I see it, too, Rudy. Have you told your sister?”

       “Si, Mama.”

      All three of them should be given the Oscar that had always eluded Alex’s mother.

      Lucca let go of Alex long enough to help his father be seated once more, then he pulled Alex down next to him on the opposite couch and grasped her hand in a gesture of ownership his parents couldn’t fail to notice. “They met this morning after the plane landed in Nice. Alexandra will be staying in the blue suite next to Regina’s until our wedding.”

      “That’s as it should be,” his mother emoted. “Now we’ll all have time to get acquainted before the ceremony.”

      “Regina’s wonderful,” Alex interjected, knowing something was expected of her. In this case she’d told the truth. Lucca’s sister had the same charisma as her brother. Already Alex liked them all too much.

      Lucca’s thumb started making lazy circles against her palm, sending sensations like shooting stars through her veins. “Alexandra is everything I could ever want. With her at my side, I look forward to taking over from you, Papa. In fact, I wish the wedding could be moved up a week. Not only for your sake, but for mine,” his voice ended on a husky inflection. The next thing Alex knew he’d brushed his lips against hers.

      Ohh.

      His father cleared his throat. “What do you think, Betta?”

      “You’re still the king. It’s

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