“I will miss you too, Mama. I promise I won’t be gone much longer. I can’t give birth to these babies without you by my side.”
“I want you to be strong and stand on your own two feet. I raised you that way, but I do want to be there. Some events are just too important for a mom not to be a part of them with her own baby,” Rosabella said.
“I agree. You raised me well, Mama, but I will always still need you.”
Rosabella held her for several long moments, and then it was time for her daughter to walk her out. Saying goodbye to her mom and dad together was going to be even harder, and Rachel took several long breaths before she met them at the front entrance to the palace.
“You are both welcome here at any time,” Adriane said as he joined them there.
“Thank you, Adriane. We appreciate the invitation,” Martin said as he shook Adriane’s hand.
“It was my pleasure to have you both,” Adriane said as he turned toward Rosabella and lifted her hand, kissing the back of it before smiling. “Your daughter certainly received her beauty from you.”
Oh, the man was smooth.
Rosabella giggled and a slight blush entered her cheeks as she moved in front of Rachel.
“I love you. Call me the minute you need anything. Or just call to tell me about your day. I look forward to your coming back home,” Rosabella said, and Rachel noticed Adriane’s body tense as if afraid she would just run away with them right now.
Tempting.
But no. She was committed.
“I will miss you, baby girl,” Martin said as he pulled Rachel gently into his arms.
“I will miss you, too, Daddy,” she said, leaning into his embrace and allowing a few tears to escape, though she’d promised herself she wouldn’t cry. It wasn’t as if she were losing her parents forever. But they’d just be so far away.
“I will take good care of her and our babies,” Adriane assured them as he walked up and put his arm around Rachel as soon as Martin released her.
Rachel stood there with Adriane and watched the two walk from the palace and get into the awaiting car that would take them to the helipad.
“I won’t make you feel trapped ever again,” Adriane said as he turned her and looked into her eyes.
Rachel wiped her tears away as she looked at him with suspicion. What was he doing now?
“It was wrong of me. I’m truly sorry, cara. You have free rein to speak to all of your family. I can admit when I’ve done wrong,” he said with a rueful grin.
“I may need to record this,” she said, her heart clattering just a bit too much at the gentle way he was speaking to her. She was a bit too vulnerable right now.
“How about joining me for lunch?”
“Yes.”
Rachel didn’t hesitate. The thought of going to her room and being alone at this moment was unbearable. It was time to let down her guard and really try to know this man, try to tear down some of the walls that both of them had in place.
“Thank you,” he said so quietly, she almost missed it.
It seemed he was feeling the same way as she was. When he took her hand into his, she didn’t pull away, just followed him deeper into the palace.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
BETRAYED.
DECEIVED.
DEVASTATED.
Rachel was also disbelieving as she looked down at a message she was sure had been sent to her in error.
How could Adriane do this to her? She’d stayed to get to know him, had let her family leave her there even though they hadn’t wanted to. Despite everything, she’d even started to believe that he wasn’t the monster she had originally thought him to be.
She’d been wrong.
Fury and fear mingled inside her, making her stomach roil with nausea. This couldn’t be good for the twins. It certainly wasn’t good for her.
I am sorry to have missed you, Ms. Palazzo. Your dress fitting has been pushed back an extra week, but we do need to have your measurements as soon as possible to ensure that your gown fits properly on your wedding day. Remember that two weeks goes by quickly, and we only have your best interest at heart, since the wedding will be televised.
Thank you,
Mariana
Rachel reread the note that had been left on her dressing table. And still she couldn’t believe what it was saying. Adriane had never canceled the wedding plans. He was simply humoring her until he could march her down the aisle. How could she have been so blind?
Although he’d offered to play by her rules and taken her out on a few outings where the two of them could talk, she clearly didn’t know him any more now than she had back in Florida a few months ago.
And she’d so wanted to have faith in him, so wanted to believe he was a good man. The alternative was unacceptable — that the father of her children was an egomaniac.
This was a nightmare and she couldn’t seem to wake up from it.
As the tears welled up, she twisted her hands in her lap, digging her nails into her flesh. She would not cry again, hormones or not.
Anger was the only emotion she wanted to feel at this moment. She closed her eyes, and reveled in it. Let it build. The angrier she was with the man, the less he could hurt her.
She suspected she was going to hurt plenty, anyway. Without rhyme or reason, she found herself growing attached to Adriane. Maybe it was the way he looked at her with so much need burning in his eyes. Maybe it was the few times he let down his guard and shared his feelings with her. Maybe it was just because she was a fool.
Whatever the reasons, she cared about him.
But it was a one-way feeling.
He desired her; that was more than obvious. He wanted to marry her — but not for the right reasons. He wanted his heirs to live there with him, to be raised the way he wanted them raised, and he wanted not to lose any time with them.
He also had implied — how generous! — that sharing her bed wouldn’t be a hardship for him.
That wasn’t enough. It never would be. She wanted love or nothing at all. And even if he did give vows of love, she wouldn’t be able to trust his words, certainly not after he’d just proved himself to be such a scheming liar. He’d never planned on canceling the wedding. It had all just been a big smoke screen for him to woo her into his way of thinking.
He was going to be highly disappointed.
Rachel had no doubt that he would say or do anything at this point to keep her in Corythia. So what was she going to do? Did she leave right away?
That was what she wanted to do. She wanted to run far from him and not look back. But if that’s what she really wanted, why did her stomach turn at the thought?