Cherished (2 page)

A hand touched her elbow and she started, jerking from her silent assessment of her temporary new home. Six months. For six months she’d agreed to live in this place. To be whatever the prince wanted her to be.

The man who’d escorted her out of the car and onto the plane in Paris was now assisting her down the steps toward a black Mercedes parked just a short distance away.

She smoothed the wrinkles from the silk skirt, a gift from Prince Alex—no, she must remember that he was to be addressed as Xander. He’d been very specific on that matter. He’d purchased her an entire new wardrobe, and baffling was the fact that he’d chosen the exact sizes she wore. Everything from underwear to shoes.

The lingerie was to die for. Sinfully sexy and yet ultrafeminine. Putting it on made her want to purr in delight and yet roar like a sultry seductress. She didn’t even want to entertain what it all had cost. It would likely have paid for her mother’s treatment twice over.

“His Highness awaits,” the man said as he handed her into the backseat of the car.

In the front, another man wearing dark sunglasses glanced at her in the rearview mirror.

“Are you ready, miss?”

She nodded and then the door closed and the car immediately pulled away from the small jet.

They pulled onto a roughly paved stretch of road, but the farther they traveled it, the smoother it became. She glanced curiously around, wondering at the inhabitants. If there was a town. She
hadn’t been able to see anything on the flight in. It had all looked frighteningly barren of any sort of human activity, but it certainly didn’t suffer from lack of vibrancy of nature.

Lush, green. Sparkling sands. Rugged mountains. She’d even seen a waterfall as the plane had made its descent.

The road meandered around a curve and then turned out onto a point on the eastern edge of the island. She leaned forward, spotting formidable gates that opened as if by magic as they approached.

They continued in and she gasped softly at the private paradise that existed beyond those imposing gates.

There weren’t words to describe the grounds. Immaculately rendered. Flowers, so many that the burst of color was a shock to her eyes. Plants, foliage. Fruit trees. Palms. Flowering vines and bushes.

And nestled among it all was a palatial villa with a huge water feature in front of the sprawling entrance. She couldn’t call it a fountain exactly. It wasn’t one fountain, but a huge series of them, intricately designed. It looked like the villa’s own private waterfall and oasis.

As the car pulled to a stop, she was gripped by sudden nerves that nearly paralyzed her. Finding solace that at least her eyes were hidden by the sunglasses she’d donned, she turned to see a tall man striding toward the car. He reached for the handle as the driver stepped out and opened her door.

“Miss Montforte,” he said smoothly. “His Royal Highness bids you welcome to his home.”

“So she came,” Xander murmured as he stared down at Talia gracefully exiting the car he’d sent to pick her up at the airstrip.

“Did you doubt she would?” Garon asked dryly.

Xander’s gaze never left Talia as Sebastien took her arm to escort her into the villa.

“Who knows the mind of a woman?” Xander said. “I’ve seen nothing to doubt that she would ever go back on her word, but when faced with my expectations, it’s only logical to assume that any woman in her position would have second thoughts.”

Garon’s lips twitched in amusement. “Indeed.”

“She’s still a virgin,” Xander said, unable to keep the satisfaction from his voice.

“That pleases you.”

Xander lifted an imperious brow. “Of course it does. I may not be her only, but I’ll damn well be the first.”

“Some might argue that what you plan to subject her to is a bit much for an innocent.”

Xander could no longer see Talia. Sebastien had escorted her into the front where she would await him in the sitting room. He twitched with impatience to go to her, but it wouldn’t do for him to seem eager.

He wanted this to be on his terms. She would never know just how long he’d waited for this time to come. She was his now.

“You’re a damn hypocrite,” Xander said with no heat. “You’re dying to fuck her every bit as much as I am.”

Garon’s lip lifted once more. The slight arch at the corner of his mouth was the closest he got most days to actually smiling.

“I don’t have the taste for innocents that you seem to have.”

“She won’t be so damn innocent when I’m finished with her,” Xavier murmured. “Besides, I don’t have a proclivity for virgins. Just one virgin. Her. I find I’m very possessive when it comes to Talia.”

Garon gave a snort. “And yet you’ll share her with your most trusted men.”

Xander shrugged. “It’s who I am. It’s what I do. I haven’t heard you complain once.”

Garon seemed to ponder the matter a moment and then his expression grew more serious. “No, I’ve not complained. But the
woman in question has never been someone important to you. Talia obviously is. Think about what you do, Xander. Sex is sex. Kink is kink. I like a good time and a beautiful woman as well as the next man. But I would hate to lose trust or a friendship because emotions got involved.”

“Then see that yours don’t.”

Garon shook his head just as Sebastien entered the library. He inclined his head in respect toward Xander. “Talia waits below as you requested.”

“Tell me, Sebastien, do you find her beautiful?”

Sebastien lifted one eyebrow and then his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “I’m uncertain of the point of your question, Your Highness. Of course she is a beautiful woman. Time has been more than kind to her. She’s no longer a girl of eighteen but a lovely woman of twenty-two.”

Garon stifled laughter at Sebastien’s rather irreverent address. “Your Highness” only got brought out for sarcasm. Xander’s security team were men who’d been with Xander for many years. Even before, they’d attended university together. Their friendship, trust and loyalty was unquestioning. Garon, Sebastien and Nico had been Xander’s only friends during a time of unrest in his country and in return they were the only people Xander trusted implicitly.

“Some would argue that twenty-two is still very much a girl,” Garon pointed out. “Virgin. Untouched. She seems very unworldly for a woman who’s spent the last four years in one of the world’s most sophisticated cities.”

“Are you trying to insinuate that Xander is a dirty old man?” Sebastien drawled.

Xander chuckled and Garon did that half smile again.

“I think it’s been well established that I’m a hopeless hedonist,” Xander said. “The question is whether she’ll be able to accept that.”

Sebastien sobered and glanced between Garon and Xander. “Is that what this is then? A test?”

Put that way, it sounded cold and clinical. No, nothing about his feelings for Talia could be considered cold.

“Perhaps?” he said lightly, unwilling to let his friends see the depth of his uncertainty or his indecision. “Perhaps it is a test of myself as well to see if this…lifestyle…is what I need or if it’s something I’ve merely wanted and enjoyed in the past.”

“We’ll endeavor not to fuck it up for you,” Garon said dryly.

Xander lifted an eyebrow. “See that you don’t. She is to be spoiled and pampered. Her every need and whim seen to. She is mine—ours—make no mistake about it. She will be molded and taught. She will submit without reservation. But in return she will be treated and respected as the princess I intend her to be.”

“Fucking a beautiful woman,” Sebastien said sardonically. “Such a chore. I think we should ask for raises.”

Xander’s gaze sharpened. “You won’t be fucking her, Bastien. You’re going to worship her and pleasure her as you’ve never pleasured another woman.”

“I have no problem with that at all,” Sebastien said in a lazy voice that was full of satisfaction—and anticipation.

Xander checked his watch. “We’ve kept her waiting long enough. Go find Nico. I want a few moments alone with her and then I’ll expect all three of you to make an appearance.”

Chapter 2

Talia sat dutifully on the couch in the huge sitting room she’d been shown into. After a few nervous starts, she realized that the prince wouldn’t be making an immediate appearance and she turned so she could see out the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the beach mere feet from the back terrace.

She hadn’t been certain what to expect. Maybe a palace worthy of a sultan. Something ostentatious that screamed wealth and privilege.

The palace on Cristofino Island was straight from a fairy tale. Built in the 1600s, it had withstood conflict, wars and a major fire and still stood a proud monument to her country. Over the years it had been renovated, but special care had been taken to maintain the integrity of the original design.

Here on this island, while she could certainly see the expense in the surroundings, nothing was garishly opulent. The colors were warm and soothing. The furnishings were in soft leather, so comfortable that she’d sighed when she sank onto the couch. It had
been too tempting not to run her fingers over the surface almost as if she were petting an animal.

As her gaze took in more of the outside, she realized that a large swimming pool was situated to the far right, jutting out toward the ocean. An infinity pool. It was raised a bit above the terrace itself and there was another patio and lounging area by the pool.

Simply put, this was paradise. And for the next six months it was hers to enjoy. In what capacity, she wasn’t altogether sure, but this is where she’d live and she could certainly think of worse places for a man to indulge in his mistress.

Her cheeks heated again as the word popped into her mind. She’d been saying such words ever since she’d packed her belongings to come here. It was an attempt to walk into the situation with eyes wide open. No illusions. No misunderstandings.

The agreement involved sex.

Her virginity, her body, everything that made her the person she was would be surrendered to Xander.

Every time guilt or shame started to crowd into her mind, she was quick and fierce to battle it back. She hadn’t sold herself cheaply. She wasn’t certain what solace that would bring her, but no matter what, she’d enter this agreement with pride.

The one thing she would not surrender to the prince was her self-respect. He could strip her of everything, but her pride would remain and she’d never feel shame for choosing to honor an agreement struck in order to save her mother and secure her own future.

What was six months when compared to what it gained her?

“You look as though you are fiercely debating the meaning of life instead of enjoying your first hours in paradise.”

Talia jerked around, her gaze honing in on the prince, who stood just inside the door. His pose was casual. Perhaps deceptively so. He wore simple linen slacks and a short-sleeved button-up white shirt that wasn’t tucked in. It was bunched where his hands were shoved into his pockets and on his feet were leather flip-flops.

Somehow this wasn’t what she’d envisioned at all.

And yet, as she’d acknowledged, perhaps the semblance of casualness was all wrong because she sensed power. A confidence that bordered on arrogance and the strength to easily bend her to his will.

She rose immediately, her breath rushing out in a shaky explosion. “Y-your Highness.”

She dipped her head and curled her fingers into tight balls in front of her.

“The agreement is that you are to call me Xander,” he said, though there was no reprimand in his voice. It came as a gentle reminder but the tone still sent a shiver up her spine.

“Xander,” she whispered.

He took a step forward. “Please do sit back down. I’m sure you’re fatigued from your journey. Would you like something to drink?”

“Water,” she croaked out, only because it seemed rude to say nothing.

He raised his hand and snapped his fingers in the direction of an unseen person. Talia only heard footsteps as they moved away, but she’d never seen the person actually enter the room.

When Xander continued to stare expectantly at her, she lowered herself to the couch once more, though she perched on the edge, not nearly as comfortable as she’d been moments ago.

“Shall we pretend and have an awkward, stilted conversation about meaningless fluff or shall we get to the point of your presence here?” he asked bluntly.

She blinked but felt some of her nervousness abate. This she could deal with. No coy beating around the bush. No guessing what the hell she was supposed to do. Yes, she wanted to get to the point so she knew exactly where she stood and what his expectations of her were.

“I’d rather get to the point,” she said softly.

His eyes gleamed, whether in amusement or approval she
wasn’t certain. Time had been very good to him, though he’d certainly weathered several difficult years.

He’d always managed to take her breath away with one look. He was…beautiful. No, that was a terrible word. He was…addictive to look at. Not classically gorgeous like a playboy or someone polished to perfection. He wasn’t suave and debonair but what he did have were strong features that screamed alpha male. A born leader. Someone who wore power like a second skin.

His skin was dusted with the sun, a gift from his Spanish-born mother. His eyes were the signature trait of the royal family. An odd shade of gold, amber and brown that made her think of leaves turning in the autumn.

His hair was dark but there were lighter glints, almost as if spending so much time in the sun had streaked it. He looked aloof, unconcerned with what others may think of him and he made her heart beat more rapidly just by walking into the room.

“I have no wish for you to experience any discomfort or unease,” he said, breaking into her wayward thoughts. “On the contrary, I intend for the next six months to be extremely pleasurable for you.”

She couldn’t control the blush. It burst over her cheeks in a rush of heat. His lips lifted in a smile of acknowledgment.

“I believe the contract was rather detailed.”

She shook her head and he frowned.