Italian Groom, Princess Bride

He pounded a fist against his forehead. By now she was on the helicopter winging her way toward Castelmare. With no time to lose he raced back to the farmhouse.

After swearing his uncle to secrecy, he explained he had to go back to Castelmare on an emergency before the day was out. Six hours later his commercial flight landed in Nice, France. He rented a car at the airport, then drove over the speed limit to the capitol city of Capriccio in Castelmare fifteen miles away.

Before he did anything else he needed to talk to his father who would still be on the palace grounds. Since the death of Dizo’s mother, Guido never left for home before seven in the evening.

When he walked in to the greenhouse, three pairs of Fornese eyes widened to see him appear unannounced. His father’s slid away. Guilt had a way of revealing itself.

Over the years Dizo had worked out the important issues with his father, but he’d never been truly angry with him until now.

He flashed his brothers a speaking glance. “If you don’t mind, I have to talk to Papa alone.”

Both looked distinctly uncomfortable before they nodded and left, closing the doors behind them.

Dizo moved closer. “I’ve always been aware of your dislike for Princess Regina, but you chose the wrong day to tell her I left Castelmare because of my nonexistent impending marriage. Do you have any conception of the pain she was in after her father’s funeral yesterday?”

His father’s dark head with only a sprinkling of gray lifted abruptly. “How do you know what I said to her?”

“She told me.” In person. In Technicolor. Dizo was still in shock.

“Of course. The telephone.” He slapped his own leg. “That young woman never leaves you alone. Because she’s the principessa of Castelmare, no place is far enough away from her, is it.”

After what had happened to Dizo last night, he couldn’t honestly answer his father.

“I may not have your college education, figlio mio, but I’m not as unintelligent as you think I am.”

“That’s your assessment, not mine.”

“Basta!” He shook his head in fury. “It’s exactly because I knew how hard it was on her I said what I did.” His index finger lifted, a sure sign a lecture was coming. “Since I took this job here sixteen years ago, I’ve seen her traipse after you like a lovesick puppy and you allowed it knowing nothing could ever come of it.”

Tell me something I don’t know, Papa. Gina’s destiny had been decreed the moment her royal parents knew another royal baby was on the way.

“Before your mother died, she made me promise I would put a stop to it, but I couldn’t persuade you to go back home to college. You planned your life so you could be around the princess. You think I don’t know you could have made triple the money doing another kind of part-time job away from the grounds?

“Only one man has ever mattered to her besides her father. That man is you!

“When she came hightailing it in here yesterday after the funeral looking for you, I took matters into my own hands. She’ll be marrying King Nicolas of Pedrosa in the very near future. As long as you finally showed the good sense to leave Castelmare for good, I decided to make certain the umbilical cord got cut once and for all!”

Dizo inhaled sharply. “I’m afraid it didn’t work.”

“Obviously not. You’re back here in twenty-four hours looking like the very devil despite my big brother’s news that you were with a woman last night. What did the princess do? Order you back to the palace on some excuse about the plantings at her father’s grave?”

He experienced more pain remembering the day they’d talked about her father’s love of pine trees and how they could be incorporated when everything else was more tropical. It hadn’t been that long ago.

“She did worse than that, Papa. It’s the reason I’ve come to you for advice.”

“My advice?” he mocked. “Since when did you ever want it?”

“Since this morning when I woke up to find her in my bed.”

A stunning silence followed.

Aghast at the revelation, his father paled and staggered over to the chair to sit down. The two men stared long and hard at each other. “She showed up at the farmhouse?” he asked incredulously.

“I’m afraid so. I left Zitta’s bar around two. Nothing else registered after that except that I had this fantastic dream about her. When I woke up, there she was.”

A ruddy color spilled into his father’s cheeks. “Did you—you know what I mean—”

Yes, Dizo knew esattamente what he meant.

“I don’t really know. She still had her clothes on.” Though admittedly not all. “I was wearing my pants and nothing else.”

“That doesn’t necessarily mean anything,” he muttered.

Dizo had been thinking about that and had come to the same conclusion. “That’s why I’m here.”

His father wiped the sweat off his forehead. “Did my brother see her?”

“He saw someone in the bed, but I got her out through the window before he could identify her. Unfortunately you and I both know her bodyguards had to be close by.”

“Si, and bodyguards talk.” A serious moan came out of his father before he crossed himself.

“That’s all I’ve been thinking about. I told her to wait for me inside the fruit shed, but when I drove up in the truck, she was gone.”

He jumped to his feet. “It was a trick! She knows every one of them.”

And they work every time.

Dizo rubbed the back of his neck. “Whatever it was, it got me back here on the double.”

His father started to pace, then stopped in front of Dizo. “You don’t have a choice but to go to Lucca and tell him the whole truth. Once King Nicolas finds out—” He shook his head in despair. “If there’s any chance at all you impregnated the princess, her brother has to know before anyone else! That’s one thing the bodyguards don’t know yet.”

“And then what, Papa? If she’s carrying my child, she would never abort it. Nic would have to live with the knowledge that she’d been with another man first.” There was a secret part in Dizo’s heart that rejoiced at the very thought of her giving birth to his son or daughter.

“She could never marry you, let alone acknowledge you or your love child in public, either! How does that sit with you?”

He shut his eyes tightly. “It doesn’t. I have to pray to God I didn’t make total love to her.”

“But you don’t know for sure.”

“No,” he said in a tormented whisper. “She’s the only one who can tell me the truth.”

“Have you ever known her to lie?”

“No.” Gina didn’t have a deceitful bone inside that breathtaking body, but since last night he realized she’d been willing to risk the unthinkable to be with him. He couldn’t believe she would go that far. On the day she’d buried her father, she’d flown all the way from Castelmare in the dead of night to find him. It went against everything her royal training had taught her from the cradle. But it secretly thrilled him.

“Then you have to ask her what happened,” his father said, bringing him back to the present.

“I intend to. No matter the answer, I’ll go to her brother. He deserves to know exactly what happened before King Nicolas finds out.”

Guido nodded. “Lucca’s the only one who has the power to control her.”

Dizo hated to tell his father, but no one controlled Gina. She’d always been a law unto herself. That was part of her incredible appeal. He’d been friends with Gina from the beginning. Their relationship had penetrated class barriers, allowing them to share their thoughts and interests.

His poor father came from a culture that couldn’t conceive of a commoner being friends with royalty. Much to Guido’s chagrin, Dizo’s desire for Gina had gotten into the mix, making everything so much more complicated and painful.

What if Dizo had made love to her and she was carrying his child? He’d had dreams where it had happened, but he’d never wakened up before to find her luscious body under the covers with him.

When she’d been away at college in London, she’d managed to come home most weekends to study. He almost had heart failure every time she sunbathed on the grounds where he was planting or weeding. She’d lie on her stomach in shorts and a fetching little top with her head in a book. He’d stabbed his hand more than once with the trowel just watching her turn over.

“We Fornese’s are honorable people.” His father’s sad voice trailed.

“You’ve always been honorable, Papa. My behavior has been questionable since the day I stopped listening to your warnings.”

When their family moved to Capriccio, Dizo had been sixteen, old enough to tease his younger brothers and Gina who was six years younger than himself. Assuming she was a spoiled little terror, he’d determined to ignore her, but she’d turned out to be completely different. She fascinated all of them because although she was a real princess, she was fun and a good sport.

Though she had lots of cousins and friends, Dizo realized she preferred the company of the gardener’s son. Being that she had an intelligent mind aided by a superior royal education, it flattered his ego. When she asked him to teach her his native language, he discovered she was an excellent student. He found he enjoyed her hanging around him while he worked.

Time went by. The day she came running to him because their family dog had died, he’d put his arms around her to comfort her. It had been the first time he’d ever really touched her except to help her in and out of the ornamental pool or help her down from a tree or some such thing.

But this time other feelings took over. When he eased her away from him he realized she’d grown up and filled out. It seemed like overnight the lovely young girl had become a beautiful woman, inside and out.

No other female compared. To his surprise and dismay, the women he had dated during college and graduate school only illuminated the difference between her and every other female. He found he wanted Gina in all the ways a man could want a woman. The rest didn’t come close.

A deep sigh came out of his father. “This is all my fault. As soon as I saw what was happening between you two, I should have taken the family back to Sassari.”

“Don’t, Papa—her father asked you to come to Castelmare and work for him because you were the best gardener in Sardinia. I’ve always been so proud of you, yet this is how I show it,” he said in bitter self-abnegation.

“I shouldn’t have lied to her in her pain. That’s what caused her to do something not even I would have expected.”

“No. The blame lies squarely on my shoulders. I didn’t know how to say goodbye to her so I chose not to. That’s what drove her to do something reckless enough to cause real trouble. While the funeral was going on, I thought it the best time to leave.”

Palace gossip had reached his ears that now her father was dead, her marriage to King Nic was imminent. Dizo hadn’t wanted to deal with the pain and thought to escape it by going back to Sardinia.

Who would have dreamed Gina would come after him like that? It wouldn’t surprise him if he were suddenly struck by lightning for feeling the joy of it. Heaven knew he’d been playing with fire for years, but he was so selfish, he hadn’t counted on anyone except himself getting burned.

“I’m going to phone the palace. Her secretary will get word to her I’m here in the greenhouse waiting to talk to her.”

Dizo’s father patted his arm. “Corragio, figlio mio.”

This went beyond courage. Dizo didn’t have a choice but to face the situation head-on. A scandal like this would rock Nic’s world. It would undermine the honor of both his family and Gina’s.

He thought of other royal families who’d been caught up in similar situations. Once the press got wind of what was going on in Castelmare, their lives would never be the same. They’d all be labeled and crucified. The torment would never end.

For himself, it didn’t matter. For Gina, he would do whatever it took to protect her.

CHAPTER TWO

REGINA was on her way home from a town council meeting when she saw that her secretary was trying to reach her. She answered the call. “Si?”

“Your Highness? Dinozzo Fornese is in the greenhouse awaiting your instructions about the trees you want planted at your father’s grave. What shall I tell him?”

At last!

Her pulse raced so fast she went weak from excitement. “Tell him not to leave yet. I’ll join him within five minutes.”

“Very well.”

After hanging up, Regina told her chauffeur to drive her straight to the greenhouse at the northwest end of the palace grounds. Dizo wouldn’t have asked her to meet him there if his father and brothers were still around. This summons meant he’d arranged it so they would be alone. Good. No Guido to interfere.

She smiled. No matter how angry Dizo might be with her, he hadn’t been able to forget memories of last night and this morning—those moments of unleashed passion they’d shared even in his highly inebriated state. His desire had brought him back on the first plane leaving for Nice.

Regina had never seen him drunk. Her tall, intelligent, fiercely proud, disciplined Dizo with those aquiline features and piercing black eyes of his Sardinian race didn’t make mistakes. Except for last night.

To realize his secret flight from Castelmare to Sardinia had to be shorn up by emptying a bottle of alcohol lent him the vulnerability she’d been waiting years to discover. He would have slept in the truck for the rest of the night if she hadn’t opened the door and coaxed him into her arms.

Caught with his guard down, he’d succumbed to her kisses. By the time they reached the back room he hadn’t fought her as she helped him get ready for bed. Once her jacket came off, he pulled her down almost savagely and began kissing the daylights out of her.

She moaned when the alcohol he’d consumed finally took over and he fell asleep first. Regina slept a little, but toward morning she awakened to study the beautiful man who held her so possessively even in sleep. The hair on his chest matched the darkness of his wavy hair he wore longer most of the time because he was too busy to get it cut.

Though she had olive skin, his was darker. Such a strong, powerful man could have no idea how safe she’d felt cocooned in his arms. She’d pressed her face into his neck, loving the male scent of him. For so many years she’d only been able to look, not touch. To suddenly have him all to herself where she could show him what he meant to her made her euphoric. How could she possibly marry Nic after this?

Breathless for the sight of Dizo, she jumped out of the limo the moment it stopped in front of the greenhouse and told the chauffeur she wouldn’t need him anymore. She noticed Dizo’s rental car parked to the side. It took every ounce of composure to walk inside as if she really were going into the office to consult with one of the gardeners on a legitimate landscaping matter.

Her feet stilled the second she saw Dizo standing in front of a window looking out over the grounds. In a navy crew neck shirt and dark trousers, he took her breath. He was half-turned, giving her a glimpse of his chiseled profile. His thoughts had to be dark for lines to bracket the mouth that had driven her mad with desire during the night. It sent a frisson of nervousness down her spine.

“Dizo?”

His dark head whipped around giving her the full brunt of his scrutiny. With no alcohol left in his system he was totally in charge. Gone was the lover who’d cried her name over and over before morning, begging her never to leave him. Her joy dissipated as she sensed his quiet fury and was shaken by it, but she didn’t dare let him know it.

His sharp intake of breath reverberated in the enclosed space. “The fairy tale came to an end when I woke up and found you in my bed this morning.” His voice grated. “I only have one question.”

She’d anticipated it. “We didn’t cross the forbidden line.”

“Whose fault was that?” His eyes held an ominous glitter.

“I flew to Sardinia to talk to you and find out why you left without telling me, but you were too drunk to do more than kiss me before you fell asleep.”

“Grazie a Dio.” His hands formed fists. “Will you please get your brother on the line and ask him to come down to the greenhouse?”

The blood pounded in her ears. “No, Dizo—”

“Yes, Principessa—” he fired back. “If you don’t, I’ll call him myself right now.”

Regina had never seen Dizo this forbidding in her life. She didn’t know him like this. His mouth had gone a bluish-white around the edges.

“W-what are you going to say to him?” she stammered.

He moved closer to her. “That’s my business.”

She shook her head in terror. “Don’t make me do this.”

“Hand me your cell phone, or do I have to take it from you.”

Her eyes filled with liquid despite all her efforts to maintain control. “Dizo—”

“Tears won’t work. You’re about to be married to another man. End of story!” He grabbed her purse and felt inside for her phone. “Do I surprise your brother who might not be in the right circumstances to hear my voice coming from the other end? Or do you find a way to get your brother down here without causing him any more stress than necessary? The decision is up to you.”

He meant it—every word of it. She hadn’t expected him to go this far. Once Lucca knew…

“Time’s up.” He pressed button one, her private line to her brother.

In the last second she took the phone from him and put it to her ear. She could hear Lucca talking. “Regina? What are you doing? Where are you? Alexandra’s about to give Catarina her bath. Come and join the fun.”

Her brother sounded so happy she couldn’t bear for that to change, but it was going to.

“I-I’d love to—” she stumbled over the words “—but right now I’m at the greenhouse trying to decide on the trees to plant at Papa’s grave. Dinozzo is here.” She could feel his eyes impaling her, forcing her to carry out his demand. “If you could come f-for just a minute and help me make the final decision before he has to leave?”

After a definite pause Lucca said, “You don’t sound yourself. Something’s wrong. I’ll be right there.” He clicked off. Her brother’s uncanny radar picked up on anything and everything. It was in full force tonight.

Regina averted her eyes. “He’s coming,” she whispered shakily.

Like a drowning victim she saw her life flash before her eyes. The one with Dizo. To imagine the rest of it without him was incomprehensible to her. How could she marry Nic?

While she stood there in agony, her body started to ice up and she felt sick to her stomach. Then she heard a strange ringing in her ears. The next thing she knew Dizo had lowered her into a chair.

“Put your head between your legs.”

Dizo’s hand had gone to the back of her neck giving her no choice. For a minute her head swam. He leaned over. “Princess?” he whispered anxiously. She hadn’t thought there was a particle of concern for her left in him, but she was too light-headed to analyze it.

When the world finally righted itself again she lifted her head. “I’m all right.”

Lucca chose that moment to walk in on them. After one look at her he muttered, “You’re as white as a ghost.” He hunkered down next to her and grabbed her hand. “What’s wrong, piccina?”

Regina didn’t know where to start. Her brother’s worried gaze shot to Dizo for an explanation.

“Your sister has something to tell you, but before you arrived she came close to fainting. I’ll get her some water.”

She shook her head at Dizo, unable to believe he could be this cruel. He pulled a bottle of water from the minifridge. After removing the top he handed it to her. Needing the sustenance she drank thirstily. “Thank you.”

“I’m sending for the doctor.” As Lucca pulled his phone out of his trousers, she put a hand on his arm.

“I don’t need medical help.”

She must have convinced him because he ended up lounging against the edge of a table with his arms folded and waited. Dizo stood a few feet away with his legs slightly apart, his hands on his hips in the ultimate male stance.

Regina was too devastated by his betrayal to speak. Somehow she’d believed he’d loved her enough that he would risk everything for her the way she had him. Not true. By summoning her brother, he’d caused her to question the belief system she’d clung to all her life.

In flying to Sardinia to let him know how much she loved him and couldn’t live without him, she’d totally humiliated herself for nothing!

Dizo was marking time until she made her little speech. She’d already shown weakness by losing it in front of him a few minutes ago, but that was the last time it would ever happen.

She took a deep breath and stood up. Without giving Dizo a glance she faced her brother. “I did something foolish and went to visit Dizo in Sassari last night without being invited. Kind of a twist on the droit de seigneur thing, but he didn’t appreciate it. Have no fear. He sent me on my way so fast my head is still spinning. It’s clear he’s terrified I compromised him and his family.

“Since it’s evident he’s afraid I won’t leave him alone, he flew here this evening and demanded that you be told about it. Actually I’m glad he insisted you come down to the greenhouse. That way I can swear on the love of our dead father that Dizo has no more reason to fear me embarrassing him or his family again. After sixteen years he’s free of me, so help me God.”

Regina’s head jerked around in Dizo’s direction. “Does that satisfy you, or were you hoping I would give him chapter and verse? Before tonight I could have sworn you were my friend at least. However, all that has changed now that I’ve found out I made an earthshaking error in judgment by placing any faith in you.

“That’s what’s so sad about growing up in one night. You discover you can’t depend on anyone but yourself. Papa gave me that warning more than once, but I thought he was talking about his own life as king.

“Arrivederci, Dinozzo Fornese.”

To her joy his face had gone as pale as hers beneath his tan. The bleak expression in those black slits was cause for celebration. While she was still energized by excruciating pain, she left the greenhouse on her own power.

* * *

Gina’s footsteps faded on the gravel outside, leaving an emptiness inside Dizo he couldn’t begin to describe.

“You were right to come to me about this,” Lucca spoke at last. “I’m not unaware my sister has always done the chasing where you’re concerned. This was a lesson she’s been needing for a long, long time.”

Dizo had gone numb.

“My father often talked about his admiration for your family, for you. Before he died, Regina told him you passed at the head of your class. It made Papa very proud.”

He couldn’t take much more of this. “Thank you. I felt the same way about him. He was a wonderful man. We’re all sorry for your loss.”

Lucca nodded. “It’s been hard, but he’s out of his misery now for which our family is grateful.”

“Of course.”

He felt Lucca’s eyes on him. “You’re a fine man, too. There’s none better. If I know my sister, and I do, with her marriage to Nic soon to take place, she’ll never come near you or embarrass you again.”

A shudder racked his body. Though Lucca had spoken the truth, Dizo already knew she’d keep her promise. He’d done the unforgivable to ensure she stayed away permanently. Now that she was out of his life for good, the feeling had left him beyond desolate.

“Tell me your plans, Dottore Fornese.”

Dizo took a steadying breath. “There are several veterinary practices in Sassari I can join, but I’m looking into other locales, too. In the meantime I’ll stay with my uncle and grandmother. When I’ve found the situation that seems right, I’ll get a place of my own.”