10. Alejandro
ALEJANDRO
AT FIVE FIFTEEN, Elena informed me the queen had returned while my father remained away on business and expected me to join her for la merienda…with Gabriel.
Of course. Leave it to my mother to force us together in the same room when I’d been trying to avoid the problematic prince today. The events of last night in the fencing salle wouldn’t leave my mind, my body reminding me constantly of how close we’d gotten to crossing the line.
Every time someone said his name I was right back there, my back against the wall as Gabriel pinned me against it, his mouth so close I could feel his breath on my lips. He’d felt how hard I was in that moment, and when he finally backed away, I saw the proof of his arousal behind those dark jeans.
I refused to admit it was exhilarating, going toe to toe with someone who could match me, and the fact it was Gabriel should’ve turned me off completely.
It had for a while. But now when I looked at him, I didn’t see the face of the cold king who’d tossed me aside but the smirking smartass who gave me a run for my money.
And that was exactly why Gabriel Valemont was a problem.
As I entered the library, I could hear my mother’s laugh, and I didn’t even have to round the corner to know whom I’d find in there with her.
Gabriel. He was already there, sitting on the couch opposite the queen, the silver trays of coffee and pastries on the table between them.
Even wearing a properly buttoned-up suit today, he still looked completely at ease with one ankle over his knee and a steaming mug in one hand.
There was a smile on his full lips, because of course there was—only my mother was smiling back.
Traitorous woman.
Ignoring Gabriel, I greeted my mother first, kissing both her cheeks. “Welcome home.”
“Thank you, carino. I was just apologizing to Prince Gabriel for not being here when he arrived.”
Apologizing? Had she lost her mind while she was gone?
“I had it under control,” I said, adding cold cuts and cheeses to a small plate and sitting on the sofa beside her. Then I finally lifted my gaze to meet Gabriel’s. “Your Highness. Enjoy your day on the water?”
Had I scheduled several hours this afternoon for him with local fisherman to help stock the local markets? Yes, yes I had, though in my defense, I’d needed him out of sight long enough that I could get my body back under control.
It hadn’t done much good. I was still noticing how attractive he looked all buttoned up.
Gabriel knew it too, because his eyes were all too knowing as he said, “Immensely. I was just telling the queen that we hauled in a record number of mahi-mahi today.”
“I believe the prince is being too humble.” My mother lifted a brow. “Elena told me you had a big hand in that.”
Elena too? Traitors, both of them.
“Is that right,” I said, not about to show how impressive that could be in choppy waters. “Perhaps you missed your true calling.”
“It would appease my brother to tell him I’ve finally found direction.” He nodded. “It’s too bad you couldn’t make it today, Your Highness, but I understand kittens don’t like the water.”
Oh, so he wanted to be a pain in my ass even in front of the queen?
“I love the water. I just had more important things to attend to today.”
“No need to worry,” Gabriel said, lifting one shoulder. “I didn’t want you to miss out, so I brought back some fish for dinner this evening.”
“Wasn’t that nice of him, Alejandro?” my mother said, giving me a pointed look.
She wanted me to play nice. Could she not see the way he antagonized me?
The lift of her brow wasn’t subtle at all, and I slowly turned back to Gabriel and gave him a tight smile.
“How nice. I’ll have to make sure the chef prepares it properly, then. I’d hate for you to choke on a bone.”
“Alejandro, compórtate, por favor,” she muttered, and I had to bite back the childish urge to point fingers and demand, Why? He’s not.
But thankfully my mother was the epitome of grace under fire, because it was impossible not to feel the tension between me and the prince as we sat there facing off. Him with a superior grin. Me with a perpetual scowl.
That was another thing to despise him for, the fact I was going to end up with a permanent crease mark between my brows if he stayed much longer.
“Have you been enjoying your stay at Solterra, then, Your Highness?” my mother said.
“Please, ma’am. Call me Gabriel. And yes, I have been.
Your son”—Gabriel aimed mischievous eyes in my direction—“has been the consummate host. Welcomed me with full fanfare, organized an in-depth look at Solterran culture, everything from the history of your irrigation system to percebes. But I think my favorite thing so far has been experiencing the spicier delights Solterra has to offer.”
Heat crept up my neck as Gabriel ran his tongue along his lower lip, my mind instantly flashing to last night in the salle, his words playing on a loop.
“You are a spicy one… Guess it’s a good thing you taught me how to handle the hot ones early.”
“Oh yes,” Mother said, oblivious to the little game Gabriel was playing with me. “We love the heat here, whether it be from the food or the sunshine.”
“I’m starting to see why. With that lovely sea breeze, the nights are so sultry here.
It’s the perfect weather to go for a nice stroll.
In fact”—Gabriel turned his attention to me then, and it was all I could do not to lunge across the room and strangle him—“I found myself wandering around last night, and it was exactly what I needed to give myself a happy ending to the day.”
I. Was. Going. To. Kill. Him.
There was no way he was sitting across from the queen and talking about how he’d gotten himself off last night. But as his eyes twinkled at me, I knew that was exactly what he’d just said.
Mainly because I’d done the exact same thing when I finally got back to my room. But to say it, here, knowing I would know exactly what had led to his doing that?
The fucking balls on this guy.
“I’m so glad you’re enjoying yourself,” she continued, as though he hadn’t just thrown out a very direct challenge.
“Oh yes, ma’am.” He turned his attention back to my mother. “I love it. So much so, you might have trouble getting rid of me.”
She chuckled and a rosy hue hit her cheeks. Charming bastard was even making my mother blush.
“You can stay as long as you like. I’m sure Alejandro would be more than happy to entertain you.”
I almost choked on my piece of the cheese, and when they both looked in my direction, I swallowed and did my best to clear my throat.
But really, the thought of choking to death right then and there was almost preferable to having to agree to “entertain” Gabriel.
Especially when all I could seem to think about now was him giving himself a happy ending.
God I hated him.
“You wouldn’t mind?” Gabriel said, his innocent tone at odds with the devilry lurking in his eyes. He knew exactly what he was doing.
“I—”
“Of course he wouldn’t,” Mother intervened before I could tell them both I’d rather have my fingernails removed one by one. “There’s nothing Alejandro enjoys more than showing off Solterra.”
Except to him, I wanted to say. But I couldn’t quite bring myself to embarrass my mother in such an obvious way.
“Then I would love to stay. I’d originally planned a couple of weeks—”
“Oh, that’s far too short of a visit. You should stay for the summer.”
“Mother,” I finally spoke up, because…was she mad? The summer? That was a whole season. I couldn’t do a whole season with this man. “I’m sure His Highness has much more exciting things planned for this summer.”
Like whoring his way through less-discriminating men than I was.
“Oh no,” Gabriel, that miserable cretin, said, grinning at me. “I’m wide open, and I don’t know.” He took in a deep breath and let it out. “There’s something so…relaxing about Solterra. Maybe it’s just the warm welcome Alejandro gave me. But this feels like home.”
I glared at him in a way that should have had him dropping to the floor dead. But unfortunately for me, he remained upright.
“Well, I don’t want to take up too much time on your visit,” he said, getting to his feet. “I’m sure you want to catch up with Alejandro.”
“Please, you don’t have to leave,” Mother protested.
“That’s very kind of you to say, but I think I might go for one of those walks I mentioned before dinner.”
“Very well,” she said as Gabriel took her outstretched hand and bowed over it. “It was lovely to meet you, Gabriel Valemont.”
“The pleasure was all mine, Your Majesty.” He turned in my direction and gave a brusque nod. “Your Highness.”
I returned the gesture but didn’t trust myself to say anything as the fucker strolled out of the library, leaving me with Mother.
“He seems nice,” she said as the door shut behind him.
“He’s not.” I got to my feet and moved over to the window that overlooked the rose garden. “He’s a pain in my ass.”
I heard movement behind me, and glanced over my shoulder to see my mother crossing the room. “I know this can’t be easy for you.”
“Yet you ask me to do it anyway.”
“Your father asked.” When I side-eyed her, she had the decency to look contrite. “And yes, it’s true that I agreed. But after what happened between you and King Nicholas—”
“You mean after he publicly humiliated me?”
“After what happened,” she continued as if I hadn’t spoken, “we realized we need to come to a mutual understanding and respect for each other again.”
“Again? It’s only been a few months.”
“And now we must move on.” Her eyes softened as she placed a hand on my arm. “I know he hurt you—”
“No, he made me a laughingstock.”
“And it wounded your pride. I understand that. It’s not easy to be the one let go, the one passed over for another. But maybe it was for the best.”
I scoffed and turned back to face the gardens. “Right. Because this way I can find a love match like yours? Not all of us are so fortunate, Mother.”
“I’m aware of how lucky I am, carino. But even if you don’t marry for love, what about a match made out of respect and similar…passions?”
Gabriel’s handsome face flashed before my eyes. Those devilish blue eyes that twinkled in the moonlight.
“Maybe someone who enjoys nighttime strolls? He gets under your skin. He ignites something inside of you.”
“Yes. It’s called rage.”
She grinned. “Well, a lot of relationships have started with less.”
“Relationships? There is no relationship between me and Gabriel. I can’t stand him.”
Her dark eyes narrowed on mine, searching my stony expression. “Can’t stand him? Or whom he represents? He isn’t Nicholas, Alejandro.”
“He’s literally got the same face.”
“Yes. But his eyes are kind and he has the smile of a rascal.”
I arched a brow. “A rascal?”
She reached up and patted my cheek. “Reminds me of another young man I know.”
I shook my head and took her hand in mine. It was clear she wasn’t about to let this go, so the best thing I could do was change the subject.
“Do you really have to leave tomorrow? Your visit was so quick.”
“I know, but you know how your father is. Can barely survive a day without me.”
“And vice versa,” I said, knowing exactly how much they enjoyed each other’s company. It wasn’t fair to ask her to stay just so I wouldn’t have to deal with Gabriel on my own. “Well, at least tell me you’ll be accompanying me to dinner tonight.”
“Of course,” she said, and slipped her arm through mine as we made our way to the doors that opened out into the rose garden. “I want to hear all about this tour you sent Prince Valemont on for his first day in Solterra.”
I opened my mouth, about to tell her it was the same tour I’d send any visiting guest on, but her eyes told me the lie wouldn’t be believed.
“Percebes, Alejandro? Really?”
“He seemed to like the bhut jolokias better.”
Mother stopped as she looked up at me, her mouth falling open. “Alejandro, you didn’t…”
“I told him what it was. It’s not my fault the arrogant ass thought he could handle it.” I chuckled, thinking back to his expression as the heat had hit his taste buds. “Valorians can’t handle heat.”
She let out a deep sigh and patted my arm. “Ten cuidado. He might just surprise you.”
But I chose to ignore it. The same way I was choosing to ignore Prince Gabriel Valemont, in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, I’d wake up tomorrow and discover this had all just been a bad dream.