24. Gabriel
GAbrIEL
WAS THERE ANYTHING more tedious than an international summit?
Nothing I could think of.
That was why I usually avoided them and Nicholas attended.
But since it was being held in Solterra this year, I’d reluctantly agreed to go in his place—something I was regretting more and more as I swiped a glass of champagne off a passing waiter and walked into the diplomatic reception we’d all been invited to attend after sitting through the usual topics, such as: the importance of strong allies, the effects of climate change on the environment, and trade routes throughout the globe.
What had I been thinking? Or maybe that was the point; I hadn’t been thinking—about this, anyway. I’d been too caught up in stealing away into Alejandro’s bed at every chance I could get to remember just how brain-numbing these political shindigs could be.
It was all coming back to me now, though, as I scanned the open hall full of some of the most influential people in the world.
There were ambassadors, prime ministers, princes and princesses, CEOs, and philanthropists, and it felt like every single one of them were standing between me and the Prince of Solterra.
Yes, there he is… The other reason I’d agreed to attend the summit.
Alejandro stood across the large hall from me with a crowd of people, smiling and sipping on his champagne, and I couldn’t drag my eyes away from him.
In his tall black boots and pants, white shirt, and wine-colored waistcoat, Alejandro looked every inch the prince. But when you added in the inky-black hair he’d styled off his face and sexy stubble lining his cheeks, the dashing pirate prince emerged.
I wasn’t sure when he’d become a deciding point for me in attending tonight, but knowing he would be here this evening had definitely been the contributing factor in me so readily taking my brother’s place.
If I couldn’t have Alejandro in my bed, then I’d have to settle for watching him across a room full of people and remember having him there.
Last night. This morning. Again at lunch…
“Gabriel, we were hoping to catch you here.” The familiar sound of Henry Beaumont, Marquess of Blackthorne’s voice had me pushing aside the delicious images of Alejandro in bed, and focusing instead on the marquess and his wife.
Probably a good thing, considering where I was.
“We didn’t get a chance to talk to you at the summit, and didn’t want to miss the opportunity to extend our congratulations on the king’s wedding.”
“We were extremely disappointed to be out of the country at the time,” his wife said, but she wasn’t fooling anyone. There were several people who had distanced themselves from Nicholas since he’d made the decision to follow his heart instead of tradition, and the marquess was one of them.
I knew I should be polite, should be “diplomatic,” considering where I was and all, but something about the insincere gesture and cowardice, of coming to me instead of my brother to extend their apologies, rubbed me wrong.
“You weren’t there?” I said. “I didn’t even notice, so I’m sure no one else did. No need to apologize.”
The slight was immediately felt, judging by the color that drained from the marquess’s face. Even if it was done in an elegant way.
Nicholas might be the King of Valoria, but I was the king of dismissals, and their snobbery and rejection of Noah wasn’t something I was about to forgive—family friends or not.
“If you’ll excuse me,” I said, not really caring whether they did, before I searched the room once again for the man they’d distracted me from.
That was two strikes against them.
Ah, there he is… Alejandro was standing over by the string quartet now, chatting with the Prime Minister of Italy.
I slowly moved in that direction, weaving my way between the small gatherings of people, and keeping my attention locked on him.
I knew I needed to mingle, to chat amongst my peers and put forward a good showing for Valoria.
But all I could think about was how long it had been since I’d last spoken to Alejandro, how much I hated the fact that I hadn’t gotten a chance to tell him how damn good he looked tonight.
As if he could feel my attention on him, Alejandro turned in my direction, his dark eyes locking on mine.
Jesus. The heat in that stare had my fingers tightening around my glass, and when he ran it down over me like a caress, my cock throbbed.
His smirk told me he knew exactly what that look had just done to me, and as I was about to go up to him and drag him somewhere private, Lacey Phillips—the Oscar-winning actress and now ambassador of the arts—stepped into my path.
“Good evening, Your Royal Highness,” she said, and dipped into a small curtsy. “I was hoping I could get a minute of your time.”
Somehow I managed to pull my attention away from Alejandro, but not before noting the way his eyes shifted to the beautiful young lady.
Interesting…
“Of course,” I said, taking her hand as she straightened. “And please, call me Gabriel. Lacey, isn’t it? I loved you in All the King’s Wives.”
“Yes, that’s right, and thank you. I had such a wonderful time filming that on location in Valoria. It added so much history and culture to the film. It made getting and staying in character so much easier.”
“I can imagine. It’s always easier to play the role of a pretentious princess when surrounded by those you’re trying to emulate.”
Lacey’s eyes widened, and I winked at her.
“I’m just playing,” I said, then placed a hand on her arm and leaned in. “But not really.”
She laughed and smiled at me, visibly relaxing when she saw my matching one.
“I can’t even begin to imagine living there and growing up in the palace,” she said, and as she started to go on about how different her upbringing had been, I noticed Alejandro moving across the room.
I was usually much better about giving someone my undivided attention, but when I saw who Alejandro was sidling up to, I couldn’t tear my eyes away.
Dark-skinned, with eyes that penetrated deep into your soul, not to mention a sexy smile that had anyone in his path dropping their pants—Alejandro included—Roman Sterling held court in the center of the room, several men hanging on his every word.
That was, until Alejandro came to stand beside him, causing Roman to forget about the others as he bowed and then greeted my pirate prince with a double kiss.
Well, not my pirate prince. I couldn’t claim him that way, even though seeing him kiss another man, even politely, made my heart stop.
What was he doing?
I didn’t know what Lacey had said, but when she looked up at me with an expectant expression, I knew I needed to react somehow.
“What was your favorite part of the palace?” I asked. There. A question to get her talking so I could figure out what the hell was going on with the two former lovers.
Or maybe it wasn’t so former. Maybe Alejandro was giving him a time and place for their next rendezvous.
No. That was ridiculous. He wasn’t out looking for a hookup. He was too busy planning surprise picnics for me to want someone else.
Why did I even care? I wasn’t exactly a commitment type of guy, and neither was Alejandro, which was what had made our arrangement work in the first place.
But that was before Roman’s hand fell, all too familiarly, on Alejandro’s waist, and suddenly I saw red.
Boiling rage raced through my veins, making it uncomfortably hot all of a sudden.
I wasn’t a violent man, but all I could think about right then was going over there and ripping that fucker’s hand off.
“Is it the same for you?” Lacey said.
I blinked, trying to remember what she’d been saying…and why Alejandro had decided to go over to the man he’d spent summers with, plural.
He glanced over at me, a dark look in his eyes as he leaned in close to Roman and whispered something in his ear. His gaze didn’t leave mine, but his lips were too close to someone else’s for it to be anything but on purpose. Why was he taunting me? Why did I even care?
My tie was too tight. I couldn’t breathe. I tugged at my collar and tried to focus back on Lacey, who was looking up at me, still waiting for an answer.
But I couldn’t do the charming bullshit act right now.
“I’m sorry,” I said, already backing away. “I’ll find you later.”
Before she could respond, I was pushing my way through the crowd, laser-focused on the way Alejandro laughed so easily with Roman. How they invaded each other’s spaces in a way I thought he only did with me.
“Well, isn’t this cozy?” I said, forcing a tight smile when I reached them, and they both slowly turned their heads in my direction.
Alejandro smirked, like he’d somehow known I wouldn’t be able to resist coming over, while Roman looked genuinely pleased at my interruption.
He gave a low bow and, when he straightened, a dazzlingly white smile I was sure he used to charm so many into his bed.
“Prince Gabriel,” he said, holding his hand out until I reluctantly took it. “It’s a pleasure. I’m—”
“I know who you are.”
A dark brow winged up and he glanced at Alejandro before turning back to me. “I’m flattered.”
The man really was too attractive, and maybe I would’ve interrupted for different reasons a few weeks ago, but now all I wanted to do was get Alejandro far away from temptation.
“Don’t be,” I said flatly. “It was nothing good.”
Alejandro let out a choking laugh, and I glared in his direction. He was enjoying this, and that only pissed me off more.
“They need you backstage to go over your speech,” I told him. Was I lying through my teeth? Yes. Did I care? Absolutely not.
Alejandro’s dark eyes were practically twinkling with amusement. “Is that right? I wasn’t expecting to make a speech tonight.”
Calling my bluff? Bring it on. “Surprise.”
He gave a slow smile and looked at Roman. “My apologies. It appears I’ve been summoned.”
“I understand. Duty calls,” Roman said, and when his eyes landed back on me, he gave me a scorching once-over he didn’t bother hiding. “I wouldn’t be able to resist either.”