Alexandr's Cherished Submissive (22 page)

Alex noticed her watching him and leaned down to give her another soft kiss. “Why you smile?”

“How could I not? I’m in motherfucking Rome! This is awesome!”

She must have said that louder than she intended because a few people within hearing distance chuckled while an elegantly dressed woman curled her lip in distaste.

Turning away from that woman, she allowed Alex to guide her to a cream-colored Jaguar sedan that had pulled up to the curb.

A handsome driver in a black suit stepped out of the car and held the door open for her, smiling and speaking to Alex in rapid Italian. To her shock, Alex responded in what sounded to her like perfect Italian, and she stared up at him. He noticed her staring and frowned slightly.

“What is wrong?”

“You speak Italian?”

His lips twitched in a smile, and his gaze warmed. “Yes, along with French and German. Is good to know different languages for conducting business.”

“Wow.”

He cupped her cheek for a moment, then placed a kiss on her forehead, his goatee tickling her. “Get in the car,
prinsessa moya
. I want to check into our hotel, try to get some sleep, then show you Rome.”

“Where are we staying?”

“The Hotel Hassler. Very exclusive, very beautiful. But if you do not like it, we will stay somewhere else.”

Laughing, she slid into the luxury car and turned to Alex when he sat next to her. “I’m sure it will be wonderful.”

The door closed, and he took her hand in his again, studying her as the driver pulled out into the busy traffic leaving the airport. He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand, his lips barely moved when he spoke. “Jessica, I am making my intentions known to you.”

“What?”

When he looked up, his gaze was intense and his expression stern and unforgiving. “I want you as my woman, Jessica. I am serious about you. More serious than I think you know.”

“Your woman, what does that mean?”

He hesitated. “It means I want to make you mine in all ways.”

“You mean like date me?”

“That, and more.”

“More?”

“Everything.”

“Oh.” She leaned her head against the soft leather seat and looked at him. “Why?”

His eyes widened, the light catching the silver and making them gleam. “What you mean, why?”

“Alex, you don’t date, you said so yourself. And to be honest, I wasn’t really sure you would ever see me as more than a friend. I mean is that what we’re doing now, being more than friends?”

Instead of being angry, he smiled. “You have always been more than a friend, Jessica. From the moment we met, I felt a connection with you like nothing I have ever experienced. I have never wanted to simply spend time with a woman. To always have her around me, to care about her every need. The careful rules of how I must live my life never applied to you. Do you not feel this between us? How powerful it is?”

Taken aback by his sincerity, she nodded then ran her fingertips down his cheek. “I know I’ve never met anyone like you before, Alex. You’re not the man I first thought you were.”

“For you, I am different.” He held her hand and brought her fingertips to his lips, kissing them and tickling her with the soft brush of his facial hair. “You are only person that gets this part of me. To most, I am someone to be feared, but you...you, my
prinsessa
were never afraid.”

“You intimidated me and made me nervous, pissed me off, but,”—grinning, she leaned forward and gave him a soft kiss on his lips just because she could—“I was never afraid of you.”

He went to touch her cheek and brushed her bruise, making her flinch.

Hissing, he jerked back like he was the one who had been struck. “Did I hurt you?”

Hating that the tender moment between them had been broken, she shook her head. “I’m okay.”

He didn’t say anything for a bit, only stared pensively out the window.

In an effort to lighten the mood, she laced her fingers with his. “So Peter mentioned that you have to do some work while you’re here. Anything fun?”

His cold gaze snapped to hers, and she blinked hard at the darkness she saw there. “What I do is none of your business, Jessica.”

“Um-I’m sorry…I didn’t…that is…never mind.” She tried to slip her hand away, but he wouldn’t let her go.

With a sigh, he shook his head. “No, is I who am sorry. I work with some dangerous people, and I do not want you caught up in their mess.”

“Dangerous people?” She frowned, nodding to herself. “I guess that makes sense. I mean, why would they hire a bodyguard service if they weren’t in any kind of danger?”

His expression closed down again, and he didn’t respond.

As they drove into the city of Rome itself, she forgot about Alex’s odd mood and stared through the tinted windows of the Jaguar, and watched the city come alive as the sun rose higher in the sky. The buildings weren’t massively tall, but they were packed together. Some districts looked old enough to have been around in the days of the Caesars, while others were as modern as could be. It was so different from America and had an even older feel than Dublin. Some of the side roads they passed were narrow to the point where she doubted even one of the tiny, compact European cars could go down them, and there were mopeds everywhere. It was pure vehicular chaos, and she was so happy she didn’t have to try to navigate these crowded streets.

They passed monuments, stores, and cafes everywhere, each space capturing her attention as she made mental notes to come back here at some point. And the fountains, she’d never seen so many fountains situated in gorgeous plazas in one place. Each was unique, and they added an elegant charm to the city unlike anything she’d ever experienced. Alex gave her a bemused, indulgent smile as he watched her twist and turn in her seat to get a better view of the things they passed.

Jessica had inherited a sizable amount of money from her birth mother that Peter had given her—something about her mother’s share of some business stocks—and she wouldn’t mind spending some of it on the dazzling clothes she saw in the windows of some of the shops. It would certainly help her blend in with the endless parade of stylish, chic women who strolled through the city with such confidence. Goodness, it was like she’d been transported to the land of beautiful people.

Their car pulled up to a curb, and the driver got out then opened her door in a smooth, practiced move. As he helped Jessica out, her earlier excitement returned. She was practically bouncing at Alex’s side while he talked with the driver. Once he was finished, he smiled down at her and held out his hand. She immediately wound her fingers through his, trying to look everywhere at once and soak up the beauty of this place.

Giving her knuckles a kiss, his goatee tickled her skin. “You like?”

“Oh, Alex, I love!” She gave him an impulsive hug, laughing when he grunted at how hard she squeezed him in her excitement.

They stood at the top of a huge set of old, marble stairs that led down to a plaza below with what looked like a big, very old fountain in the center. Behind them stood a tall, creamy beige building with some beautiful towers, and there was a large, dark stone obelisk. The tourists were easy to spot, not only because of their posing and picture taking, but because they were dressed far more casually than the residents of Rome. It made her self-consciously look down at her own outfit of leggings with black ballet flats and wish she’d dressed up a little more.

Glancing around from beneath her lashes, she released Alex when she noticed people watching them, and she hoped Alex wasn’t ashamed of her lack of style and sophistication.

Unlike Jessica, he blended right in with the stylish crowd in his perfectly cut suit and more than one woman gave him a lingering look. Jessica couldn’t blame them for eating up the eye-candy, but it did send a niggle of doubt through her that she would be able to keep Alex’s attention. She couldn’t help but feel like he’d soon realize he’d made a mistake, that she wasn’t anything special at all.

Shit, she was borrowing trouble, as her mom liked to say, and she needed to calm down, go with the flow and all of that. As if she’d summoned her, Jessica’s mother spoke in her head, repeating the same words she’d told Jessica on her first day of high school. It was a Dr. Seuss quotation, but it stuck with her, and she could almost feel her mom’s hands on her shoulders, squeezing gently.

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.

She turned her face to the sun, refusing to cry on such a beautiful day, in such a beautiful place, with such a beautiful man.

Tugging her hand, Alex broke her melancholy thoughts and began walking toward a building with the words ‘Hotel Hassler’ on the roof in giant letters. A steady stream of obviously wealthy people walked in and out of the front of the hotel, and she tried to adopt their urbane, slightly bored expression. She didn’t want these refined people to think she was some dumb tourist…even though she was. Déjà vu struck her, and she paused, glancing around her while she tried to figure out this odd feeling like she’d been here before. Something about the area she was in seemed familiar, and she slowed further, looking behind her. A memory tickled at her, and she stopped all together, trying to figure out why she knew those stairs.

Alex looked down at her. “What is it?”

“That place back there looks familiar.” She studied the creamy building with the two towers, then the steps, then moved a couple paces closer to the street, and looked again. “Oh, my God! It’s the Spanish Steps from
Roman Holiday
!”

“What is that?”

“It’s an old American movie with Audrey Hepburn. My grandparents used to love classic movies, and
Roman Holiday
was one of their favorites. Whenever I slept over at their house, we’d always have movie night, and I’ve seen it at least a half dozen times.”

“Would you like me to bring them here?”

“What?”

“Your grandparents. If it would make you happy, I will bring them to Rome with us someday.”

She blinked back tears, her throat suddenly thick at the kindness of his gesture. “Thank you, but they passed away when I was in junior high. I’m sure they’re watching me right now with my mom and dad, totally jealous. Actually, no, they’re probably not jealous. They probably pulled some strings in heaven to get me here…with you.”

The rare public smile he gave her was gentle, and he looped an arm around her waist and pulled her to his hard body. “I am glad you like.”

“No, I don’t like. I love.” She beamed up at him, enjoying how the tension around his mouth relaxed. “Thank you.”

He jerked his head up abruptly, and his grip pinned her to his side. Thrown off by his odd response, she looked around, but didn’t see anything that would have set him off. Her heart raced, but she only saw people going about their business on a beautiful and unexpectedly warm December morning. Nothing nefarious to her untrained eyes, but maybe he saw something she didn’t.

When he growled and pulled her closer, she gave him a poke in the ribs. “Alex, what’s going on?”

“Fucking paparazzi,” he muttered then turned them both and began to walk briskly to the hotel.

She went to look over her shoulder, but Alex held her tighter. “No, give them no attention.”

“Are they going to hurt us?”

“No, but our picture may now be in gossip magazines.”

“Gossip magazines? Why would they want a picture of me in a magazine?”

He cast her a sideways glance. “Is not you, is me.”

“Okay, why the hell would they want a picture of you in a gossip magazine?”

“I am…a well-known businessman back home. My father is even more well-known.”

“I thought you ran a security company?”

“I do, among other things. I will discuss with you later. Now is not time. Do not look back, Jessica. Keep walking. Maks is taking care of problem. Do not worry. Is merely…what is word…a minor irritation.”

She wanted to ask him what the hell he was talking about, but they were at the entrance to the Hotel Hassler, and she slowed down to take in the magnificent building with its enormous black wrought iron lamps. The elegant marble slab over the entrance with the words ‘Hassler Villa Medici’ embossed in gold gleamed in the sunlight. It was impressive, and she tried to smooth down her hair with her free hand while Alex led them inside through the spinning glass door. Once they were in the foyer, she took a couple steps and stopped to take in the huge space filled with marble columns, gold-gilded lights, and gorgeous classic furniture set against a rich red carpet. A few people meandered around, all the men wearing slacks and button down shirts, some in full suits, and the women looking as crisp and posh as could be.

In the comfortable ballet flats that she wore for traveling and discount rack shirt she was pretty sure she stood out like a sore thumb. Alex, on the other hand, seemed like he belonged here. While he led them across the lobby to the front desk, she tried to keep from fidgeting beneath the notice they’d drawn. A beautiful blonde woman working the desk smiled at them, but kept most of her attention on Alex after giving Jessica a brief glance. She said something in Italian, calling him by his first name, and he chuckled then replied in Italian. The woman’s demeanor was obviously flirtatious, all batting eyes and pouty lips, and Jessica hated how her possessiveness flared to life.

Jealousy tightened her stomach as the woman outright ignored her now, practically fawning over Alex, who seemed to be oblivious. After a few moments of conversation with the woman, he looked down at Jessica and said in English, “This is my woman, Jessica. She is to have whatever she desires. If she wants a Ferrari, you will get it for her in the color she desires. Open an unlimited account for her in my name for the hotel shops and restaurant. My personal shopper will be arriving tomorrow, but I want something sent up from the boutique for her so we can go out for dinner tonight. Something in purple, I think, that will show off her beautiful body. And you will speak English so she understands.”

The hotel worker’s smile remained professional, but it held none of the warmth it had a few minutes ago, and her voice was stiff when she replied in lightly accented English, “Of course, Mr. Gorev. You are in the penthouse suite. If you need anything at all, please contact your usual personal concierge,”—her blue eyes flicked to Jessica in a slightly catty way then back to Alex—“Isabella.”