Becoming the Prince's Wife (Princes of Europe) (15 page)

“Then it must be bad,” she cried in agony and grabbed his arms. “I can’t lose him, Dante. I can’t!”

“Let’s not talk about that right now,” he tried to placate her. “Half a dozen choppers have already taken off to search for them. This is my day off, but I was called in to help. Valentino’s the best of the best, you know.”

“I
do
know!” Carolena cried. “My life won’t be worth living without him! I’m going with you!”

“No, no. It’s too dangerous.”

“I
have
to go with you. It’s a matter of life and death to me. I love him. We’re going to be married.”

His eyes rounded before he exhaled a labored breath. “All right. You can come, but you’ll do everything I say.”

“I promise.”

She followed him through the center and out the rear doors to the helipad. They ran to the helicopter. Once she’d climbed inside and strapped herself in the back, he found a gas mask for her. “When I tell you to do it, I want you to put this on.”

“I will.”

Another pilot joined them. Dante made a quick introduction, then started the engine. The rotors whined. Within seconds they lifted off.

At first, the smoking top of Etna didn’t look any different to her. But before long the air was filled with ash. Afraid to disturb Dante’s concentration, she didn’t dare ask him questions. After ten minutes, the sky grew darker.

As the helicopter dipped, she saw the giant spectacular ash plume coming from a crater filling up with lava. She gasped in terror to think Valentino was down there somewhere.

“Put on your gas mask,
signorina.
We’re going to land at the base camp.”

She was all thumbs, but finally managed to do it after following his instructions. When they touched ground, Carolena thought there might be thirty geologists in the area wearing gas masks, but visibility was difficult.

“I want you to stay in the chopper until I tell you otherwise.” By now he and the copilot had put on their masks.

“I will, but please find him.”

“Say a prayer,” he murmured. She bowed her head and did exactly that. To lose him now would kill her.

The two men disappeared. In a minute she heard the whine of rotors from another chopper. It set down farther away. People ran to it. She watched in agony as she saw a body being unloaded from it. Valentino’s?

Forgetting Dante’s advice, she climbed out of the chopper and started running. The victim was being transported on a stretcher to one of several tents that had been set up. She followed and worked her way inside the entrance, but there were too many people around to see anything.

The copilot who’d been on the chopper stood nearby. She grabbed at his arm.

He looked at her. “You weren’t supposed to leave the chopper.”

“I don’t care. Is it Valentino?”

“I don’t know yet, but I’ll find out.”

She held her breath until he came back. “It’s Valentino’s partner, Razzi.”

“Is he...”

“Alive,” he answered. “Just dazed from a fall.”

“Where’s Valentino?”

“The other chopper is bringing him in.”

“So they found him!”

“Yes.”

Her heart started to beat again. “Thank you for telling me that much.” She hurried outside, praying for the other chopper to come.

The next minute felt like an eternity until she heard the sound of another helicopter coming in to land. She hurried over to the area, getting as close as she was allowed until it touched ground.

Carolena watched the door open, but there was no sign of Valentino. She was close to fainting, when Dante pulled her aside. Through his mask he said, “Valentino’s head struck some volcanic rock. When they transported him out, he was unconscious but alive.”

“Thank heaven.” She sobbed quietly against him as they walked toward Dante’s chopper.

“You can say that again. He’s already been flown to the hospital. I’ll fly you there now. Before long you’ll be able to visit him.”

“Thank you for bringing me up here. I’m indebted to you.”

“He’s lucky you love him enough to face danger yourself. Not every woman or man has that kind of courage.”

She didn’t know she had any until she’d been put to the test. It was only because of Valentino. He was her life!

“Razzi said they were eyewitnesses to an explosion that could have gotten them killed. I’ve heard that the footage they captured on film is the best that’s ever been recorded at the institute. The guys are heroes.”

They were. “So are you, Dante.”

“Yeah?” He smiled.

“Yeah.”

Carolena’s thoughts drifted back to her conversation with Dr. Greco. He’d said it best.
And he’s not the king, so what you’re telling me is that he’s still marvelous just being a man, right?

* * *

“Your Highness?”

Valentino was lying in bed with his head raised watching television when a nurse came in. He’d been told he had a concussion and would have to stay in the hospital overnight for observation. Much as he wanted to get out of there, every time he tried to sit up, his head swam.

“Yes?”

“Do you feel up to a visitor?”

There was only one person he wanted to see. If she ever came to a decision and it was the wrong one, he wished his body had been left on the side of the volcano.

“Who is it?”

“This person wanted it to be a surprise.”

It was probably Vito, who would have been contacted hours ago. He’d want to see Valentino for himself before he told their mother her firstborn was alive and well. But in case it wasn’t his brother, Valentino’s mind ran through a possible list of friends and colleagues. If it were Vincenzo, he would have just walked in.

“Shall I tell this person you’re still indisposed?”

While he was trying to make up his mind, he heard a noise in the doorway and looked up to see Carolena come rushing in the room. “Val, darling—” she blurted in tears and flew toward him.

At the sight of her in a T-shirt and jeans she filled out to perfection, an attack of adrenaline had him trying to get out of bed. But she reached him before he could untangle his legs from the sheet and try to sit up. She pressed against him, wetting his hideous hospital gown with her tears.

“Thank heaven you’re alive! If I’d lost you, I would have wanted to die.”

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her up on the bed halfway on top of him. “I’m tougher than that. How did you know I was in here?”

Moisture spilled from her fabulous green eyes. “I flew down to Gemelli last evening. When you didn’t answer my call and Vito couldn’t get through to you, either. I flew to Catania this morning and took a taxi to the institute.”

Valentino was in shock. “You were there this morning?”

“Yes! I had to see you, but then Dante told me you were up on the volcano and there’d been no contact from you since the latest eruption, so I flew up there with him to the base camp.”

His blood ran cold. “He took you up there?”

“He wouldn’t have, but when I told him you and I were getting married and I couldn’t live without you, he took pity on me and let me go with him to look for you.”

It was too much to digest. His heart started to act up. “You’re going to marry me?”

“As soon as we can.” She lifted her hand to tenderly touch his head. “You’re my man and I want everyone to know it.” In the next breath she covered his mouth with her own. The energy she put into her kiss was a revelation.

“Adorata—”
He could believe he’d died on Etna and had just awakened in heaven.

She pressed him back against the pillow and sobbed quietly until the tears subsided. His Carolena was back where she belonged.

“Did you know your mother is in Cyprus seeing about the plans for Vito’s wedding to Alexandra? While they have their big day after all they’ve been through, wouldn’t it be thrilling if we had our own private wedding with Vincenzo and Abby for witnesses as soon as possible? I’d love it if we could say our vows in the chapel at the palace.

“And while we’re gone on a honeymoon, Vincenzo and Abby could stay at the palace with your mother so she could spend time with Michelina’s little boy. I want everyone to be happy. The two of us most of all. What do you think?”

Tears smarted his eyes. She really understood what Valentino was all about. He shaped her face with his hands. “First, I think I want to know what has caused this dramatic change in you.”

“A very wise doctor helped me get to the core of what was ailing me. He said I had a fixation on your royal person, which was true. He told me I was disappointed you were willing to forgo being king in order to marry me.

“But my disappointment really covered my guilt over your decision and it made me afraid. Then he asked me if I couldn’t love the ordinary man instead of the prince. He said something about looking at you without your crown and battle armor. That question straightened me out in a big hurry and I couldn’t get back down here fast enough to tell you.”

“Battle armor?” Would wonders never cease? He kissed her lips once more. “Remind me to send the doctor a big bonus check for services rendered.”

“I already wrote him one.” She ran kisses along his jawline. “You’ve got a beard, but I like to see you scruffy.”

“Maybe I’ll let it grow out.”

“Whatever you want. Oh—there’s just one more thing. The doctor says my guilt will be cured after I’ve talked to your mother. Even though she’ll never forgive me for ruining her dreams for you, I have to confront her.”

“We’ll do it together tonight.”

“But you’ll still be in here. The doctor won’t release you until tomorrow. We’ll talk to her then.”

“In that case, come closer and give me your mouth again.”

She looked toward the door. “Isn’t this illegal? What if someone catches us?”

“Do we care? This is my private room.”

“Darling,” she whispered, hugging him to her. He was all she ever wanted. “What happened on the volcano? I have to know.”

He let out a sigh and rehearsed what went on after the first lava fountain appeared. “When I saw that plume shoot into the atmosphere, I knew we needed to run for our lives.”

She gripped him harder. “Were you terrified?”

“Not then. The sight was glorious.”

“I saw it from a distance. I don’t think there’s anything in nature to compare to it.”

“There isn’t.” He rubbed his hands over her back. “Do you remember when you were up there with me the first time and the ground shook?”

Carolena shivered. “I’ll never forget.”

“Well, try to imagine it so strong, neither Razzi nor I could stand up. That’s when it started getting exciting. But the moment came when the force threw me forward. I hit the ground and lost hold of the things I was carrying. Then my gas mask came off.”

“Val—”

“That’s when I got scared because I couldn’t find it in the darkness.”

At this point she wrapped her arms around his neck and wept against his chest. “Dante says you’re a hero for getting close enough to record the data. I adore you.”

His breath caught. “You mean, you’re not going to tell me I have to give up my profession?”

She lifted her head. “Are you kidding? Nothing could be more exciting than what you do. I plan to go up with you a lot. When we have children, you can introduce them to the mountain. We’ll get the whole family in on the act.”

* * *

A week later, Carolena sat in front of the same mirror in the same cabin on the yacht brushing her hair. She’d just showered and put on the white toweling robe hanging on the hook in the bathroom.

But there were differences from the first time she’d come down to this room. The first time she’d been on board, the yacht was stationary. Now it was moving. But the gentle waters of the Ionian carried it along like so much fluff. Their destination was the Adriatic. Valentino had mentioned Montenegro as one of their stops. To Carolena, it was all like part of a dream.

Only two hours ago the priest had performed the marriage ceremony in the chapel in front of loved ones and Valentino’s best friend, Matteo. On her ring finger flashed an emerald set in white gold. She was now Signora Valentino Agostino Cellini, and she was nervous.

How strange for her to have been so fearless before marriage when she’d thought they were going to make love the first time. Now she really was a bride and her heart thudded with sickening intensity at the thought of it.

A rap on the door caused her to get up jerkily from the dressing table chair. When she turned, she saw that Valentino had slipped into the room wearing a navy robe. He moved toward her, so sinfully handsome her mouth went dry.

“I can tell something’s wrong,
bellissima.
I know you missed your parents and grandparents at our wedding. I’d like to think they were looking on and happy. Let me be your family from now on.”

It was a touching thing for him to say. She sucked in her breath. “You are. You’re my whole life.”

His eyes caressed her. “I thought you’d enjoy re-creating our first night on board, but maybe you would have preferred someplace else.”

“Never. This is the perfect place.”

“As long as you mean it.”

“Of course I do.”

She didn’t know what his intentions were until he picked her up in his arms. “Then welcome to my life,
sposa mia.
”

He lowered his mouth to hers and drank deeply as he carried her through the hall to the master suite. After he followed her down on the bed, he rolled her on top of him. “Never was there a more beautiful bride. I realize we’ve only known each other a short time, yet it seems like I’ve been waiting for you a lifetime. Love me, Carolena. I need you,” he cried with such yearning, she was shaken by a vulnerability he rarely showed.

No longer nervous, her instincts took over and she began loving him. The rapture he created took her to a place she’d never been before. Throughout the night they gave each other pleasure she didn’t know was possible.

“Don’t ever stop loving me,” she begged when morning came around. If they slept at all, she didn’t remember. “I didn’t know it could be like this, that I could feel like this.” She laid against him, studying the curve of his mouth, the lines of his strong features. “I love you, Val. I love you till it hurts. But it’s a wonderful kind of hurt.”