Would Gabriel ever feel such a deep-rooted, protective, possessive devotion to her?
She knew he was as crazy for her as she was for him but that was a physical, chemistry-led craziness. She knew too that the personal dislike he’d once felt for her had gone and that he did like her, very much, and that he intended to be a faithful husband to her.
But love? The kind of love that meant you would do anything for the one you loved, cherish them, and put the other’s happiness before your own...?
As she thought this, Catalina said, ‘I understand you’re a bridesmaid, Alessia.’
Forcing a practiced smile to her face, she nodded. ‘Yes. There are five of us altogether.’
‘And you, Gabriel?’ Catalina asked. ‘What role are you playing for the wedding?’
‘I’m not,’ he replied smoothly. ‘I won’t be there.’
Even Nathaniel raised a brow at this.
‘It was agreed when Alessia and I married that I would remain a private person.’
‘But this is your brother-in-law’s wedding...’ Catalina’s voice tailed off, and she took a quick drink of her champagne to cover the awkwardness.
‘I’d like you to be there,’ Alessia said softly before she could stop herself.
Gabriel’s eyes zoomed straight onto hers. For the first time in a long time, the expression on his face was unreadable.
Already regretting her unguarded words, she gave a rueful shrug and squeezed his hand. ‘It’s okay. I understand why you can’t be.’
And she did understand.
But she understood too that Gabriel already knew perfectly well how much she longed for him to be the prince on her arm, especially for that one day.
That he wouldn’t even entertain the idea of accompanying her for that one special day told her more than any words that he didn’t love her and that, for all his talk about finding happiness and harmony together, her needs could never trump his own.
The burgeoning love growing in her heart was unlikely to ever be reciprocated.
Gabriel prowled the empty quarters of the castle he doubted would ever feel like a home to him. The silence was more acute than usual for this early in the evening. Normally there would be background noise until around ten p.m.
With his sister having turned down Alessia’s theatre offer to take a trip to Ibiza, and unable to get into his book, he remembered Alessia saying the variety show was being televised and figured that as he couldn’t be with her in person, he could try and catch a glimpse of her in the crowd.
He got his wish almost immediately. An act had just finished, the three members bowing to the audience. The camera panned to the reaction in the royal box, and he understood why the castle was so quiet. The whole family, even Clara, were in attendance.
As he attempted to digest this, his phone vibrated. When he read the message, his mood went from bad to worse.
‘What’s wrong?’ Alessia asked as she slipped her shoes off. After an evening she’d started with such high hopes that her mother would finally show signs of forgiveness, her hopes had been dashed when all Alessia’s attempts at conversation were met with terse replies and a turned cheek. Her lifted spirits at returning home to Gabriel had sunk back down before she made it over the threshold of the dayroom where he was holed up. She could practically smell the foulness of his mood. She could certainly smell the scent of bourbon in the air.
The ardent lover who could strip her naked with a look took a long time to respond. When he finally turned his face to her, the only thing his stare would strip was acid.
Wordlessly, he held his phone out to her.
She looked at the page he’d saved on his screen and silently cursed.
Gabriel’s mother had sold her story to the press. The whole world now knew the reluctant prince was the son of Monica Binoche. There was no doubt the media circus that had left him alone during the weeks when Alessia was in Ceres without him would now renew its focus. The privacy he cherished could be kissed goodbye for the foreseeable future. And all because his mother had sold him out again. She’d put her need for validation and the spotlight above her son’s emotional wellbeing.
He sighed heavily. ‘I should have guessed the temptation would be too much for her.’
Feeling wretched for him, she climbed onto the sofa and wrapped her arms around him.
There was a stiffness in his frame she’d not felt since the night she’d wept on his chest, right before the passion had taken them in its grip.
‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered, stroking his back. ‘I know how hard this must be for you.’