It had been a little over three weeks since my mom’s visit and things between Alana and I were less strained. Hugo was working out well as her personal bodyguard, and it made me feel more at ease to know that she never left the house without him.
I didn’t spend much time around the house, but when I was there, I noticed that she appeared happier. We seemed to have come to an unspoken arrangement whereby we could be civil to each other when we were in the same room.
She went out almost every day with the charity ladies and I supposed chugging champagne and cocktails every afternoon was a pretty good way for a spoiled princess to pass the time.
I’d started to think she was finally content, until I’d overheard her and Magda talking earlier that morning. I’d heard her say she felt like a prisoner, always surrounded by armed guards, and how much she missed her place in New York.
Ordinarily, I wouldn’t have cared. She had chosen this life and she needed to learn to make the best of it. Except, there was something about the way she said it, that made me feel sorry for her. It hadn’t sounded like she was complaining, more like she was confiding in the one person she had gotten close to here. And while there wasn’t a lot I was prepared to do about the armed guards, I knew there was a potential way to make her feel more at home in my house – even if I wasn’t that happy about doing it.
I walked into the hotel reception and nodded a greeting to the concierge as I passed. I saw my men assembled in the corner and watched as they greeted our guest.
Today, I had a meeting with the current head of our Chicago operations, Richie Burnett, and he didn’t like to be kept waiting.
But, Richie was a prick.
I intended to make him wait.
I reached into my pocket and took out my cell phone before dialing Jacob’s number. I’d left Alana my credit card that morning, and while I’d told her that I didn’t care how much of my money she spent, I did want to know exactly what I might be walking into later.
I dreaded to think what awful, tacky shit this New York princess would have bought to make my tasteful villa more like home to her?
‘Is everything okay, Boss?’ Jacob asked when he answered.
‘Did Mrs. Montoya enjoy her shopping trip today?’
‘Yes, Sir. I think so.’
‘How much of my money did she spend?’ I asked with a sigh as I kept my eye on Richie.
‘Hang on, let me check,’ he replied and I heard the rustling of the paper receipts as he counted up her purchases.
‘Ninety-seven dollars and seventy-four cents,’ he replied.
‘What?’
‘Ninety-seven–’ he started to repeat the amount but I’d heard him the first time.
‘Is that all?’ I interrupted him.
‘Yes, Boss.’
I shook my head. Of course it was. I bet she’d have everything custom made – no shop bought shit for a spoiled princess. I’d bet she was online right now ordering all kinds of sparkly crap!
‘I suppose she’s inside the house right now with my credit card spending plenty more though?’
‘No, Boss. She’s out doing her charity work. She gave the card to me when we got back. Said she’d got what she needed.’
I frowned as one of my men beckoned me over to him. I held my hand up to signal I was on an important call. ‘What did she buy?’
‘Erm,’ he started to say and I heard the rustling of receipts again. ‘Two bottles of ketchup. A box of English breakfast tea. Four bags of gummy worms. Two picture frames. Two candles. Two bottles of bubble bath and an anti-allergen pillow.’
‘That’s all?’ I asked with a frown.
‘That’s all,’ Jacob confirmed.
‘Gracias.’ I said and ended the call.
What the hell was Alana’s deal? I’d been sure she’d have spent a fortune on tacky, girly shit.
One of my employees, Jimmy the Fish, walked over to me. ‘Everything okay, Boss?’ he asked seeing the frown on my face.
‘What?’ I asked distractedly.
He knew better than to ask again. ‘They’re waiting for you,’ he added.
‘Tell them to wait another five minutes. I have a call to make,’ I said.
Jimmy walked back over the waiting suits and I dialed Alana’s number.
‘Hi,’ she answered.
‘Did you go shopping today?’
‘Yes.’
‘Did you get everything you needed?’
‘Yes,’ she said and although I couldn’t see her, I sensed her smiling on the other end of the line. So, some bubble bath, ketchup and candy were what she needed to feel at home? This woman surprised me in so many ways. Perhaps I had misjudged her – if only a little?
Perhaps she was playing me? Whichever it was, I needed to know more.
‘I’m taking you out to dinner tonight,’ I said. ‘Be ready at eight.’
‘Dinner? Out?’
‘Yes. We’ve been married for almost six weeks and haven’t been seen in public together since. If I don’t take you out somewhere soon, people might start to think I’m holding you against your will.’
‘Alejandro Montoya, did you just crack a joke?’ she laughed softly and the sound made my cock twitch uncomfortably.
‘Be ready at eight,’ I snapped.
‘How should I dress?’ she purred.
‘Sexy,’ I replied, curious to know how she’d interpret that.
‘Fine. See you at eight,’ she replied.
I’d showered and changed at the hotel and was in the car waiting for Alana to make an appearance. It was two minutes before eight, and if she kept me waiting one minute past, I’d go in there and carry her out of the house myself, no matter what state of undress she was in.
I hated lateness. It was disrespectful. I knew, because it was one of my favorite tactics to piss people off.
A few seconds later, the door opened and she walked out. I’d been interested to see what her interpretation of what sexy would look like and wondered if she’d dress in some little pink, sparkly number. But she had chosen an understated black dress.
It was short enough to show off her toned, tanned legs, but not too short as to be inappropriate. There was no cleavage on display, but as she turned to say goodbye to one of the staff, I saw that it was backless and the sight of her expanse of bare flesh made my cock stand to attention.
I found my myself wondering what color panties she had on beneath, and how long it would take me to tear them off her when she climbed into the car.
‘Good evening, Alejandro,’ she said as the door was opened and she climbed inside.
I contemplated lifting the hem of her dress to check out those panties, but I thought better of it. No sense in making her pissed before we’d even got to the restaurant. I needed he to be on her best behavior.
‘Buenas noches, Alana,’ I smiled.
‘Does this fulfil your requirements?’ she asked.
‘It’s an interesting choice.’
‘Well, that bulge in your trousers suggests that at least some part of you thinks it’s sexy,’ she said with a grin as she settled back against the seat.
I didn’t know whether to laugh or reprimand her, so I did neither. I reached for my cock and adjusted myself to a more comfortable position, before leaning back against the seat too.
Half an hour later, our car pulled up outside the exclusive restaurant and I could already see the swarm of paparazzi waiting for us. It wasn’t unexpected. I’d had them tipped off myself. People were starting to ask questions about my new wife and this was the perfect, public way to answer them.
If Alana was bothered by the press, nothing in her demeanor showed it. I expected, being the pampered princess that she was, she would probably enjoy the attention.
The car door was opened for us and I stepped out first, reaching for her hand and helping her out. I pulled her close to me and the scent of her perfume caught me off guard. She smelled so good, I wanted to push her back into the car and eat her for dinner.
Instead, I leaned my head down and whispered in her ear. ‘Best behavior. The whole world is watching.’
‘Of course,’ she smiled at me.
I slipped my arm around her waist and we walked towards the restaurant. Cameras were flashing in our faces and people were shouting our names but Alana didn’t flinch.
‘Mrs. Montoya,’ a reporter sidled up to her with a microphone in her face. ‘This is the first time we’ve seen you and Mr. Montoya together since your surprise wedding. Can you tell us why you’ve been hiding away?’
I waited. This was her chance to tell the world what a bastard I was.
She turned her body to mine and rested her hand on my chest. ‘Have you seen my husband?’ she asked with a flash of her eyebrows. ‘We’re newlyweds. Why do you think we’ve been hiding away?’ Then she gave them all a killer smile and they broke into laughter as the cameras kept flashing.
She looked up at my face, gazing adoringly at me and I couldn’t help but smile at her.
She was an incredible actress. I leaned down and pressed my mouth over hers. I was taking a liberty doing this in public, but I also wanted to see how she’d handle it.
She placed her hand on my cheek and kissed me back. I slipped my tongue inside for an instant, but I regretted it as soon as I tasted her.
I’d kissed her once before, but that had been in front of my mother and I’d been distracted. Tonight, she tasted of peppermint and strawberries, and sin, and now I knew that, I wanted more of her. In fact, all I could think about was sliding my tongue into the other parts of her body that belonged to me.
I pulled away and looked into her eyes. Had she enjoyed that as much as I had? Before I could read her, the maître d was out of the restaurant and ushering us inside.
‘I’m so sorry about this intrusion, Mr. Montoya,’ he said. ‘I’ve reserved you your favorite table.’
I placed my hand on the small of Alana’s back and we walked into the restaurant and away from the baying photographers.
Heads turned as she passed. She was beautiful, with curves in all the right places and a certain kind of confidence that I’d rarely seen in a woman. But she seemed to have no idea of the effect she had on people. And that didn’t fit at all with the spoiled little princess I’d thought I was marrying.
Our marriage was a business arrangement. I had chosen a woman who would give me an heir and nothing more. I didn’t want to like her, to think she was funny, or smart, or wonder what she was doing when she wasn’t with me. I certainly didn’t want to fall in love with her. I didn’t have time for such complications. That’s why I’d chosen a woman I could never fall in love with – but it seemed I’d been duped.
Alana Carmichael was proving my assumptions wrong at every single turn.
