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СКАЧАТЬ gaze moved from his wife to his brother, chatting with a group of IT businessmen, Alyse by his side. Would Leo make a better king than him?

      Sandro was sure of it.

      And yet from the moment he’d returned Leo hadn’t offered a single word of protest. He’d stepped aside gracefully, had accepted his position as cabinet minister with a nod and a smile. Leo, Sandro had to assume, was relieved. And why shouldn’t he be?

      Neither of them had wanted to follow in their father’s footsteps. Neither of them had wanted the awful burden of royal duty.

      And yet here they were.

      One of the footmen flanking the room rang a bell, and Sandro watched as the crowd fell silent and with a shyly assured smile Liana went to the front of the room. Sandro watched her, felt a surge of admiration and love, and yet washed over it all was desperation. Because she was too good for him. Because he didn’t believe she could really love him, a man who had shirked his duty for so long. A man who was second best.

      ‘Thank you all so much for coming,’ Liana said, her voice clear and musical. Sandro felt as if he could listen to her for ever. And everyone else must have too because the room went utterly silent as she spoke about Hands To Help’s mission and what it meant to her.

      She didn’t, Sandro realised with a flicker of surprise, talk about her sister.

      But he could hear the passion in her voice, the utter sincerity, and he knew everyone else could too. And when she was done the room broke out into an applause that was not merely polite, but spontaneous and sincere.

      Sandro’s gut twisted. How could this amazing woman love him?

      She moved through the crowd, chatting with various guests, but he saw her gaze rove restlessly over the clusters of people and knew she was looking for him.

      He came forward, smiling as he took her by the hand. ‘Well done. You spoke beautifully, Liana.’

      Pink touched her cheeks and her eyes sparkled. How had he ever thought she was a statue? Or icy and cold? In this moment she looked real, warm, vibrant, and glorious. He almost told her he loved her right then.

      Almost.

      But he didn’t, because along with his other sins he was a coward. He didn’t want to hear the silence he feared would be the answer back...just as it had been before.

      * * *

      Liana felt Sandro’s preoccupation as they left the fundraiser and headed for their suite in the private family wing of the palace. It was past midnight and all around them the palace was dark and hushed, only a few sleepy footmen on duty.

      ‘I think it went well tonight, don’t you?’ Liana said as they turned down the corridor that housed their suite of rooms.

      ‘Very well.’ His lips curved in a smile but his voice was toneless, and she had no idea what he was thinking. Feeling.

      ‘Thank you for organising it,’ she said, hating that she felt awkward, even if just a little. ‘It was very thoughtful.’

      ‘It was the least I could do.’

      Sandro opened the door to his bedroom, the bedroom they’d shared since returning from California even though Liana had her own adjoining room.

      Uncertainly she stepped in behind him, because she couldn’t decipher his mood at all and she was getting so very tired of wondering. Worrying.

      ‘Sandro—’

      Before she could say another word she was in his arms, her back pressed against the door as he kissed her with a raw, rough intensity she hadn’t felt before. It was a kiss of passion but it felt like grief. Even so it ignited everything inside her and she kissed him back, matching him even though part of her cried out that whatever was wrong between them, it couldn’t be solved by sex.

      Maybe Sandro disagreed. Or maybe sex was all he wanted, for he slid his hands down her satin-clad legs before sliding the material up to her hips. Heat flared as he pressed his hand against her, the thin silk of her panties the only barrier between them.

      She put her hands on either side of his face, tried to get him to look at her. ‘Sandro, what is it?’ she whispered even as an insistent, pleasurable ache had started between her thighs, urged on by the press of his hand. ‘What’s wrong?’

      ‘Nothing’s wrong,’ he answered, his voice thick with desire. ‘I just need you, Liana. I want you. Now.’ He hoisted her leg up and wrapped it around his hip, and as he kissed her again Liana closed her eyes, let the sensation wash over her.

      She wanted him too, and while she wanted his honesty more, she understood he needed this. Needed her. And maybe that could be enough, at least for now.

      He buried his head in the curve of his neck, a shudder racking his body as he moved against her. Liana put her arms around him, drawing him even closer, and then he was inside her, and it felt as deep and overwhelming and as wonderful as always.

      She met him thrust for thrust, gasping out his name, her head thrown back against the door, and afterwards as their hearts raced against each other and the sweat cooled on their skin Sandro whispered against her throat.

      ‘I love you.’

      Everything in Liana stilled, and she felt a fragile happiness emerge from the tumult of her emotions like the first bloom of spring, tender and new.

      She smoothed his hair away from his face and kissed his lips. ‘I love you too.’

      Neither of them spoke, and even as they remained in each other’s arms Liana wondered why that confession of love—something she’d longed for—made her feel sadder than ever.

       CHAPTER TEN

      SANDRO STARED UNSEEINGLY down at the various letters he’d been given by his secretary to sign. The words blurred in front of him and wearily he rubbed his eyes. He’d been working in his study all day, reviewing fiscal plans and budget cuts in preparation for a meeting with his cabinet tomorrow.

      He could see Leo’s mark on everything he read, from the proposal to extend broadband to most of the country—something his brother felt passionately about, just as he did—to the necessary budget cuts in the palace. Leo clearly would rather go without a few luxuries than cut anything that affected his people.

      He would have made a good king, Sandro thought, not for the first time. If the press hadn’t uncovered the whole marriage masquerade debacle, his brother would have been a great king. And he would have been king, because Sandro would have stayed in California. He wouldn’t have come back. Wouldn’t have married Liana.

      Wouldn’t have had any of it.

      Sighing, he rubbed his temples, felt the beginnings of a headache.

      A quick knock sounded and then Leo opened the door, closing it behind him.

      ‘I’m heading home, but I just wanted to make sure you didn’t need me for anything?’

      ‘No, СКАЧАТЬ