Jaime had finally had enough of the waiting. The quietness of the entire situation
unnerved her. She was getting out
tonight.
Grant it, it would be hard to escape. Jaime no longer had the same luxuries or
freedoms she had at first. It had been
days since Rosco’s last appearance.
Since the kiss, Jaime hadn’t heard from
Rosco. She’d seen him talking with the
men when she’d look outside. Other than
that, and as she passed by the study on the occasional walk to the garden the
guards would allow, Jaime hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Rosco.
Jaime didn’t really miss the complications Rosco
brought into her life. Her main focus
of getting out, had been sidetracked by
the intrigue roused by Rosco’s behavior.
Not anymore. She was getting out
and Rosco be damned.
~~~
“Gia are
you ready?” Nik called as he adjusted his bow tie.
“Hold your horses my Prince!” Gia retorted.
“We’ve got to be there in 20,” Nik reminded.
“Well looking this good takes time,” Gia
said coyly as she slinked out of the bathroom.
Nikolas’s breath caught in his throat. His eyes studied his stunning fiancé as she leaned against the doorframe, the light giving her an amazing glow. Her hair was braided and twisted with small jewels strategically placed within the dark crown that graced her head.
Her face was painted minimally, with her pink
glossy lips smiling at him. Then Nik’s
gaze fell upon the fitted halter-top dress.
It was a dark forest green with a low empire waist design, a cream
velvet ribbon showing where the top ended and the skirt began. The top was
satin, with the skirt flowing out in the same forest green satin. Her back was bare, with the waist scooping
down low.
“Wow!” Nikolas exclaimed, as he scratched his
head.
“You like?” Gia asked, turning around for another
inspection.
“Do I?” he replied huskily.
Nikolas stood unmoved. Gia walked over to him and smiled. “Shouldn’t we get going?” Gia reminded him.
“I don’t know if the hosts are expecting to have
someone as beautiful in their house,” Nik teased as he twirled her around until
she was wrapped in his arms.
~~~
Jason tugged at his white collar. He hated suits. And he hated wearing them in a room full of unknown guests.
Jason had been unable to run a check on the guest
list, since apparently no one knew the guests, except Isabella and Andre. He had been able to though, get his
hands on a set of blueprints. Jason had
gone over them after he and Elizabeth had bought him a tux. She’d been exhausted from the supper and his
lack of interest in the dark suits.
The house had three floors. There was a cellar, a main floor and upper
floor. Andre and Isabella’s rooms and
guest rooms were situated on the second floor.
The main floor housed a large kitchen, a study, a library, a dining room
and a small ballroom; apparently the Perelli’s liked to dance.
Now the second floor was accessed through three
stairwells. One spiraled up in the main
foyer, a second, from the kitchen, and a third, from the ballroom. Jason stood in the dining room sipping a
glass of champagne, which was served as they arrived. Isabella had rushed Elizabeth off to put on her dress and get her
primped and ready for the evening.
Jason thought it odd that she took such an
interest in Elizabeth. He didn’t quite
understand it, and was quite suspicious about it.
“Oh, Mr. Morgan. Do not worry!” Isabella laughed gleefully, as she led Elizabeth away from him. “She will be the belle of the ball! You won’t even recognize her!”
Jason disliked Isabella for making Elizabeth
leave his side. He took another sip of
champagne and decided now was as good a time as any to take a look around. Jason studied the jovial guests that mingled
amongst themselves. Andre wasn’t among
the guests who lounged in the dining room, awaiting the royal couple, as Jason
had heard mention of.
Sonny’s men were keeping watch around the
grounds. Jason had made it known to
them that he wanted to be contacted as soon as the suspicious black car
arrived. He took one more look to make
sure no one noticed his absence and slipped out of one of the double doors
leading to the foyer.
As Jason opened the door and looked down the corridor
that led to the kitchen, for a split second, his mind turned towards the
staircase. Jason hoped that Elizabeth
was all right. He just had a funny
feeling about Mrs. Perelli.
~~~
Elizabeth continued to study the large bedroom,
which was adorned by many paintings and a large king-sized bed. She was waiting nervously for Isabella to
bring in the dress.
After Isabella stole her away from Jason, she had
brought Elizabeth to this room.
Isabella informed her that it was a guest room and that she hoped she
was comfortable changing in here. “My
room is such a mess, from getting ready for the dinner and dance,” she
explained apologetically.
“This is fine,” Elizabeth replied timidly. “I could have changed at the apartment. You didn’t need to go to all this trouble of
helping me get ready when you already provided this wonderful dress. I mean I didn’t even know there was a
dance.”
She nodded her head. “Yes, I love dances!”
Then Isabella laughed and shook her head. “No!
It wouldn’t be right. A woman
must make an entrance for her beau, no?” she teased.
Elizabeth felt her face flush under the mention
of Jason as her beau. “Oh, Jason isn’t
into these kinds of things,” Elizabeth explained.
Elizabeth tried to remember the last time she’d
seen him dance. It had been at
Kelly’s.
“Well, of course not. Not until tonight, Bella!”
Isabella sat Elizabeth down at the antique vanity
table. “Now, how would you like to do
your hair?” Isabella asked as she ran her slender fingers through her curls.
“Oh,” Elizabeth said uncertainly. “I was just going to leave it down.”
The elderly woman clucked her tongue as she
looked at Elizabeth in the mirror. “My
girl, you must put it up. It will show
off your beautiful face.”
Isabella had informed her of all of her beauty
tips and also gave Elizabeth some advice on love. “You must keep him on his toes.
He musn’t take you for granted,” she lectured. “That is how you make him treat you like a queen.”
Elizabeth shook her head. “I don’t want to be treated like a
queen. I just want him to be able to
trust me again,” she commented.
Elizabeth quickly closed her mouth. She’d made a mistake.
“Trust you again?” she asked, with her thick
accent. “Why would he not trust you?”
Elizabeth looked for a way out of her slip of the
tongue. “Uh, I…I,” she stuttered.
“You must tell me the truth if I am to help you
with your love, si?” she asked sincerely.
Elizabeth thought the truth would be the best
course of action, of course, not the entire truth.
“Well, I hurt him, a long time ago. We’re still together, even best friends,”
she explained. “But it’s just awkward
between us.”
Elizabeth grabbed a powder puff and dabbed her
face, peering over it to see if Isabella bought it.
“Well, I suggest you make it up to him,” Isabella
seemed to think out loud. “Yes. You must make it up to him. Tonight!” she exclaimed.
Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief when Isabella
believed her story. Isabella also had
her intrigued. “What do you suppose I
should do to make it up to him?” Elizabeth asked.
“You shall take his breath away,” Isabella said
excitedly. “And you will make this a
night to remember for him. Si?”
Elizabeth watched as Isabella paced the
room. Suddenly the older woman stopped
and grabbed Elizabeth’s hands. “Are you
ready to make this man fall in love with you all over again?” she asked.
Elizabeth’s breath caught in her throat. Make Jason fall in love with me? All over again?
What had she gotten herself into?
Slowly Elizabeth nodded to the animated
matchmaker.
“Then I should better get your gown!” Isabella
exclaimed, leaving the room.
Elizabeth sat in the guest room. Peering at the detailed paintings. Waiting anxiously for Isabella’s return.
************************
So this is the second book….in the whole epic
novel which is Love is… I hope you enjoy!