Melody Anne - Scorched

“Operator,” the voice on the other end of the line said.

“Hello?” she whispered. Operator? Who was this?

“How can I help you, Ms. Palazzo?”

Who was this and how did they know who she was?

Rachel’s stomach sank to her toes. Of course escape wouldn’t be this easy.

Adriane wasn’t worried about her wandering about the castle because she was on a stinking island with no chance of escape, and he had an operator monitoring his phone calls.

Still, she wasn’t going to give up that easily.

“I would like to place a phone call to the United States, please,” she said, raising her voice to a normal tone, trying to make sure she sounded calm and sure, as if she weren’t doing something against the king’s wishes.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Palazzo, but any outgoing calls are not authorized at this time. Is there something else I can help you with?”

No! That was all she wanted. Sighing in disgust, Rachel slammed the phone down. Why bother being quiet now? Though frustrated, she was undeterred. If she had to swim off this damn island, she was going to do it. If she drowned in the process, then King Adriane would just have to live with his guilt. Not much consolation, but still…

Standing up, she faced the door, then stopped in her tracks at the sight of a man standing there with a lifted eyebrow.

“Is there something you need, Ms. Palazzo?” he asked with a slight accent, but in perfect English.

Though she knew she was doing nothing wrong, the man made her feel as if she were.

“I need to get ahold of my brother,” she said, firming up her voice as she stared him down. “It’s important.”

He gazed at her a moment before giving his head the slightest shake.

“I apologize, but that’s something we cannot do right now.” His voice was customer-service friendly, but unyielding at the same time.

“You do realize that my basic rights are being violated by your refusal to let me make a phone call. Heck, even prisoners are allowed their one call,” she snapped, no longer even pretending to be friendly.

If these people were going to keep her trapped here, pretend not to speak English or Italian when it suited them, and refuse her basic liberties when speaking in words she could understand, she wasn’t going to dance to the tune they were playing. She was going to throw a giant-sized fit.

As she watched the man look down his nose at her, Rachel realized he might not want her to be here. He probably didn’t think she was good enough to serve as his queen. What if she could turn him to her side? Maybe he would help her to escape so a proper queen could be found for his country.

Her attitude changed, and she put a bright smile on her face. His gaze narrowed suspiciously.

“What’s your name again?” Rachel asked, seeming to recall him from the States. He had to be one of Adriane’s right-hand guys.

“I am Nico,” he said, his expression not changing.

“Well, Nico, maybe you can offer your assistance,” she said, batting her eyes.

From his unaltered expression, she didn’t think her pathetic attempt at flirting was doing her any good.

“Of course, Ms. Palazzo. I am willing to assist you with anything I can,” he said, though his suspicious expression was telling her otherwise.

She had to try, though.

“I need to speak to my brother so he can return me to the States. We both know I’m not the right fit to be queen of Corythia. Wouldn’t it be better for everyone involved if I just disappeared? Adriane could then find a proper woman of royal or at least noble birth to be his wife and the queen of this exquisitely beautiful country.”

OK, so she might be laying it on a bit thick, but she was desperate.

“It is King Adriane’s baby you are pregnant with, is it not?” he asked, looking pointedly down at her stomach.

“Does it really matter? Many, many children have been born out of wedlock to royalty. They and their mothers don’t join the family. So we can all just pretend I never existed. Everyone can get on with their lives.” Rachel spoke in pleading tones, growing a little more desperate at the hardening in his eyes.

“Why do you want to leave?” This time there was no expression on his face, not a clue of what he was thinking.

“Because I won’t marry a man simply because I carry his child. I only spent one week with Adriane, knowing him then only as Ian, a beach bum who was romantic and made my world spin. Corny, no? That certainly isn’t enough of a reason for us to wed.”

He seemed thoughtful as he looked at her. Had she made him understand?

She continued to work on him. “You must know, Nico, that it’s not right for him to hold me captive here. I have a family back home. All you have to do is let me make one little bitty phone call. Just turn your back while I get through to my brother. Adriane need never find out.”

Nico’s lips tilted almost imperceptibly as he stared at her.

“I like your determination, Ms. Palazzo. I think perhaps that I may have misjudged you. Most Americans I have encountered aren’t as…resourceful as you. But still, I can’t go against my king. That would be profoundly disloyal, even treacherous. I will say that I believe you will make a fine queen,” he said, dashing the last of her hopes.

He was doing his job, so there was no use in getting angry with the man. But someone here had to be willing to help her. She had never found a group of employees to be completely happy in their jobs.

“I will see myself out,” she said, and she walked past him to the door. There was no point in continuing the conversation.

“I do apologize, Ms. Palazzo,” he offered as she passed him.

Rachel paused for a moment before continuing on. She wasn’t going to say anything more. She certainly wasn’t going to thank him. He hadn’t helped her.

With her head tilted up, and more determined than ever, Rachel retreated, for now, back to her room. This wasn’t over — not by a long shot.

Not again! Yet another night in which sleep played the merciless tease. If this didn’t stop soon, she was going to make herself sick — far sicker than just a mere fainting spell and slightly high blood pressure.

And yet, while sitting on the balcony, Rachel was at least able to enjoy the pleasant breeze as the sun rose in the sky. If she hadn’t been there against her will, she would think it an ideal place to be. The sea was so gloriously fresh that it was almost clear, making her desperately eager for a swim. The food was amazing, and the accommodations beyond luxurious.

This could be a resort.

There was just one minor problem: she’d been abducted, and that tended to color her mood. She wasn’t so relaxed that she’d forgotten the reason she was here.

She hadn’t seen Adriane since the morning before, but she knew he was back. If she were able to fly the dang helicopter, she would have been hot-wiring it and making her escape. But, no, she knew how to fly only as a passenger, and she had no interest in ending up on the bottom of this beautiful sea.

This morning, when she’d looked in the mirror, she’d noticed the tiniest hint of a bump on her stomach, not enough that she looked pregnant, but enough that it was all becoming more and more real. Each time she experienced morning sickness, or felt dizzy, each time she looked in the mirror and found minor changes in her body — it all added up to the fact that she was going to be a mother.

In about five and a half months she would have a baby.

At this moment, it would be so nice to sit down and talk to her mother, ask her how she’d felt the first time she’d noticed a change in her body. Had she been afraid or overjoyed? Had she run to the toilet and thrown up or lay back and rejoiced? What had gone through her head and heart?

Of course, her mother had been happily married to a man who loved her completely and utterly. Rachel was sure that made a world of difference, softened the fears that went along with the condition.

Maybe if she played nice, Adriane would allow her to call her mom. Rachel wouldn’t burden her with the knowledge of her abduction. She just wanted to hear her mother’s warm voice.

Adriane had to understand that much.

If he didn’t, he was an even crueler man than she took him for.

“I hope you slept well.”

There was the man of the hour, or maybe of the nine months. Rachel didn’t turn to acknowledge him as he stood behind her. But just knowing he was there was causing her stomach to stir in ways that weren’t making her happy.

“No. As a matter of fact, I didn’t sleep well. If I’d been in my own bed, I’m sure I would have had a great night’s sleep,” she said.

“If you’d been in my bed, you would have been well pleased and then would still be sleeping,” he countered.

The most infuriating part of his statement was that it was most likely correct. Not that she would admit to that. His ego was bloated enough without her puffing it up further.

Silence stretched on for several moments before he sat next to her.

“The doctor is here. He brought a device so we can see our child.”

Rachel perked up at the thought. She should have had an ultrasound already, but she’d been too busy with denial to do it. Seeing the baby residing in her stomach, knowing he or she was healthy, would cheer her immensely in these less than encouraging circumstances.

“You had ultrasound equipment brought in?”

“Of course. We need to make sure the baby is healthy, and there isn’t a medical facility on this island,” he said matter-of-factly. Even though she’d grown up with amazing wealth, the excesses wealthy people were prone to always amused her. So much for her dreams of living like a normal person — but she’d given up on that for quite a while now.

She was thankful for her mother’s influence. Thankful she had made sure Rachel, Rafe and Lia knew money wasn’t something to take for granted. Yes, they’d had nice things, but they’d also lived humbly, at least when in Italy.

No, Rafe hadn’t lived that way since adulthood, but he’d been taught those principles, too, like his sisters. Rachel had been jealous of Rafe a time or two, envious that he could do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted to do it. Now, she understood more why her mother had instilled her values in her children.

Too bad Rafe hadn’t listened more. But at least his love for Ari proved that his obscene wealth hadn’t totally destroyed his character.

“Are you ready, Rachel?” he asked softly, laying a hand on her shoulder.

If only he actually cared whether she was all right. But she knew his concern was only for the child she carried. She was glad he cared about the baby, but she didn’t think it was possible to go through with a relationship with him when she knew she was simply an incubator for his little one.

Would he simply discard her after the baby was born? Ignore her completely? It seemed very likely to her. Still, she wanted the ultrasound, and as she was stuck here for now, it looked as though she was going to see her first pictures of the baby with him at her side.

Without saying anything more, Rachel stood, pushing away his hand. She could get up on her own. His eyes sharpened just a bit, but he didn’t say anything about her rejection of him.

He should be well used to it by now.

Her bladder was full, which was apparently a good thing for the ultrasound, but not as wonderful for her as she walked beside him from her room and into the hallway. They made their way in silence through the maze of hallways until he stopped and opened a door on the far side of the castle.

“I know you are upset with me, but this day is special. Try not to let what’s been happening between us ruin that for you,” Adriane said as the two of them stepped inside a room that had been turned into a mini-clinic.

“I won’t let you affect how I feel, period,” Rachel said as she looked around.

His team of doctors had brought in a medical bed and an ultrasound imaging machine, along with other equipment that she had no clue about. Was he planning on never letting her leave this opulent hideaway?

It seemed to be set up for delivery. A chill went down her spine — she might be trapped here forever. The princess — no, dammit, the queen — in the tower.

One of the nurses led Rachel to a partitioned-off area where she changed into one of the unflattering gowns all patients wore. As she slipped the soft cotton around her, she worried that eventually she’d not even care. She thought for a moment about letting her ass hang out the back and walking out, giving Adriane a good view. She could title her memoirs “I Mooned the King”!