college and vet school there’d been quite a few students interested in her, but she’d been too absorbed in her studies to get involved. It was the same way for Ann who’d had dates with some well known actors. Yet her hope of being an actress was stronger than her desire to settle down.
Now, suddenly, a dark stranger had made Callie aware of herself as a flesh and blood woman with needs that must have been lying dormant all these years. How ironic to think it took an Italian male to wake her up to her own sensuality.
Not just any Italian man, Callie.
Her instincts about animals and people were usually right on. The man who worked for Prince Enzo was a breed apart from other men. She’d sensed it from the first moment she’d seen him sitting there in all his splendid indifference to the world around him.
Deep inside she had the disquieting feeling he was going to be unforgettable. The thought was so alarming, she reached for her novel in a desperate attempt to get her mind on anything else besides him.
Little by little the seats filled. She tried to concentrate on the story, but it was impossible. The plane couldn’t take off fast enough to suit her.
A new flight attendant came on board. She smiled and chatted with each passenger. When she came to Callie she said, “Signorina Lassiter? If you would come with me, please.”
Callie blinked. “Why? What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know. There are two policemen waiting inside the terminal to talk to you.”
Oh, no. Nicco must have already reported to the prince and now she was about to be detained. She should have known this was too easy.
“As a matter of courtesy to you, I told them I would find you. I’m sure you don’t want to be embarrassed by having them come on board for an interrogation.”
“No, of course not—but the plane’s about ready to take off.”
“They said this shouldn’t take long.”
“I see. Thank you.”
With growing trepidation she got up from the seat, grabbed her bag and followed the flight attendant into the terminal. Sure enough two Italian policemen in uniform were waiting for her at the exit.
“Signorina Lassiter?” The one with the moustache spoke first.
“Yes?”
“Signorina Ann Lassiter?” the other one questioned.
“No,” she answered honestly. “My name is Callie. Ann is my sister.”
“Your passport, please.”
Once again she found herself opening her shoulder bag to get it out. The policeman took it from her and studied the picture.
“Thank you very much.” He put it in his pocket. “If you’ll come with us please.”
“What do you mean? I have a plane to catch!”
The two officers smiled at each other before the one with the moustache said, “His royal highness learned that his beautiful American fiancée has prewedding nerves, a problem he finds extremely charming. He hopes that by now you have gotten over them enough to let us take you to him.”
“No—” she cried out. “I mean, you don’t understand—I’m not his fiancée! I can prove it if you’ll just let me make one phone call!”
They broke into laughter. “He warned us you would put up a struggle. Come, signorina. No one keeps the prince waiting. However for his bride-to-be, he has made an exception this one time. We will take you to him.”
Callie sensed that if she continued to fight them, it would no longer be a joking matter. So much for her sister’s belief that ten thousand dollars would settle everything.
I promise he’s a sweetheart. All the other finalists thought he was a darling and wished they’d been chosen. There won’t be any problem with him.
She’d known there’d been a catch somewhere. Now she thought she’d figured out what it was. Prince Enzo held a title and nothing else! That’s why no royal contingent had been sent to greet her when she got off the plane and that’s why he needed to buy a bride.
It was probably the reason he’d used his celebrity status to be the focus of a huge Hollywood benefit. No doubt he needed a wife to support him! Where else in the world but America would people pay big money for charity to rub shoulders with a European prince?
What better woman for him to pick than a shallow Hollywood actress with stars in her eyes for a brain, and a bank account that could feed all the homeless at once?
His choice of bride-to-be was beginning to make a lot of sense. Everyone knew a film idol was worth millions. Enough to keep him in the manner to which he’d been accustomed before his fortune had run out or he’d squandered it.
Apparently the prince’s mouthpiece Nicco had wasted no time informing him that Signorina Lassiter had tried to back out of that damnable contract by insisting she was the wrong woman. He’d probably advised the prince to extort as much money from her as he could.
It looked as if Callie had no choice now but to meet his royal wretchedness himself, and set him straight about the farcical situation he’d brought on due to his own greed.
Once she could prove he was a has-been with nothing to show for it but an empty title, no court of law on either side of the Atlantic would require Callie’s sister to hold up her end of that absurd contract. Talk about flawed…
In order not to make a scene, Callie allowed herself to be escorted by the two policemen. They entered a nearby elevator and descended to the next floor.
To her chagrin, thoughts of the prince’s black-haired, slick-tongued envoy prevented her from concentrating fully over the impending confrontation. Undoubtedly Nicco had orchestrated the entire plot for the prince with the latter’s promise of a healthy cut of Ann’s film profits down the road.
Callie had been right all along. Nicco had Machiavellian blood running through his veins. Little did he know she had the fierce blood of her Norse ancestry running through hers…
When the elevator reached ground level, Callie’s clover-green eyes narrowed as she prepared to do battle.
The police directed her to a door down the corridor which they unlocked. It opened onto the tarmac where their police van awaited. They helped her into the back where she sat on a bench. There were no windows to see out.
After being shut in, she had to endure a twenty-minute drive without knowing where on earth they were taking her. Finally she felt the van slow down and come to a stop.
When they opened the doors to let her out, she discovered they’d driven to the rear of a medium-size apartment building somewhere in the heart of Torino.
In one of the nearby covered parking stalls she caught sight of a helmeted man getting off a motorcycle. Her eyes widened to discover it was a brand-new Danelli! That wasn’t possible unless…
But when had the company started manufacturing
