Read Online Becoming the Prince's Wife (Princes of Europe) by Rebecca Winters - Free Book Online Page B

view of the island. She’s staying there overnight. My pilot will fly her back in the morning. You should have seen her when we got out of the helicopter and walked over to view one of the fumaroles. She was one person who really appreciated the experience.”
    “Michelina would never step foot on Etna and was always afraid for you. Sorry about this morning. I guess I thought it might frighten Carolena.”
    Valentino had forgotten about his sister’s fear. It showed how totally concentrated he’d been on Carolena. “If she was, she hid it well. Now I want to hear about Max. How is he?”
    “For the moment both he and Abby are asleep. It’ll be a relief to get him home. After the doctor tells us what’s wrong and we can relax, I’d like it if you could arrange to fly to Arancia so we can talk business.”
    He nodded. “I’m as anxious as you to get started on the idea we’ve discussed. I’ll clear my calendar.” It would mean seeing Carolena again. He was going to get the truth out of her one way or another.
    “Abby thinks Carolena would be a good person to consult over the legalities of the plans we have in mind. Did I mention her expertise is patent law? It’s exactly what we need.”
    She was a patent attorney? Valentino’s heart leaped to think he didn’t need to find an excuse to see her again when he had a legitimate reason to be with her before long. On his way to the palace, he’d come close to telling the pilot he’d changed his mind and wanted to go back to the yacht.
    “Valentino? Did you hear what I said?”
    “Sorry. The news about her work in patent law took me by surprise. Abby and Carolena are both intelligent women. With them being such close friends and attorneys, it will be a pleasure to have them consult with us. I’ve worried about finding someone we could really trust.”
    “Amen to that. We don’t want anyone else to get wind of this until it’s a fait accompli,” Vincenzo muttered. “Abby asked me to thank you for taking such good care of Carolena today.”
    If he only knew how dangerously close Valentino had come to making love to her. Once that happened, there’d be no going back because he knew in his gut he’d want her over and over again. That would jeopardize both their lives and put them in a different kind of hell.
    “It’s always a rush to go up on Etna with someone who finds it as fascinating as I do.”
    “She really liked it?”
    “I wish I had a recording while we were in the air.”
    Vincenzo smiled. “That’ll make Abby happy. She brought Carolena along because seven years ago yesterday her fiancé was killed days before she became a bride. Apparently this date in June is always hard for her. They were very much in love.”
    Fiancé?
    Valentino’s gut twisted in deepest turmoil when he remembered telling her she looked like a bride. More than ever he was determined to find out what kind of guilt she’d been carrying around all this time.
    “Abby says she dates one man after another, but it’s only once or twice, never really getting to know anyone well. She believes she’s depressed and is pretty worried about her. Abby was hoping this trip would help her get out of herself. Sounds like your day on the volcano may have done just that.”
    The revelations coming one after the other hit Valentino like a volcanic bomb during an eruption.
    “I hope so.”
    “I’d better get back to our suite. It’ll be my turn to walk the floor with Max when he wakes up again. My poor wife is worn out.”
    “From the looks of it, so are you.” He patted Vincenzo on the shoulder before walking him to the door. “I’ll have breakfast sent to your suite at eight. Carolena will be waiting for you on the helicopter.”
    “Thanks for everything, Valentino.”
    “The queen says this will pass. She ought to know after raising me and my siblings. See you in the morning.”
    After his brother-in-law left, Valentino raced out of the palace to the swimming pool. He did