Chapter Forty Three
Jaime sat in the study defiantly. She was sick of this, tired of all the secrecy, plans and manipulations.
Jaime watched as Rosco finished talking on his cell. "Well, tell her I'll be delayed!" he spoke through clenched teeth. Rosco slammed the phone shut.
Jaime shifted uncomfortably on the couch.
"You shouldn't have done that," Rosco rumbled as his hands pressed up against the window, his body leaning at an angle.
"Sorry," Jaime said sarcastically. "What do you expect? Hello? I'm being held prisoner by you and what, I'm not supposed to try to escape?"
She began picking the leaves and twigs out of her hair. Jaime felt a twinge of guilt, for some unknown reason. She peered at Rosco, who was being eerily quiet.
"You were going to be fine," Rosco commented.
Jaime bit her lip and rolled her eyes. "Fine? I guess I would have, if your definition of being fine is being locked up in a room with two armed guards outside your door night and day."
Rosco turned from his interest from the garden to her. Jaime's stomach did a flip-flop. He was really goodlooking. Jaime shook her head. She did not want to be thinking about that at this point in time.
Jaime watched as he made his way over to the couch, which she was sitting in. The same couch, which he had first held her. Jaime got up quickly from the couch and stood behind the armrest.
"What? Are you afraid of me?" he smirked.
Jaime took a deep breath and grimaced. "You don't scare me."
She took another deep breath and tried to slow down her racing heart. Jaime hated being this out of control when it came to Rosco. She'd never had a problem until their encounter in the garden. Why did she have to be attracted to him?
Jaime swallowed and tucked her knotted hair behind her ear. "What are you going to do with me?"
Rosco looked at her sternly. "What do you think I'm going to do with you?"
Jaime felt her heart skip a beat. "Are you going to send me away? I do remember you telling me that you had 'orders' to send me to your 'boss'." Jaime leaned against her body against the couch. "Is that what you're going to do? Send me to him?"
Rosco again smirked at her. She hated it. Jaime hated that he controlled her. She'd always been controlled and this was one of those times Rosco made her think of her Father. And she hated thinking about him.
"I haven't decided," he said coyly. "There might be something you could do to change my mind…" Rosco's voice trailed off suggestively.
"There's no way in hell!" Jaime exclaimed, in disgust.
Rosco looked at her straight in the eye and crinkled his brow. "And what makes you think that was what I wanted?" he asked seriously.
Jaime felt the heat rising to her face. She clenched her teeth and smiled annoyed. "Because I know that was what you were implying."
Jaime was flustered and when she got flustered she usually ended up making a fool out of herself. "You know that you want me…" Jaime closed her eyes and shut her mouth tightly as the words rang in her ears.
"I want you do I?" Rosco asked, his interest piqued at the revelation. "I don't recall ever say that." Rosco smiled.
Jaime didn't know what else to do and so she lashed out at him. "When you are arrested for this and put in jail, I hope you rot!" she spat, walking out of the room with a couple of guards following her as she entered the hallway.
What a jerk!
***
Jason had made a call as he inspected the wooded area outside. The men Jason had ordered to watch the area were to continue their stakeout and inform Jason of any vehicles moving in or out of the area. After looking around, Jason looked at his watch and realized that he'd been out there for a while, so he slipped back through the corridor into the foyer.
Luckily the dinner hadn't started and most of the guests were still mingling in the dining room. The royal couple must have arrived when he was scouting out the back because there was a crowd of 'oohing' and 'awwing' guests in a huddled corner. Jason looked around for Elizabeth, but she was nowhere to be found.
Suddenly one of the servants opened the double doors that seemed quite hidden along the far wall. "Excuse me," he announced with a thick Italian accent. "Signor and Signora Perelli request your presence in the ballroom. Follow me." The dark-haired man wearing a white suit jacket, white shirt, and black pants led the guests huddled in a corner into the well-lit ballroom. The room was painted cream with antique wall sconces floating down the ballroom. There were two crystal chandeliers, each hanging equilaterally along the ceiling of the ballroom. Chords of music began sounding at the far end of the room, and Jason observed a string quartet hidden in the corner.
The small crowd of guests, numbering around 15 people, had made their way down the gold carpet of the wide marble cascading stairway. Jason followed slightly behind the crowd, making himself as unnoticeable as possible. As the guests wandered around the fairly large room, Jason stayed near the base of the stairwell anxiously waiting for Elizabeth to appear.
***
Then again, the servant made an announcement. He stood at the top of the stairwell and spoke, saying, "Signora Isabella and Signor Andre." The servant turned around and bowed to the hosts of the evening.
Appearing through the golden arch that encased the heavy oak doors were Andre and Isabella Perelli. He was dressed in a black suit and black dress shirt with a mandarin collar. He stood up top of the stairway proudly, smiling at his stunning wife.
Isabella stood at the top of the stairs along side her husband in a stunning gold dress that grazed the floor. It was off her shoulders, and made of exquisite Chantilly lace.
"Ladies, gentleman, and Princes," Isabella greeted loudly towards the small crowd dazzled by the splendor of the room. "I'd like to welcome you to our humble villa. I am so glad you could come."
"Yes!" Andre exclaimed. "I am so humbled to be in the presence of so many esteemed people." Andre held out his hands to the smiling crowd of guests. "We'd like to extend a special welcome to the Prince as he has come for a friend of his Uncle's."
The crowd turned to face the handsome Prince. He was far back in the crowd so it was hard for those in the front to see him wave at Signor Perelli.
***
Elizabeth stood in the wings waiting nervously, but excited. Isabella explained that she would introduce Elizabeth first to the guests and then Jason. One of her servants will have brought Jason to the base of the staircase so that he would be able to see her "stunning transformation" as Isabella had put it. Anxiously, Elizabeth touched up the glossy lipstick, which she hoped hadn't smudged onto the corners of her lips.
Her heart was racing at the thought of Jason waiting for her at the bottom of those steps. Elizabeth smiled to herself. She knew Jason wasn't into all of the sutis and gowns, but just this once, Elizabeth hoped he remembered this moment. She knew that she would.
Elizabeth felt so comfortable with the excited Isabella. It almost seemed like a dream. Isabella had thought of everything. Elizabeth put on the hand-made gown and though it was simple, the little intricacies of the detailed beading amazed her. After she had been fitted into her dress Isabella helped her with the makeup and hair. Elizabeth's heart warmed at the stories Isabella rambled on about how she and Andre had met and their whirlwind courtship. Elizabeth teared when Isabella softly admitted that she and Andre had never been able to have children. And Elizabeth's heart melted when Isabella smiled and told her she "was like the daughter she never had".
When Isabella led her to the double door she whispered soft words of encouragement and joy. "You are beautiful Elizabeth and Jason will be speechless when you appear on the staircase. Like Cinderella and her Prince Charming, no?" she asked looking Elizabeth straight in the eye.
Elizabeth nodded and bit her lip. Is Jason her Prince Charming?
***
Nikolas while planning his and Gia's trip to Italy, had promisted to stop by the house of his Uncle's friend. They arrived fashionably late and were marauded by intrigued guests. They had been led to a room in the quaint villa. It was beautiful to say the least. Suddenly the host and hostess arrived. Now Nikolas and Gia stood in the middle of the ballroom awaiting their hostess's announcement.
***
"Just as I have invited close friends and acquaintances, my husband and I have met old and new friends in the past few weeks." Isabella looked at her adoring husband. "And in the past weeks I have met an American couple who reminded me of myself and my husband at their age. I invited them tonight and I do hope you don't mind, my dear friends and special guests."
Isabella and Andre parted as Elizabeth made her way beside her two hosts. "May I introduce to you, Ms. Elizabeth Webber."
***
Oooooooo, the tension!!!! I hope you guys can stand it! ;o)