‘I’m not soft at all,’ she argued, ‘but I do know what it’s like to feel you’ve no control over your life, and to wonder and fear what’s coming next. Seizing back even a little bit of control in those circumstances feels good.’
Cesar dismissed this with an impatient huff. ‘You credit the person who quite possibly betrayed you with finer feelings than they deserve. If you have a suspect you should let me follow it up. I have the resources,’ he pointed out. ‘And whatever our differences, I would never allow someone to harm you and get away with it.’
‘But you have enough to do.’ Having asked Cesar for help, she was having second thoughts. He did have enough to do, and she had only made things harder.
‘You don’t know what you’re up against,’ he said with an impatient gesture.
‘But I do, and I also have a theory as to why this is escalating. Jealousy,’ she declared. ‘I know it makes no sense when Blake’s as rich as Croesus, but for some people even too much is never enough.’
Cesar didn’t argue, but holding his stare for any length of time was never a good idea. Her body was always ready to seize the smallest cue, and this was not the right time to do that. This felt like the first time they’d ever talked, really talked, and both of them had listened. Surely that was something worth preserving and treasuring? All she’d wanted had been to build the connection between them and hopefully watch it turn into something deeper and more meaningful. Yes, her body burned to feel his touch again, nothing had changed where that was concerned, but now her heart yearned for company.
‘You will not do this on your own. Understood?’
Cesar’s instruction jolted her out of gentler thoughts. ‘Don’t forget I survived a house full of brothers,’ she reminded him.
‘Howard Blake is nothing like your brothers, and I shouldn’t need to tell you that.’
‘You don’t,’ she said, ‘but if you think I’m going to sit on my butt, doing nothing, you’re wrong. You have a country to consider, as well as a mother and sister to protect. Your duty lies there. I got into this mess, and now I’m going to get out of it.’
‘I won’t release you from your training,’ Cesar told her with a closing gesture of his hands.
He wasn’t used to being countermanded, let alone be taken out of the game, but Sofia was in no mood to give ground. ‘You can’t stop me,’ she said. ‘We’re here because we choose to be here, not because you commanded our attendance. All of us are successful in our own right—some more successful than others,’ she conceded with a shrug, ‘but seriously, Cesar, you can leave this to me.’
‘Seriously, Sofia,’ he mocked with venom, ‘that will never happen, so put it out of your mind.’
He swung her round so fast the air was sucked from her lungs. The time for calm reason had gone. ‘Do you seriously think I’ll allow you to risk your life? Don’t you realise there’s a kingdom at stake and that’s what he’s after? Blake tried once with my mother, dangling a gigolo in front of her. Do you think he’d care what happens to you? You’ll be collateral damage—just another counter for Blake to play and discard when it suits him. I won’t allow you to do that—for your sake, and for the sake of everyone who cares about you. Your life is worth nothing to Howard Blake. Nothing! Don’t you get it?’
Cesar’s face was very close. His eyes scorched hers. She’d never seen so much passion in one man. Perhaps because Cesar never showed emotion it seemed all the greater now. Whatever it was she felt, it was not the urge to pull away or even to stand on tiptoe to give him a kiss—definitely not that. What she felt, deep down, through every fibre of her being was the urge to reassure him. Cesar had been through enough. ‘I’m not your responsibility, and I promise I won’t get hurt. I’ll be back to play in the matches before you know it. And we’ll win—in every way there is,’ she added with icy resolve.
He couldn’t believe what he was hearing, and frankly he’d had enough. Sofia appeared convinced that fairy-tales could come true and that good would prevail over evil. She refused to see the danger. Whatever he said fell would fall on deaf ears. Fortunately, he’d cut his teeth on an equally wilful sister so he was in familiar territory. ‘I’ll bar you from leaving the kingdom if I have to. I’m not joking, Sofia.’
But the sterner his tone, the brighter grew the gleam of amusement in Sofia’s eyes. ‘What’s wrong with you?’ he demanded. But he knew. He’d seen the same thing on the battlefield. In a hazardous situation humour often showed itself, as if to thumb its nose at danger. That was the case here. Sofia thought she knew the person she was dealing with, but he really knew.
‘Whatever it takes,’ he warned as he took hold of her arms. His mouth was so close to hers now they shared the same breath, the same air. Her eyes held challenge, and however much he glowered back she smiled at him, until the laugh she’d been smothering broke free. ‘You think this is funny?’ he demanded. ‘Or are you addicted to playing with fire?’
Her expression changed. Her eyes filled with an expression he rejected, not need or passion—compassion. ‘Stop looking at me like that,’ he warned.
‘Someone should,’ she said coolly.
‘What are you talking about?’ Letting her go, he stood back.
‘It must be lonely in your ivory tower. I was hoping I could pay a visit and get to know you.’
‘Isn’t that what we’ve been doing?’
She slowly shook her head. ‘So far you’ve lectured me and I’ve listened, but now I’m going to tell you what I’m doing next.’
‘You think?’ he scoffed.
When reason failed, his instinct took over.
CHAPTER TWELVE
AS CESAR DROVE his mouth down on hers, she knew that if there hadn’t been so much pent-up longing inside her she would have... What? Pushed him away?
Not a chance. Caring and hunger mixed in one fiercely compassionate need to be close to him. Pulling his head back, he stared down and smiled. ‘Must you always choose a stable for your amorous encounters?’
‘I didn’t invite you to join me,’ she countered, challenge firing in her eyes.
