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“Have some confidence in me, Celina. This is unfinished business, and we will bring it to a close. Whether you’re here or not, with me or not, you can’t stop the wheels of fate from rolling on. These things have a way of playing out, and believe me, Del Roca will rue the day that he began his career of murder and exploitation, but right now, my concern is you. You need time and care, and the team can help you with that. We have trained counselors who can help you come to terms with the loss of your friend. Don’t be too proud to accept that help. You’re not the only person we’ve rescued who needs this type of assistance.”
“I’m not a worthy cause.”
“No, you’re more of a king-sized pain in the ass,” he agreed dryly. “But I love you, and I want the best for you, so that’s all right.”
Diego was offering everything, so why was she hesitating? She could continue with the work she loved, though it would be here in Spain, with people she cared for and could trust. She’d be close to him. “I still say, I can be more help to the team back in my own country.”
“And so the cycle continues?” Diego shook his head. “Beating yourself up won’t solve anything. Stay and face your demons. If you still feel the same a few months down the line, we’ll go back together. You’re a survivor. Don’t forget that. You might have been alone since you were a child, but you’ve always drawn people to you. You’re well liked here. This is your home now.”
“Home,” she repeated, remembering how she’d felt when she’d been about to leave again. She’d turned around to look back at the estate and had seen her friends, and had realized how much she’d miss them. This really did feel like home.
“Home,” Diego confirmed, his fierce stare burning into hers. “Don’t let the bastards win. Tomorrow, we start rebuilding.” Standing, he walked across the room, and, lifting the phone, he waited a few seconds before issuing an order she couldn’t hear. Replacing the receiver, he turned around. “Amber will be with you in five.” Before she had chance to respond, he added, “You need company tonight.”
Amber? Celina frowned. She didn’t understand. Why not Diego? What had he arranged? What did this mean?
“You’re good friends with Amber, aren’t you?” he asked.
“Well, yes, but—”
“Don’t you think she’ll be worried about you, after seeing you heading off the estate with that heavy pack? Spend some time together. Chill. Relax. You don’t do enough of that.”
Guilt silenced her. Amber had risked her life for Celina, and she hadn’t even planned to say good-bye. What was wrong with her? Was that how she repaid her friends?
“Repeat the cycle, or stay and fight,” Diego threw over his shoulder as he left the magnificent room. “It’s up to you now.”
~~o0o~~
Three months had passed since that night in the library. During that time Diego had traveledtravelled the world playing polo. And every day, he’d given Celina cause to smile, sending a courier with some small token for her. One day it was a single red rose, and on another, a box of sticky cakes. A verse by email had popped up on her screen one morning. Designed to make her laugh, it had cheered her up for the rest of the day, but when night fell, she missed him more than ever. On another memorable occasion, he’d sent a photo showing him covered in mud and bruises after a match. And he still looking stunning. But what had touched her even more than the image was the text below it, telling her how much he missed her. So, come home, she’d thought. Diego was right. She had started to think of his home as her home. She loved the people. She loved the climate. She loved being with the animals, as well as the stimulation of working with the best in his tech department. She had no complaints. None. Well, perhaps one, she thought as she sat on a hay bale in the stables, kicking her legs and
thinking about Diego.
He was here, right now, playing the return match with the team that had suffered an injury, but he’d gone straight from his jet to the stables without coming to find her. After plying her with romantic gestures, she had to admit she was confused. What was the current state of their relationship? She had no idea. She didn’t want their reunion to take place in front of an audience, so she hadn’t exactly sought him out. Now she was wondering if he’d found another grand duchess. Whoever it was would have to be very accommodating. Celina couldn’t see herself sitting meekly by while Diego wrote romantic verses to another woman. Nor could she imagine the team grapevine letting her down so badly if there was another woman in his life.
She shrugged, remembering his last words before he left. “No one handles tracking and surveillance like you, Celina. It’s time for you to keep me safe, don’t you think?” She’d promised to do just that, and it was still her intention, whether or not Diego had a grand duchess in tow. Though if he had, it would be a case of pistols for two, coffee for one. And she was a crack shot.
~~o0o~~
The distant cheers tempted her to leave the barn and catch the end of the match. She took a final few moments to breathe deeply on the scent of clean hay and warm animals, and then she paused in the tack room. Dipping into the back pocket of her jeans, she brought out her locker key. Opening the locker, she extracted her long-neglected makeup pouch from beneath a pile of mint packets and assorted detritus. There was a party after the match, which Diego, with or without a female companion, would certainly attend. If all they could ever be was friends, then that would have to be enough for her, but at least she should find him and thank him for everything he’d done while he was away. Those little touches had really meant a lot to her. They meant everything to me. They, and not a professional counselor, had made her believe and trust. So, now it was time to put that trust to the test. The rest was in the hands of fate.
And Celina Petrovka, Celina amended as she left the barn. Her fate was in her own hands, and no one else’s.
~~o0o~~
Diego was elated as he galloped down the field. The winning shot was his. Drawing back his mallet, he fired the ball into the goal. The crowd was on its feet as he cantered back, but in all that mass, he saw only one person, and that was Celina. He saw the fire in her eyes and knew she was back in the fullest sense. She’d been present in body and will, but Celina, the woman he’d known and had fallen in love with, had been absent. It takes time to heal, Alexei had told him. “You’re part of that healing process. Give her time, Diego.” He’d kept his word and stayed away, but the shadows had gone, he noticed as he drew his horse to a halt in front of her. More than that, there was hope and trust shining in a face that was endearingly familiar. “So,” he asked casually, allowing his reins to hang loose, “Are you coming to the party tonight?”
She smiled back at him. “Are you asking?”
“I am,” he confirmed.
“Then I will,” she said.
“Good.” Turning his horse, he cantered away. Good? He was fucking firing off sparks like the Fourth of July.
The match had been a huge triumph for Blood and Thunder. Even with the opposing team back to its full, awe-inspiring strength, Blood and Thunder had slaughtered them. But that was on the field of play. Now it was time for the party, and all that came afterward.
~~o0o~~
The band was playing a sultry tango when Celina appeared. Diego moved from the bar where he’d been laughing with the players on both teams as they recounted the tricks they’d played on each other, and crossed the dance floor toward her. He was in a good mood, and in an even better mood when he took Celina in his arms. He didn’t ask her if that was okay. He didn’t ask her to dance. He just reached for her, and she stepped into his arms. After so long away from each other, that embrace was something he would never forget. It was stunning in its intensity. He’d forgotten how good she felt, how soft and firm, how steady and challenging her gaze was, and how her faintly smiling lips demanded to be plundered. She belonged in his arms, he determined as he kissed her chastely on both cheeks.
