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“I thought we already talked about this, Principessa. Do I need to explain it again? I didn’t kidnap you; I saved you, and if I hadn’t when I did, then you most certainly would be dead and by your father’s hand.”
“How will I ever forget that my father ordered my death?”
“I wish you never knew, and I’m so sorry you overheard my conversation with your brother.”
“You’re not the only one who wishes for that, but I shouldn’t be surprised. Papa has done it before, and I don’t know what made me believe he wouldn’t do it again.” She suddenly looked away asif she had said something that wasn’t for me to know. She pulled away from me again, and I couldn’t take it, needing to touch her. I don’t know if it was for her or me, but I needed to be as close as possible to Sabina. I held her face and took her mouth urgently, needing to be inside her, and I had no problem beginning with her mouth. I tangled my tongue with hers, never wanting to stop kissing her. She finally pulled away, but not from my touch. Her forehead was touching mine, and she let out a calming breath. Her truth was right there; I could feel it. All she had to do was say the words, and then I would be here to give her anything she needed.
“Please, Principessa, you can trust me. I swear I will not hurt you.”
“Why? Because you say so? Bourne, look at the family I was born into. I’ve had an army of bodyguards at my disposal my entire life. However, the person who should have protected me proved to be a monster instead of my savior. He treated me as his enemy, someone he vowed to destroy, not save. You may have saved me from my father, but you shouldn’t have. I deserve to die because it would be my penance for not protecting my mother. For not saving my mother.”
She didn’t say anything more and got up from the bed and walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind her and effectively shutting me out.
Fuck! Marco killed his wife, Sabina’s mother.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Sabina
I splashed cold water on my face and stared at my reflection in the mirror. I cannot believe I told Bourne the truth about my mother and the reason for my nightmares. Isn’t he supposed to be the bad guy? He says that I can trust him. He says he took me to protect me. He says he will not hurt me. Why is it so easy to tell him parts of my life when I haven’t shared these truths with my brother? I wanted to hide and never come out, but I had to face him sooner than later since I heard the pilot announce that we would be landing soon.
“Who are you, Bourne? What was his last name again? And why is it so damn familiar?” I said, and then, as my head began to pound, the sudden realization hit me like a freight train. “No, no, it can’t be.” I gripped the sink to hold on because I was sure my legs would have given out if I hadn't.
“Sabina! Come and meet my brother; he’s an officer in the British Army,”I remember Marielle beaming with pride asshe hugged him and looked incredibly happy. The feeling was mutual; you could see it in his eyes as he returned the love. He shook my hand, and I remembered that I suddenly felt hot and immediately knew I was blushing. My brother would say it’s a young girl’s way of flirting when a boy gives you the littlest amount of attention. No, Lucas was wrong; Marielle’s brother was sophisticated and an officer serving proudly in the military who didn’t have time to flirt with young girls. I was the same age as his sister, and that would be gross, right? At the time, I did not feel that way at all. There was something about him that I liked right away—an instant connection.
He called me Principessa, then kissed my hand before leaving. He’s been calling me Principessa since we met at the airport back in Rome. Bourne Atwater is the same Bourne I met ten years ago. Oh, my God, he is Marielle’s brother. Once I pieced it all together, the memories of that day came flooding back to me.
“I don’t know when I’m going to be able to visit again, so can you do me a favor?”
“Sure, anything,” I responded, a little too eager.
“Will you look out for my sister? She says you are her best friend, so that is what friends do, right?”
“I promise. I love Marielle.”
“Me too, until we meet again, Principessa,” he said. He turned and began walking away. Although he could not see me, I raised my hand to wave goodbye. I will never forget the unique nickname he gave to me. I watched him place his hat into the car, and before stepping inside, he rushed back over to me.
“Is something wrong?” I questioned.
“No, not a thing. I just remembered something I forgot to do,” he said, reaching for my hand. I looked over at him, not knowing what he would do, and he brought it up to his lips and kissed the inside of my wrist. It felt as if I was under a magic spell. Then, before I could react, he said, “Thank you,”his voice alone made my skin flush. And then he was gone, but the memory of his actions is something I vowed never to forget.“I did forget; I forgot everything,” I whispered as I felt my body begin to freeze as the anxiety of remembering my first encounter with Bourne. From the moment his mesmerizing blue eyes connected with mine, I felt something, I didn’t understand the feelings back then, but I do now. How could my mind block what was most important to me? My beautiful mother, who sacrificed her life to save mine? And Marielle, my best friend, and Bourne’s sister. Marielle took my place that day on the train and died because it was supposed to be me, not her. “Oh, my god!” I whispered as I held onto the sink. “It’s all coming back to me in thunderous waves, and I don’t know how I will face Bourne knowing the truth that his presence alone forced me to remember?”
I splashed cool water on my face and tried to take slow and steady breaths. I heard Bourne outside the door calling for me, but I blocked him out. I wasn’t ready; will I ever be? My last panic attack sent me over the edge into a screaming fit. It was Lucas who helped me through it. I cannot allow Bourne to witness me falling apart. It was quiet again, which led me to believe that maybe he was also taking a breath. “You can do this, Sabina, just open the door and face him,” I whispered. My hand was on the door when I heard him again.
“Sabina, are you alright? Will you please come out? We will land soon, and you must return to your seat. Sabina!” he shouted again, then pounded his fists against the door. “I swear, woman, I will break down this door if necessary. Sabina!” he yelled until I opened the door and walked by him without saying anything. What could I say that would ever make things right for him? Once I tell him the truth about Marielle, he will hate me forever and probably hand deliver me to my father so he can finish the job.
I took my seat and fastened my seatbelt, trying in vain not to look at him, but it wasn’t preventing Bourne from staring at me. Of course, he took the seat right across from me, and just like the airport van, he didn’t take his eyes off me. The landing gear engaged as we got closer to our destination. I looked through the small window, and my eyes widened at the beautiful picture below. It was the most transparent water I had ever seen in my life. It almost appeared to resemble a canvas painting.
“Where are we?” I asked.
“Now you’re talking to me?” he sounded angry. I deserved it after I gave him the cold shoulder with my strange behavior. I was kissing him just a short while ago and then completely shut him out and hid in the bathroom.
“I’m sorry, I needed time to think.”
“Really? Time to think, you say? Hmm, and what were you thinking about?” he suddenly unfastened his seatbelt and hovered over me. “Perhaps you jogged your memory and finally remembered that we are not strangers, far from it, Principessa. We have a connection that spans over a decade. You feel it as strongly as I do, and do not dare lie to me because your body gives you away every single time.” He was so close now that I felt his warm breath with a hint of bourbon on my skin.
“You should put your seatbelt back on,” I said with my voice shaking. Bourne scoffed a bit, then leaned closer and touched my face, gliding his fingers down my cheek until he reached my mouth. He touched my swollen lips from our earlier kiss.
“We will continue this conversation once we are off this plane. Be ready, Principessa, because I have waited six years to have it, and I will not be put off any longer, so do not even think of shutting me out again. I will remove every door in my home if it means keeping you not locked behind them.”
