Page 57 of Vincent
"I just have a brilliant idea," he announced, draping the cashmere coat she handed him over her shoulders. "Why don't we fly to this Las Vegas place and find one of those gaudy chapels and tie the knot? Then we can be on our way to France, where we could honeymoon at the Airele's Chateau de Versailles. I have connections and could get us the honeymoon suite if you just say the word."
"You do say the sweetest things." She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him on the cheeks. "And you look very dapper. I'm proud to be your date."
"You're killing me," he moaned. "Surely you can see how much I'm suffering?"
"It will pass. Let's go."
*****
The hotel ballroom was crowded. It seemed like everyone had flown in for the event. He noticed several royals who were members of his club, along with their wives. The President had made a brief appearance minus the First Lady and had made a speech before hurrying off to another function, surrounded by his Secret Service men.
Vincent decided that he would be making his departure as soon as he could get away. He was just reaching for another glass of champagne when he heard the commotion and felt the prickling at the back of his neck.
Turning slowly, the glass arrested halfway to his lips, he felt the slow gut punch as he stared at the woman who haunted his dreams and had lived inside his head since she returned. Tearing his eyes away from the swell of breasts revealed by the cut of her gown, he glanced at the man who had a possessive arm draped around her bare back.
He wasn't sure what was worse: the anger or the jealousy that swept through him like a tidal wave, threatening to consume him. She was laughing at something he said, making a spectacle of herself by leaning against the bastard as he whisperedsomething in her ear. A haze of redness hampered his vision and for a few seconds, he thought he had gone blind.
He had taken two steps towards them when fingers like talons dug into his arm.
"There are reporters milling around, looking desperately for something titillating to write about. Please don't give them the ammunition."
He turned to glare at his sister, expression murderous. "Let go of me."
"You need to calm the hell down. What are you planning on doing?"
"Talking. I just need to talk to her. Is that all right with you?" he snapped.
"You're not in the frame of mind to talk, and if you go over there, looking like you do, there's going to be a confrontation. I suggest you take the time to cool off first and remember that you're the one who's ignored her all this time and sent her running into another man's arms."
He glowered at her but could not fault her logic. He had waited too long, but it still did not make the hurt any less. Seeing her posing with the French bastard in the magazine was one thing, seeing her here with him was another. He could not stand it.
"I'm calm." He made an effort to rein in his anger. "You can let go of me now."
"Vincent-"
"It's fine. I just need to have a word with her."
She took away her hand reluctantly. "Just be careful."
His brows quirked slightly. "Fearing for my safety?"
"I saw the look on your face just now. I've never seen you look that way before and it scared me. Don't go causing a scene and end up becoming embroiled in a lawsuit with France. The guy's too pretty to have his face rearranged."
"He looks like a bloody girl," he muttered before stalking away.
"Heads up, Cherie," Francois muttered in her ear. "We're about to be invaded by the enemy. Why not give him a show?" Before she could object, he turned her into his arms and kissed her full on the lips.
"Francois-"
"I hope I'm not interrupting." Vincent's voice was harsh, his expression ominous. Ignoring Francois after giving him a look that could pulverize rocks, he swung his gaze to Althea. "I would like to have a word-"
"We do have to get something to eat, Cherie, remember? We cannot have you wasting away." With a challenging smile at Vincent, he kept his arm around her waist.
It was a standoff, and Althea had the horrifying image of seeing the two men lunging at each other. What was even worse was the fact that they were creating a lot of attention. Hoping to diffuse the obvious tension, she stepped out of Francois' arm. "Why don't you go and grab us something to eat? I won't be long," she assured him.
"If you are, I'll come and get you." Leaning down, he brushed his lips against hers and turned to leave after giving Vincent a triumphant look.
Digging his fingers into her bare arm, Vincent dragged her across the room and through the door, not stopping until they had reached the lobby. Steering her to a private spot beneath a large palm tree, he let go of her and paced away and then back.
