Behind Palace Doors(14)

"Oh, please." She rolled her eyes, still smiling. "If a woman says ‘I'm  going to the grocery store,' a man thinks that's a code for ‘let's get  naked.'"

Stefan didn't want to feel guilty about the women calling him. He  couldn't help it. The fact he was married wasn't exactly a secret; it  had been televised for the entire world to see. But a few of the women  from his past knew him too well and had convinced themselves this  marriage was a lie.

"Are you just a little jealous?" he asked, throwing her another smile.

Part of him wanted her to be, but the other part of him hoped she kept their relationship light and carefree.

Yes, he'd wanted Victoria on an intimate level for years, but now he  had her where he wanted her. He didn't need emotions or anything too  deep to creep into this new relationship they had discovered.

"I'm not jealous." She looked him dead in the eye, no smile, no glimmer  of amusement. "But I won't be the other woman or played to look like a  fool ever again."

Stefan turned, grabbed her by the shoulders and met her eyes. "There's  no way in hell I'd ever treat you that way, Tori. And I'm not that jerk  you were engaged to. Remember that."

He'd be damned if he'd let that bastard play the third wheel in their relationship, no matter their carefree set-up.

On a sigh, her head drooped. "I'm sorry. I don't have trust issues with  you, Stefan. My mind just instantly ventured in the wrong direction."

"Hey." He placed a finger beneath her chin and lifted her face to meet  his once again. "This marriage may not be a traditional one, but I say  from here on out we keep your ex and my past out of it. Deal?"

"Deal."

The quick snapping of an automatic camera had him jerking his attention around.

He spotted a man crouched in the lush plants surrounding what was supposed to be the private beach to his family's palace.

Stefan jumped to his feet and took off after the unwanted intruder. "Stop," he yelled.

Hot sand squished beneath his feet, making him slide with each step. By  the time he'd gotten to the area where the man had been in hiding, the  guy was gone.

What the hell had the intruder overheard?

Stefan pulled his cell from his pocket and punched a button. "There's a  man on the grounds," Stefan said before his security guard could utter a  word. "If you find him first, take his camera. Then call the cops. I'm  looking near the beach. Take the front of the palace."

Knowing Victoria would be fine for a few minutes, Stefan moved through  the foliage in the direction the trespasser took off. No way in hell was  he letting someone invade his privacy, and on his own secluded beach,  as well.

Even though he knew without a doubt that Victoria didn't think anything  of flashing bulbs and media circuses, he wanted their marriage, their  life to be private. The bond they shared was so special, and even though  the paparazzi had them practically married as teens, he didn't want  their engagement or wedding tarnished. What transpired between him and  Victoria was nobody's business.                       
       
           



       

But he had to find the guy and find out exactly what he'd overheard and  take that damn camera. He couldn't afford for this secret to get out  before the coronation. This country was his, damn it, and he'd do  anything to keep it.

Besides, he wanted Tori all to himself...he was selfish like that. He  wouldn't share her with the public any more than necessary.

More than anything, though, he wanted to shield her, protect her from  any more pain. Because he cared for her more than any other woman in his  life, he wanted to be the one to ride to her rescue and keep her life  worry-free and happy.

Stefan spotted footprints in the sand and followed them up the  embankment toward the tiny village. Sweat trickled down his back, but  the heat was nothing compared to the anger in knowing someone had  infiltrated his home. What the hell had his guards been doing? A  discussion he'd be taking up later with the head of his security.

Stefan stopped when he spotted the man crouched down on the sidewalk,  holding his camera, and from what Stefan could see, the man was looking  through his shots. Probably checking to see if he needed to come back  for more.

Without a sound, Stefan moved in from behind and wrapped an arm around the guy's neck, hauling him up to his feet.

"Drop the camera," Stefan growled in his ear.

Immediately the camera clattered to ground. With his free hand, Stefan  pulled his cell from his pocket and dialed security to come collect the  trash.

"You made a mistake in trespassing," Stefan told him, tightening his  grip. "I don't take kindly to people invading my wife's privacy."

"I'm sorry," the man choked out. "Please."

"Whatever you think you overheard, forget it. If I even suspect you've  gone to the media with lies, there won't be a place you can hide that I  won't find you." Stefan loosened his hold but kept the guy in a lock  until backup arrived. "I better never catch you on my property or even  looking in my family's direction again or a smashed camera will be the  least of your worries."

The heavy pounding of footsteps had Stefan shouting for the guards. "Over here," he yelled.

Once the guards had the trespasser secure, Stefan stepped around to get  a good look at the man's face so he could remember it. Then he crouched  down, picked up the broken camera and pulled the memory card out,  sliding it into his pocket.

"Take him to the front while you wait for the cops," Stefan ordered his guards.

Tamping down his anger and wiping the sweat off his forehead, Stefan  made his way back to Victoria. Her long, golden hair danced around in  the ocean breeze, her face tilted up while she watched the water as if  her privacy hadn't just been invaded.

"We secured the guy. Cops are on their way, and I personally  confiscated the memory card." Stefan took a seat beside her. "Sorry  about that."

With a shrug, Victoria turned to face him. "I'm used to it. Privacy  really means nothing to me. I wouldn't know what to do with complete  seclusion."

Stefan knew with her family she came into this world in the spotlight,  but something about her statement struck him. She wasn't asking for  privacy; no doubt she thought that was something she could never have.  But why couldn't he provide her a little escape?

"What did he overhear?" she asked.

"I didn't give him the chance to say, but I made it very clear he's not to repeat anything or he will be found and dealt with."

Tori gasped. "You threatened him?"

"What did you want me to do? Ask him over for tea?"

On a sigh, Victoria shook her head. "I don't know. I just hope he didn't hear us. Pictures are one thing..."

Stefan wouldn't let some overeager cameraman ruin his future, or  Victoria's. No matter the cost. He also wouldn't let the bastard ruin  his day with his wife, either.

"Remember when we first met and we were trying to hide from all the cameras and crew for the film your mother was in?"

A genuine, beautiful smile spread across her face. "That was fun. We  were purposely avoiding anybody so we could do whatever we wanted."

Stefan pictured the time in his mind, so clear and vivid. "I believe that's when I introduced you to alcohol."

On a groan, Victoria closed her eyes. "Don't remind me. I was so set on  impressing you, I didn't want you to know I hadn't drank before."

"The look on your face after your first sip of whiskey kind of gave you away," he told her.

"You probably thought I was such a loser." She laughed, lying back on the blanket and looking up at the clear, blue sky.                       
       
           



       

"A loser? Nah. I thought you were innocent, and that's the kind of girl I was interested in."

And he had been...well, as much as a teenage boy could be interested in  a girl. She'd been California fresh with all that silky blond hair and  tanned skin. He'd instantly had a crush but had to play it cool.

So he did what any good boy would do. He'd plied her with alcohol and tried to talk her into skinny-dipping.

"You mean the kind of girl you were interested in corrupting?" she  asked with a low laugh that made him pause to enjoy such sweetness.

There was just something about her that always made him smile. Their  friendship never had any speed bumps, and for years he'd found himself  wondering what something more with her would be like.

Of course, marriage to anyone never entered his mind, but so far being  married to Tori really had its perks. She was playful in bed, and he  appreciated the fact she wasn't getting too involved on a more heartfelt  level.

"Maybe a little corrupting," he agreed. "I never did get you to go skinny-dipping."