Their Virgin Princess (Masters of Ménage #4)(96)

"One of them had to have known how to fly a plane, thank goodness. According to the news, the pilot killed himself and poisoned you."

"I think we were lucky. The pilot wasn't counting on four of us splitting the wine. The sedative wasn't as effective as it could have been if it had just been me."

"Or me and Yasmin." He turned his face to her, a grim expression darkening his eyes. "You have to know how much I've always cared for you." 

She was not going there. "I've always liked you too, Oliver. But I certainly know that I'm never going to drink that particular brand of wine again. What was the name? Vallee d'Harmonie. I did not find it harmonious."

Of course, she wouldn't be drinking anything for a while. At least nine months. And breast feeding time. She would want that. She would want to hold her baby, rocking and feeding the precious bundle of joy. She could imagine one of her men would bring the baby to her and they would talk quietly while she nursed. That would be harmonious.

"What?"

Alea looked up, pulled from her thoughts. "I'm sorry?"

"What was the wine?" Oliver leaned forward, his body a study in tension. "What did you call the wine?"

What had she said? "I might not remember it right. It was a red. I just briefly looked at the bottle, but it translated to 'Harmony Valley.' I've never heard of the vineyard before."

His face went white. "Oh, god."

"What? Oliver, are you all right?" His hands started to shake.

"You haven't heard of the vineyard because the wine isn't on the market yet. It's one of my family's new ventures. We had the first batch brought in the week before the crash. I had it shipped out here because we were going to gift it to your cousins for Piper's coronation."

"Maybe she put it on the plane as a surprise for you and the pilot used it because it was convenient." That had to be it. Except the hostess had said that the pilot had brought it on board.

Oliver put a hand over his face, nearly moaning his words. "It was in our room that night. I joked with Yas that she wouldn't be able to drink it for another eight months. She wasn't in bed early that morning. I thought she'd gone to say good-bye to you, but she didn't, did she?"

Nausea washed over her. "No. Oliver, was it your idea for me to take the plane and go to Australia?"

"No. The idea never even occurred to me. I actually argued against it when Yas brought it up. I didn't think you should go off on your own, but she was so insistent. She's been … unstable lately, very emotional and angry. I haven't quite known what to do with her."

"Is that why you cheat on me with my whore bitch cousin?"

Alea gasped and whirled to the sound of that voice, completely startled as Yasmin entered the room, lifted a gun, and fired.





Chapter Fourteen




Cooper sat down and wished he could think of a damn thing to say to get that dark look off Dane's face. He'd done the right thing. It was what Coop would have done himself. Alea needed to know they would never leave her. They would fight for her, even if she was the one they had to fight.

A massive man in a three-piece, charcoal-gray Armani suit stood at the front of the room. He was impressive from head to toe, every inch of his six foot seven inch muscled frame encased in what had to be a couple thousand dollars' worth of designer handmade wool. Cooper had to give it to him. Dominic Anthony made an impression. If he hadn't known what the man's profession was, he would have immediately thought gangster, and not the kind who followed orders. Oh, no, Dominic Anthony would be the one tasking his soldiers to kill. He had pitch-black hair and some of the darkest eyes Cooper had ever seen-and he didn't just mean their color.

"Thanks for coming on such short notice, gentlemen." Dominic had a deep authoritative voice to go along with his intimidating physique. "I know you just got off the plane, but I think it's important we go over some of the things Riley has uncovered in the last couple of hours."



       
         
       
        

"By all means. Tell us," Talib insisted, taking his seat between his brothers. "I want my cousin to feel safe as soon as possible. She's getting married in the next few weeks. I would like to have some confidence that her wedding will be peaceful. We'll need added security."

"I'll handle it," Dane said, frowning. He was such a control freak. He wasn't thinking at all.

"No, we'll need to handle Lea," Coop shot back.

Dane had been married. Did he not remember everything that went into a wedding? Coop had been in the wedding party of three of his brothers' weddings, and they had all been nearly comatose by the end of it. This was a damn royal wedding to boot, one they had to throw together in a few weeks. Cooper could foresee all kinds of trouble. Alea was being forced to the altar. They'd have to spend long hours convincing her that they could handle being her husbands. He had no doubt about how they would accomplish that. In bed. At least that made him smile.