Jackie Braun - Exclusive! - Hollywood Life or Royal Wife? / Marriage Scandal, Showbiz Baby! / Sex, Lies and a Security Tape

Victoria had no fear of the sea, as she was a good swimmer, so she followed Rodolfo towards the cave without hesitation. Through her mask she could see deep down onto the sea bed. Multicoloured fish glided below her, sea plants and shells shimmered as the sunlight illuminated the water. Then they arrived at the entrance of the cave and the sun gave way to dark shadows. Shortly afterwards Rodolfo stopped by a ledge and they rested, their arms reposing upon it.

‘It’s an amazing place,’ Victoria exclaimed, pulling up her mask and peering around at the beautiful glistening blues and greens shimmering on the walls.

‘It’s the phosphorescent stone that gives it this effect,’ he answered. ‘Are you feeling okay? Shall we continue?’

‘Great, thanks. Let’s explore further.’

They lowered their masks once more and headed into the winding passages of the cave, which Rodolfo obviously knew well.

It was as they were heading back to the entrance of the main cave that Victoria felt a sudden suction dragging her down. She swam harder, fighting against the spiralling current, her legs and arms beating frantically. But instead of abating the suction grew stronger, as though an underwater cyclone was drawing her down into the dark depths below. Rodolfo was up ahead. Soon he would be out of reach.

Victoria panicked. Naturally he thought she was following close behind—had no idea she was desperately struggling to keep her head above water. In a fraught movement Victoria struggled with her mask and air pipe and finally managed to remove them.

‘Rodolfo!’ she yelled between gulps of water, as loud as her breathless voice would carry. But he simply went on swimming. ‘Please, Rodolfo, help!’ she cried again, her strength giving out.

Just as she thought she could not go on, that the water would win this battle and suck her under, she saw him turn.

Horrified, Rodolfo swam back as fast as he could. Something was happening under the water! He’d heard of this once before, many years ago. But the phenomena had never been known to occur again, and he hadn’t thought of the caves as in any way dangerous. Diving under the gloomy water, he scooped Victoria in his arms and pulled her to the surface. She spluttered, could barely breathe, and clung to him for dear life.

‘Victoria, cara mia!’ he cried, securing her in a life-saving position and swimming with her back out into the open as fast as he could. The crew, who were watching attentively from the yacht, immediately realised that something was amiss. Within seconds Victoria was being lifted into a dinghy, where she lay in Rodolfo’s arms still fighting for breath.

‘What happened, cara? What did you feel?’ he asked anxiously, as little by little her breathing normalised and she was able to speak.

‘It was as if something was sucking me down below the surface. It was a pretty strong current that was impossible to resist…I thought I—’

‘Shush—just relax and don’t talk, cara. You’ll be all right. I feel terrible that I unwittingly subjected you to such an experience. I shall have the caves roped off against swimming. It is too dangerous. Dio, anything could have happened!’

‘Such a thing has not occurred for over fifty years, Your Royal Highness,’ one of the older crew members said as they reached the yacht.

‘I know. But I should have remembered,’ Rodolfo said, in self-reproach as he carried Victoria up the steps and on board. There he laid her carefully onto the cushions in the stateroom. At once one of the sailors brought water and cognac and Rodolfo made her drink.

‘Have some of this. It will make you feel much better,’ he said, tilting the glass towards her lips.

‘I’m fine, really,’ she whispered, trying to sit up on her elbows. ‘Just a little shocked, that’s all.’

‘I know. But now you’ll be okay.’ He brushed the hair from her face and looked into her eyes. ‘I would never have forgiven myself if something had happened to you.’

Their eyes held and Victoria felt her heart racing once more. Was he about to kiss her again? she wondered, a thrill jolting her. Even in her weakened state she longed for his touch. The answer came as his lips met hers. Not hard and hot, like the day before, but tenderly, languorously, as though seeking to know her every secret. His arms came about her and he held her close. It felt wonderful, warm and secure, and for a moment Victoria floated, forgot her troubles and luxuriated in the feel of his mouth, which moved more urgently now, plundering as she responded. Her arms slipped up around his neck and she held him, her body racked with delicious new sensations and a longing for all that she had yet to learn.

‘Victoria, I want you,’ he whispered, gazing into her eyes. ‘I want you as I have only wanted once before in my life,’ he murmured, his voice was low and husky, filled with patent desire.

The truth was she wanted him too. As she’d never wanted any man before. She had never known such want existed until now. But what would be the consequences of such an act? What would it lead to? And did she care?

As though realising that what he had just said was inappropriate in the present circumstances, Rodolfo rose and stepped away. ‘We are nearing the shore,’ he said, clearing his throat. ‘I will bring your clothes.’

Half an hour later they approached the castle. Even as Victoria tried to step shakily out of the Porsche, Rodolfo picked her up and, despite her protests, carried her into the castle and up the wide staircase to her room, where he laid her down on the lace coverlet covering the huge bed.

‘You must rest now,’ he said, pulling the sheet over her. ‘Later, when you are feeling better, we can talk.’

She smiled, feeling suddenly drowsy, the brandy and the shock of what had occurred taking effect. A few minutes later she was asleep.

DOWNSTAIRS ON THE TERRACE, Rodolfo gazed thoughtfully out to sea. Today something unexpected had occurred, something he would never have imagined. He had experienced the fear of losing not just a guest, or a woman he was attracted to, but something more—something that reminded him so poignantly of Giada. The more he thought about it, the more he wondered if his attraction for Victoria wasn’t just the usual passing shaft of desire that needed to be satisfied, but something deeper—something that spoke of emotion, of a need to share?

Ridiculous! he chided himself. He barely knew the girl, and what he did know wasn’t a particularly good recommendation. What if she began taking narcotics again? How would he feel about that? But deep down he’d already realised that the reason she’d fallen into that trap was because of her desperate need to overcome an inner shyness, a sort of claustrophobia that she couldn’t handle and a lack of experience. If the circumstances were removed, and now she was aware of the true dangers, the problem would probably be resolved. For she was a sensitive, vulnerable woman, not used to the hard, tough atmosphere of the movie business. It wasn’t surprising she’d resorted to alternative measures to help her through the ordeal.

But what about the future? Victoria was scheduled to star in Ed Banes’s next movie, which was due to begin filming in six weeks. If some measure was not taken she could just fall back into the old routine.

He clenched his fist. Not if he had anything to do with it! Whatever happened between him and Victoria had nothing to do with his determination to make certain that she be shielded from the more disagreeable aspects of the movie business. How, he didn’t know yet. But he’d find a way.

VICTORIA SLEPT FOR SOME hours, but awoke feeling revived and ready to join Rodolfo for dinner.

To her surprise, nothing was ready when first she entered the huge drawing room, with its eighteenth-century Italian elegance, and glanced into the formal dining room. She walked out onto the terrace. Evening had fallen and she saw Rodolfo, tall and slim, etched in moonlight, one foot raised on the low stone parapet, looking out over the cliffs to the midnight sea beyond.