Chapter 8

Every light twinkled on the Diamantina from stem to stern. The chef flew from one end of the galley to the other at a fevered pace. Tim hurried back and forth with trays of refreshments and drinks. After he served them to the arriving guests, he went back for more.

Unlike every other event on the Diamantina, Veronica wasn’t there to help him. She followed Prince Said from one end of the boat to the other in her sweeping gown. She couldn’t leave his elbow.

He greeted everyone as their private choppers dropped them off and then left to make room for the next arrival. The first guests to arrive were Senator Martin and his wife. They entered the aft veranda, where Prince Said awaited them. He shook hands with the Senator. “How are you, old man? Long time, no see. What are you doing, hiding out in Southeast Asia, when you should be attending the opening sessions in the Senate?”

The Senator waved his comments aside, but his beaming face gave him away. “I never attend the opening sessions. They’re worse than a hen’s party. Southeast Asia is so much more interesting, and I can tell everyone I was doing research for the Foreign Relations Committee.”

“But you’re not on the Foreign Relations Committee.”

The Senator slapped the Prince on the arm. “Not so loud, you clod! You’ll blow my whole cover.”

The two men laughed, and Prince Said turned to the Senator’s wife. “And who is this ravishing creature? On what Southeast Asian island did you pick her up?” He kissed her on both cheeks.

The Senator’s wife blushed from ear to ear and patted his hands. “Stop it, Said. You’ll give me a bad reputation.”

They all laughed together at their own cleverness. Then the Senator noticed Veronica. “And who is this ravishing creature. Said, you didn’t tell me you had a sweetheart.”

“I don’t. This is Veronica Mellon. She’s maitre d’ on board the Diamantina. In fact, she planned this whole party for me.”

The Senator looked Veronica up and down. Her gown hid nothing from his appraising eye. “Is she really? Then I’ll have to book the Diamantina myself sometime.”

His wife gave him a swat. “Archie!”

“Well, I will. Look at this place. No one could have done better.”

Prince Said conducted them into the salon. “Come inside and get something to drink. There’s food circulating, and Harvey can set you up with anything you like. This ship has everything you could possibly imagine.”

They hurried into the salon, and Prince Said turned back to the veranda. The thump of another chopper approached from the west. He caught Veronica studying him. “You look stunning, Miss Mellon. I knew you would.”

She didn’t answer.

“Is anything bothering you, Veronica? I just complimented your appearance this evening, and you didn’t even say, ‘yes, sir,’ the way you’re supposed to. Don’t tell me you want another spanking.”

“Why did you tell them about me?”

“What was I supposed to do—pretend they never mentioned you?”

“You told them I was maitre d’. You told them that I organized the party.”

“You are maitre d’, and you did organize the party. Should I lie and tell people you’re a high-priced whore from Sydney?”

She didn’t answer.

“I asked you a question, Veronica. What would you prefer I tell them?”

“Will you tell them anything else if I say I prefer it?”

“No, I’ll tell them exactly what I please.”

She lowered her eyes to the carpet. “I thought so, sir.”

The chopper touched down, and three men in expensive suits got out. They raced into the veranda and mobbed around the Prince. They all talked at once in a language Veronica didn’t understand.

The Prince waved toward Veronica more than once, and the men gabbled to each other and to her, but she couldn’t understand what they said. She couldn’t fail to understand their appreciative glances, though. The Prince had to step between her and them more than once to stop them from touching her. One of them made a grab for her breasts, and the Prince batted his hand away before shooing them all into the salon.

Her cheeks blazed with embarrassment, but she could do nothing except stand there and wait for the next guest. Who would it be this time? Another chopper already approached from the islands. Its powerful propeller wash blew her dress in every direction. She clutched one hand over her breasts and welded one arm down her leg to keep it in place. If it flew up, she would be exposed for all the world to see.

The next guests were an elderly couple Veronica didn’t recognize. They passed their pleasantries with the Prince, but he didn’t mention her or draw their attention to her. Once, she noticed the man glance at her. Then he turned his attention back to the Prince. He never acknowledged her existence again.

Nervous tension gnawed at her guts. That old man, and his wife, too, almost certainly assumed she was some floozy for hire off one of these islands. How many cheap skanks had they seen on the Prince’s arm over the years? None of them was worth mentioning or even talking to. Now she was one of them.

What was she doing with her life? How could she throw her self-respect in the gutter like this, like so much trash?

Tim’s eyes widened when he saw her in the dress, but that was nothing compared to his surprise at her behavior. He kept expecting her to move around, to supervise the service, and to communicate with the guests about their wishes and desires. That was her job, to intercede between the guests and the staff, to make sure every guest got exactly what they needed and wanted.

She didn’t do any of that. She shadowed the Prince wherever he went, and she spoke to no one but him all night long. Tim saw a lot of strange things on board the Diamantina, but never anything like this.

Her complete failure to do her job, her willingness to turn herself into a floozy for the Prince’s sake, galled her more than anything. How could she do it? How could she stand here and prostitute herself, after slaving for so many years to build a spotless reputation?

Harvey’s reaction, disturbed her far more. He responded exactly the way she expected. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. He stared at her breasts swaying free under a thin layer of silk and at her bare leg gliding out through the slit in her skirt. He followed the gentle rhythm of her voluptuous ass when she walked and the slithering snake of her spine when she passed him. He undressed her with his eyes, and he didn’t have to go very far to imagine every detail of the body underneath that dress.

After all the guests arrived, Prince Said took a seat in a wicker arm chair in the salon and held court with all his guests. Veronica stood at his shoulder for everyone to see. She was his show piece, his trophy, his prize.

While he bantered with his guests, she stared across the room, straight at Harvey. His eyes roved up and down her body. He touched every inch of her with his gaze. He flicked her nipples to hard little nubs. He caressed her naked back. He glided his hands under the silk top to cradle her pendulous breasts. He slid his fingertips up her bare leg to the top of the slit where her hips lay bare and waiting.

Behind the guests’ backs, Harvey put his hand down behind the bar to adjust the erection in his pants. Prince Said showed no sign of seeing him, but while he talked with his guests about Pacific Rim politics and other subjects of general interest, he waved his hand over the arm of the chair and put it around behind Veronica’s back. He rested his hand on her round ass and moved it up and down.

None of the guests reacted, but Harvey stared with his eyes hanging out of his head. He pumped his hard cock against his hand and bit his lower lip. Veronica kept her gaze locked on Harvey’s face. He wanted to fuck her. He wanted that to be his hand fondling her ass in front of room full of notable people. He wanted to be the one to take her back to his cabin and nail her into the mattress.

Prince Said and all his guests kept up their conversation for hours. Prince Said never touched Veronica again, but he kept her at his side throughout the evening, his display piece. Everyone in that room, including Tim and Harvey, knew for a fact he would take her back to his room that night and have his way with her.

This was the first event in her years on the Diamantina that Veronica didn’t wish the guests good night and see them off the ship. She served only one master now, and she stayed at his heel. She was his obedient dog.

When the last guest left, he turned back into the salon with a sigh. He walked straight past her to the bar. Harvey looked at Veronica when he spoke. “What can I get for you, sir?”

Prince Said looked up at him with a blank look. “Hmm? Oh, thanks, Harvey, I’ve had enough for tonight. Where’s Tim?”

“He’s in the galley. He’s helping clean up now. Would you like me to get him for you.”

“That won’t be necessary. I’m tired. I’m going back to my cabin.”

He didn’t say, “Come along with me, Veronica.” He just walked away like she wasn’t there. She should have stayed to help clean up. She should have seen the flowers disposed of and the trash cans cleaned out. She should have been the last person awake on board that night.

Instead, she tagged at the Prince’s heels. He left the door open for her when he went into his cabin, and she followed him into the darkened chamber. The instant she got inside, he slammed the door and closed his arms around her. His breath blew into her nose. “You were stunning out there tonight. You surpassed my wildest dreams.”

She couldn’t answer before his mouth closed on hers. She fought for breath. This was it. This was really the moment she yearned for all these nights. He was kissing her. Something half thrill, half sob ripped through her.

What did it mean? Did he really care about her? Had he broken through some impassable barrier, and now he cared about her in a way he never did before? If he cared about her, how could he treat her with such callous disregard out there? How could he humiliate her like that, and then kiss her in this room like his life depended on it?

He backed her toward the bed, and they tumbled down on top of it with their lips locked. He rolled her in his arms, but he never let go of her lips. Oh, she could kiss him forever, and his kiss would only bind her to him more powerfully than the sex ever did.

His tongue danced with hers in a swaying tango of effervescent emotion. She put her arms around his neck, and he didn’t remove them. He pillowed his head on her breasts and trailed his lips along her neck and collarbone.

Intermixed with her mounting passion, tender affection dawned in her raw soul. She wanted him with all her heart, and not just his rigid cock plowing its way between her legs. She wanted him to ache for her. She wanted his heart to break at the thought of parting, the way her heart broke when she thought she would never see him again.

She folded her arms and legs and lips around him, and he lay on top of her in the dark. Their hearts beat together in timeless precision, never to break asunder.