Page 27

D iana twirled around, taking in the amphitheater.

It was a stunning piece of history. The city of Malaga had taken great care in preserving the Roman ruins.

The debris and layers of dirt had been removed to reveal what lay beneath.

Messina told her the time-consuming task took scholars and antiquarians multiple years.

She’d been surprised the project had been a collaboration between Spanish scholars and a group of English antiquarians involved in the transport and export business.

The world-renowned explorer Thomas Easton and his colleagues Benjamin and Rose Calvert were the English antiquarians who participated.

Even Diana had heard of them. Thomas Easton was famous for having serials written about his expeditions and escapades, while the Calvert family was well-established in the antiquities community for translating ancient texts. They were a father and daughter duo.

Messina walked ahead of her.

Diana asked, “Have you ever met Mr. Easton or the Calverts?”

“I have. Easton is always traveling to some far-flung place. The Calverts travel but spend a few months of each year in Tuscany. If you are interested, I could try to set up an introduction while you are there. They would enjoy learning about your club.”

“That would be wonderful.”

Messina smiled and winked. “Anything for my favorite English lady. I wish I were traveling to Sardinia and Tuscany with you, but my businesses here in Malaga need me.”

Behind them, Devons sighed. Diana frowned, wishing she could forget he was there, but no, he’d been a quiet, looming presence the entire time. Her aunt, Spoor, and Haggerty ventured off in their own direction, but Devons silently followed her and the count.

Turning to him, Diana asked, “Don’t you think it would be beneficial for the club to meet with the Calverts?”

Devons was silent at first, as if he didn’t want to give Messina any credit, but he finally said, “It would be quite a success if you were able to arrange some type of partnership.”

“I agree,” Diana said.

“I will have a courier send them a message about meeting with you.”

“You are too kind,” Diana said.

Devons sighed again. “I’m off to find your aunt.”

Diana watched him stomp off. A bit of sadness washed through her.

She missed laughing and talking with Devons.

Hopefully, they could go back to that before the trip ended.

For now, she would enjoy the amazing view.

She slowly spun around one more time, studying the stone seating surrounding them.

As she turned back, Messina held out his arm.

“Walk with me. I want to show you one more area.”

They left the amphitheater and wandered to a courtyard-like area. The natural growth in this area hadn’t been removed, giving it an enchanted feel. Diana could still make out stone walls and pillars. It must have been a stunning structure at one point.

“It is an old bathhouse,” Messina said.

Diana looked around again. “Yes, I can imagine that.”

Messina stepped closer to her. “May I call you Diana?”

He gently grabbed her chin, and Diana knew he was going to kiss her. “Yes.”

One of his hands slid over her hip, and he pulled her to him. Devons flashed in her mind, annoying her. Of late, the man had been nothing but boorish to her. She shouldn’t be thinking about him. He’d told her she should pursue anyone other than him. Yes, this was the flirtation she wanted.

Messina’s head dipped down, and he brushed his lips over hers before gently teasing her mouth open with his tongue. Diana kissed him back, wanting to be swept up in the moment and hoping to be overwhelmed by his kisses, but while nice, the connection she desired was lacking.

Messina pulled back and studied her. Could he sense something was missing? He stepped away and leaned against a pillar, still silent. Finally, he said, “Is it Devons that has you preoccupied?”

Diana shook her head. She didn’t want anyone making such assumptions. “Of course not.”

He smiled, amused. “I have been trying to figure out what is going on between the two of you.”

“We are friends and business associates, that is all.”

“I can tell when I kiss a woman, and her mind is elsewhere. It doesn’t happen very often.”

Diana lifted a brow at the conceited man. He flashed a grin. “I’m being honest.”

“You are mistaken about Devons. My response has nothing to do with him,” she said before adding, “I’m new to these types of flirtations.”

He looked as if he was tempted to kiss her again. Diana wondered if he thought it would be different. Another kiss from Messina wouldn’t change anything. Something was missing. She scrambled back a little. He didn’t push her. “Let’s join the others back in the amphitheater.”

She nodded, relieved. They made their way through one of the tunnels that kicked them back into the theater.

Sebastian stood in the center, talking with Haggerty.

He turned to look at them. His eyes narrowed.

Diana blushed. Her response annoyed her.

She had nothing to be ashamed of. Devons was the King of the Den, after all! What could he really say?

Her blue eyes met his dark ones. He knew she’d just kissed Messina.

She didn’t know how, but the ever-present connection between them seemed to spark and sizzle angrily.

He turned back to Haggerty, dismissing her and Messina.

She glared at his back. A chuckle erupted from the handsome man next to her.

She glanced at him. “It’s hot, my lady, and it has nothing to do with the weather. ”

*

That evening, Sebastian stomped into the gentlemen’s club La Casa del Lobo .

The place was recommended by Captain Monroe.

He wanted to be away from the hotel, even if it was for a few hours.

In truth, he needed to escape Diana. It had taken everything in him not to walk over and pummel Messina this afternoon.

He’d kissed her. Sebastian had no doubts about that.

He told himself it was none of his concern.

They’d agreed to stay out of each other’s business when it came to interludes and flirtations.

Still, knowing the count had touched her enraged him in a way he was unwilling to analyze.

The club was the premier one in all of Malaga and Monroe had used his connection to gain admittance for Sebastian. He smirked. The captain seemed to know just about everyone. Monroe declined to join Sebastian, murmuring about meeting a woman. It appeared he’d had ended his pursuit of Diana.

Sebastian’s eyes took in all the details of the club, comparing it to his establishment.

A pang of homesickness washed over him. He hadn’t felt it once since his departure until now.

He missed his domain. The place he ruled.

He studied the fine craftsmanship of the wood paneling, the opulent furniture, and the feel of the club.

Sebastian smirked. Not quite as good as his own space but no place ever would be.

He weaved his way to a smaller card room and frowned. Standing by a faro table was Messina, laughing. For once, the count wasn’t hovering around Diana. Messina gleefully cheered while a few men groaned. He spotted Devons and waved him over. “Join us.”

Devons shook his head. “I think I will grab a drink.”

The smirk on Messina’s face grew larger. “That sounds like a brilliant plan. I shall accompany you.”

That was the last thing Devons wanted to happen, but he didn’t have a way to politely decline. And he didn’t want to cause a scene. He suspected by the way Messina interacted with everyone that he was a frequent customer.

Sebastian shrugged as he found an empty sitting area.

The chairs were covered in a deep-purple fabric.

Situated in the middle of them was an elegant mahogany table with a crystal decanter and glasses.

Messina plopped down in a chair across from him.

“If you don’t want brandy they have other options. ”

“This will be fine.”

He poured himself and Messina a glass. They sat in silence until the count said, “You will be leaving for Sardinia tomorrow. Correct?”

Sebastian nodded.

Messina took a sip of his drink and tilted his head back against the chair, closing his eyes. “That is where I’m from. A lovely area but very rural.”

“How did you end up in Porto?”

Messina’s eyes flew open. He sat up and smiled bitingly. “The revolution.”

The man had fought, Sebastian realized. He saw it in his eyes now.

The look so many soldiers had after returning.

All of England had watched as the rest of the world had one revolution after the other.

Several areas, such as the Kingdoms of Sardinia, Sicily, and Tuscany, had fought to unify. But most of it had been suppressed.

“If it hadn’t happened, I would have never left my family’s land. Maybe for a grand tour, but all that I desire is there.”

“Yet here you are.”

Messina laughed. “Here I am. My loyalty to the exiled King of Sardinia demanded it. I’m assisting in a few matters that need to be wrapped up. Once they are complete, I will return to Sardinia for good and marry.”

“A nice Sardinian woman?”

Messina nodded. “Of noble blood.”

Sebastian smirked, disgusted. The count was one of those men who valued bloodlines over everything else.

He hadn’t expected that from him. As if sensing Sebastian’s thought, Messina shook his head.

“I’m not a snob. I believe all men can better themselves, but I also follow tradition.

In my family, men have always married noble women from my region.

Not once in five hundred years has the tradition been broken. ”

“And Diana?”

Messina took another sip of his brandy. “A flirtation.”

A surge of protectiveness filled Sebastian. Messina added, “I suspect what she is after as well. I doubt she is looking to marry a count from a land she’s never been to.”

Sebastian begrudgingly nodded. Messina winked at him. “But don’t worry, friend. I have a feeling her desires remain firmly English.”

“That isn’t the relationship we have.”

“Why not? Are you against such things?”

The corner of Devons’s lips quirked up. “Not at all.”

The count studied him. “Then it must be that there is too much at stake for you.”

Sebastian shrugged. “We belong to very different social circles.”

“You have already allowed yourself to care for her. Now, the heart wants what the heart wants.”

A snort escaped Sebastian. “This coming from the man who will only marry a woman with the right lineage. Your advice is surprisingly romantic.”

Messina laughed. “Unlike you, I would never be as foolish as you to allow myself to fall for someone unsuitable. Now you must pursue her.”

Sebastian took a sip of his brandy “Our relationship is fine as is.”

A smirk flitted across the count’s face. “If you say so. She seemed distracted by you today. When I—”

Sebastian’s face filled with fury and Messina didn’t finish his comment. Instead, he chuckled into his glass. “You are a foolish man.”