Page 55 of Royally Roma
“Crystal.” He snatched the keys and grinned.
She wished that smile wasn’t so dangerous. God, how she wished that. “If you wreck my scooter, you’ll owe me a lot more than a few hundred euro. Keep that in mind. And even though you’re driving, I’m still the tour guide. You’ll go where I tell you.”
“That sounds fair. Where shall we begin?”
“The Trevi Fountain.” It was out in the open and always packed with tourists. Surely she wouldn’t accidentally kiss him or anything.
“To the fountain, then.” He peeled back the white canvas tent and held it open for her. “After you, Miss Costa.”
She slipped past him into the blinding sunshine of the market and realized she’d never found out why they’d been hiding in the first place.
Damn him.
THE TREVI FOUNTAIN WOULDN’Thave been Niccolo’s first choice. It was one of the most crowded spots in Rome. But maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing. He could blend in with the crowd.
Anyway, Julia wasn’t budging on the itinerary, and despite the offer to pay her triple the usual rate, his bargaining power was limited since he still hadn’t paid her anything. He was lucky she’d agreed to continue the tour at all. If his luck could hold out for another twenty-four hours, he’d be golden.
He was on the run from his own security team. Brilliant. Just brilliant.
How long could he possibly keep up this charade? Those men were trained professionals. Niccolo ought to know. He’d relied on men just like them for his personal safety since the day he was born.
It was a miracle he’d managed to evade the pair of security officers back at Café Rocha. To be fair, they probably hadn’t anticipated that a member of the royal family would hide behind a farm stand. Least of all Niccolo, typically the most obedient royal. They wouldn’t make that mistake again.
Niccolo was a marked man.
A marked man who, at the moment, was en route to one of the most crowded spots in Rome.
He drove the scooter as fast as it would go, just in case they were being followed. Within minutes, they turned onto the busy Via delle Muratte, and the Trevi Fountain came into view in all its baroque splendor. Roman gods and goddesses carved from smooth white stone stood before a columned backdrop, presiding over a pool of crystal blue water. Winged horses rose from the fountain’s rocky shore, poised in eternal gallop over a rushing waterfall.
Niccolo’s duties as the crown prince had taken him all over the world. He’d crisscrossed the globe several times over, but the stunning drama of the Trevi Fountain never failed to take his breath away. The scale of the landmark was almost overwhelming. It looked more like an open-air theater than a fountain. And it was situated right in the beating, beautiful heart of the city.
He wove the scooter through the mob of tourists juggling cones of gelato and snapping photos until he found a motorcycle parking area. He lined up the Vespa alongside the hundreds of other vehicles, switched off the engine, and reached for his helmet. Julia hopped off the back before he could even turn around.
“You seem rather in a hurry to disembark. I drove that poorly, did I?” He lifted a curious brow, simply for effect.
He’d been dead serious about the Monte Carlo Classic. He and Cassian had been regular competitors in the race until their father abdicated. Now that Niccolo was the heir rather than the spare, he no longer competed. It was considered much too dangerous for the man who was next in line for the throne.
Driving Julia’s scooter hadn’t been about satisfying a thirst for speed, though. He’d simply wanted the ability to steer them away from Lazaretto security if needed. He’d kept his eyes peeled and driven her tin can of a vehicle as fast and hard as he could. He hadn’t seen a single one of the palace’s bodyguards, though. It was almost unsettling.
He knew they were out there.
Somewhere.
“I just need a little air, that’s all.” Julia crossed her arms, uncrossed them, then crossed them again.
When she’d been behind him on the bike with her arms wrapped around his waist, there’d been a moment when he thought she’d rested her chin right in the crook of his neck.
It had probably just been his imagination. Or wishful thinking on his libido’s part.
She cleared her throat. “You actually did quite well. You never fail to surprise me, Nico.”
You have no idea. “Is that a good thing?”
“In this case, yes. But overall, no.” She narrowed her gaze. “It’s a bad thing, actually. Very, very bad.”
He climbed off the scooter and scanned the crowd surrounding the fountain. Not a single dark suit in sight. Thank God.
“Why don’t you show me the fountain? I promise to be on my absolute best behavior. After all, I’m paying for this excursion.” He quirked an eyebrow. “Triple.”
