Nights Like This

Chapter 67

Sylvia leaned heavily on Alexei as they went to the small private parking lot beside the house, where June's car was parked. Sylvia plopped into the passenger seat, leaving her feet on the gravel parking lot. She yawned and leaned her head against the seat. Her eyes closed.

"Mom! We've got to go home."

Sylvia snorted awake, blinking. "Where? Wha?"

"The dinner's over, Mom." Metty patted Sylvia's knee. "Get your feets in the car so we can motorvate."

Sylvia lifted one leg into the car, then sat there. She bumped the other leg against the frame, then dragged it in. Metty shut the door.

Alexei walked her to the driver's side, and opened the door for her. "Till tomorrow at nine?" he asked.

She nodded, stood on tiptoe, and kissed him. She settled into the driver's seat and fastened the seatbelt. Alexei shut the door. The car coughed, rumbled, then ran. Sylvia snored on softly.

She lowered the window. Alexei leaned on the frame and looked down at her. "Till nine." She lifted her face as he leaned down and kissed her gently. He stepped back. Suddenly, he stiffened.

"Something wrong?" She looked at him anxiously.

"I heard a noise in the bushes." He looked back at the row of azaleas separating the lot from the river, studying it carefully.

The equerry came over. "Qué pasa, Don Alexei?"

"I heard something in the bushes. I don't see any movement."

"It may be an animal. They come up from the river or the woods, sometimes. I'll call security to check it out." The equerry lifted a cell phone and spoke into it.

"Wait a minute, Metty. The President's cortege is leaving. Give them time to get away."

The limos disappeared along the plantation drive. The equerry said, "The President is on the main road."

"Till tomorrow. Drive safely, Metty."

She drove off, glancing at Alexei in the rear-view mirror. He waved. She drove around the corner and the live oaks hid him from view.

Nuño Oranillo clicked a few last shots of Alexei waving at the departing car, then turned off his cameras. Close call. Alexei had heard the branch break when he leaned against it. If he'd been caught on plantation property, they would have confiscated his cameras. He would have had to try to hide an SD card before they found it. Now he had pictures confirming the rumors of Alexei and an American girl. Too bad she wasn't prettier or sexier. They'd be worth thousands of Euros anyway. Not as much as pictures of Marco and the beautiful Madison if, and it was a big if, he could get them, for Marco was insanely discreet, but the Alexei pix would be good money. If the footman he had an arrangement with came through, more money.

Men with flashlights came from the house. Nuño knew security when he saw them. He crept away.

A car engine raced and lights streaked the woods as Marco's sports car rushed down the driveway. Nuño ran to his motorcycle, hidden in the bushes. He pushed it along a path through the woods, turned it on, and chased after Marco. The path was used by people on horseback. It exited on the road to Charleston. He hoped he was far enough away to avoid security but close enough to catch up to the amorous prince.

Nuño gunned the engine and raced to the City. He couldn't catch Marco, but the footman had given him Madison's room number for a considerable sum. He had hidden cameras outside it. He pulled into a dark parking lot and booted up his laptop. He accessed the feeds from the cameras and waited. Would the cameras capture Marco and Madison together? Kissing?

The night dragged on as Nuño waited. He couldn't take his eyes off the feeds. Someone in a dark suit walked down the hall. It wasn't Marco. Nuño waited.

Nuño's breath quickened when Marco walked down the hall and stopped in front of Madison's suite. He was carrying a gift box of the type that held jewelry. Marco knocked two times, three times, two times. A signal. Nuño wished he had sound.

Nuño switched to manual and clicked pictures. He zoomed in on the box. Anson's. He'd watch Madison when she came out to see what she was wearing.

The door opened and Madison appeared on the screen. She was wearing a red teddy. Click, click, click, click. She posed seductively for Marco. She reached out a hand and stroked his cheek. Click, click. Marco pulled her to him and they kissed deeply. Click. Marco carried her in the room and shut the door.

Nuño restored the cameras to automatic. He would check throughout the night. Maybe he would catch Marco leaving. Sleep was catch as catch can for paparazzi, but the money, the lovely money. Tonight's pictures would put thousands upon thousands of Euros in his Swiss bank account. He started the car and drove to the Belair.