‘Do you have insurance?’ she asked hopefully.
More horns blared, drivers irritated at the growing log-jam.
‘Yes, I do—’ He flinched when another horn blasted. ‘Look, can we get off this busy street? Then we can exchange details?’
Lotte hesitated, her urgency to get out of Cartana, as far away as possible from Valenti, returning full force. But she couldn’t walk away from an accident. Even with a car she’d taken without express consent.
Staring longingly in the direction of the airport, she sucked in a breath. ‘Yes, but we have to be quick. I have a plane to catch.’And soul-flaying heartache to start managing.
He nodded, pointing to the nearest side street. ‘I’ll follow you there. We’ll be done in no time.’
As she slid behind the wheel, her eyes fell on her phone, and she saw several more missed calls. For a hopeless, broken moment, she wanted to snatch it up and hit Dial, hear Valenti’s voice one last time, even if it was so he could command her to do the last thing she wanted. She gripped the steering wheel hard and blinked back another swell of tears until the yearning passed.
Then, cringing at the sound of grating metal when she stepped on the gas, she took the turn into the quiet, leafy residential side street. The area looked affluent, the houses set back from the street.
Turning off the ignition, Lotte stepped out. Then frowned at the man.
Had he been wearing a cap before? She shook her head, brushing aside her confusion. She really needed to get out of here. Get herself under control before she lost it entirely.
‘Hey, are you okay?’ he asked when he reached her, stepping far too close again. ‘I’m not sure if I apologised before—’
She waved him away. ‘I’m fine. Can we get on with it please?’
‘Yes, but…you’re crying. Are you hurt? I’d hate it if I—’
‘It’s fine,’ she cut across him again. Then blinked when a flash of ice went through his eyes.
A moment later he was nodding, his gaze rueful. ‘Here.’ He held out a pristine, folded handkerchief. ‘I hate seeing a womandistressed.’ Then he held up a pen and a scrap of paper. ‘I’ll write down my details.’
‘Thanks.’ Lotte took the hanky just to move things along, then cringing for blubbering in front of a complete stranger, she pressed it to her nose.
The sweet, sickly scent assailed her, confusing her for several seconds before she jolted in comprehension.
Oh God.
Her gaze flew to the man, who was tucking the paper and pen back into his pocket. His hand shot out as her heart lurched, pressing the handkerchief firmly over her nose and mouth, his titanium grip on her nape holding her captive, keeping her scream muted as she struggled.
Oh God. Oh God Oh God.
‘That’s it, aisling, breathe it in. Let me take all your troubles away,’ he whispered hoarsely.
Lotte’s last thought as she felt her knees sag and her vision blurring rapidly, was that she wished she’d answered Valenti’s call.
Heard his deep, sombre, magnificent voice one last time.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Valentiwasn’tsurewho he was more furious with, Lotte for tossing out hypotheticals he’d rightly said he would see happen over his dead body—because,sí, he would be damned if he stood by and watched another man place a ring on her finger, even if it was an imaginary, convenient one to get herself away from Valenti—or himself, for the terror holding him hostage, clogging words he’d wanted to roar at her deep in his throat.
Admitted, they were terrifying words. Exposing words. Words that would flay decades of calcification off his heart and soul and leave him vulnerable. To great and moving feelings.
Haven’t you been vulnerable all this time?
He swallowed against the bracing voice, the image of her face, free of subterfuge or guile, filled with hurthe’dcaused, making his next breath rumble out like a faulty engine.
What the hell was he doing?
She was his ward, yes. But she was also a strong, capable woman—as he’d been privileged to witness these past few weeks. Besides, he’d stepped over the line weeks ago. And as he’d consoled himself with predicting, the world didn’t stop. Hell, if anything, it—and she—had revealed a glory of possibilities. If he was brave enough to reach for it.
