With a fortifying breath, Ravenna lifted her chin and met his gaze. She made her eyes whisper how much she wanted to be alone with him. Her next words were said in a seductive tone, which was unfamiliar to her.This isn’t me, Ravenna thought.
Except for tonight, it had to be.
She set the bait. “There is.”
Slow comprehension tiptoed across his face, and the earnest gleam in his eyes became something more triumphant. As if he couldn’t believe how easy she’d made it for him. “Will you tell me?”
“I’d rather show you,” she said.
His fingers twitched at the back of her neck. “When?”
Ravenna heard a warning sound trill in her mind, growing louder and louder. She ignored it, and looked at the ornate clock at the front of the room. Ten minutes to midnight. From the corner of her eye she caught sight of the other men, deep in conversation, drinking heavily. They were distracted—good. She didn’t dare look at Saturnino. She couldn’t.
Signor Sforza pressed closer, his hand tightened on her waist, urgent. “When?”
She licked her lips, and Signor Sforza’s eyes darkened. He didn’t seem all that shy anymore. The warning sound turned thunderous, but still she ignored it. “Why not now?”
Capitolo Ventotto
The cold seeped into the fibers of her gown, coating her skin in an icy grip. Ravenna shivered as she looked out the window of Signor Sforza’s transport. It was a cloudless night, the moon high and vibrant, a sparkling gemstone against a swath of navy fabric. Ravenna poked her head out the window, careful to keep balance with the jostling of the carriage.
Ahead, Ponte Vecchio came into view, a stone and wood bridge that crossed the narrowest part of the Arno River. Moonlight shone over the various shops lining either side of the structure, hanging over the river, and supported by wooden stakes. The carriage rattled onto the bridge, and Ravenna wrinkled her nose from the overpowering stench.
“You can thank the grocers and butchers for the smell,” Signor Sforza said from behind her.
Ravenna glanced over her shoulder. He was sprawled on the opposite bench, staring at her steadily, the air around him steeped in anticipation. His expression revealed a calculating coldness that chilled her blood. His hands had moved down from his lap and were fingering the folds of her gown. It made Ravenna’s skin itch as if she’d trod over an anthill barefoot. She wanted to leap out of the transport, but she gritted her teeth and held on to the handle. If he came nearer, if he tried to reach under her skirt, she would jump.
Damn the pope and his demands.
Ravenna concentrated on breathing, keeping a close eye on their progress while maintaining a keen sense of Signor Sforza’s movements. He idly played with the embroidery of her gown, tracing thefloral design with his finger. She fought the panic fluttering deep in her belly, the warning sound rushing in her head.
They were coming to the middle of the bridge, and while she hadn’t been told exactly where the meeting would take place, this spot was as good as any. It was the only spot on the bridge that offered views of the river, unobstructed by the shops on either side.
“I want to get out and walk,” Ravenna said.
Signor Sforza raised an eyebrow. “At this time of night? There’s nothing to see. It’s deserted.”
She wouldn’t fail now, not when she was so close to the wretched night being over. “Exactly,” Ravenna said coyly, by some miracle. “I think the view will be spectacular.”
Signor Sforza gave her a pointed look and slowly unbuttoned his green jerkin. “I’ll try not to disappoint.”
Ravenna forced a light laugh and then smacked the roof of the transport twice with her fist. The driver clicked his teeth, pulling hard on the reins. She didn’t bother waiting for it to fully stop, pulling down hard on the latch, eager to escape the confines of the carriage.
Signor Sforza called out to her, and once again, she looked at him over the curve of her bare shoulder. “Are you coming?” Ravenna asked.
No one in her family would have recognized her.
She barely did.
That thought made her stomach clench.
Signor Sforza stepped out of the carriage and stalked toward her, his pace slow and measured. His gaze was intent on hers, his mouth tipped into an arrogant smile. Ravenna backed away, keenly aware that he was enjoying the role of pursuer.
Predator.
Her heart thumped hard against her ribs. Ravenna forced herself to stop in front of the stone arches that provided a vista of the Florentine skyline and the fast-moving river. The breeze swept over her, making the fine hairs at the back of her neck stand on end. Shewished for a cloak. She wished the night would end. She wished for the pope’s courier to finally arrive so that he could deliver the message to Signor Sforza.
She glanced at the other end of the bridge, sure she’d see his tall silhouette. But there was no one. She was alone save for the man who looked like he wanted to devour her whole. He came to stand next to her and they both stared out over the river, the only sound coming from the dark water rippling beneath them.
