He’d thought of that, but the problem was in his staff. Before he’d bought the villa, it had been his grandfather’s and many of the housekeepers remained. He knew their loyalty was splitwith the old man. If he disappeared for weeks at a time, it would become known.
The deal would be off.
So they were stuck together, with this heat blaring between them.
He lifted a hand, as if to touch her, then dropped it away again. He couldn’t. Not yet. Not here.
“Do you feel ready?”
Her expression shifted. “For what?”
“Tonight,” he clarified. “My family.”
“Oh.” She pressed her teeth into her lower lip. “I suppose so.”
“It won’t be that bad.”
She looked uncertain.
“Stay close to me,cara.I’ll look after you.”
Her lips parted and ached to kiss her. He turned away instead.
The party was alreadyin full swing by the time they arrived. Valentino had turned the entire lawn into a venue, to capture the remarkable sunset views over the ocean. The island was a decent size, with its own golf course and racetrack, two of Valentino’s favourite hobbies. It featured a large villa, guest houses, and this expansive lawn that had been Luca’s grandmother’s favourite place to spend time. At the end of her life, she’d sat here with a blanket on her knees—she’d always been cold—and had simply stared out at the world, as though it brought her endless comfort.
Luca knew that was why Valentino was hosting the party here; to make Liliana close to them all.
“I hear congratulations are in order.” Allegra glanced first at Luca, as if to give her strength. He saw the way she was fidgeting with the enormous ring and reached down to steadyher hand in his. His brother’s approach was as expected as it was unwelcome.
“This is Paolo,” he said, having run Allegra through his family make up in the preceding week.
“Your brother,” she said, confirming her understanding with a tight nod before turning with him to meet the man who was only six-months younger than Luca.
Six-months younger, and full of the hatred he’d been raised by his mother to feel for Luca, the bastard child who’d been the beginning of the end for his parents’ marriage. Allegra squeezed Luca’s hand more tightly and he held her right by his side, staying close to her, just as he’d promised.
Paolo wasin many ways a carbon copy of Luca. An inch or so shorter, but with the same devastating good looks, broad shoulders and toned physique, eyes that glittered like black diamonds and a face that might as well have been carved by a renaissance sculptor. And yet she looked at him and feltnothing. Nada. Niente.He was devastatingly handsome, undoubtedly sexy, and yet one glance left her completely unaffected.
The only hammering in her veins, quickening of her heart and twisting of her stomach had to do with the hold Luca had on her hand, the way his thumb was padding softly against the soft flesh of her inner wrist.
“And so this is your bride?” Paolo asked, tone clearly unimpressed.
Ally forced a smile. “Allegra,” she said, holding out her other hand to shake.
At first, he didn’t move, but the slightest shift from Luca had Paolo finally extending his own hand to reciprocate the gesture. “Welcome to our family.” The words were steeped in distaste. Allegra’s hackles were raised immediately.
“Thank you,” she said, staying pressed into Luca.
“It’s certainly been a whirlwind affair.” Cynicism permeated the words. “Our grandfather was not clear on how you two met.”
“Where is he?” Luca asked, not responding to the implied question.
“Holding court near the bar.” Paolo turned his attention to Ally. “And so? I can’t imagine you move in the same social circles.”
There was that sneer again. The judgement.
“You’re right,” Allegra said, beaming up at Luca, as though she got into barbed conflicts with handsome Italian men every day. “We’re very different. I think that’s why it works.”
She heard Paolo smother a chortle.
