People?
Yes, probably people too. It was impossible to imagine him going through life, and relationships, without women being hurt by him. Not physically. Never. But emotionally? It was likely that there was a path of destruction in his past, a slew of women who’d loved and lost and never been the same afterwards.
And perhaps if she hadn’t had that unpleasant conversation with Paolo, she might have felt that, too. She might have felt that their growing closeness was leading to something else. She might have let their time together, and the way she felt less alone, suddenly, come tomeansomething, when it really, really didn’t.
It was all an illusion, just like Paolo had suggested. Only he was wrong about her. She was not a lamb being led to slaughter. She was not some blind innocent, unable to recognise the situation. Luca had been honest with her from the beginning, and she’d made a conscious choice to go along with this. She’d chosen agency and financial freedom. She’d chosen the lesser—considerably—of two evils. Marriage to Luca had been a light in the dark, when she’d needed it most.
But Paolo’s warning had served as a necessary reminder, one she intended to heed. No matter what happened between them, she would make absolutely sure she didn’t become what Paolo had suggested: collateral damage.
Circumstances had led her into one foolish decision. She’d borrowed money from the wrong people and it had scared the hell out of her to realise what they were capable of. But this choice? This she could control. It wasn’t too late to redefine what she and Luca were. She just had to be very careful with her heart, and thankfully, she had every ability to do that. Particularly when he’d shown himself to be such a master of restraint, in such complete command of his actions, even when his body constantly betrayed his wishes.
She slipped out of the courtyard and back to the party before Luca came to her, and from there, it was a short walk to the house—and privacy.
“I couldn’t find you.”
Was she imagining the note of caution in his voice? Probably. He had no reason to suspect anything had shifted for Allegra. Or shifted back, she reminded herself. For all Paolo had done was reinforce what she already knew to be true.
“I figured I’d done enough.”
He arched a brow, silently encouraging her to continue.
“People met me, saw us together. Correct me if I’m wrong, but we’ve done what we set out to do. Everyone you know believes us to be married.”
He strode towards her with the contained strength of a wild cat, all feral, powerful energy in those long legs of his, and stopped just a few inches away, his intelligent, assessing eyes running over her face in that way he had. “You are upset.”
Damn him! Damn how easily he could read her. Not just her.Anyone, she reminded herself forcibly. She was nothing special; nothing about this was unique for him. No matter what he might say about how she made him feel. For Luca, this was just passion and sex, two things he was very experienced with.
“I’m tired.”
The smallest of frowns flickered on his lips. “Understandable.” He didn’t believe her, but she was glad he was letting it go anyway.
“So,” she said, lifting one shoulder. “I guess I’ll get ready for bed.” Even referring to the massive bed in this room made her pulse go haywire. She didn’t dare look in that direction.
He nodded once, a muscle jerking in his jaw and she felt his eyes on her as she walked across the room and disappeared into the palatial ensuite.
The party had donewhat it needed to. At least, it was a start. The rest of the weekend would seal the deal. Only, the thought of spending one more day in his grandfather’s villa, with anassortment of friends, left Luca cold. He had a sudden craving to be back at his own home, alone with Allegra. True, it had turned into a form of purgatory, imagining her by the pool wearing nothing but a skimpy bikini (if that), but as it happened, he was a glutton for punishment, because he yearned to go back.
To be alone with her.
The whole purpose of this was to convince his family that he was married—per his grandfather’s wishes—yet his family was suddenly the last thing he wanted to be around.
He glared at the bed as though it had personally wounded him. There was a sofa across the room; he would sleep on that. It was the right thing to do.
With frustration, he moved a pillow from the bed and threw it down, then sat, and waited. Waited for her to reappear. Waited to see her.
Cristo,he barely recognised the man he’d become. He was pathetic.
Luca had beenwith a lot of women in his life, and a lot of beautiful women. Though he had no specific type, he’d always known that certain traits drew him more than any outward quality. So it wasn’t the fact that Allegra was stunning to look at. That wasn’t what drove him crazy about her. But he couldn’t put his finger on what, particularly, made it impossible to look away. When she stepped out of the bathroom wearing a floaty white nightgown, her long blonde hair tumbling down her back in waves, his stomach tightened painfully, and he knew that sleep was now a pipe dream. He felt wide awake, and very on edge.
“You really don’t have to use the sofa,” she said softly, not meeting his eyes.
“I can hardly ask for a guest room to be made up for me.”
She bit into her lip in that way she had, distracting and tempting, and pointed to the bed. “This thing is huge. I’m sure we can keep to our own sides.”
He stood, the suggestion hard to ignore. “Is that what you want?” He was playing with fire, and so was she.
Colour infused her cheeks. “You know the answer to that.”
