Page 159 of Valentino

“No.”

“And you just found it then?

“Yes.”

“In your bedroom?”

“No, I went to put my jacket away and felt something heavy in it, when I looked it was in the pocket. It must be from when I dropped it into the cloakroom last night.” I shrug. “Maybe it’s someone else’s and was put in the wrong jacket by accident.”

“It won’t turn on.” He frowns as he keeps pushing the buttons. “Is it flat?”

“There’s no SIM in it.”

His eyes rise to meet mine.

Why did I say that?

“Why would someone leave a phone for you with no SIM card?”

“I don’t know.” I shrug, rattled by just how bad a liar I am. “It could mean nothing, but I just thought it seemed like a weird coincidence.”

“It does,” he mutters, distracted. His eyes rise to meet mine. “So….”

“What?”

“You found this phone just now?”

“Uh-huh.”

“And you already know there’s no SIM card in it?”

“I mean….”

“Where’s the key you opened the phone with?”

“I’m…” I shrug, “…I’m just assuming that there’s no SIM card.”

His eyes hold mine….

Fuck.

With the phone in hand, he walks into the living room, and unsure what to do I take my coffee into my bedroom as I continue to get ready for the gym. I can hear him talking softly on the phone to someone.

I don’t know if I did the right thing by telling him, but he needs to know that Carlo had access to the coatroom last night. I don’t know how, but he did.

Unless it was there before but surely I would have noticed something like that in the pocket beforehand. It felt heavy.

With my mind racing a million miles per minute, I collect my gym bag and make my way out to see Valentino still looking over the phone. “I’m going to get going.”

He glances up and his eyes drop down my body and back up to my face. “Your car is waiting. I already called for it.”

“Thank you.”

He stands and walks toward me and without a word tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear. His gaze lingers on my face for a beat longer than usual. “Have a good day, Anna,” he whispers, but there’s an undertone to his voice and I’m unsure if it’s sarcasm or anger. Perhaps a little bit of both.

“I’m going to shower before I leave. Marco will be in the foyer waiting for you.”

“Okay.” I smile up at him, my eyes roam over his beautiful face. “Have a good day.”