She didn’t know what his problem was but she refused to be blamed for this. “I’ll have you know I haven’t wasted any time. I kept my part of the bargain,” even if you didn’t, she thought. “Every artifact, every contractor… I took care of all the…” Her indignant response was cut short as a heavy hand reached over and rested on her knee.
“No, Mina darling, not you. Me.” He looked at her and she could see emotions warring on his face.
“I have wasted three days-three very frustrating days-on what was apparently a wild goose chase.” The anger was still there, banked beneath the surface, but he wasn’t directing it at her. His hand tightened on her leg. “You see, I was told that you left for Miami, Mina. Told that you quit your work with the collezione, and that you never wanted to see me again.”
The words hung in the air between them and Mina tried to make sense of what he was saying. “Never wanted to see…?” she stopped mid-sentence and stared at him. “I never said that. You had to know I would never say that.”
Did he? The Ivy-voice asked. You ran away before. Why wouldn’t he believe you’d done it again?
She refused to dignify that with an answer.
Marco’s hand felt hot through her jeans and she couldn’t help remembering how it felt against her bare skin, how it caressed her, and held her… and how it looked against Serafina’s shoulder.
The memory stung her pride and she sat straighter in the leather seat.
“I am a professional. I wouldn’t abandon my responsibilities to the Oppen no matter how much my feelings were hurt.”
There, she thought, see what he makes of that.
His fingers patted her leg gently. “I should have realized your honor would never let you do that. But I,” he let out a rough laugh, “Well, I wasn’t thinking particularly clearly.”
There was some cold comfort to be had from that, she supposed. She’d hate to think she was the only one royally screwed up over this.
“Well, whoever told you I left was either messing with you or full of wishful thinking.” As soon as the words left her mouth she realized their importance. She met Marco’s eyes across the car and was taken aback at the blazing anger she saw there. She was thankful it wasn’t aimed at her, but it made her wonder who was the target.
“Who told you that anyway?”
He turned the steering wheel and guided the car down the long drive to the Genovese compound, his face blank. “It came straight from my dear Mamma, of course.”
The wheels in Mina’s head were turning faster than the ones on the car. His mother told him she’d run back to Miami? That made no sense. She wanted her out of the picture, and she got that when she ran out after seeing what was going on in the office in the first place. Why send Marco chasing her halfway across the world?
She probably believed he’d be too angry to chase her. That made more sense. It would never occur to Bianca Genovese that Marco might actually care enough to pursue someone so beneath him.
Bitch.
“Amazingly helpful woman, your mother. She’s the one who made sure I saw you and your friend,” she said sarcastically. “It’s impressive. Between slapping me in the face with your infidelity and sending you on a wild goose chase, I can’t imagine how she can manage her busy social schedule.”
Marco gave a short laugh and pulled the car into the cavernous garage.
“You don’t know the half of it. She’s also the person who invited Serafina the other night, and the person who informed her that I would be interested in rekindling our relationship.”
Marco was focused on parking, each move controlled and efficient, but Mina could hear the bitterness in his voice.
“I didn’t recognize what she was up to right away.” He got out of the car and came around to her side to open her door. She didn’t want to be that close to him, but there was no way to avoid it without looking like she was afraid of him.
It wasn’t him she was afraid of, though, was it?
She took a deep breath and let him help her out of the car. He gripped her elbow, guiding her gently towards the door to the courtyard. “It isn’t normal to see a conspiracy around every corner, but after the past few days I cannot come to any other conclusion.”
They crossed the paved walk and entered the shadowed cool of the entry hall and she turned on him.
“You expect me to believe that this whole thing-Serafina, the kissing, the messages-is a set up? By your mother?” Disbelief was thick in her voice. “I know she doesn’t like me, but that’s hard to believe.”
Marco’s grip on her elbow tightened.
“Harder to believe than me being involved with another woman? Harder to believe that after all my support and promises that I would betray you, in public, in front of my family, my partners, and my political contacts?” He forced her to face him. “You said I should know that your honor wouldn’t let you abandon your work. I hoped that you’d know my honor wouldn’t let me abandon you.”
She wanted to believe him so badly, but she had so many doubts.
“It would be easier to believe if I didn’t have to ignore what I saw with my own eyes.” Tears thickened her voice. As she was looking at him, she was seeing something else-the comfortable closeness between Marco and his ex, her beautiful face, the rightness of the two of them together-and emptiness filled her heart. He deserved so much more than she could give… someone who understood his world, and fit with his family.
Not her.
“I don’t care what your eyes saw.” Marco grabbed her with both hands, forcing her back to the present. Mina felt her breath hitch in her throat. “I want to know what your heart thinks.” He leaned closer, his face barely an inch from hers. “What your heart knows.” He kissed her and she felt the familiar lightning flash between them, her heart slamming in her chest as she gave herself to the feelings he unleashed in her. His lips demanded a response and she gave it to him.
“Amore.” His voice was low, the single word cutting through her resistance like it was made of gossamer. Love… he’d never called her Love before. She froze, the promise in that word more than she could contemplate. More than she’d ever dreamed.
Sex with him was incredible-books could be written about how good-but his love? That would be cataclysmic.
Desperately she tried to remind herself of all the reasons why this wasn’t a good idea, why she should be running away from him, not towards him, but her body refused to move.
“Mina mia.” Her bones were melting under her skin. If she didn’t get away she’d liquefy in his hands.
He caressed her skin, holding on but not restraining her. She could pull away if she really wanted to, but what she really wanted was more. She felt her heart against her breastbone, her pulse racing as she shivered in his hands.
She couldn’t meet his eyes or he’d know how close to the edge she was. He’d made it clear that the next move was hers, and while he’d never force her to accept his touch, he wouldn’t hesitate to force her to make a decision. One push and she’d fall, and there’d be no going back. Ever.
“I need something.” The voice didn’t sound like her own, it was thick and rough, but she knew it was hers.
Marco paused, his hands stilling on her back, and his eyes glittered down at her. “Anything.”
Mina imagined a cliff and she knew she was speeding toward it. She slowly, intentionally looked at the face above her and threw herself over the edge.