Page 59 of Venomous Throne

I tried not to stare at the way his forearms flexed as he set the tray down on the grass. Had he known I’d be here today? The thought sent an unwelcome flutter through my stomach.

“That’s…thoughtful,” I managed, conscious of the paint splatter on my face and the sweat dampening my shirt.

Do not read into this. Do not!

And yet, this was not a random gesture.

“What gave you the idea?” I hissed, my voice barely audible.

Jaxon dusted his hands. “Something I saw.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, breath coming in short, hard bursts. He couldn’t have known. It wasn’t possible.

And then, with a flourish, he pulled a rolled-up magazine from his back pocket. My heart nearly stopped beating, a cold terror creeping up my spine. It was a copy of the same magazine that was in my desk, marked to that page.

The specter, who snuck about my house in the middle of the night, took my breath away. I reeled in shock.

We didn’t have the budget for the pretties, no matter how badly I wanted them. The external parts needed fixing. And then the internal. Only then could we splurge on eccentricities like flowers and decorations.

Yet there stood the man—who didn’t exist, according to my men—bringing my vision full circle with a chilling precision.

I should’ve called for help! Screamed for a lifeline. But I was already letting the current of feelings rush away. It was a simple gesture, apart from the means by which he concocted the plan. But it meant something deep and meaningful to me. He took the time to find out what I would like, what I dreamed about, and he made it happen.

If there wasn’t already a list of reasons I wouldn’t betray his secret rendezvous to my men, this sealed my lips for eternity. Not only would I not betray him, but I desperately wanted him to come to me again. I could show him just how much this meant to me.

Signora Gaetani rattled off something and clapped her hands.

Jaxon focused on her and nodded. Then the biggest surprise of the day—which was saying something since he’d clearly snooped in my office during one of his nocturnal visits and brought the ideas to life—was that he responded to her in Italian.

I gaped at him.

He noticed me staring and offered a small shrug. “I spent time in the Alps.”

If that wasn’t cryptic.

“Can you, um, tell me what she’s saying?” I asked sheepishly. “Mine isn’t so good.”

Jaxon nodded. “The signora says that giving back is going to boost the local economy.”

I knew she wasn’t talking about the legal venues. I smiled and thanked the matron.

She rattled off something else.

“She says a businessman named Bonetti is furious, but no one wants his business in this area,” Jaxon translated.

This conversation was verging on dangerous territory. There was no telling how much Jaxon knew. Until we had time to open up, to talk about our secrets, I didn’t want something being said that would cause regret.

I need to tell him about the famiglia.

Later. Later, when there was time. I wouldn’t think about that now. I would think about it later.

I gulped and made a show over the flowers. “Well, thank you for these. We’ll get them planted immediately!”

Jaxon stepped forward, offering me a pot from the flat. “I think what you’re doing here is good, Isabella.”

Warmth spread through my insides, electrifying every nerve ending. I swallowed hard.

“I’ll drop a flat at each house, but then I’m leaving town,” Jaxon said, voice deep and steady.