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Dante shrugged. “My evidence was deemed inconclusive. Of course I was a witness, but he just smiled at me from the dock and glanced at the judge, as if to tell me that I was wasting my time. Del Roca’s still out there somewhere, waiting, as I am, for the day of reckoning, because, believe me, it will come.”
“You said she was pregnant with his baby? How did you know it was his child?”
“He took pleasure in giving me chapter and verse. He explained that my highborn wife had contraception fitted when she married me, to avoid the risk of giving birth to a tainted, half-breed child, but that she’d had this removed when she became his mistress. Apparently, she considered a murderous criminal more acceptable to society than me. My poor little wife confirmed this—bragged about it, in fact, telling me that Del Roca was going to give her everything I never could—the private jets, the big houses, the jewels—all the things that mean nothing.” He looked at her at last. “I hope you understand now why I don’t talk about this. Chatting about evil as if it were any other topic makes it seem almost commonplace.”
“Never,” Rose argued, shaking her head. “What you’ve told me could never be diluted by discussion, but I do understand why you wouldn’t want to talk about it to anyone. So many terrible things heaped one on top of the other. Only you can unpick them, and then only one at a time, and slowly, and with the greatest care.”
“You had to know why I’m no good for you.”
“I’m glad you told me, but I can’t agree with that. You need me more than ever. You need someone—even if we’re just friends—”
“Friends?” he queried.
“You have to trust someone, Dante.”
“You just handed in your resignation.”
“And I just took it back. I have to take a giant leap of faith if I’m going to stay working for you, but if we don’t start somewhere, Del Roca will win.”
“So I haven’t put you off.”
“You’ll have to try harder if that’s your intention.”
“Oh, Rose, Rose…” Dante shook his head. “Why are you so stubborn?”
“Why are you so proud? It’s not a sign of weakness to reach out. It’s a sign of strength. Taking the first step’s always hard, but after that—”
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“Please don’t tell me that it’s going to get easier with you, because I won’t believe you.”
“Neither of us does easy.” She shrugged. “Accept it. I have.” Walking up to him, she took hold of Dante’s hands in a firm grip. “I think this was meant to be. In fact…” She stared up as if scenting the air. “I know it was.”
“How do you know?” Dante murmured.
She returned her gaze to his face. “Sometimes, you just have to believe.”
Chapter Thirteen
It was a long, searching kiss, and when they pulled apart, they smiled into each other’s eyes with new understanding. “What are you thinking?” Rose demanded.
“I was remembering you hosing me down. I should have recognized that at the time as both your calling card and a wake-up call. My life has never been the same since.”
“You definitely deserved it.”
“Next time I’m on the end of a hose, you’ll be with me,” Dante assured her.
“I’m not sure I want to take ‘together in everything’ that far.”
Dante raised a brow. “You’ve considered together in everything?”
Rose stilled. “Maybe,” she admitted.
“What I’ve told you hasn’t fazed you at all?”
“No,” Rose confirmed. “We all have things in our past we’d like to undo. All that counts is that you came out the other side. And you didn’t waste energy on revenge. You focused on helping other people—”
“Oh, believe me,” Dante interrupted, “I lived with thoughts of revenge. My feelings were so conflicted. I hated my wife for what she’d done, and pitied her for falling prey to Del Roca. When he killed her, I hated him with a vehemence I can’t even begin to describe. Between Del Roca and my wife, they destroyed all feeling in me.”
