AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘What reason would he have to do this?’ Rocco asked stiffly.
She forced a shrug. ‘That’s what you have to find out for yourself.’
His nostrils flared, a very Latin, very emotive expression that sent a shiver down her spine.
‘So we have a perpetrator who is no longer with us and a co-conspirator lawyer who is unable to testify as to his role in this?’ He gave a thin smile.
She answered with one of her own. ‘Life has a funny way of unravelling, doesn’t it?’
His narrowed gaze raked her face before he turned his attention back to his lawyers. ‘We keep investigating. We don’t stop searching until we know the facts for certain. Is that understood?’
Brisk nods accompanied verbal assurances.
Rocco rose, leaned down to place a gentle hand on Gianni’s head, attracting his son’s attention from the picture he’d been drawing on the piece of paper.
Gianni looked set to protest at the interruption. Anticipating it, Rocco murmured in his ear. With a pleased grin, Gianni grabbed the paper and pen and jumped to his feet. Without addressing his lawyers again, Rocco strode after his son, leaving Mia to follow.
In the lift, Gianni chatted on, negating the need for his parents to converse. But the look Rocco pinned on her announced loud and clear that the conversation was far from over. Mia dragged her gaze from his, so overwrought by the events of the last hour that, once they were in the car, it took a while to notice that the driver was heading back out of London.
She turned to Rocco, who was staring at her, one finger dragging slowly across his lower lip in that contemplative way she knew all too well.
The question she’d intended to ask about where they were going dried in her throat. ‘When did he die?’
He exhaled heavily. ‘Almost eighteen months ago,’ he replied.
‘Was he...is his family okay?’
‘He was alone in the car, if that’s what you’re asking. Allegra and the kids were at home in Palermo.’
‘Where did it happen?’
‘He was on a business trip to Brazil when it happened. He lost control of his sports car.’
Her heart twisted. ‘I... I’m sorry for your loss. I know you two were close.’
He nodded briefly, his eyes flashing with something akin to pain before he expunged it. ‘You really expect me to believe Alessandro did this to you? What would have been his motive?’ The questions were sharp, rife with suspicion.
She shrugged. ‘He didn’t like me, Rocco. And that’s not a frivolous or desperate observation I’m casting around because I’ve no one else to pin this on, if you think that’s what I’m trying to do. Alessandro actively despised me for whatever reason. He didn’t want me in the company and he certainly didn’t want me to marry into the illustrious Vitelli family.’
His features darkened, thunder rolling across his forehead as he stared at her. ‘We were together for two years. You never bothered to tell me any of this?’
Again she shrugged. ‘Maybe I was trying to spare your feelings. Or maybe I was misguided enough to think I might be able to win him over eventually with my sparkling personality. What does it matter? You’ll only make up your mind one way or the other, won’t you? Why am I even wasting my breath with this?’
‘Because you spoke his name in the boardroom. And I’d like to think that you wouldn’t speak so ill of the dead.’
Frustration rushed through her. ‘We’re simply going around in circles. Until we know exactly who did this, there’s no point speculating, is there? So can we be done for now?’ She stared at the window and then returned her attention to him. ‘Where are we going?’
‘To my house in Knightsbridge.’
Her eyes widened in surprise. ‘I didn’t know you had a house in England.’
A brittle smile ghosted his lips then just as quickly disappeared. ‘It was meant to be a surprise wedding gift. For you.’
Her heart lurched. She steeled herself against it, determined not to dwell on silly might-have-beens. ‘Why did you keep it?’
He gave a careless shrug. ‘I leave my real estate portfolio to my advisors. If it’d been prudent for them to dispose of it, they would’ve, I’m sure.’
The dismissive comment was meant to sting. And it did. Mia steeled herself harder. ‘Well, I thought I’ll be returning to Hampshire.’
