AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His words were a slap that left her reeling, the depth of her hurt unbelievably deep. ‘How dare you? You’re being extremely offensive without just cause—’
‘Just cause? Every interaction I’ve had with you so far has contained an element of deception on your part.’
‘That’s not true!’
‘Then by all means, Principessa, enlighten me as to where I’ve misstepped.’
The shivers that had started in the garden rolled over her once more. ‘I’d planned to take a break from ice skating, yes, but I hadn’t decided exactly when or for how long.’
‘And you didn’t see fit to inform me of this before you signed on the dotted line? Can you honestly tell me that your decision to keep your plans a secret didn’t revolve around the state of your finances?’
‘The contract did. Wasn’t that the whole point? You told me three years ago you never wanted to see me again. Then all of a sudden you’re entertaining an endorsement contract with me? I’m not stupid, Javier. I knew there was a chance this wouldn’t be just business—’
‘But you entered into the contract anyway?’ His lips curled on the words.
‘I...hoped you’d moved on. And I planned on fulfilling my part of the deal,’ she retorted. ‘Because of my wrist I won’t be able to compete in two months’ time but there are no major championships until next year, so for the sake of your campaign I’ll still be number one. I don’t know why you’re upset with me. Nothing has changed—’
‘The insane decision to trust you, professionally, despite your abysmal private life should’ve been testament to the fact that this deal should never have happened. More fool me, I guess,’ he bit out.
They arrived at his Upper East Side building. Far from dissipating, the crowd had only increased in the time they’d been away. Javier’s fury congealed as he gunned the car into the garage.
She followed him into the lift, the confined space condensing with nerve-shredding savagery. Unable to keep silent as she was hurled up to what she assumed was her doom, she licked her lips. ‘There’s something else, Javier.’
Dark brows clamped tight. ‘Yes?’
‘My father’s signed up to write a series of articles for Vita Italia magazine.’
‘And?’ he demanded.
‘Technically, it shouldn’t have anything to do with my career, but...things haven’t been going well between u
s lately.’
‘So he could retaliate against you in the tabloids?’
More miserable than she’d ever thought it was possible to feel, Carla nodded. ‘It’s worth half a million euros. He won’t let it go easily.’
He regarded her for several tense seconds. The lift pinged open and still he stared at her. ‘What a tangled mess you’ve weaved yourself into, Principessa,’ he finally mused.
Exiting, he strode for the double doors leading to the penthouse.
She reached him just as he threw the door open. Desperate, she grabbed his arm. ‘Javier—’
In an agile move she wouldn’t have attributed to a powerfully built man such as him, he slammed the door shut and pinned her against it. His hands circled her arms, his body caging hers with predatory precision. ‘Even if I chose to believe that you coming clean now isn’t a clever plot to save yourself from being sued for breach of contract, it doesn’t excuse you from keeping your plans from me,’ he sliced at her.
This close, she could see the gold flecks overlaid on the mahogany of his eyes, harshly beautiful and completely captivating. She stared up at him, until his accusation dripped into her mind. ‘You plucked me from hospital and brought me here, then left me to my own devices for two weeks. Even if I’d come to any concrete decision—which I haven’t—today would’ve been my first chance to tell you.’
The hands shackling her arms skated over her shoulders and up the sides of her neck to rest at her nape. Heat dragged through her at the electrifying skin contact. She rejected the melting sensation racing through her body as his thumbs rested over her twin pulses.
‘You play the aggrieved damsel so well,’ he murmured, his breath washing over her face. ‘But if you’d thought about anyone but yourself you’d have made sure that you and I weren’t once again in this position.’
‘And what position would that be? Me, once again appealing to your better nature and you determined to believe the absolute worst of me? Let me guess, you’re going to fire me now?’
He stepped closer, bringing his body a scant inch from hers. The lethal power whipping through him and her own body’s brazen excitement robbed her of breath.
‘You would love that, wouldn’t you? Another salacious piece of gossip for your fans to scavenge over? Is this how we’re destined to interact? You inviting trouble my way every time?’
‘I don’t mean to,’ she murmured back, her attention absorbed by the unique bruised-rose shade of his lips. The insane urge to trace the shape with her fingers was so strong she couldn’t suppress the moan that rose from her soul.
