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CHAPTER FIVE
LINA SHIVERED AS the icy look in Salvatore’s eyes told her more than words ever could.
She’d known straight away that this was the last thing he wanted—last night’s lover turning up on his doorstep and asking him for help. Literally, as he was about to leave. But it was too late to back out now and, besides, what else could she do?
She had been tense with nerves as she had returned to the sprawling villa, terrified he might already have left Sicily and flown back to his home in America. She had arrived in time to see his chauffeur loading smart leather suitcases into the boot of the luxury car, her relief that he was still here soon replaced by the fear that he might not want to see her again. A fear which had been confirmed when Salvatore had appeared at the door of the house and watched her get off her motorbike with suspicion darkening his bright blue eyes. Her heart had sunk as she had looked at his coldly beautiful face because there was no welcoming smile on his lips, nor any kind of greeting to acknowledge the passion they’d shared during the night. Only a cool and steady regard, tinged with a faint but unmistakable impatience. Lina felt like someone who had stepped out of line. As if this wasn’t what was supposed to happen and she should have been clever enough to have realised that for herself.
‘Lina,’ he said carefully, his dark brows raised in arrogant query. ‘Did you forget something?’
And Lina knew that if she babbled out an explanation about how a tiny earring belonging to her grandmother, or something equally sentimental, must have slipped down the side of the bed, then a smile of relief would break out on his sensual lips and someone would be instantly dispatched to find it for her. But there was no earring. Nothing had been forgotten or misplaced. She was here to throw herself on his mercy and she tried to think of a diplomatic way to lessen the impact of her request, but there was nothing to fall back on but the unvarnished truth.
‘I need... I need your help,’ she said.
His blue eyes became hooded. ‘I’m not sure I understand.’
Lina tried not to wince at that dismissive response because the subtext to his words was: This has nothing to do with me, so please don’t bother me with your problems.
She swallowed, twisting a tiny silver ring around her middle finger. ‘I need to leave Sicily,’ she whispered.
‘Your holiday plans are not really my concern.’
‘I’m not talking about a holiday.’
‘What, then?’ he questioned impatiently.
‘I was hoping I might be able to ask your advice.’
‘About what?’
‘About finding a job.’
His powerful body stiffened, like a natural predator which had just heard the crackle of danger, but he flitted her a brief smile, as if the temporary illumination of his handsome face would take the sting out of his next words. ‘I’m afraid you’re talking to the wrong person,’ he said. ‘It’s true I have a large workforce but I don’t micromanage employment issues and, even if I did, I certainly don’t take on casual labour on a whim. My human resources team handle that side of my life, so you would need to deal with them. Look, Lina, I don’t want to be hurtful, but—’
‘No! Maybe I’m not making myself clear.’ Her words came tumbling out and she saw his look of surprise, as if he wasn’t used to being interrupted. Come to think of it, she was pretty surprised herself—but what was it they said? Desperate times called for desperate measures and she was feeling pretty desperate right now. Didn’t matter that Salvatore di Luca was a billionaire and she was a village dressmaker without any formal qualifications, because right now he represented the only hope she had. ‘I can’t go back home,’ she explained. ‘My mother has discovered that I spent the night with you and it’s the talk of the village. If I stay, she’ll make my life a misery.’
His voice was dismissive. ‘I’m afraid that’s not my problem.’
‘I know that. But surely—’
‘Surely since I’ve spent the night with you, it now follows you’re my responsibility?’ he snapped. ‘Is that what you mean, Lina? Even though I specifically asked you whether you were sure you wanted to have sex with me. And you said yes. In fact, you instigated it, as I recall—even though you must have anticipated that you could get found out.’
Lina clenched her fists. She wanted to spill out her hurt at the way he was making her sound so predatory. To tell him he was the most arrogant man she’d ever met and she wondered how she could have fallen into bed with him. But what did she know of the ways of men? Maybe they all acted like this if a woman gave themselves so easily. Wasn’t that what she’d been told all through her growing-up years—that a man would lose all respect for you if you had sex with him too quickly? She swallowed, knowing what had happened between them had felt so right—but that wasn’t what mattered now. The only thing which mattered was that she had nowhere to go and she needed Salvatore di Luca on her side.
‘Of course I’m not your responsibility,’ she answered quietly. ‘But my life will be intolerable if I remain here. Surely you can understand that. I’ll be seen as a woman of loose morals. I’ll be judged every time I
walk down the street to buy bread. Have you forgotten what these small villages are like?’
His lip curled. ‘I made my escape just as soon as I could. Why didn’t you do the same?’
‘Because it’s different for men, and because I made a promise...’ Her voice trembled. ‘I made a promise to my father that I would stay and look after my mother, only I’ve realised it isn’t doing her any favours. It’s just making her more dependent on me, and it’s time she stood on her own two feet. I need to get away, Salvatore—surely you could help me.’
‘How?’ he demanded, then narrowed his eyes as he appeared to sift through a series of possibilities. ‘Do you want to carry on staying in this villa, once I’ve left? The rental is paid for another week.’
‘No. I can’t stay in Sicily.’
He gave a slightly impatient flick of his fingers. ‘I have a house in Rome you could use.’
Did he really think she could take a flight to the mainland and go to the capital city of Italy, a place where she knew no one? ‘That wouldn’t work either.’ She drew in a deep breath and prayed for courage. ‘What I’m hoping is that you could take me to America with you.’
