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The hard shell that the man had beneath that sophisticated arrogance, it was bone deep.
And yet, Liv had seen that shell rattle over the past few months as Clio had come back into his life.
Had watched in fascination as the fiercely protective side of him emerged as, to even Rocco’s shock, Stefan had married Clio in a wedding that was nothing short of a fairy tale. Had seen Clio change from the pale shadow she had been at Christian’s wedding into one of the strongest women Liv had ever seen.
Even more of a shocker was the genuinely contented laughter she had seen in Stefan’s eyes at Zayed’s wedding.
She had even held her breath for them as she had seen the obvious truth of how deeply Clio had fallen for him. She had bet Rocco that they would make it, had believed that if anyone could shatter the hard shell that Stefan carried around, it had to be Clio.
Clio, who had become as close to her as the sister she had never had.
But, of course, Rocco had known his friend better, and had waited on tenterhooks almost for the crash that had eventually come at Zayed’s wedding.
Only a few hours after the wedding, Clio had come to her, pale and trembling and yet somehow, stronger than she had ever seen before, begging to leave Gazbiyaa with Liv and Rocco, and return to New York.
That was almost two months ago.
Two months in which Clio had stayed in New York and Stefan, to Olivia’s shock, had disappeared. She had seen him a couple of times traveling with Rocco and both times, he had been hungry, almost desperate for information about Clio.
Yet, he hadn’t inquired once after Clio.
Today, Rocco, who was in Milan, had called her exactly two hours ago, warning her that Stefan was coming back to New York.
And here he was, glaring at her, as if it was his God-given right.
Olivia would have despised his arrogance and his irrational dislike of her when they had first met if she hadn’t seen firsthand how fiercely devoted he was to Rocco and Christian and Zayed.
“Hello to you, too, Stefan,” she said cheerily, opening the door wider. “It’s a gorgeous New York morning, isn’t it?”
He didn’t even blink at her saccharine tone. Prowled inside casually with his long-limbed stride and yet, Liv could sense something restless in his calm movements, something strange.
For the first time in two months, Liv felt a flutter of hope for Clio.
“I want to see Clio, Olivia. Where is she?”
The smile disappeared from her face, an image of Clio with tears in her eyes flashing in front of her eyes.
“Does Clio know you’re here, Stefan?”
The facade of politeness crumbled from his face and Olivia caught her gasp from escaping.
Vulnerability and Stefan Bianco weren’t words she would have thought of in the same sentence even.
“How the hell does it matter if she knows or not, Liv?”
“Because I remember her telling me that she didn’t want to see you, Stefan.”
“Damn it, Liv, she’s my wife, and I would like to see her. When the hell did you become her gatekeeper?”
“When I saw how broken she was after Zayed’s wedding. That’s when. I let down a friend once and I won’t let anything to happen to her. Even though you don’t realize it, Clio is—”
“Dio, Olivia. Clio is precious, don’t you think I know that?” While Olivia stared stunned, he ran a hand over his eyes. And Liv saw past her own prejudice and noticed how tired he looked. He cleared his throat as though choosing his words carefully. “I’m so glad that you’re looking out for her. But I need to see her. I need to...”
“You need to what, Stefan?”
A glimmer of a smile curved his mouth, transforming his entire face. “This wouldn’t be revenge, would it, Liv? For my doubting you when you and Rocco were beginning? Because, really, you couldn’t have chosen a better way to torture me.”
Such warmth radiated from his green gaze that Liv felt her heart contract. This was the best friend her husband cherished so much. Finally, she saw why Rocco worried so much for Stefan, especially after Rocco and she had found each other.
This was what he and Stefan and Christian and Zayed did for each other.
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Liv smiled at him. “No. As enticing as it sounds, this is not revenge, Stefan. Clio is my friend now.”
Liv met his gaze and waited. And his confession, when it came, was so hoarse and uneven.
“I love her, Olivia. I...I have insulted her, and bullied her and I...hurt her. I can’t...I can’t live without seeing her smile...but I have nothing to offer her.”
