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But just as he was about to throw back the sheet, the door to the bathroom opened. Remembering her entrance last night, he felt his gaze narrow—but this time Imma wasn’t naked. In fact—disappointingly—she was fully clothed.
His eyes drifted lazily over the simple white cotton dress she was wearing and he felt a pulse of heat bumping over his skin. He wasn’t averse to watching her take it off.
Sprawling back against the pillows, he lifted his eyes to hers and smiled. ‘Hi.’
‘Hi,’ she said quietly.
She didn’t move, just stood in the doorway.
‘Did you sleep well?’
She nodded. ‘Yes, thank you.’
‘Are you okay? I mean—’
She nodded again. ‘Everything’s fine.’
He felt relief slide over his skin. He’d been a little worried that, having had time to think, she might want to do some kind of post-mortem. Clearly, though, she had other things on her mind.
She took a deep breath. ‘Vicè, last night you asked me to marry you. I wondered if you meant it? Or if you just got carried away in the heat of the moment?’
‘Of course I meant it.’ Throwing back the sheet, he got up and walked swiftly around the bed to where she stood in the doorway. ‘I want to marry you. I want to do it as soon as possible. Only...’
He hesitated, a rush of triumph sweeping over his skin as her eyes searched his face. He had done it. She was hooked. His father’s business was as good as his.
‘Only what?’
‘Only I don’t remember you actually saying yes.’
‘Oh!’ she gasped in a rush. ‘Then, yes... I will marry you. But first there’s something I want to do.’
There was only a sliver of space between them. Her gaze dropped to his naked body and he felt his groin harden again in time with his accelerating heartbeat. Really? She was going to...?
She slapped him across the face.
He swore. ‘What the hell—’
‘You are a monster.’
The softness in her voice was gone, and it was gone from her eyes too. She looked and sounded coldly furious.
‘You and that despicable brother of yours.’
She slapped his other cheek, equally hard.
‘How could he do that to her? How could you both be so cruel?’
Stunned, his face stinging, he caught her hand as she lifted it to strike him again. A flush of panic and confusion swirled i
n his chest.
‘I don’t know what—’
She struggled against his grip. ‘Basta! Enough!’ She tugged her hand free. ‘I’ve had enough of your lies. I know none of this is real, Vicenzu. I know because I’ve read the texts you sent your brother. And I’ve heard his voicemail.’
She pulled his phone from her pocket and he stared at it in silence. A cold, dull ache was spreading over his skin, turning his blood to ice.
‘You didn’t bother locking it—but then I suppose you didn’t think you needed to. I mean, why would you be worried about me? A woman who was stupid enough to gift-wrap her virginity for you.’
