AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Yet so violent had been her reaction to Dante that Mia had considered backing out. Of course, that was impossible, for the first instalment had long since been spent.
And so she had cut that moment down to size and decided—a decade too late perhaps—that it was no more than the equivalent of a teenage crush.
Except, despite her constant quashing, it grew and it developed and it hit her in waves of rolling fire that she did not know how to put out.
For right now, as she thought of Dante and the looks they had shared this night, she wanted to close her eyes and imagine his mouth on hers. Right now, she wished Dante were there in his suite on the second floor or, even better, in Suite al Limone with her... She moaned in frustration, actually fighting not to touch herself and think of him, for on so many levels it would be...
Wrong.
Wrong.
Wrong.
He loathes you, she reminded herself.
There was just tomorrow to get through and she could go back to being Mia Hamilton, instead of a For Display Purposes Only wife, and do everything she could to pick up the threads of her life.
And she would never have to lay eyes on Dante Romano again.
CHAPTER FOUR
THESKYWAStinged pink and threatening snow for the day of the funeral as Mia rode Massimo back to the house, carefully avoiding the lake.
Massimo was Rafael’s horse, and she had taken over riding him when Rafael had grown too weak to do so. He was a beautiful black Murgese stallion, an Italian breed that Rafael had adored. Despite his size, Massimo was a polite and obedient horse.
And today he was sad.
‘They know when something is up,’ the stable manager told Mia when she returned him.
‘I believe so,’ Mia agreed.
The stable manager had the same look of sadness, concern and worry that all the staff had worn in recent months as it had become clear that Rafael’s time was nearing.
Later today their fate would be made known.
Mia wasn’t privy to the decisions Rafael had made.
She assumed the Luctano residence would go to his children, but could not imagine any of them living here. Mia guessed that it would be somewhere they dropped in on from time to time, like the rest of the Romano residences that were dotted across Europe. It was sad, Mia thought as she walked back to the house, holding a long single orchid she had collected on her ride, because it really was a home that deserved owners who loved it.
Mia headed up to Suite al Limone, to which the pinkish sky outside had given a warm coral hue.
Family members were starting to arrive and she was certain it was for the best that she stay upstairs until the last minute.
Having showered, Mia received updates from Sylvia, who had brought her breakfast.
‘The Castellos are flying into Florence then taking a helicopter. They asked to use the helipad here; Dante refused and said it was being kept just for family, but Gian De Luca just landed his helicopter!’ Sylvia raised her eyebrows at a slightly bemused Mia. ‘He’s a duke, you know.’
‘I didn’t know.’
‘He doesn’t use his title. The point is, though, that Gian is not family.’
No, that much Mia knew. Gian, though a friend of Dante’s,hadbeen one of the few at their wedding and was the owner of La Fiordelise, a hotel in Rome where their wedding had been held. Gian had a reputation with women that was worse than Dante’s.
‘It’s a clear snub to the Castellos,’ Sylvia further explained. ‘Gian’s helicopter has the gold insignia of his hotel on the tail and is very recognisable.’ She gave a little, much-needed laugh on this very solemn day. ‘There is always offence waiting to be taken at an Italian funeral. Still, it’s all taking shape; Dante has it all under control.’
Mia, though, despite appearances, was not under control.
She felt shaky and nauseous and rather terrified about what lay ahead.
