AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘Given that I looked “fine” in a white dress, “incredible” in my maid’s outfit, and now, dressed in designer clothes, I pass as “very nice”.’
‘Alicia, I don’t do all that flattery stuff. If we were actually dating you’d know that. You’re the one pretending to bemypartner—not the other way around. Try and remember that.’ He reached into the pocket of his jacket. ‘Here...’
‘I amnotpretending to wear your ring.’
‘God, no—no one would believe it for a moment.’
She opened the box he’d handed her and found it was a pair of silver drop earrings, each with a glittering red stone at the end.
‘I saw you didn’t have any earrings.’
‘I lost one of my hoops,’ Alicia said, holding her new earrings up to the light. ‘The red glass is like the centre window at the church. The one above—’ She stopped herself from reminiscing about the windows of her old church. Now she was returning, she was filled with nostalgia for home. ‘Well, they’re very pretty. I’ll wear them tomorrow night.’
He nodded. ‘You always loved your earrings.’
It was hard to believe that just this morning she’d been on her way to work and now she was heading home to Sicily with Dante. But she had to force herself to remember that Dante didn’t actuallywanther in his life.
It was either that thought or the sound of the jets powering up that had her breath hitching.
‘It’s fine...’ He must have heard her, because he glanced over. ‘Private jets are smaller so it brings a more rapid ascent.’
She nodded, embarrassed to admit to this suave version of Dante that she had never flown before.
‘And descent,’ he added.
Like you, she wanted to say. For he took her straight to the highs, then dumped her in the lows.
And yet she was the one who had stepped onto the ride, Alicia thought as the tyres sped across the runway.
CHAPTER SIX
ANDTHENTHEYwere up.
The sky was blue and clear, and they were a mere two hours away from...not quite home, but Dante was right.
She missed Sicily so.
It almost hurt to admit how much.
‘The drink of home,’ Dante said as two shots of Limoncello were placed on the table between them.‘Salute.’
It was then that Alicia started to get excited—to believe that she might even find out about her sister. And even if she didn’t, she would have given it her best.
‘He was very thorough.’ She could feel him watching her. ‘The investigator.’
‘Don’t get your hopes up.’
‘Why not?’
‘What if it’s bad news about Beatrice?’
‘Then I’ll know.’
‘Do youwantto know?’
‘Yes, I do,’ she said.
‘Do you know whatI’dlike to know?’ Dante asked as she went to take a sip of her drink.
