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Just as she’d left those treasures behind, she would merely use this for whatever part she needed to play until Gigi resurfaced. So she bit her lip and nodded at Vincenza, who smiled enthusiastically and fastened the necklace and matching earrings in place.
Checking her phone one last time and gritting her teeth at her sister’s silence, she followed the housekeeper.
It was testament to the size of thecastellothat Giada hadn’t seen or heard any signs of the ball beginning until they descended onto the ground floor and traversed a series of hallways.
Then she heard the strains of classical music.
‘Buonasera,duci,’his deep voice murmured just behind her shoulder.
Giada spun around, her breath catching as she blinked at Alessio while his gaze raked her from head to toe.
‘You look sensational,’ he rasped heavily.
He looked sublime. Naturally. The soot-black tuxedo emphasised his physical perfection, the styled-back hair lending him an air of sexy danger that had her insides knotting with dizzy desire, her heart searching for a way out of a prison that had lost its key somewhere on the snow-covered peaks of Gris-Montana.
Because as her gaze collided with his, as she witnessed the heat and the anguish and the danger and realised that, alongside it, the shadows had grown, that tension from earlier had only intensified in the hours they’d been apart, Giada understood that she would do anything to take his torment away.
Because she loved him.
And when that crucial truth strangled her vocal cords, leaving her mute as he stepped closer, placed a finger beneath her chin to lift her face to his, she surrendered to the feeling. Because to fight it here and now was to bare it all to him.
To show him what her foolish heart had done.
‘It’s time.’
She forced herself to focus. ‘Time for what?’ she asked distractedly.
Darkness shrouded his face, and his jaw turned to stone as he offered her his elbow. ‘Time to put beloved ghosts to rest, finally.’
Heneededto do this.
Otherwise, what would’ve been the point of his life up till now? What would the years of scheming and sacrifice have been for?
Maybe it’s time to let it go...
Similar words to the onesshe’dspoken...traitorouswords...this time spoken by his own brother a mere hour ago. Tonight of all nights, when he’d finally confirmed that every shady enterprise and support his uncles had relied on was dismantled and they were well and truly broken, when vengeance was within his grasp? When one uncle had fled Sicily and two others were here tonight, their tails between their legs, eager for his forgiveness?
Entering the ballroom now and seeing Massimo’s half-pleading look made Alessio’s gut tighten.
If he hadn’t taken them at their word that they’d never met before, he would’ve believed the stunning Dr Parker and his brother were ganging up on him, breaking down defences he suddenly lacked the willpower to uphold.
Because what was worst of all? He’d entertained the possibility ofletting gofor a full minute, and,santo cielo, the lightness of being had taken his breath away.
But in that brief abandonment of his life’s purpose, otherunattainableyearnings had rushed in, tormenting him with impossible mirages of what his life could look like.
With Giada Parker.
With...love?
Thatwas when he knew it would never happen. Because the ferocity of his need in that minute? It surpassed every crumb of vengeance he’d gathered to himself over the years. And it...terrified him.
So no, there would be noletting it go. Not even knowing deep in his bones that his mother was already resting easier knowing his crest was back in his possession, their family honour and respect well within reach.
Letting go meant being unmoored. Being alone.
And for the first time in his life, Alessio wasn’t quite ready to face a challenge.
Cold dread seized Giada’s nape as the ballroom doors swung open and several dozen heads swivelled their way.
