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He continued to regard her like a speck of dust on his clothing.
Then he reached for the door and shut it in her face.
When her shock wore off, Giada reached for the handle, then banged on the door when it didn’t budge. ‘Alessio!’
His voice rumbled on for another minute before he yanked the door open. He was no longer on the phone.
‘What do you want, Dr Parker?’ His voice was soft, tinged with fury.
Giada rushed into the room. ‘What’s going on? Who were you talking to? Call them back!’
‘I will not. Your sister is no longer of interest to me. She’s been warned never to cross my path again.’
A shaky breath exploded from her. ‘You really are a cold bastard, aren’t you?’
‘Not at all. I think I’ve been exceedingly magnanimous in not having her thrown in jail.’ He strolled to the window, then retraced his steps back to her. ‘And I’m prepared to extend that generosity to you.’
For one foolish, traitorous moment her heart leapt. Then the true meaning of his words imploded within her. ‘To me?’ she repeated.
‘Se.You. I have zero interest in anyone else.’
She was grappling with the singularly vicious delivery when he continued, ‘Since we’ve established that we’re not entirely averse to each other’s company, I’d like you to stay here in Palermo with me until the new year.’
The dark temptation in his voice, coupled with the trailing of his fingers over her jaw and down her neck to her shoulder,almostmade her succumb.
‘You really don’t get it, do you? I can never be with a man who throws people away the way you do. So the answer is no. I won’t be rolling around in bed with you while my sister’s safety hangs in the balance. Whether it’s her fault or not, I’m going after her. And I expect you to honour your offer not to call the cops on me. Or was that an empty promise? Because I’m leaving this place. As soon as you tell me where to find my sister.’
Giada could’ve sworn he’d paled a little; that he sucked in the smallest shocked breath, as if her outburst had thrown him. But when she searched for a chink in his formidable façade all that was reflected back at her was chilling indifference. Which he shored up with a shrug.
‘If that’s the way you feel—’
‘It is,’ she tossed back quickly. Because that flood of emotion was building again, threatening to weaken her the longer she stayed in his presence. And she was done being weak for this man. Done trying to make him see that the fervour with which he cherished his family was the same for her.
Could be the same fervour for each other.
‘An address will be provided for you by the time your belongings are packed,’ he said icily, then retreated to the window, his broad back a stone wall.
Giada’s head spun with how swiftly everything was falling apart. She could barely remember the walk from study to bedroom. Could barely recollect shoving her clothes into her suitcase. But as she left the dressing room, she caught sight of herself in the mirror. She still wore her gown.
And the ruby and diamond necklace and earrings.
A half-sob threatened to escape. She swallowed it down forcefully, dropping her case so she could tackle the clasp.
It refused to budge a full ten minutes later. Giada stifled a tiny scream, the fever rushing through her bearing all the hallmarks of hysteria.
Dear God, if this was what love did to rational beings, she didn’t want it.
Liar. You want it with every fibre of your being. And you want it with the man who’s just broken your heart!
Another sob caught in her throat. She exhaled it in relief when she heard footsteps behind her. ‘Vincenza, thank God. Can you get this necklace off me, please?’
Warm hands clasped her shoulders, making her yelp as Alessio breathed in her ear. ‘Not yet. I’ve decided we’re not quite done. I have some further things to say.’
‘Are you serious? We have nothing to say to one another. Not after—’
The words died in her throat when she spun around and saw the anguish etched on his face.
‘All this is your fault. You know that, don’t you?’ he accused thickly.
