Page 32 of ‘I Do’ for Revenge
Flora felt a glow inside her. But before she could respond to Vito’s comment, they were being interrupted by what turned into a long line of people vying for Vito’s attention, and all sending Flora more than curious glances.
She heard someone say nearby in a loud whisper,‘Is it really her? I don’t think so...she wasn’t that pretty.’
Vito must have heard it too because he wrapped an arm around Flora’s waist and turned to face the person behind the whisper. Two women, whose faces went pink. Vito said cordially to one of them, ‘Ah, Contessa, I do believe you must know Flora Gavia?’
The woman smiled but it wasn’t friendly. She didn’t like being caught out. She put out a hand. ‘Of course, Miss Gavia, how nice. I dined at your uncle’s palazzo many times. How is he?’
Flora took her hand and shook it firmly and said with a bright smile, ‘I have no idea. I’m sure that, wherever he is, he’s up to no good.’
She heard a stifled snort next to her but didn’t look at Vito. When he’d recovered himself he said, ‘If you’ll excuse us, Contessa?’ and he smoothly guided Flora away and they went out onto the terrace.
When they were outside he let out a proper laugh and Flora smiled ruefully. He put his hand on the terrace wall. Fairy lights strung between trees in the garden made the space look like a magical wonderland.
He said, ‘I don’t think I’ll have to worry about you handling yourself with the vultures.’
Flora shrugged. ‘They never scared me. They’re just snobs.’
Vito turned to face her, with his back to the wall. ‘What does scare you?’
Flora knew exactly what scared her. But she was reluctant to divulge it to Vito. But then she thought, he now knew her more intimately than anyone else... She looked at him. ‘I’m scared of being invisible.’
He didn’t say anything for a long moment and then he glanced over her head behind them and said, ‘I don’t think that’s something you’ll have to worry about any more.’
She looked behind her to see most of the crowd gawking at them. She blushed. She wanted to bury her head in Vito’s chest and that surprised her. Since when had he become a safe harbour?
‘They’re just bored and looking for a scandal.’
Vito reached for her and pulled her close. She fell into him with a muted swish of layers of fabric. He was tall and solid.Hard.Flora’s blush got hotter.
He said, ‘Then let’s give them what they want, hm?’
And then he kissed her, blocking everything out, including the fact that she’d just revealed to him her worst fear, cultivated after growing up in a house with people who hadn’t seen her. Who’d all but stepped over her.
It had been a long time since she’d felt noticed or seen and the fact that it was happening here with the sworn enemy of her family was too much to get her head around right now. So she pushed it aside and revelled in Vito’s desire, because she was aware of another fear developing—the moment when he would look at her and not see her or want her any more.
Hours later, in Vito’s bed, Vito was somewhere between waking and sleeping. Flora was a soft and delicious weight against him, one leg thrown over his thighs. He waited for a feeling of claustrophobia. It didn’t come. Only the hunger.
They certainly had caused a stir earlier that evening. Flora had captivated the crowd in a way that had taken even him by surprise. Not because he’d underestimated her beauty but because he could see how her innate goodness shone out and took people unawares.
She’d defused the cynicism in the room without even opening her mouth. It had evoked something in him that he hadn’t ever felt with a woman before. A need to protect. Against the women who would chew her up and spit her out so fast her head would be spinning and the men who wanted her.
So, actually, Vito had felt two things. Protective and possessive.
His mind cast around desperately for reasons why she evoked these things in him.
It was the guilt.
He felt a sense of relief. That was it. The guilt he carried for having sent her out to the streets. Even though she didn’t hold him accountable. He’d almost prefer it if she did.
Earlier, on their way back to his apartment, in the car, she’d asked him, ‘So what is it that scares you? Not much, I’d imagine.’
Vito had instinctively felt the need to close up, shut down the conversation, but then he’d recalled her fear of being invisible and how that had struck him deep. He’d felt something similar when his parents had died and he’d suddenly been on his own in the world, without a family. With nothing but his name and the clothes on his back. And revenge in his heart. Having to somehow resurrect himself from the pit of grief and loss.
He’d felt her looking at him with those big gold-flecked eyes. So he’d admitted it, that his fear was of losing everything. Again.
She’d said, ‘That’s why you don’t want a family?’
Vito had countered, ‘That’s why I choose to focus on my business because no matter what happens, even if I lost it all tomorrow... I won’t be destroyed. Things and businesses can be rebuilt, people can’t.’