Page 46 of ‘I Do’ for Revenge

Vito shook his head. ‘It never really interested me. I never felt it as a lack, as something that would fill a gap. My father, even before things got bad, was a workaholic. We spent a lot of time together primarily because he would take me to work with him. My mother hid it, but she was sad. I think they couldn’t have more children and she never really got over it. So we were very tight. A unit. They loved me and I loved them. I didn’t miss siblings so I’ve never particularly wanted children. I don’t think I’d be a very good father.’

He’d more or less told her this already. She felt as if she was pushing for something, not even sure what. For him to admit that maybe he wanted more out of life than being a lone wolf? And that he wanted her to be a part of that?

He turned to face her, blocking out the few other people who were still in the garden. He asked, ‘What about you?’

It hit her then, like a ton of bricks, standing here in the back garden of her family home, surrounded by bittersweet memories. She said, almost to herself, ‘Yes... I want a family. Some day. I’d like to try and recreate that happiness, in spite of the grief and fear of loss.’

‘I’m sure you’ll get it too, Flora. You’d deserve it. But I’m a selfish man, I want what I want and it’s not that.’

Flora tried to ignore the way her insides clenched as if in rejection of his assertion. Her future wasn’t bound with this man. She tipped up her chin. ‘And what do you want?’

He reached for her. ‘Haven’t I been making myself very clear? I want you, Flora.’

She went into his arms willingly, and let his mouth transport her out of this place and the memories and,worse, hopelessdreams. Dreams Flora had never acknowledged before.

That evening the event was taking place in London’s most exclusive art gallery. It was a huge art auction to raise funds for a collection of different charities. Flora turned to Vito when they were in the vast open space. She wanted to say something to him before he got swallowed up by a steady stream of worshippers.

She caught his hand and he looked down at her. Her face got hot and she momentarily forgot her train of thought. Her blood was still pulsing after what had happened not long ago. When Vito had come into the dressing room after the glam team had left, he’d taken one look at her in the slinky black silk evening gown, and the air had crackled with electricity.

What had happened in the space of the next half-hour had been fast and furious and Flora’s nice, neat up-do had sadly come apart and now her hair was wild and untameable and flowing over her shoulders.

She wanted to scowl at him because, while she felt as if what they’d been doing was written in scarlet letters across her forehead, he looked pristine and serene.

He arched a brow. ‘What?’

Flora forced herself to focus. He was too distracting. ‘I just wanted to say thank you. I got an email from Maria at the women’s aid centre earlier and she told me about their new premises thanks to your donation. They will have an acre of land, which will allow kids to bring their pets. You have no idea how much that means...’ Flora had to stop, she was feeling emotional.

Vito squeezed her hand. ‘After today, I can imagine exactly how special that is.’

Flora looked up at him. She felt as if she were drowning. The connection between them was so tangible, was it really just on her side? Could he not feel it too? Or was she just grasping at straws because underneath the taciturn vengeful billionaire he was actually a person who could be empathetic and that was all?

Before she could wonder too much about it, there was a tap on her back and she turned around to see Carrie Black. Flora was so full of excess emotion and relieved to see a familiar, kind face that she impulsively hugged the other woman. Her husband was greeting Vito. Flora pulled back, mortified. ‘I’m sorry, this probably isn’t the place for spontaneous bursts of tactility.’

Carrie Black laughed and hooked her arm into Flora’s. ‘Oh, believe me, I’m just as glad to see you. Let’s leave the men to talk while we do some celebrity spotting. I’m sure I saw Harry Styles just now.’

Flora let herself be whisked away by Carrie, relieved to be moving out of Vito’s orbit for a little while. She was far too raw after seeing her family home earlier and the explosive lovemaking.

Vito had lost sight of Flora and Carrie a while ago, and he knew his attention should be on Massimo Black, but it wasn’t.

Massimo Black said wryly, ‘I understand what it’s like.’

Vito looked at him. ‘What?’

‘To be consumed.’

Vito felt exposed. ‘By...?’

‘A woman. I’d never experienced anything like it until I met Carrie.’

Vito was already shaking his head as if to deny that his relationship with Flora was anything like what this man had with his wife but Black didn’t notice and was saying, ‘You know, based on your reputation before, I wasn’t inclined to invest in your company, but now that we’ve met and I’ve seen you with Flora, it’s given me a new perspective. To be brutally honest, you can thank her that I’m willing to invest.’

Black held out his hand and Vito realised that this was it. The man was doing a deal, or committing to doing a deal, here and now. Vito took his hand, shook it firmly, feeling a little stunned. ‘Thank you, I didn’t expect that.’

Black said, ‘I don’t play games, Vitale. I’ve no time for it.’

Vito pulled his hand back. His conscience pricked. ‘What if...I wasn’t with Flora?’

Massimo Black said, ‘Then I don’t think we’d be having this conversation.’