Page 283 of Modern Romance January 2025 5-8

Is that all it is?

Of course it was. It had to be. Enzo had no interest in starting another relationship. He had no interest in love. Once burned, twice shy, after all. No, there was nothing more to this thing with Charlotte than a powerful attraction and the need to protect her from men that he would love nothing more than to destroy.

Enzo shut off the water and dried himself off. Charlotte was still soundly asleep, so he went back up to the deck in time to see his crew arrive.

‘Take us to Perlano,’ he instructed.

By the time they had reached the marina, the sky was pale blue, the sun only just risen.

‘Tesoro, it is time to go,’ he said, waking Charlotte.

She stretched, bathing him in a smile that felt like a punch. ‘Where are we going?’

‘Home.’

She frowned, sitting up. The sheet fell to her lap, and Enzo had to fight the urge to take her again.

‘Home? Home to Perlano or home to Sydney?’

‘Both. We have been away long enough.’

He didn’t miss the look of disappointment on her face, but she must have known that things would go back to normal.

‘Let me get dressed, and I’ll meet you up top.’

He waited on the side deck for her. When she emerged in a summer dress, he briefly questioned why he would want to return to Sydney at all. But this wasn’t his life. His company was.

It was time to return to reality. This time, Charlotte could assert herself in the office without trying to make her ideas seem like his own.

Looking back, he was almost disappointed in himself that he hadn’t figured things out sooner. So many things he’d dismissed, when they had been glaring clues as to who his PA really was.

‘What’s on your mind?’ Charlotte asked, when they’d disembarked and climbed into his waiting car.

‘Nothing for you to worry about,tesoro. We have a lot to do when we return.’

‘Why do I feel like you’re not just talking about work?’

Enzo glanced over at her. Once, she would have broken the connection of their gaze; now she refused to back down, willing him to tell her the truth. ‘Because we’re not. We will have to make some changes if you’re to remain safe. And you will have to do away with Celeste Park.’

She fell quiet after that, but Enzo couldn’t have her pretending to be someone else when she worked at one of the most respected financial institutions in the world.

As soon as they reached the estate, his phone chimed with an email.

‘Perfect.’

‘What is?’

‘Emilio has been informed that he has no claim.’ Enzo was happy that everything was in hand. He had accomplished exactly what he had set out to. No one would ever question what was his again. But he couldn’t shake the unease his father’s actions had inspired in him. He pushed the feeling away, not wanting to acknowledge it at all. This was still the man who had taught him everything.

He spotted Isabella entering the large entrance hall. ‘Isabella, we are leaving for Sydney.’

‘Will you not stay the night?’ It crushed Enzo to see the sadness his choice caused Isabella, a woman who had shown him nothing but love. But he couldn’t stay here.

‘Tell me, Isabella. Would you have told me that Emilio had been here if I had not returned?’ The answer was more important to him than anything in that moment.

‘No,’ she admitted.

He couldn’t trust anyone.