you to this day. What happened?”
His head whipped around again, his eyes spearing into her. “It’s not important.”
Impulsively, she reached for his hand, grasped it in hers. His skin was warm, and the blood rushed through her veins just from this contact, making her feel lightheaded and confused.
“It
is
important, Nico. I want you and Renzo to be friends again. I want it to be the way it was.”
She thought he would jerk away, but he turned her hand in his, traced his fingers in her palm while she shivered deep inside. “It can never be the way it was,
cara
. You are a woman now, not a child. You know life does not move backward.”
Hot tears pressed against her eyelids. “I wish it did. For the sake of our baby, I wish I could fix whatever is wrong between you and Renzo.”
Because, no matter what happened between them, he was a part of her life now. Through this baby, the Gavrettis and D’Angelis would always be connected. And it made her sad to think it would not be easy for any of them.
He sat back and let her go. The air wafting over her skin made her feel cold suddenly. “You cannot fix it, Tina. No one can.”
She sucked in a deep breath. “I refuse to believe that.”
“Then you are a fool.”
She looked at him for a long moment. “I refuse to believe that, too,” she said, her throat aching.
“Believe what you like, but it does not alter reality,” he told her coolly. “Now eat, or we will never leave this table.”
She did as he commanded, but only for the baby’s sake. The food, which was delicious, failed to give her any pleasure. The more she thought of Nico and her brother, of the way they used to be and the way they were now, the less she tasted of the food.
There had to be a way to repair whatever had gone wrong, if only one of them would tell her about it. She thought of Renzo in the Caribbean with his wife and was thankful they were away for now. She shuddered to think what would happen if he were at home.
It would be a true clash of the titans the next time these men met, and she could not bear the idea she would be the catalyst.
Tina dropped the fork. “I want to know what happens next,” she demanded, her heart hot with feeling. He’d taken her from Rome, brought her here, but for what purpose? He couldn’t really intend for her to stay with him indefinitely.
Nico glanced over at her, seemingly impervious to the turmoil raging within her. “Dessert, I imagine.”
“You know that’s not what I mean.”
The look he gave her was long and heavy with meaning. Her pulse snapped in her veins until she was certain he must see it thrumming in her neck. Dread lay thick inside her the longer he watched her without speaking.
“Tell me,” she said when the silence was more than she could bear. “I have a right to know.”
“What do you think will happen, Tina?”
She darted her tongue over her lower lip. “I’m not quite sure. I doubt you intend to keep me here for the next few months, no matter what you implied earlier. That would be ridiculous. And unnecessary.”
“I disagree,” he said, his voice as smooth as fine wine. “It is very necessary.”
“Why?” she asked, apprehension twisting her belly into knots. “I want you to be a part of the baby’s life. I won’t deny you access.”
One dark eyebrow arched. “You say that now. But what about when Renzo returns?” He shook his head. “No, that is not acceptable. You aren’t going anywhere, Tina. You’re staying here with me.”
Tina gripped the edges of her seat and willed herself to be calm. “You can’t force me to stay,” she said, her voice brittle to her own ears.
He leaned back and spread his hands to encompass their surroundings. “Can I not? We are on an island.The only way on or off is by helicopter or boat—and I control both of those things.”
Her stomach plummeted through the stone floor of the terrazzo even as a chill shuddered through her. “You’re being purposely
His head whipped around again, his eyes spearing into her. “It’s not important.”
Impulsively, she reached for his hand, grasped it in hers. His skin was warm, and the blood rushed through her veins just from this contact, making her feel lightheaded and confused.
“It
is
important, Nico. I want you and Renzo to be friends again. I want it to be the way it was.”
She thought he would jerk away, but he turned her hand in his, traced his fingers in her palm while she shivered deep inside. “It can never be the way it was,
cara
. You are a woman now, not a child. You know life does not move backward.”
Hot tears pressed against her eyelids. “I wish it did. For the sake of our baby, I wish I could fix whatever is wrong between you and Renzo.”
Because, no matter what happened between them, he was a part of her life now. Through this baby, the Gavrettis and D’Angelis would always be connected. And it made her sad to think it would not be easy for any of them.
He sat back and let her go. The air wafting over her skin made her feel cold suddenly. “You cannot fix it, Tina. No one can.”
She sucked in a deep breath. “I refuse to believe that.”
“Then you are a fool.”
She looked at him for a long moment. “I refuse to believe that, too,” she said, her throat aching.
“Believe what you like, but it does not alter reality,” he told her coolly. “Now eat, or we will never leave this table.”
She did as he commanded, but only for the baby’s sake. The food, which was delicious, failed to give her any pleasure. The more she thought of Nico and her brother, of the way they used to be and the way they were now, the less she tasted of the food.
There had to be a way to repair whatever had gone wrong, if only one of them would tell her about it. She thought of Renzo in the Caribbean with his wife and was thankful they were away for now. She shuddered to think what would happen if he were at home.
It would be a true clash of the titans the next time these men met, and she could not bear the idea she would be the catalyst.
Tina dropped the fork. “I want to know what happens next,” she demanded, her heart hot with feeling. He’d taken her from Rome, brought her here, but for what purpose? He couldn’t really intend for her to stay with him indefinitely.
Nico glanced over at her, seemingly impervious to the turmoil raging within her. “Dessert, I imagine.”
“You know that’s not what I mean.”
The look he gave her was long and heavy with meaning. Her pulse snapped in her veins until she was certain he must see it thrumming in her neck. Dread lay thick inside her the longer he watched her without speaking.
“Tell me,” she said when the silence was more than she could bear. “I have a right to know.”
“What do you think will happen, Tina?”
She darted her tongue over her lower lip. “I’m not quite sure. I doubt you intend to keep me here for the next few months, no matter what you implied earlier. That would be ridiculous. And unnecessary.”
“I disagree,” he said, his voice as smooth as fine wine. “It is very necessary.”
“Why?” she asked, apprehension twisting her belly into knots. “I want you to be a part of the baby’s life. I won’t deny you access.”
One dark eyebrow arched. “You say that now. But what about when Renzo returns?” He shook his head. “No, that is not acceptable. You aren’t going anywhere, Tina. You’re staying here with me.”
Tina gripped the edges of her seat and willed herself to be calm. “You can’t force me to stay,” she said, her voice brittle to her own ears.
He leaned back and spread his hands to encompass their surroundings. “Can I not? We are on an island.The only way on or off is by helicopter or boat—and I control both of those things.”
Her stomach plummeted through the stone floor of the terrazzo even as a chill shuddered through her. “You’re being purposely
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