Wife By Force: International Billionaires II: The Italians by Caro LaFever

know.”
    “I want you now.” His ragged words hung in the air between them.
    All at once, her mouth compressed, her face turned cold. “Too late.”
    Shock coursed through him at her sudden change. What had happened? He thought he’d made a breakthrough, thought he’d reached her, yet she was still shutting him out. “Lara?”
    Two determined hands pushed once more at his shoulders. “I said, you’re twelve years too late.”
    “Liar.” His temper flared, the temper he never let loose anymore. Patience and plotting and purpose all fell away into the cold water surrounding him, leaving only hot, hard frustration coursing through his body. His voice became harsh against his will. “We both feel it. This bond. And now there is nothing standing in our way.”
    “Yes, there is.” Her honey eyes went dark gold with determination. “I don’t want it. I don’t want you.”
    A twisting fear took his breath. No, no, he wanted to howl.
    She glanced down as if she’d seen something in his expression she couldn’t face. The action drove him crazy. Had she seen something he was not willing to reveal? The urge to retreat thrummed through him, but he couldn’t stop, couldn’t pull away. “Tell me you didn’t want me several nights ago.”
    She met his look, her gaze now cool. “I believe I was clear about not wanting your kiss.”
    “You responded.”
    “No.”
    Had he mistaken everything? Dreamed something that wasn’t true into reality? His throat filled with raw disbelief, an icy coating of horror.
    He took a step back.
    Lara’s eyes narrowed. Then she shrugged.
    Shrugged.
    With a last dismissive look, she turned and slid under the water, swimming to the far side of the pool. He wanted to follow her, but checked the instinct. His emotions were too close to the surface for his comfort.
    She’d destroyed him with one simple word. One simple action.
    Best to let her go. Give himself some time to regroup. Figure out another way.
    She glanced at him as she reached the end of the pool, her expression filled with derision. “What? Not chasing after me now?”
    “No.” Male pride roared at him to go after her, buy her silence with his kisses. His hands clenched at his sides. He forced himself to stay where he was. “Stopping this conversation. For now.”
    “Forever.” She turned and lifted herself out of the water in one fluid move.
    His gut churned with confusion and a crushing sense of fear that his entire adult life had been wasted dreaming of this woman. This woman who appeared to want nothing from him at all. He stood, silent, as she walked over to the lounge chair. Picking up the towel, she glanced at him before wiping her face.
    A sharp strike of hope crackled through him in an instant. Because there’d been something, some flash of emotion in her eyes, some flicker of response in the way her mouth curved that told him what he needed to know.
    She was lying. Lying about what he did to her.
    His heart pounded with renewed resolve.
    “I know you feel this connection between us,” he said, his voice quiet, yet he knew she heard him. “I know you responded two nights ago to my kiss. I felt it.”
    She slid her pool dress over her head and picked up her book. “You’re mistaken.”
    “I do not make mistakes.”
    “Oh, Dante.” A wry laugh twisted her mouth, as she turned to walk to her car. “Keep telling yourself that.”
    “Lara.” Her name stopped her, but she didn’t turn to face him again. “Some things you cannot run away from.”
    The sunlight glistened on her hair as she disappeared around the corner of the pool house.

Chapter 5
    A wash of cool air hit her as she stepped into the ancient stone church. The strains of Vivaldi filled the foyer with the sweet singing of violins. The low murmur of the hundreds of guests filling the sanctuary proved the power of the Casartellis.
    No one would dare miss Carlotta’s wedding.
    Except Hugo Derrick.
    Lara exhaled a puff of remaining annoyance. Of