The Cost of Her Innocence

Dante straightened his shoulders, bracing himself to continue. ‘Last night I found out that Baby Face Bewick, as he is now known, is one of the biggest suppliers of drugs in this country and is currently in jail with Hudson, awaiting trial. Hudson has admitted they once set up a girl—you—Jane Mason—to take the fall for them as teenagers.’

Beth shrugged. ‘So? I’ve always known I’m innocent, and it doesn’t matter now. Life has moved on.’

‘It matters to me,’ Dante said in a driven tone, his glittering dark eyes raw with pain and regret. ‘I can barely live with myself, knowing what I did to you. I put you in prison—stole eighteen months of your life. When I think what you must have suffered it tears me up inside. Your claustrophobia—and worse, I’m sure—is all down to me. I can’t believe I was so arrogant, so blind as to fall for the lies.’

‘Don’t beat yourself up about it. Nobody’s infallible—not even you. As you said yourself, any decent lawyer would have got the same result.’ Now he knew the truth Beth felt vindicated, and pleased in a way, but seeing the cool, arrogant Dante humbled was not as satisfying as she’d used to imagine it would be.

‘How can you be so calm, Beth? I ruined your life,’ he said vehemently.

‘Because I have lived with the knowledge for years and there is no point in letting bitterness take over. That way you only destroy yourself.’

‘Dio, Beth.’ He moved and sat down beside her. ‘When I think of how I behaved when I met you again... I threatened you, said hateful things. I am sorry from the bottom of my heart, though I know no apology can ever make up for the way I treated you. But I had to come and see you—tell you. Beth, you deserve that much and so much more. The irony of it is I was regretting going to that dinner—I was regretting not telling you I love you—and then I heard about Bewick.’

He grabbed her hands in his and squeezed them so hard she winced, but he seemed not to notice. Beth was reeling in shock from his ‘I love you’. Her heart was racing, and suddenly she was aware of the warmt

h of his breath on her face as he studied her with incredible intensity.

‘I understand why you said you hated me, Beth, and I don’t blame you. I hate myself. I’m amazed you could even bear to speak to me.’ The raw emotion in his tone was unmistakable. ‘I’d give everything I own—my life—to give you back the time that was stolen from you.’

His grip tightened on her hands as he gazed at her with those incredible dark eyes, and all of a sudden it was as if the world was standing still...waiting. Beth was intensely aware of the slow pulse of her blood flowing though her veins, every breath she drew, and the silence lengthened. She had the oddest notion that Dante was afraid.

‘I don’t expect you to forgive me. And I know I have no right to ask this—not after what I have done. But I love you so much. If you could find it in your heart to give me another chance... I’m not asking you to love me, Beth, just to let me back in your life—let me try to make amends. Please.’

Beth’s heart overflowed. Dante sounded so vulnerable, and the ‘please’ brought moisture to her eyes. He had said he loved her not once, but twice, and she wanted to believe him. So she did, and it felt as if all her Christmases had come at once.

‘Yes,’ she said, expecting to be swept into his arms

Instead Dante lifted her hand and kissed her palm almost reverently. ‘Thank you, cara.’ His mouth brushed hers gently. ‘I know I don’t deserve you, but I do love you, and I swear I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you,’ Dante murmured, his tongue seeking entry to her mouth.

Warmed by his words, she opened to him. Her heartbeat quickened and she wrapped her arms around him and put her heart and soul into the kiss.

He eased her robe off her shoulders and she slipped her arms free to wrap them around his neck. She felt his hands skim down to her thighs, felt the slide of her

T-shirt up to her hips and lifted herself to help him slip it over her head. She watched as he stood up and stripped off his clothes, and there, with the log fire burning and the fairy lights glittering, they lay on the long sofa kissing, caressing lovingly.

She trembled at the heated stroke of his hands over her shoulders, her breasts, down to her stomach and thighs, his long fingers running gently over her silken skin as if worshipping her body. Beth encouraged him with muted sighs, her delicate hands sliding down his great torso to settle on his taut buttocks.

They made love slowly, and Dante tasted and touched—as did Beth.

Finally their senses were at breaking point and their bodies joined in frantic need, pulsing, plunging, senses on fire as the climax hit and release shuddered through them both.

Beth lay breathless, her body quivering, and Dante tucked her up against him and stroked her hair.

‘I can’t believe this has happened. I came here tonight in the pit of despair, not really expecting you to let me in. You have such a generous heart. You are beautiful inside and out. I will spend the rest of my life and beyond loving you.’

Beth looked up into his incredible eyes. Love was plain to see in the gleaming depths. ‘And I love you. I think I always did. I saw you in court and thought you were my knight in shining armour—my saviour. It has taken a long time, but now I know you are.’

He swept her up in his arms and carried her up to the bedroom they had last shared, where they made sweet love all over again.

Dante loved her in every way, Beth thought happily, and yawned widely. Cuddled against his big body, she slept.

Dante watched her sleeping and could not believe his luck. She had forgiven him and taken him back—this beautiful, brave, wonderful woman he would love till the day he died and beyond. He pressed a gentle kiss on her cheek. Then he realised he had made the same mistake again and forgotten protection. He considered waking Beth, but decided against it. She would find out soon enough.

He folded her closer in his arms and fell asleep.

* * *

Eleven months later a huge party was held at the Cannavaro estate, for all the family and friends of Dante and Beth, to celebrate their wedding—admittedly a little late—and also the christening of Francesco Cannavaro, their new son and heir. Much to his grandmother’s delight—and Sophie’s—they finally got to wear their wedding hats.