‘No, that was real. You were scared.’ He pushed and pushed, cracking open the shell she’d put around herself, seeing right through to the truth. ‘I know you were scared and as long as he scares you, I’ll be there to protect you.’
That statement ripped away another layer of her protection. ‘Why?’ The word was barely a whisper and it was a long time before he answered.
‘Because I’m your fiancé.’
Taylor looked away quickly, horrified to realise she’d hoped for a different answer. ‘You were…very convincing. Unfortunately you’ve also upset another director.’
And she knew just what that could cost her.
Rafaele was the wrong man to upset.
And suddenly fury mingled with despair. She’d been walking on eggshells trying not to upset him and now Luca had made things worse. ‘Did you have to go to those lengths? You humiliated him. You made him look like a fool.’
‘He did that with no help from me.’ Luca was unrepentant. ‘Why was he kissing you anyway?’
‘Because he was demonstrating a scene.’ She rubbed her fingers over her aching forehead, feeling crushed by the situation. ‘If he walks out too, Santo will freak.’
‘I hope he does walk. I don’t like the way he looks at you.’
Slowly she dropped her hand to her side. ‘You mean the fake part of you that is “engaged” to me doesn’t like the way he looks at me? I think you just might have blown my film career by acting out a part we created in order to protect my film career.’ She looked away from him because looking at him made her think of the night before and they were both in enough trouble. ‘And what about you? You agreed to this to make yourself respectable. Does your board approve of a man fighting over his woman?’
‘Of course. They’re Sicilian.’ But he was frowning, as if something she’d said had given him pause for thought. ‘I don’t want to have blown your career. I’ll talk to Santo.’
‘No! You’ve done more than enough. I’ll sort it out.’
Luca caught her arm. ‘Tell me why you’re scared of him.’ His tone was low and urgent. ‘Why do you care what that guy thinks of you?’
Her mouth was dry. ‘Because he has…power.’
‘Power? You mean over your performance?’
No, she didn’t mean that.
‘I just don’t want more bad headlines.’ That much was the truth. ‘I just want to act.’
Luca stared at her for a long moment and then lifted his hand and brushed her cheek gently, his expression inscrutable. ‘Mi dispiace. I’m sorry if I made things difficult for you. That wasn’t my intention. Go and finish filming that scene. There’s something I need to do.’
Determined to make up for his momentary loss of control, which had clearly made things awkward for her, Luca spent the afternoon on the phone. By the time he drove back to the docklands to collect Taylor he was feeling particularly pleased with his plan so it spoiled the moment slightly to see her waiting for him, white-faced and tense.
‘Your cousin fired Rafaele.’
Luca wondered why she thought that came under the heading of ‘bad news.’ ‘Good. For once he and I are in agreement on something.’
‘Rafaele is going to be furious.’
‘And we care about that because…?’ When she didn’t answer, he sighed. ‘Get in the car.’
‘I’m starting to think this project is doomed.’ She slid into the car next to him and closed her eyes but her phone rang immediately.
Luca tensed. ‘Is that him?’
‘No.’ She relaxed. ‘It’s just Zach. I’ll call him back later.’
‘Zach? Who the hell is Zach?’
‘Just a friend.’
‘I thought you didn’t have friends. I thought there was no one you trusted.’
‘I trust Zach more than I trust most people, but that isn’t saying much.’ She dropped the phone back into her bag. ‘What a day.’
Luca forced himself not to ask all the questions he was burning to ask about Zach. ‘Does Santo have a replacement yet?’
‘Well, that’s the odd thing…’ She pushed her hair out of her eyes. ‘He’s given the job to his PA, Ella. I’ve talked to her loads of times. She’s crazy about everything to do with movie making which is why she’s working for Santo but I never knew she wanted to direct. He’s giving her the chance.’
‘I’m sure she’ll be brilliant. I’ll even let her kiss you—in fact, I’ll hang around in case she does.’ Noticing movement out of the corner of his eye, he leaned forward and kissed her himself. ‘Press approaching downwind. Look pleased to see me.’