‘Mr de Marco has promised not to prosecute if I can help him track these guys down.’ He looked back to Gracie. ‘Depending on how much money we can recover, I’ll still owe a lot to Mr de Marco—but he’s offered me a job to get me back on my feet so I can start paying him back. Gracie, I don’t deserve this chance. But I’m not going to mess up again. I promise.’
Gracie couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She was in shock. And then she heard Rocco say to Steven, ‘Would you give us a moment, here? Mrs Jones will show you to a room.’
Steven nodded and pressed Gracie’s hands. ‘Are you okay?’
Gracie wanted to laugh hysterically. She’d never been less okay. But she nodded her head and watched her brother walk out of the room with his loping, slightly awkward gait.
Rocco walked into her field of vision and Gracie could only look up at him, willing down the tendrils of sensation and feelings that were too close to the surface. ‘Why did you do this? Why are you giving him a chance? After everything—’
‘Everything I said?’ he finished for her, in a voice so harsh she flinched minutely. Rocco cursed in Italian. ‘I’m sorry.’ He turned away then, as if he couldn’t bear for her to look at him, and said rawly, ‘God, Gracie. I’m so sorry.’
He turned back after long seconds.
‘I was an idiot—a stupid, blind fool. When I read your e-mail I twisted it so that I could believe the worst. Last night in New York you got too close, too deep. I’d never told anyone about myself before, and yet with you … it all came out. And you didn’t turn away in horror or shock. You embraced it.’
He pulled over a chair to sit in front of her. His eyes burned.
‘I didn’t set up the newspaper story. You have to believe that. When I saw the picture it was the first time I thought it might flush Steven out. I hadn’t even considered that possibility before. But I let you believe I had because I was so desperate to push you away.’
Rocco grimaced, and Gracie could see the wildness in his eyes—but this was a different wildness.
‘I knew deep down that you were none of the things I accused you of yesterday. I seduced you because I couldn’t not.’ He shook his head, disgust with himself palpable. ‘I lashed out because I’ve never trusted anyone in my life until you. And then when Steven turned up today and came straight to me, demanding to know what was going on between us, the sheer evidence of the lengths he’d go to to make sure you were okay humbled me. I had nothing left to hide behind.’
A tiny flicker of hope burst to flame in Gracie’s heart, as if a magical thaw was starting.
Rocco said fervently, ‘I should never have kept you here in the first place, but the truth is that it always had more to do with how you made me feel rather than anything to do with your brother.’
The flame inside Gracie trembled. ‘What are you saying?’
Rocco took her hand. Gracie willed down the immediate physical reaction.
‘I can’t stop you leaving if you want to. But I don’t want you to leave. I want you to stay … for as long as you want.’
‘For as long as I want?’ Gracie asked faintly. The fragile flame inside her sputtered dangerously.
Rocco nodded. ‘We have something, Gracie. Something powerful.’
Gracie pulled her hand free of Rocco’s. What he meant was that they had desire. Physical attraction. And he wanted her to stay until it had burnt itself out.
Before she could say anything he was grimacing slightly and looking at his watch. ‘Look, I’ve got to go to a meeting. I can’t reschedule it. Think about what I’ve said. We’ll talk when I get back … okay?’
He just looked at her, and Gracie felt numb.
He said, ‘Please?’ and she realised that he wasn’t going to move until she said something. Dumbly she nodded. She saw relief relax his features.
He didn’t say anything else. Just stood up and walked out.
Gracie might have nodded to signify assent, but she knew what she had to do. She had to leave—to get away. Rocco wanted a brief relationship. He’d said nothing about love. And she couldn’t deal with that—not knowing how she felt. Not knowing how deeply in love with him she was. He could never have hurt her so badly yesterday if she didn’t love him.
She was just a temporary diversion. Rocco would choose an ice princess to be his partner some day, and Gracie wanted to hate him for that—but how could she when she knew how badly he craved that ultimate acceptance? When she knew how hard he’d struggled to leave his past behind so he could get it? Didn’t he deserve it after the tragedy and pain he’d endured? She of all people couldn’t deny him that.
Moving on autopilot, Gracie packed her paltry belongings and penned two brief notes—one for Rocco and another for her brother. She couldn’t even bear to see Steven right now, terrified he’d convince her to stay. When she went to the entrance of the apartment to leave a different bodyguard was on duty to let her out and she was glad. Seeing George might have shattered her brittle control completely.
Two weeks later.
Gracie was struggling through the dense crowd and had to hold the full tray of empty glasses practically over her head to get through. Even as she cursed, and sweat rolled down her back and between her breasts, she tried to stop herself from griping. With this job she would be able to afford to move out of the hostel in a few weeks and find somewhere cheap to rent. And once she had somewhere of her own she would put aside a few hours every day and work on her idea for the children’s book.
Gracie heaved a sigh of relief when she saw the kitchen doors ahead. She went in and put the tray down, but was immediately handed another full tray of champagne by her boss, who said cheerily, ‘They’re a thirsty lot tonight.’