A Proposal to Remember

The man had threatened his mother, his sister and the woman he loved.

‘Nothing will ever take the pain away,’ Zan said quietly, ‘but time will make it less acute. But Carlo’s right—your family needs you. You’ve already lost a child. Don’t lose your family, too.’

Before the man could reply the police stormed into the room and Carlo dragged Zan against him possessively.

He wasn’t letting her out of his sight ever again.

He spoke briefly to the police and they handcuffed the two men and marched them out of the door.

Zan watched them go with sadness in her eyes. ‘Poor man.’

Matt stared at Carlo. ‘The man had a knife to her throat and she thinks he’s a poor man.’

Carlo gave a twisted smile. ‘I’m afraid I find it hard to be so forgiving.’

Zan sighed and touched his cheek gently. ‘I’m not really that forgiving. He frightened the life out of me and he’s made your life hell, I know. But he lost a child and grief does odd things to people.’ She gave a wan smile. ‘I thought you were never going to come. How did you get in?’

‘Matt’s good with locks.’ Carlo moved towards her and she looked at him warily.

‘And where did you learn to fight like that?’

Carlo shrugged. ‘I always refused to have a bodyguard so Dad made sure I had the right training—a bit like your brothers and your judo, I suppose.’

Her eyes were wide. ‘You were scary.’

‘I’m Italian. We know how to protect our own and he threatened the most important person in my life,’ Carlo said softly.

Matt cleared his throat. ‘I’ll go and sort things out with the police and ring the family. Nico will want to know that it’s all sorted.’

* * *

An hour later Zan was curled up on the sofa, snug and warm in Carlo’s arms. Judging from the way he was holding her, he was never going to let her go.

And it was a really good feeling.

‘Usually all that happens on Boxing Day is that I get to eat the remains of the turkey and the mince pies,’ she said lightly, tilting her head so that she could look at him. ‘Life with you is certainly exciting; I’ll give you that.’

Carlo pulled her against him with a groan. ‘When that midwife told me you’d gone to your flat to meet me, I almost had a heart attack.’

‘I wasn’t thinking straight or I would have realised that it wasn’t you,’ Zan confessed sheepishly. ‘But I was so excited about seeing you that I just dashed off and walked right into their trap.’

Carlo’s grip tightened and his eyes darkened in anger. ‘They were waiting inside the flat?’

She nodded. ‘The moment I walked inside they shut the door and attacked me. I managed to floor one of them.’

Carlo gave a wry smile. ‘I wish I could have seen that. I bet you gave him a shock.’

‘Well, he hit his head when he fell so I don’t think he thought about it too much. Unfortunately the other guy grabbed me from behind and I couldn’t shift him. He said he was going to wait until you arrived and then kill me.’

She gave a shudder and Carlo frowned. ‘How did he know I was coming?’

‘Don’t ask me. I can’t read men’s minds. I just know he wanted to kill me with you watching.’

‘Nice guy,’ Carlo drawled, and she gave a sad smile.

‘Hurt guy.’ She let out a breath. ‘How did you know I was here?’

‘I saw you on television, announcing to the world that you loved me and trusted me,’ Carlo said smugly. ‘Naturally I tried to find you to compliment you on your taste in men.’