Her Italian Soldier

He made a strange sound in his throat. “I’m not on anyone’s suspect list. More to the point, how long have you been staying here?”

She could feel the pounding of his heart against her back. It was too fast. His pain would have spiked from the sudden exertion. “I only arrived in Ravello this evening.” In her own way, she’d wanted invisibility after a full day.

“How soon will you be seeing him again?”

“He’ll be sending a car for me tomorrow at eleven. I’ll probably see him later in the day.”

“What exactly do you do?”

This man who’d broken into the house seemed to know more than she’d given him credit for, but she wasn’t about to reveal information about Guilio. Seeing as this stranger had her locked in his grip, he had the upper hand. What choice was there except to answer with as much truth as she dared and still protect Guilio. His name was synonymous with Amalfi and prominent throughout Italy. “I’m working for him temporarily.”

“Why aren’t you living in a pensione or an apartment?” The man was full of questions.

“I asked him to find me a farmhouse that rented out rooms. That’s when he told me I could stay here. There’s no place more beautiful than the Italian countryside. Living here is like walking right into the picture on a calendar of Italy and never wanting to come back out.”

“That’s very interesting.” He’d said the words, but he didn’t sound as if he believed her.

She breathed in sharply. “Now that that I’ve answered all of your questions, it’s only fair you answer one for me. Who are you?”

“Lucca Cavezzali,” he groaned.

“Oh, no—” she cried. This was Guilio’s only son, the adored child he’d had with his first wife, the eighteen-year-old who’d gone into the military and had trained to be a fighter pilot for the Italian air force—his father’s pride and joy!

If she told him the specific nature of her job, it would ruin the surprise his father had been planning for over a year.

Now that she thought about it, the two men had similar builds, though Guilio was shorter. She saw a vague resemblance in some of their facial features, but Lucca must have inherited his black hair from his mother. Guilio hadn’t mentioned anything about his son being injured.

She tried to get away from him, but he held her firmly against him. “Because of you, signorina, my best laid plans have been shot to hell for tonight, as you Americans like to say.”

“You’re right! We do like to say,” she spluttered back. “Allow me to thank you very much, signore. Your unexpected, unforetold nocturnal invasion has changed my plans, too. If you’ll let me go, I’ll phone for a taxi and be gone from here inside of a half hour.”

To her dismay she would have to explain to Guilio why she’d suddenly decided to go to a hotel after all. She would have to think up a good excuse for leaving, but she’d worry about that later.

“Now who’s licking wounds,” he muttered with uncanny perception.

“That’s none of your business.”

“I’m afraid it is. But uprooting you tonight won’t be necessary, provided you’re willing to cooperate with me and keep my presence here a secret until tomorrow.”

Cooperate? For the second time that night she was suffering fresh shock after learning his identity. “You ask a lot of your prisoners.” She’d been trying to wiggle free from his viselike grip, but it was no use. He might be injured, but he was incredibly strong and fit.

“I’m a desperate man.”

Annabelle moaned. “So I’ve noticed. Why don’t you want your father to know you’re back?”

“Back from where, signorina?”

His condescending tone told her that no matter what she said, he wasn’t going to like it. “He mentioned that you’re in the military.” She moistened her lips nervously. “Did you arrange for a special leave or something?”

“That’s not your affair, either.”

She supposed it wasn’t. “You’re right, but I can tell you’re in pain. You should be in bed.”

“I was on my way there.” He’d come from the other part of the house, probably the kitchen. His speech had slowed, leading her to believe he’d drugged himself with something strong.

“Your bed isn’t made up. You’ll have to use mine.”

“As long as you don’t leave my sight. For the rest of the night we’ll lie on the same bed to ensure you