Somehow her anxiety only escalated. ‘Oh, so you don’t really need me at all, do you?’
His frown deepened. ‘Of course I need you. What’s this really about?’
On some level, Maisie knew she was reacting to a deeper anxiety, one that stemmed from the knowledge that Romeo’s life was so smoothly coordinated, aside from her role in his bed, he didn’t need her for much else. Even Lucca would be extremely well taken care of by Emily and Mahina, should Maisie suddenly find herself rubbed out of the picture.
‘Maisie?’ he growled warningly.
She shrugged. ‘I guess I’m feeling a little surplus to requirements.’ Not to mention suddenly aware of her precarious position of temporary wife. ‘I barely do anything for Lucca any more besides eat breakfast and sometimes lunch with him. Other times, he’d rather play with Emily or hang out with you.’
He took her by the arms. ‘You’ve had him to yourself for almost four years. It’s understandable the small separation on occasion would feel strange. And that separation was probably more pronounced because you were avoiding me,’ he pointed out. ‘But if you want me to prove that you’re not surplus to requirements, just say the word, and I’ll oblige you.’
She looked into eyes darkening into burnished gold and a blaze sparked through her. But alongside it rose a wave of desolation. Sex with Romeo was out of this world. Each experience felt as if she were touching the stars. But it was just sex for him. It would never be anything more.
So when he gathered her close and kissed her, she responded with a lingering taste of sadness that made tears brim behind her closed eyes.
His phone rang just when she thought the tears would spill and betray her, and she breathed a sigh of relief. He pulled it from his pocket and checked the screen. Frowning, he looked at her. ‘Sorry, it’s Zaccheo. I have to take it.’
Waving him away, she hurriedly escaped the sunlit living room. Her first thought was to find Lucca. She found him in the playroom and pulled him into a close embrace. When he demanded she read his favourite story, she obliged.
She was on the fifth read when Romeo entered the room.
She jerked upright at the volcanic fury on his face. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘Zaccheo and Eva are arriving tomorrow.’
A day earlier than planned. ‘Why?’
‘Because they’ve been pulled into this insane situation in Palermo. It’s time to end this before it gets out of hand.’
CHAPTER TWELVE
HER FIRST IMPRESSION of Zaccheo Giordano drove home the understanding of why the two powerful men were friends.
He carried himself with the same ruthless energy as Romeo, albeit with a little less brooding intensity. That energy was exhibited clearly when he stepped from the buggy and clasped Romeo’s hand in an unsmiling, yet moving greeting.
His intensity lessened dramatically when he helped his heavily pregnant wife up the short steps into the wide villa entranceway.
Eva Giordano was gorgeous in a pocket-Venus, burst-of-energy way that drew interested eyes to her wild tumble of blonde hair and sharply contrasting dark eyebrows and darkly ringed green eyes.
Despite the strong evidence of love between them, Maisie sensed a tension between her and Zaccheo, which was explained once introductions had been made and Romeo was hugging Eva.
‘I’m sorry we had to descend on you prematurely, but it was either we all came here or we all went to Palermo.’ She cast an irritated look at her husband. ‘The vote was eventually unanimous that we come here, since I refused to be left behind while Caveman over here went off to tackle Carmelo and Lorenzo on his own.’
Zaccheo muttered under his breath about intransigent women and helped corral his twin sons when they escaped their nanny and started fighting over who was better suited to drive the buggy.
Eva turned from greeting Romeo and her gaze fell on Lucca. ‘Oh, hello there, beautiful boy.’ Her wide smile seemed to enchant her husband, who lost his growly look and came to stand beside her, one hand gently caressing her swollen belly.
The look of pure, blazing love that passed between them caused Maisie’s heart to drop in misery into her belly. But she managed a smile and coaxed a shy Lucca from behind her. Within minutes he and the Giordano boys were exploring the new toy room Romeo had installed for him.
Mahina served drinks on the terrace and the tension mounted again the moment she left.
‘What exactly did Carmelo want from you?’ Romeo asked tersely, once Zaccheo had apprised them of the threat from Palermo’s other crime lord.