She hurried downstairs and crossed the yard, heading for the stable block. Tacking up the same horse as yesterday, she led him out. Dante had a head’s start but the sun was rising, showing her the way. She was confident she’d find him. She’d trust her instincts and those of a horse seeking out his stablemate.
She trailed him at a distance. Dante was riding at a steady pace, making it easy to keep him in sight. She had a small setback when the early morning sun went behind a cloud, and when it cleared again there was no sign of Dante. She looked about, searching for him, and then shrieked with alarm as strong arms scooped her from her horse.
‘Now we talk,’ he snarled as he lowered her to her feet in front of him.
‘We’re in the middle of nowhere!’ She was still shocked, and angry that he had got the better of her.
‘Exactly,’ he agreed. ‘No distractions.’
‘You set this up?’ She was trembling with fury—and something else she didn’t care to analyse.
‘I set you up,’ he confirmed with a look.
Angling his stubble-shaded chin, he stared at her with all the old arrogance. She couldn’t believe she’d fallen for it, but she had always been gullible where Dante was concerned.
It was as if the two of them were alone on a massive stage, with the strengthening sun dazzling her like a spotlight. All the early birdsong fell away as Dante’s black stare drilled into hers.
His grip tightened on her arms. ‘You’ve successfully avoided talking to me face to face for almost ten years. My best guess?’ His black stare speared into her eyes. ‘If you hadn’t been forced into my company, you’d still be avoiding me. I’m giving you one last chance to tell me what you’re hiding from me. And be warned, I won’t ask again. I’ll appoint investigators to find out the truth for me instead.’
She felt sick and faint. It had never occurred to her that Dante would go to those lengths. Dragging in a breath, she tried to remain calm, but the steel in his eyes and in his voice had thrown her.
‘Why are you here, Karina? Why did you follow me?’
‘I was curious,’ she said with a shrug, in an attempt to make light of it. She had followed him because she had wanted to be close to him, she added silently.
‘You’re curious?’ With a laugh, he shook his head. ‘How do you think I feel about you?’
Dante’s laughter was as cold as his stare. She should have listened to the gossip that said no one could reach out and touch Dante Baracca. Many had tried, but they had all given up. Only she was stubborn enough to believe that the man she had spent her teenage years dreaming about still existed.
‘It’s about that night, isn’t it, Karina? It’s something to do with that night.’
‘Don’t be silly,’ she said defensively, desperate to change the subject.
‘Tell me, Karina. Tell me every detail of what’s happened to you between that night and this.’
‘Why should I?’ she stormed, lashing herself inwardly as she tried to skirt the truth.
‘Because the woman standing in front of me is not the Karina Marcelos I used to know, and I demand to know why.’
‘You demand?’ she interrupted, laughing at the bitter irony of them both searching for something that didn’t exist any more. ‘The Karina Marcelos you mean no longer exists. She was a stupid—na?ve—girl...’
Dante pulled his head back. ‘What are you trying to say, Karina?’
She tried to breathe and could only suck in air in great gasps.
‘Karina!’ Dante all but shouted. ‘Tell me what is wrong.’
Holding out her hand as if to fend him off, she somehow formed the words. ‘You left me pregnant.’
Her voice sounded too loud, and the impact of her words shocked even Dante into silence. They stood together without moving, without breathing, without reacting at all, until he ground out, ‘Why didn’t you tell me this before?’
Her wounded gaze flashed to his. ‘Because I’m not the person I was then.’
‘You held this information from me?’ He looked at her incredulously with eyes that had turned to steel—whether with fierce empathy or with fury, she couldn’t tell. She could understand his shock and something of what he must be feeling, but she had no words to reach him.
‘Don’t you have anything to say to me?’ His voice was harsh with frustration. ‘Don’t you think you at least owe me an explanation for your long silence?’