Shadow Warrior (Shadow Riders 4)

“I forgot.” It was a lame excuse as excuses went, but it was the truth. She knew Dr. Arnold had insisted on an x-ray before she left the hospital. She had the feeling that he would have been happy to lock her up in a tiny room where she couldn’t move or see the light of day for the next few weeks. Fortunately, Vittorio had insisted she go home with him.

“Here’s what we’re going to do for the next few days, gattina bella. You’re going to let me take care of you while you get better and you’re not going to worry about Haydon Phillips, the police or anything else.”

“That sounds like you’re taking over my life. I can’t just let you make all the decisions for me.”

“Why not? Would that be so bad?” His low, velvety voice stroked over her skin. “I’ve been making the decisions for the last two weeks.”

That was true. Someone had to have made a lot of decisions for her. She was fairly certain she wouldn’t have an arm if it hadn’t been for Vittorio. Would it be so terrible to let him take over for another week while she rested? The idea was very tempting. Still, there was the matter of Haydon Phillips.

She steeled herself to do the right thing. “You know you’re not really my fiancé. You don’t have any responsibility to me at all. In fact, you’ve done more than anyone else would have done under the same circumstances, and I appreciate it more than you can possibly know. I can’t let this continue no matter how much I want it to. Haydon Phillips will kill you if I stay with you.”

“Grace, you aren’t thinking straight. I’ve been with you for two weeks. I’ve rarely left your side. He’s going to come after me anyway, whether you’re with me or not. Am I right about that?”

His deep blue eyes looked directly into hers and she couldn’t look away. She nodded, because it was the truth. Her heart started beating faster for no reason at all other than whenever she looked at him like this, she felt almost as if she belonged to him. For a woman who had been alone her entire life, isolated and afraid, feeling that way was shocking, frightening and exhilarating all mixed together.

“Then, la mia ragazza molto coraggiosa, be brave a little longer and give me your trust. My home is a fortress. He is welcome to try for me there, but he won’t succeed. Let me have the privilege of taking care of you until you’re well enough to take care of yourself.”

“I don’t want anything to happen to you.” She blurted it out, terrified she was going to give in. To let the prince take her to his castle like some absurd fairy tale.

“Nothing will happen to me.”

He absolutely looked invincible.

“I don’t know you.”

He bent his head and gently brushed a kiss across her forehead. “You know me, gattina, you’re just conditioned to think you can’t trust anyone. He did that to you. Don’t let him interfere with us. You have the right to live your life, Grace. Don’t let him take that away from you any more than he’s already done. You’re safe with me. I give you my word, and a Ferraro never goes back on his word. Keep trusting me. I swear you won’t regret it.”

Her wild imagination immediately interpreted his statement as him claiming her, making her his, letting her know no matter what, he would stand for her. A million butterflies had taken wing in her stomach at the touch of his lips on her skin in spite of the pain threatening to swamp her. He could do that. Make her forget, even if it was just for a few seconds. She couldn’t stop the slow nod of assent. Relief swept through her and she put her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. She didn’t have to think anymore.

His hand went to her scalp, his strong fingers doing a slow massage that somehow kept the throbbing pain at bay enough that she could tolerate the rest of the ride without wanting to be sick. Neither said anything more until she felt the car slow.

Opening her eyes, she saw the vehicle was going down what was obviously a thousand-foot driveway with woods on either side. She started to sit up straighter to get a better view. She’d heard of places like this one along Lake Michigan, but she’d never actually seen one of the beautiful wooded estates. The moment she moved, wrenching pain radiated from her shoulder throughout her body. Her stomach reacted with a frightening lurch and she couldn’t quite suppress the sound that was torn from her throat in spite of her every effort not to cry out.