The Italian's Wife

admit that she had dropped out in advance of it. 'OK...fine.'

Rio spread his hands in an expressive motion. 'I personally feel that

the wisest solution is for you to work somewhere in the Lombardi empire.

Now, before you start saying that's nepotism, listen to the pros and

cons...'

'Pros and cons...' Holly parroted, hugely taken aback by his suggestion.

'Your hours would be negotiable- So if I want us to take off somewhere

for a break at short notice, or even have you accompany me on a business

trip, there won't be a problem.'

'I see...'

'Of course, you will have to do some business courses first, and some of

our company courses are quite demanding. But, when you're so keen to

have a career, I can't see that being a problem. You just haven't had

the opportunities before but now you do,' Rio informed her with

satisfaction.

The silence lay, a silence of expectancy.

Holly was aghast. She was seeing demanding business courses stretching

interminably into her future and cringing from the prospect. But after

all the noise she had made about working, how was she supposed to turn

round and tell him she had changed her mind? Especially when he had made

such an effort to alter his own outlook on her behalf. Why were men so

obtuse sometimes? 'Holly?' Rio prompted.

Holly swallowed hard and forced a weak smile. 'You're being really

supportive. I'll think the idea over.'

'I have a surprise for you, cara. Put out your hand and close your

eyes,' Rio urged.

Her mascaraed lashes clogged together. She felt him slide something onto

her left hand and she untangled her lashes to look.

'Six-week anniversary present,' Rio imparted. A fabulous sapphire and

diamond ring now sat next to her wedding ring. Her throat closed over.

When he went on a guilt trip, he really worked hard at it, she

reflected, tears stinging her eyes. 'It's just gorgeous...' she said in

a wobbly voice.

'What are you crying for?'

'I'm not crying,' she swore chokily. 'Look, I'd better get

dressed.'

'Spoilsport,' he murmured huskily.

She had had to fall like a ton of bricks for him to discover that

sometimes she loved him so much it literally hurt to think about it.

The party was held in a huge town house by a very fashionable

middle-aged couple. The decor seemed to have a gothic theme, or maybe it

was just the party theme, Holly thought, but there was a giant mural of

dragons adorning one end of the vast main room and the lights were dim

and the air heavy with the scent of incense. Huge mirrors hung

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on the walls and veiled marble statues lurked in dim corners.

'You've got some strange friends,' Holly told Rio.

'Frank and Lily are very conventional but they slavishly follow every

fashion trend,' Rio informed her with amusement. "The next time you

visit it will all have changed.'

Holly saw Christabel make her entrance, could not really have missed it

even had she tried. Wearing a shimmering, extremely short white dress

that caressed every curve of her perfect body, Christabel turned every

head in the room, both male and female.

As Holly sat there frozen by dismay and an instant sense of being under

threat, Rio drawled softly, 'I'm afraid that on some occasions you will

have to get used to seeing her around.'

'Did you know she was going to be here?'

'I didn't even think about it,' Rio countered in a decided tone of

exasperation.

Holly then noticed that Christabel had a very presentable male companion

in tow and the sight soothed her. She knew what Rio was telling her and

wished she hadn't commented. Christabel had a perfect right to go where

she liked.

An hour later she watched Rio's ex-fiancée putting on a stunning

exhibition of salsa dancing and generally becoming the life and soul of

the party. By her side, Rio got quieter and quieter. When he had asked

her to dance she had said no. She didn't know how to do salsa but now

everyone was doing it and doing it with real style.

While Rio was at the other end of the room chatting to their host his

cousin, Jeremy strolled up. 'Would you like to dance?'

'No, thanks.'

'You shouldn't let Christabel get you down,' Jeremy said

bluntly.

'Oh, is she here? I hadn't noticed.' Holly knew she was sulking and

feeling sorry for herself but she was unable to stop. She felt so plain,

so colourless in comparison to Christabel. Why had Rio become so silent?

Maybe he was jealous. Maybe seeing Christabel with another man annoyed

him. How could it not annoy him, for goodness' sake? Christabel was just

so unbelievably gorgeous, she

conceded miserably.

Jeremy drifted off again and Holly watched Christabel giggle in company

with their hostess, Lily. And then something happened. The older woman's

face froze and she turned on her heel and stalked over to her husband

and Rio. Christabel returned to her table and lifted her handbag to

rifle through it. Then the dancers screened her from view. But when

Holly glanced back at Rio for the first time she saw him looking in

Christabel's direction, lean, strong face taut, his tension

unmistakable. Suddenly Holly's heart felt as if it was thundering at the

base of her throat and threatening to choke her. As if in a dream, she

watched Rio cut a path across the crowded floor, making a beeline for

Christabel. Then she saw her husband standing with his ex-fiancée in the

circle of his arms and she couldn't believe it. Her very worst nightmare

was coming true before her eyes but she could not believe it.

But Christabel's head was down on his shoulder, her hair trailing across

his dark jacket like a blonde banner. Some people had even stopped

dancing to stare. The taste of bile in her dry mouth, Holly watched

sickly as Rio, with a supportive arm wrapped round Christabel, walked

her out of

the room.

Holly sat very still, just staring into space, eyes burning

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in her sockets, tummy cramping with nausea. She was horribly conscious

of the surge of comment washing round the room in a tidal wave. She

couldn't

hear it because of the music but she could see and feel it: the

heads moving together, the clumping up of couples into bigger groups,

the agonising moment when she accidentally collided with a speculative

glance.

Jeremy appeared in front of her. 'Rio called me on my mobile. He asked

me to keep you company.'

Rio had phoned Jeremy? Rio had actually left the party with Christabel?

Her husband had just walked out and left her stranded in front of an

audience? Well, where did you think he was going with her? she asked

herself numbly.

'I want to go home.' Holly got up, legs trembling, wanting some magic

process to transport her outside, away from the watching eyes and the

clattering tongues. Never in her life had she felt more humiliated.

Never had she dreamt that Rio would do such a thing to her.

There was no sign of their host and hostess, which was a relief. Jeremy

tucked Holly into a cab as if she might shatter into pieces if he wasn't

careful. He climbed in beside her.

'There's no need for you to come with me,' Holly said woodenly.

Jeremy's phone started playing some ludicrously upbeat tune. He handed

it to her. 'It's Rio...'

'Holly, I'm really sorry but I honestly didn't have a choice,' Rio

breathed in bleak undertone. 'Look, we'll talk later.'