Defying Her Billionaire Protector

‘Do you wish to see him?’

She hesitated. Briefly. ‘Si,’ she said, and instantly her stomach quivered.

Leo strode into the house and a minute later Nico emerged. He walked towards her, smart and handsome in black trousers and a grey button-down shirt, his strong jaw clean-shaven, his dark hair cropped short. Her heart somersaulted. How could he look so good, so unchanged, when she felt so fundamentally altered? It wasn’t fair.

‘Bonjour, Marietta.’

His deep voice washed over her and just like that, with a few velvety syllables, all the heartache of the last month was swept away by a surge of heat and longing she was helpless to prevent.

‘Buongiorno, Nico,’ she managed, her voice cool. Composed. Silently she congratulated herself. No need for him to see how he affected her.

He gestured to the seat Helena had vacated. ‘May I?’

She nodded, and he moved the chair closer to her before he sat. His proximity made her skin tingle. Her pulse race.

‘I’ve missed you.’

Her insides clenched on another surge of longing. I’ve missed you too, she wanted to say.

‘Did you come all the way to Tuscany to tell me you missed me, Nico?’

The corners of his mouth tilted, as though he were amused, and she wished he wouldn’t smile. It weakened her.

‘I did,’ he said simply.

And that made her eyes sting, because she wanted so very badly to believe him.

Suddenly he moved, reaching towards her, and before she could stop him he’d pulled her sunglasses off her face.

His gaze narrowed. ‘You don’t believe me, ma petite sirène?’

‘Please don’t call me that.’

‘Why not?’

Did he really need to ask?

‘Nico, please...just tell me why you’re here.’

He hesitated. ‘I’d like to take you somewhere.’

‘Where?’

‘It’s a surprise.’

Her stomach fluttered. ‘I don’t like surprises.’

‘Please,’ he said, and she heard the distinct note of uncertainty, of vulnerability, in his voice.

It weakened her.

Still, she made him wait a few seconds more. ‘Okay,’ she said at last, and his features relaxed a fraction.

He stood. ‘Do you trust me, chérie?’

She nodded, because she did. She had always trusted him and she always would. All the same, she wasn’t expecting him to do what he did next—which was to lean down and scoop her out of her chair.

‘Nico!’ she exclaimed.