The Sicilian's Mistress

Milly glanced up and met his eyes in dismay. ‘I—’

‘You have to make that break. It’s up to you whether you do it now or later. But if you stay with the Jenningses you’re likely to find yourself being put under more pressure, and you have enough to cope with right now. They’re not ready to accept that things have changed.’

Things have changed. Such a bland description of the shattering new knowledge that had virtually wiped out the past three years of her life. But to move straight out into a hotel? Gianni’s hotel? She needed to stand on her own feet, no matter how difficult it was. But Gianni was Connor’s father. Surely she could trust him that far? She badly needed a quiet corner where she could lick her wounds, pull herself together and decide what to do next.

‘Would you leave me alone?’

‘If that’s what you want.’

She wasn’t at all sure it was, but somehow it had seemed safer to give him that impression.

‘But I’d like to spend time with Connor,’ Gianni completed.

‘I’d have gone to my friend, Louise…but she wouldn’t have room for us.’

She went to collect Connor. He did an excited dance on the pavement when he saw the big car. One look at Gianni and his whole face lit up. Connor scrambled into the back seat and wedged himself cheerfully as close as he could get to Gianni.

‘Phroom-phroom!’ he urged with a grin, impatient for the limo to move off again.

Milly’s heart clenched when she saw Gianni meet that satisfied grin with one of his own. A startlingly easy, natural smile such as he had never shown her. It wiped every scrap of reserve from his lean bronzed features and was, she sensed, a rare event. Can I trust him…dare I trust him? What have I got to lose?

Gianni watched Milly pace restively round the dimly lit and spacious reception room, her slender body rigid as a bowstring.

So far her control had been too good to be true. A return visit to the Jenningses’ home had been yet another distressing experience for her. She had been greeted with recriminations about her treatment of Edward and shocked reproaches at the speed with which she was moving out. And Gianni had been as welcome as the Grim Reaper calling in at a christening.

However, Milly had still sat down with Robin and Davina Jennings to tell them how truly grateful she was for all they had done for her. In fact, Milly had shone like a star. She had said and done all the right things. She had come across as loyal, compassionate and forgiving. It had been a hell of an impressive show. But Gianni had watched her like a hawk, waiting for a fleeting expression to reveal to his cynical eyes at least that it was all just a clever act.

Yet once Gianni had fully believed that what you saw was what you got with Milly. But no decent woman would have betrayed him with his own brother for the sake of a quick sexual fix. He had realised then that Milly had to have a really shallow core which she was outstandingly good at keeping hidden. Bitter anger lanced through Gianni at that knowledge. No way was he about to allow her to suck him in with that I’m-so-nice act again!

So why was he still hanging about, holding her hand and being supportive? She didn’t deserve that sort of stuff any more. She was playing him like a little lapdog on a lead! Just because she looked all fragile and forlorn, so touchingly brave in the face of adversity! Gianni slung her a brooding appraisal and then stiffened. What a total idiot he was being! A billionaire turning up to reclaim her had to be of considerable comfort! No wonder she wasn’t coming apart at the seams! Suddenly he wished he had shown up in a battered old car and pretended to be poor…

His lean, strong face grim, Gianni strode rigid-backed towards the door. ‘Call Room Service when you want to eat,’ he told Milly.

Milly stopped pacing, shadowed blue eyes flying to him in unconcealed dismay. ‘Where are you going?’

‘Look, all this stuff is taking a large chunk out of my work schedule,’ Gianni informed her flatly. ‘Just thought I’d mention it.’

Milly’s lower lip trembled. He sounded so fed up with her, but when she thought about what he had had to put up with over the past day or so, suddenly she wasn’t the least bit surprised by the way he was behaving. Her wobbly mouth made a determined stab at an apologetic smile. ‘I’m really sorry, Gianni.’

Gianni shifted one broad shoulder in an infinitesimal and very Latin shrug. ‘What for?’

‘Because I’ve been really selfish,’ Milly acknowledged guiltily. ‘You’ve been dragged into the midst of all my problems and this morning I was even calling you names! If it wasn’t for you, I’d still be thinking I was Faith Jennings. But not once have I stopped to say thank you—’

‘I don’t want gratitude.’

Milly looked uncertainly at him. Sensing his eagerness to be gone, she suppressed the awareness that she didn’t want to be alone with only her own thoughts to keep her company. She wasn’t a baby. She had

to manage.

‘Could you bring your work up here?’ she nonetheless heard herself ask.

‘I have half a dozen staff working flat out. I doubt if Connor would sleep through the racket.’

Milly nodded slowly, forced an understanding smile and turned away.

Gianni opened the door.

‘How do I get in touch with you if I need to?’ she suddenly spun back to demand.