The Sicilian's Bought Cinderella

‘What do you think she wants?’

‘I know what she wants. She wants to know if she can meet you before Finn’s party.’

His hands tightened on the steering wheel but his heart lifted to see the airport on the horizon.

He put his foot on the accelerator.

Almost there.

A few more minutes and she would be out of his car and out of his life for good, and he would never have to think about the O’Reillys again.

‘Fine,’ she said through what sounded like gritted teeth.

Nothing more was said until he pulled into the airport’s drop-off.

He switched the engine off, twisted in his seat to face her and found himself looking at the back of her head.

‘There is a member of the airport staff in the departure lounge waiting for you,’ he said. ‘She’ll have your name on a board, so you can’t miss her. She will see you’re looked after and get you where you need to go.’

She didn’t answer.

‘Aislin?’

Her head moved round slowly and then the grey eyes he’d found so striking in that very first glance fixed on him, and what he saw in them was powerful enough to make his heart thump and twist.

Then she blinked and the hurt he’d seen was gone.

‘Get your phone out,’ she said briskly. ‘I’ll give you Orla’s number and you can call her when the DNA test’s done.’

Blood surged in his head. ‘Aislin—’

‘Will you give me your number too, so I can pass it on to her?’ she continued, as if he hadn’t tried to speak. ‘Even if you don’t want to meet before the party it would be good for the two of you to talk.’

He took a deep breath and rested his pounding head back. ‘No.’

‘No...? What do you mean?’

He’d hoped she would leave without the need for this conversation but she had boxed him in. Non-committal answers were not going to satisfy her now. ‘I’m not going to meet Orla.’

‘Not meet her...?’ She looked as confused as if he’d told her the sky was really a giant mushroom. ‘But why would you not want to meet her? She’s your sister. Sure, she can be annoying, but she’s a lovely person—’

‘Orla is not my sister.’ Something crawled inside him. It twisted in his veins and bound to his bones, pulsing rabidly under his skin.

‘Not this again. She is your sister.’

‘No, dolcezza, she is not.’ It was a fight to keep his tone even. ‘The test will prove she shares my DNA but that does not make her my sister. I understand that this is not what you have hoped for, but she is a stranger to me, and I have no wish to allow a stranger into my life.’

‘You’ll have to meet her at Finn’s party. You won’t be able to avoid her there.’

‘I’m not coming to Finn’s party.’

‘But you said...’

‘I said to give me the details. I made no promises.’

‘Dante, please come. Give them a chance...’

‘No!’