The Commanding Italian's Challenge
She hadn’t expected the harsh answer. Cold dread slithered through her stomach. ‘Is it about how they treated Carlotta? Shouldn’t you let that go, Maceo?’ she urged softly.
He spun around, his eyes flames of rage. ‘No. Because they’re snakes. At every turn they try to undermine my position.’
‘Can’t you just vote them off the board?’
His jaw tightened. ‘I might be the majority shareholder but I don’t have the ultimate overruling authority. Not yet, anyway.’
She frowned. What she’d overheard had sounded personal. About her. ‘So what was it about just now?’ she pressed.
She sensed his withdrawal, saw the shutters coming down before he turned to his desk. ‘They’re making their usual threats. Wanting something for nothing.’
Perhaps it wasn’t a lie, but she suspected it wasn’t the whole story either. But, really, was it her business when he was visibly freezing her out?
‘I’m ready to leave,’ she said, changing the subject. ‘I can go ahead if you want?’ she suggested, hoping he’d refuse. Hoping he’d snap out of his mood so things could return to normal. But what was normal when the clock was counting down until this thing reached its end date?
‘We will leave together,’ he stated gruffly.
But even as he gathered his files, strode towards her and took her hand, he was a thousand miles away.
Dinner was a stilted affair, his thoughts clearly elsewhere. But all that changed when they reached the bedroom. There he focused his full attention on her. And, like the fool she was, she surrendered, allowed his searing passion to burn away her chaotic thoughts.
* * *
For a week they carried on in the same vein. Then came the added concern of her mother’s suddenly frequent contact, in which she demanded to know when Faye would be returning.
Assuring her that she would return soon only highlighted how close she was to leaving Capri.
How close she was to walking away from the man she suspected she’d fallen in love with.
When her mother’s calls increased in frequency the next day, Faye was forced to consider cutting her time even shorter. Perhaps going home to see her mother. Her heart eased a little at the thought that she didn’t have to leave permanently just yet. She would just fly home for a couple of days.
Deciding to tell Maceo, she left her favourite position beside the pool, where she’d been toying with more new flavour combinations.
It was Saturday, but Maceo was working at home.
The first thing she noticed was the staff’s tension as she passed them in the hallway.
Her second discovery was Maceo’s absence from his study.
The reason for the staff’s tension became clear when she heard Maceo’s furious voice and saw his angry pacing a moment later as he crossed the terrace outside.
She was debating whether to retreat when her gaze fell on the papers strewn on his desk. Nausea congealed in her stomach as she saw the first of the shrieking headlines. Then the one after that. All with accompanying pictures.
One picture was of her leaving the cemetery with Maceo. Another was of him clutching her hand as they raced towards his helicopter. A third grainy one showed them on his beach in St Lucia, clenched in a lovers’ embrace that left no doubt as to their relationship.
But it was the lurid revealing headlines that rammed horror down her throat. That filled every atom of her being with utter desolation until a hoarse cry left her throat and her knees gave way.
Billionaire CEO Dates Child of Rape!
In Bed with the Dirty Laundry!
She slapped her hand over her mouth, as if that would stop the sickening feeling cascading through her. Firm hands grabbed her, attempted to right her. With a horrified shriek, she pushed Maceo away.
‘Faye...’ His voice was low, imploring.
She staggered away from him. As she did so her hip bumped his desk, sending papers flying to the ground. She started to reach for them but Maceo surged forward.
‘Leave them!’