A Marriage Fit for a Sinner

His eyes held hers for a long moment before he turned and headed for the door. The next few minutes passed in a blur as Zaccheo issued clipped instructions about mountings, scrolls and settings to the jeweller.

* * *

Before she could catch her breath, Eva was back outside. Flashes went off as a group of paparazzi lunged towards them. Zaccheo handed her into the car before joining her. With a curt instruction to the driver, the car lurched into traffic.

‘If I’ve achieved my publicity quota for the day, I’d like to be dropped at my flat, please.’

Zaccheo focused those incisive eyes on her. ‘Why would I do that?’

‘Aren’t we done? I’d catch a bus home, but I left my handbag and phone at Pennington Manor—’

‘Your belongings have been brought to my penthouse,’ he replied.

‘Okay, thanks. As soon as I collect them, I’ll be out of your hair.’ She needed to get out of this dress, shower and practise the six songs she would be performing at the club tonight. Saturday nights were the busiest of the week, and she couldn’t be late. The music producer who’d been frequenting the club for the last few weeks might make another appearance tonight.

A little bubble of excitement built and she squashed it down as that half-smile that chilled her to the bone appeared on Zaccheo’s face.

‘You misunderstand. When I mentioned your belongings, I didn’t mean your handbag and your phone. I meant everything you own in your bedsit has been removed. While we were picking your engagement ring, your belongings were relocated. Your rent has been paid off with interest and your landlady is busy renting the property to someone else.’

‘What on earth are you talking about?’ she finally asked when she’d picked up her jaw from the floor and sifted through his words. ‘Of course I still live there. Mrs Hammond wouldn’t just let you into my flat. And she certainly wouldn’t arbitrarily end my lease without speaking to me first.’

Zaccheo just stared back at her.

‘How dare you? Did you threaten her?’

‘No, Eva. I used a much more effective tool.’

Her mouth twisted. ‘You mean you threw so much money at her she buckled under your wishes?’

He shrugged rugged, broad shoulders. ‘You of all people should know how money sways even the most veracious hearts. Mrs Hammond was thrilled at the prospect of receiving her new hip replacement next week instead of at the end of the year. But it also helps that she’s a hopeless romantic. The picture of us in the paper swayed any lingering doubts she had.’

Eva’s breath shuddered out. Her landlady had lamented the long waiting list over shared cups of tea and Eva had offered a sympathetic ear. While she was happy that Mrs Hammond would receive her treatment earlier than anticipated and finally be out of pain, a huge part of her couldn’t see beyond the fact that Zaccheo had ripped her safe harbour away without so much as a by your leave.

‘You had absolutely no right to do that,’ she blazed at him.

‘Did I not?’ he asked laconically.

‘No, you didn’t. This is nothing but a crude demonstration of your power. Well, guess what, I’m unimpressed. Go ahead and do your worst! Whatever crimes you think we’ve committed, maybe going to prison is a better option than this...this kidnapping!’

‘Believe me, prison isn’t an option you want to joke with.’

His lacerated tone made her heart lurch. She looked into his face and saw the agony. Her eyes widened, stunned that he was letting her witness that naked emotion.

‘You think you know what it feels like to be robbed of your freedom for months on end? Pray you never get to find out, Eva. Because you may not survive it.’

‘Zaccheo... I...’ She stuttered to a halt, unsure of what to make of that raw statement.

His hand slashed through the air and his mask slid back into place. ‘I wanted you relocated as swiftly as possible with a minimum of fuss,’ he said.

A new wave of apprehension washed over her. ‘Why? What’s the rush?’

‘I thought that would be obvious, Eva. I have deep-seated trust issues.’

Sadly, she’d reaped the rewards of betrayed trust, but the fierce loyalty to her family that continued to burn within her made her challenge him. ‘How is that my family’s fault?’

His nostrils flared. ‘I trusted your father. He repaid that trust with a betrayal that sent me to prison! And you were right there next to him.’

Again she heard the ragged anguish in his voice. A hysterical part of her mind wondered whether this was the equivalent of a captor revealing his face to his prisoner. Was she doomed now that she’d caught a glimpse of what Zaccheo’s imprisonment had done to him?