A Marriage Fit for a Sinner

‘I can’t believe everything’s been arranged so precisely,’ she murmured.

‘You would’ve preferred that they fling your things around without thought or care?’

‘That’s not what I mean and you know it. You’ve reproduced my room almost exactly how it was before.’

He frowned. ‘I fail to see how that causes you distress.’

She strolled to the white oak antique dresser that had belonged to her mother. It’d been her mother’s favourite piece of furniture and one of the few things Eva had taken when she’d left Pennington Manor.

Her fingers drifted over the hairbrush she’d used only yesterday morning. It had been placed in the little stand just as she normally did. ‘I’m not distressed. I’m a little disconcerted that my things are almost exactly as I left them at my flat yesterday morning.’ When he continued to stare, she pursed her lips. ‘To reproduce this the movers would’ve needed photographic memories.’

‘Or a few cameras shots as per my instructions.’

She sucked in a startled breath. ‘Why would you do that?’

His lashes swept down for a moment. Then he shrugged. ‘It was the most efficient course of action.’

‘Oh.’ Eva wasn’t sure why she experienced that bolt of disappointment. Was she stupid enough to believe he’d done that because he cared? That he’d wanted her to be comfortable?

She silently scoffed at herself.

Lending silly daydreams to Zaccheo’s actions had led to bitter disappointment once before. She wasn’t about to make the same mistake again.

She spotted her handbag on the bed and dug out her phone. The battery was almost depleted, but she could make a quick call to her father before it died. She started to press dial and realised Zaccheo hadn’t moved.

‘Did you need something?’

The corner of his mouth quirked, but the bleakness in his eyes didn’t dissipate. ‘I’ve been in jail for over a year, dolcezza. I have innumerable needs.’ The soft words held a note of deadly intent as his gaze moved from her to the bed. Her heart jumped to her throat and the air seemed to evaporate from the room. ‘But my most immediate need is sustenance. I’ve ordered dinner to be brought from upstairs. It’ll be here in fifteen minutes.’

She managed to reply despite the light-headedness that assailed her. ‘Okay. I’ll be there.’

With a curt nod, he left.

Eva sagged sideways onto the bed, her grip on the phone tightening until her bones protested. In the brief weeks she’d dated Zaccheo a year and half ago, she’d seen the way women responded to his unmistakeable animal magnetism. He only needed to walk into the room for every female eye to zero in on him. She’d also witnessed his reaction. Sometimes he responded with charm, other times with arrogant aloofness. But always with an innate sexuality that spoke of a deep appreciation for women. She’d confirmed that appreciation by a quick internet search in a weak moment, which had unearthed the long list of gorgeous women he’d had shockingly brief liaisons with in the past. A young, virile, wealthy bachelor, he’d been at the top of every woman’s ‘want to bed’ list. And he’d had no qualms about helping himself to their amorous attentions.

To be deprived of that for almost a year and a half...

Eva shivered despite the room’s ambient temperature. No, she was the last woman Zaccheo would choose to bed.

But then, he’d kissed her last night as if he’d wanted to devour her. And the way he’d looked at her just now?

She shook her head.

She was here purely as an instrument of his vengeance. The quicker she got to the bottom of that, the better.

Her call went straight to voicemail. Gritting her teeth, she left a message for her father to call her back. Sophie’s phone rang for almost a minute before Eva hung up. Whether her sister was deliberately avoiding her calls or not, Eva intended to get some answers before Monday.

Resolving to try again after dinner, Eva plugged in her phone to charge and left her room. She met two waiters wheeling out a trolley as she entered the dining room. A few seconds later, the front door shut and Eva fought the momentary panic at being alone with Zaccheo.

She avoided looking at his imposing body as he lifted the silver domes from several serving platters.

‘You always were impeccably punctual,’ he said without turning around.

‘I suppose that’s a plus in my favour.’

‘Hmm...’ came his non-committal reply.