Page 217 of Modern Romance Collection December 2024 Books 5-8

She hesitated. ‘I didn’t mean what I said earlier about being your girlfriend. I mean, obviously I didn’t want to do it but you’re not who I thought you were.’

Ditto, he thought as she met his gaze.

‘Are you going to the police?’

He shook his head. ‘But we have to find a way to make this work. We might not be friends but we can’t be strangers.’

‘I know.’ She nodded. ‘I could take another look at the clothes.’

‘And you could wear some of your own clothes if that would make you feel more comfortable. Or I could get the stylist to select some other options, and you could choose something more “you”.’

It was easy to offer that, and he wondered why it had seemed such a point of contention back at the villa. But then that was before he knew the truth. That she wasn’t just the grabby little thief he’d assumed her to be. She had a motive, so, yes, she had still tried to steal from him, but at least he understood why. It wasn’t greed that had motivated her but love, and loyalty. She had put everything she had on one desperate spin of the roulette wheel. Her job. Her professional reputation. Her freedom. Gazing down into her face, he felt a stab of something like envy. Who would do that for him? Who would sacrifice anything to save him?

He pushed the thought away. This wasn’t about him. It was about Sydney, and that look on her face when she’d turned and seen him on the beach. She’d looked like he used to feel. Lost, alone, angry and scared, but trying not to show it and he’d hated it.

‘Your brothers, do they have a lawyer?’

‘Yes.’ She nodded. ‘But they need a better one. I did go to the bank, but I’d already taken out a loan to set up the business. And my parents don’t have that kind of money. That’s why I was trying to hack your system.’

‘Then maybe now is a good time to rethink our arrangement, tweak it a little.’

She stared at him warily.

‘Look, if you’re still willing to help me, then maybe I can help you. I know plenty of good lawyers. I can make some calls, that way your brothers will get proper legal representation.’

Her eyes widened. ‘Why would you do that?’

He held her gaze. ‘Because you highlighted the vulnerabilities in my system when you hacked it. So, in a way, you did me a favour. Plus, it would be awkward if something came out about your family while we’re together, so if I can stop that from happening... I mean, what’s the point of being rich if you can’t bully and buy your way out of trouble?’

He watched her cheeks flush as she recognised her words.

‘That would be such a relief,’ she said after a second or two, as if she’d needed a moment to pull herself together, and it wasn’t that he was surprised, because he knew her better now, but hearing the tremble in her voice felt like a blow.

‘Why did they leave?’

He frowned, then realised she was looking at the stone hut.

‘The fishermen? I think it was around the time Venice grew. Other islands were just geographically closer to the city. Times change.’

‘It’s strange to think that people lived and worked here and then they just disappeared.’

‘They didn’t take everything. There’s some graffiti on the wall.’

Her face shifted then, mouth curving into a smile of such sweetness that he felt momentarily light-headed. ‘Here, let me show you.’

He held out his hand and, after a second, she took it and he led her into the hut. Maybe it was because the shutters were closed or perhaps it was the shafts of light slicing through the cool air, but he felt as if he were in a dream.

‘Look here.’

Crouching down, she gently touched the writing on the stone. ‘What does it say?’

‘My Latin is pretty basic but I think it’s something about a woman he likes. Wants,’ he corrected himself. ‘He wants her.’

There was a beat of silence and then she took a step forward into the wavering light and the flush on her cheeks was the realest thing he had ever seen.

CHAPTER SIX

SYDNEYCOULDFEELhis heart pounding beneath his ribs.

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