Page 43 of Bride of Betrayal
Angelica smiled for real this time. It had been an ongoing joke since they’d met that Leo hadn’t the first clue about the fashion and beauty industry, not even recognising iconic designer names.
‘It is, and I’m grateful for it but…it feels like a watershed moment. If I keep taking jobs like this, I’m committing to a life I’m not sure I want any more.’
Leo looked at her for a moment and then said, ‘The philanthropic wing of Falzone Global Management is here in New York.’ His mouth tightened. ‘Needless to say, Aldo didn’t have much use for them in the last few years. I could set up a meeting for you, if you like. They’d be great for advising you on how to take the next steps in creating a charity.’
A spurt of excitement filled Angelica’s gut. Her eyes widened. ‘Could you really? That would be amazing.’
He nodded. ‘Of course, I’ll do it right away. Do you want to meet them today?’
Angelica shrugged. ‘Why not?’
‘You can come to the office with me, then.’
‘OK.’ She grinned.
Leo reached out a hand and fleetingly touched her bottom lip with his thumb. ‘That’s better.’
Angelica’s heart hitched. She brought up her hand and caught Leo’s wrist and she nipped at his thumb with her teeth. His eyes flared golden. So much more golden in the last few days than that unreadable black.
He spread his hand to the back of her head and tugged her closer, dropping his mouth to hers. The kiss was slow and thorough. The kiss of a couple who had indulged for the last few days and who had relearned every inch of what they liked. It simultaneously made Angelica’s heart soar, and drop. Because she knew the end was nigh. She pulled back. They were entering Manhattan and the tall buildings soared into the sky around them.
Leo said, ‘There’s an event tomorrow evening at the Met museum.’
Angelica pulled back slightly. ‘Do you need refined elegance or distraction from your convenient wife?’
Leo felt a punch to his gut when Angelica saidconvenient wife, even though he knew she hadn’t meant it to be a dig in any way. But it just reminded him of how he’d commandeered her down the aisle, bent on revenge, and his conscience pricked.
‘You know you don’t have to do this, Angel. If you want to call an end to this at any time, you can.’
She tensed and drew back. ‘Are you saying you don’t want to be married any more?’
Leo felt another punch to his gut, one he didn’t want to investigate. ‘No, I’m perfectly happy with this arrangement for as long as you are. I’m conscious that you weren’t given a choice at the beginning and I don’t want you to feel like you still have no choice.’
She relaxed a little. ‘I’m happy to be here…for now.’
Leo looked at her. She was remarkable. To have gone through the mental torture that Aldo had put her through for years and then, just when she thought she was free, to find herself being marched down the aisle again. And she’d taken it all on board with an equanimity and stoicism that shamed him. Not to mention a wicked sense of humour—wearing clothes designed to shock and provoke.
He said, ‘I’m sorry that I didn’t know what you’d been through. I’d never have asked you to do the things you have if I’d known.’
She suddenly looked a little shy. ‘It hasn’t beenallbad.’
An image presented itself in Leo’s mind, their intertwined bodies on the vast bed in the beautiful villa in the Caribbean. Pleasure coursing through his blood. Sweat cooling on their skin. And then, diving into the sea to cool off…
‘No,’ he agreed, feeling a little exposed. ‘It hasn’t been all bad, and I will make it up to you. You and your family won’t have to worry about—’
Angelica put a finger to his mouth. ‘You don’t owe us anything, Leo. I don’t regret knowing you. I’m here because I want to be.’
Before he could respond to that she said, ‘I think I’ll aim for refined elegance tomorrow evening. You don’t need anyone to deflect attention any more, you’re back.’
For the first time in Leo’s life, he felt a sense of kinship, of having someone by his side who cared about what happened. He’d thought he’d had it with Aldo but, in hindsight, Aldo had always gone his own way and Leo should have seen that for what it was much earlier.
The car came to a stop outside the building housing Leo’s office. ‘We’re here.’
Angelica suddenly looked a little concerned. ‘Are you sure it’s OK to just land me in with your philanthropy team? I’m sure they’re busy…’
Leo hid the little jolt he felt at her very natural and genuine concern for others. To think he’d doubted her was another shameful stain on his conscience. And yet selfishly he knew he wasn’t going to take the higher road and insist on ending this marriage… If she was happy to stay for now, then he wasn’t about to let her out of his sight.
‘It’ll be fine, they’ll be only too happy to help. They’ve had nothing to do for the last three years and this project is one I’m willing to get behind too.’
