Page 46 of Bride of Betrayal
Angelica squeezed his hand and Leo had the very sick sense that he wasn’t fine at all.
Two days later
There was a knot in Angelica’s gut as the water-taxi made its way up the iconic Grand Canal of Venice, to where Leo’s apartment was situated, in one of the majestic palazzos lining the canal.
They pulled in at the landing jetty and Leo jumped out athletically before turning to give a hand to Angelica. She was wearing wide jeans, silk T-shirt and a light cropped jacket.
Leo led her into the reception area of the palazzo where the concierge greeted Leo with genuine affection, telling him he was so glad that Leo had been exonerated. It made Angelica feel emotional too.
Leo’s apartment was on the second floor and took up the entire space. Parquet flooring and ornate original features. Oriental rugs. Soft, comfortable furnishings and coffee tables groaning under books on art and photography. When she’d been with Leo three years ago, he’d used to spend almost as much time here as in Rome.
If Angelica wasn’t booked on a job, she’d used to curl up here while Leo was working in his office and flick through the books.
When they walked in she noticed something—empty spaces on the walls. ‘Where are your paintings?’
Leo had been building up a small curated collection with an art broker from New York.
‘Aldo took them because they were pretty much the only thing he could lift easily from the apartment. Luckily this was entirely in my name so he couldn’t get his hands on it.’
Angelica shook her head. ‘Unbelievable. If I’d known I would have tried to stop him, but I never came here with him.’ And she was so thankful for that. As painful as some of the memories were here, she didn’t need Aldo adding to the pain.
‘It’s fine. Faye Holt, the art broker, is doing a great job of retrieving them for me.’
‘I’m glad.’ There had been one she’d loved, by Matisse.
Leo looked at his watch. He was in a three-piece suit and, even after a transatlantic flight, he looked mouth-wateringly vital and gorgeous.
‘I have to go to a meeting for the afternoon, but I want to show you something first…if it’s here,’ Leo said enigmatically.
Angelica followed him out of the living area and into the corridor where the bedrooms were. In the main bedroom, that had a small balcony/terrace overlooking the canal, Leo reached for a clothes bag that was hanging in the wardrobe. He took it out and laid it on the bed and pulled down the zip, revealing shimmering gold and chiffon and lace and silk. A dress. Ethereally beautiful, with delicate capped sleeves and a low bodice.
‘What’s this for?’
‘The event tonight. It’s a masked ball.’
Angelica noticed the feathered matching mask, attached to the dress.
He said, ‘I know you can dress yourself but I took the liberty of having a stylist organise a dress.’
Angelica reached out and touched the material. ‘It’s beautiful, of course I’ll wear it.’
‘What will you do for the afternoon?’
Angelica looked at Leo. ‘Actually, I have a Zoom meeting with the philanthropic team to talk about plans for the charity.’
‘Great…well, if you need anything just text me.’
‘I will.’
Leo looked at her for an unnervingly long time until Angelica felt herself blushing. ‘What are you doing?’
Leo shook his head as if he was coming out of a trance. ‘You mesmerise me.’
Angelica rolled her eyes, and held up her hand. ‘We’re married, Leo, you don’t have to say those kinds of things to me.’Especially when we both know thatyou’ll undoubtedly be saying something similar to the next lover you bring here.
Leo came close and touched Angelica’s jaw. ‘I’ve never said anything like that to another woman and I don’t intend to.’
Angelica’s insides twisted. ‘Leo, stop, you really don’t have to—’
