Page 3 of Bound By The Italian’s 'I Do'

‘Already?’

‘I didn’t expect to leave so soon but it’s Camilla’s birthday. She was going to meet me here but as she’s running so late, she’s got her driver to drop her at Amber’s and sent him on to collect me. He’ll be here in a few minutes.’ She gave him an openly provocative stare, and added, ‘I’m sure she won’t mind if you join us.’

Gianni had been to Amber’s, a tiny nightclub with a clientele comprised almost exclusively of British high society, a number of times. With regret, he waved a hand in the direction of the three men he’d not long ago abandoned. ‘I’m on a poker night promise, but I can join you later...if you like?’

She finished her mojito and as she pulled the straw from her mouth, her bottom lip pulled down seductively with it. ‘I do like,’ she murmured, ‘but I’m afraid it has to be an early night for me, midnight at the latest or I risk the danger of turning into a pumpkin.’

He rested his fingers on the hand with the immaculately manicured and painted nails that had incrementally moved closer to him and bored his gaze into hers. There was nothing he loved more than a sexy, confident woman who knew exactly what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to show it, and this woman had all of that. She was sexy. Beautiful. Blonde. Long-legged. And she was unashamedly making it clear that she wanted him. The perfect temporary bedwarmer. ‘I could do with an early night too.’

Her eyes gleamed and her pretty teeth grazed her bottom lip. ‘As tempting as your unspoken offer is, regretfully I must decline. I’m flying to Barbados in the morning and need my beauty sleep.’

‘Barbados?’

She nodded and got to her feet. ‘I keep my yacht at a marina in Bridgetown. I always spend a couple of months each summer sailing.’

‘Now that is a coincidence... I’m flying to the Caribbean myself in a couple of weeks.’

Her eyes widened in surprise and delight. ‘Really?’

He nodded. ‘We can meet up... If you like?’

She didn’t even pretend to think about it. She leaned closer to whisper into his ear, close enough that her silky hair brushed against his neck. ‘I would like thatverymuch.’ Then, smiling widely, she stepped back and pressed her phone. ‘What’s your number?’

He recited it to her. She entered it into her phone, then held the phone up. ‘My chariot is here.’

‘Then it is best you go so you don’t turn into a pumpkin.’

Eyes shining, she laughed softly. ‘Great to meet you, Gianni.’ Then she blew him a kiss and strolled away in her fabulously high stilettos with the same ramrod-straight sexy confidence she’d entered the bar, gently curved hips swaying.

Gianni watched her leave, shaking his head and trying to stifle a laugh at what had just occurred in a few short minutes.

Ordering himself another bourbon, he re-joined his friends debating whether to throw the evening’s game so he could get himself to Amber’s before Cinderella turned into a pumpkin.

A moment later a message pinged into his phone.

The ball’s in your court. Hopefully meet you for some fun in the Caribbean soon. Issy x

He messaged her back.

Looking forward to it. I’ll be in touch. G x

Issy hailed the first black cab that passed and jumped in the back. ‘Nelson Street, Brockley,’ she said to the driver.

Not until the club was a blur in the distance was she able to breathe with any semblance of normality.

She’d done it.

While she kicked off the awful shoes that made her feel like her feet were clamped in vices, she fired a quick message to her sister. Amelia, she knew, would be unable to breathe properly herself until she heard from her.

It worked! Hook, line and sinker. On way home. xx

That done, she rested her head back and closed her eyes.

She felt sick. And exhilarated. And unsettled. So many emotions, all sloshing in her mostly empty stomach.

The closer the time to acting out their plans had come, the more unsettled she’d become at going through with it. When Amelia had started work at Rossi Industries, she’d vowed to find concrete proof of corruption against the cousins. They’d both needed to know that what they were doing wasn’t just revenge but a good thing, that they were saving other victims from the fate their family had suffered. When Amelia had told her five weeks ago that their time had come, all Issy had been able to think was they still needed that proof. Amelia had finally found it three days ago, exultantly messaging her with the news.

The mojitos Issy had drunk suddenly rose up her throat. Pressing her hand there, she squeezed her eyes even tighter and willed the nausea to pass.

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