Page 10 of His Innocent's Passionate Awakening

There was a silence.

Luca could have filled it with all the reasons why his mother no longer lived in Italy. Her unrelenting grief. His strained relationship with her that nothing he said or did could fix. The constant triggers being around him caused her. The empty hole in her life that nothing could fill. The hole he had created by his actions on that fateful day. He hadn’t just lost his father and brother on that day—he’d lost his entire family as he’d known it. Even his grandparents—as caring and supportive as they tried to be—had been sideswiped by grief and became shadows of their former selves. His extended family—aunts, uncles, cousins—all of them had been affected by his actions that day.

‘So, what changed your mind about marrying me?’ Luca decided it was safer to stay on the topic of their upcoming marriage rather than drift into territory he wanted left well alone. ‘Let me guess. Was it the engagement ring?’

She swallowed, her cheeks blooming with colour. ‘In a way, yes.’

Luca hadn’t taken her for a gold-digger but it was a damn fine ring. His eyes flicked to her left hand. ‘It looks good on you. But I hope you don’t mind it being second hand. It belonged to my grandmother. She left it to me in her will.’

Her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. ‘Your grandmother’s? Oh, my goodness. Just as well I—’ She bit her lip and shifted her gaze a fraction, the colour in her cheeks deepening.

‘Just as well you...?’ Luca prompted, intrigued by her cagey expression.

Her slim throat rose and fell over a swallow and her gaze slipped out of reach of his. ‘I—I misplaced it for a couple of hours. But it’s your fault for giving me such a ridiculously valuable ring. A priceless heirloom, for pity’s sake. What on earth were you thinking? Of course, I’ll give it back to you once the six months is up.’

‘I don’t want it back. It’s a gift.’

Her gaze flicked back to his, shock written all over her features. ‘I couldn’t possibly keep it. It’s worth a small fortune, not to mention the sentimental value.’

Luca shrugged. ‘It’s no skin off my nose what you do with it once our marriage is over. It’s just a ring. I will have no further use for it after this. It means nothing to me.’

Her mouth tightened. ‘Is there anything that means something to you other than making disgusting amounts of money?’

Luca slanted his mouth into a cynical smile. ‘There isn’t a law against being successful in business. Money opens a lot of doors.’

‘I would imagine it closes others. How would you know if people liked you for you or for your wealth?’

‘I’m a good judge of character. I soon weed out the timewasters and hangers-on.’

Her top lip curled and her eyes shone with loathing. ‘Well, bully for you.’

CHAPTER THREE

ARTIE WOULDN’T HAVE admitted it even under torture, but she was getting off on sparring with Luca Ferrantelli. Every time they exchanged words, little bubbles of excitement trickled into her bloodstream. He was intelligent and quick-witted and charming and she had to keep on her toes to keep up with him.

She couldn’t understand why he had given her his grandmother’s engagement ring. Eek! Just as well she hadn’t lost it. But he didn’t seem all that attached to the stunning piece of jewellery, and yet she had fallen in love with it at first sight. Surely he had at least one sentimental bone in his body, or was everything just another business deal?

Luca’s brief mention of his father and brother intrigued her. Mostly because he seemed reluctant to dwell on the subject. His expression had given little away, his flat, emotionless tone even less. But still, she sensed there was pain beneath the surface—deep pain that made him distance himself from it whenever he could.

Maybe Rosa was right—Luca Ferrantelli had more than a few layers to his personality that begged to be explored.

But Artie knew all too well about deep emotional pain. Talking about her mother, thinking about the accident and its aftermath sent her into a spiral of despair. Guilt was her constant companion. Wasn’t it her fault her father had lost control of his finances? He hadn’t been the same after the accident. Losing Artie’s mother, and losing the use of his legs as well as an acquired brain injury, had meant he was not the same man—nor ever could be—and she was entirely to blame. Nothing Artie could do would ever change that. It was only fitting that she wed Luca Ferrantelli and reclaim her family’s heritage.

It was her penance. The price she must pay. But she would make the best out of the situation by owning her choice to marry Luca rather than feel he had forced her hand.

‘We need to discuss the honeymoon.’ Luca’s expression was inscrutable. ‘Do you have somewhere you’d like to go?’

Honeymoon?

Artie widened her eyes so far she thought they might pop right out of her head. She clasped her hand to her throat where her heart now seemed to be lodged. ‘A...a honeymoon? Whatever for? You said it’s going to be a marriage in name only. Why would we need to go on a honeymoon?’ Even saying the word ‘honeymoon’ made her body go all tingly and her heart race and her blood heat. Heat that stormed into her cheeks and simmered in other more secret places.

One of his dark eyebrows lifted at her stuttering protest, a satirical glint shining in his gaze. ‘I’m fine with a quiet wedding here at the castello but I insist on a honeymoon. It will give our marriage more credibility if we are seen to go away together for a short break.’

Seen? In public? Be in wide open spaces? Rushing crowds. Traffic. Noise. Busyness. Artie stumbled backwards, her arms wrapping around her body, her breathing tight and laboured. ‘No. I can’t do that. I don’t want to go. There’s no need. It’s not a proper marriage and it’s wrong of you to insist on it.’

Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

Luca frowned. ‘Are you worried I’ll take advantage of you? Please be assured that is not going to happen. I gave you my word.’

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