Page 17 of Playing the Sicilian's Game of Revenge

CHAPTER SEVEN

SAVERINA HAD KNOWN she would not sleep well. After she had finally accepted that she would not sleep at all, she’d gotten up and begun her list of ground rules.

The first thing she wrote down was the most important.

No physical contact unless expressly required to prove a point in a public setting.

She knew it gave away the fact that his touch affected her even after finding out his secret, but no doubt he already knew that. Protecting herself was more important than her pride in this one instance.

She was taking a risk, and she tended to avoid those, but if she failed in front of Teo... Did she care? He didn’t matter to her—not anymore. Not the way her family did. So the most important thing to remember about all this was that as long as her family remained in the dark about her failures, everything would be okay.

She told herself this, over and over again. Through her lists of rules, through her morning routine of getting ready. She went down to breakfast and missed her brother and his little family because the noise would have distracted her from all the things twisting inside of her.

It was probably best they were enjoying their vacation, far away from what she was doing. She went to work, focused on the necessary tasks for her morning. Then, when it was time for her lunch break, she took the elevator up to Teo’s floor.

She could have forwarded him the memos via email, but she’d printed them out because she wanted to deliver her carefully written rules to him—in as public a place as she could manage—without raising any eyebrows. So he understood she was serious, that he had to toe her line.

Mrs. Caruso eyed her as she approached. “Mr. LaRosa is very busy today.”

Saverina smiled. “I’m sure. I only need to speak with him for a moment, and was hoping to catch him on his way out to lunch.” Saverina made a rather over-the-top production of looking at her watch. “He is about to be on his way to lunch, isn’t he?”

Mrs. Caruso only scowled, but she didn’t stop Saverina from approaching Teo’s office door or stepping inside. Since it wasn’t a meeting, she didn’t close the door behind her.

Or because you’re a coward.

He sat behind his desk, gazing at his computer. He didn’t even look up at her as she walked in. Which was good because her footsteps faltered for a moment. How could she still look at him and think he was breathtakingly handsome? How could she sit here and think about how his hair would feel if she raked her fingers through it after what he’d done?

She hated him. When was her body going to accept that?

“I have a few memos Lorenzo asked me to forward to you,” she said, probably too loudly, moving toward his desk. Once she was close enough to speak quietly so her voice wouldn’t carry to his likely listening assistant, she whispered, “And my list of ground rules.”

This caught his attention. He flicked her a glance, then got to his feet. “Perhaps you could read them to me on our way to lunch.” He moved around his desk and began to stride for the door.

Saverina stayed exactly where she was. “I cannot go to lunch with you in public,” she said in another whisper that just barely avoided being a hiss.

“Why not? It is time, Saverina.” He stalked back toward her until she had to lift her chin and remind herself she was strong, lest she back away or scramble behind his desk just to put space between them. Just to be able to breathe the same air as him.

Because of rage, she assured herself. That was the heart-pounding, pulse-quickening sensation moving through her. Whatever vestiges of attraction she felt for him, they were just mixed up with all this distaste for him. And they would fade.

Wanting to touch him had to fade.

“We must begin to set the stage,” he said quietly. “Lunch today. The gala this weekend. You may tell your family we’ve been seeing each other whenever and however you wish. My gift to you.”

Gift. While he was standing there telling her what to do like he was in charge. “Have you always been this arrogant?”

“Of course. You just thought it was charming when you wanted it all to be real.”

The dig hurt, but she looked at his easy expression and knew he didn’t even mean it to be a dig. In his world, it was just a truth. Because he felt no shame for what he’d done. For how he’d tricked her. He didn’t even fully understand why lying the way he had would hurt her.

She honestly did not know what to do with that. Had no one ever taught him right from wrong? Was he so blinded by revenge that he just couldn’t consider it might be wrong to use her? Was he so unaccustomed to love he couldn’t fathom it could hurt when it wasn’t reciprocated?

She did not know. Wasn’t sure she wanted to.

Then he took her by the arm. She narrowly resisted jerking out of his grasp. Instead, she carefully and coolly stepped to the side so his hand had to either tighten or drop.

It dropped. “It seems there are a few rules we must go over before lunch, Teo. First, you will not touch me.” She set the memos she’d brought on his desk and held out the piece of paper with her carefully written and considered list of rules.

He sighed. Heavily. Then took the offered piece of paper. His eyes skimmed over the writing.

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