Page 23 of Playing the Sicilian's Game of Revenge

It was not a genuine question. She was playing a very dangerous game, and he had two choices. Call her out on it.

Or play along.

He moved closer to her now and watched the wariness creep into her eyes. But she did not back away. Did not hold him off. Even as he stepped up onto the porch with her.

She angled that beautiful face up, all regal condescension. “Then we should be on our way.”

He looked down at her, let his gaze take in the elegant curve of her neck, the enticing line of her shoulder. The way that little strip of fabric held her breasts in place and on display. Particularly when she inhaled a little more sharply than she had been. Because heat arced between them, raw and potent. An electricity he did not understand why she was so intent on denying. All over something as pointless and unpredictable as love.

Her perfume wafted around him. Something spicy and sultry and intoxicating. When his eyes finished their tour of her body, he met her dark gaze. Warm and needy. Pink stained her cheeks—not from the elaborate makeup she wore, but from desire.

“You want me, Saverina,” he murmured. Still not touching her, no matter how much his body demand he did just that. “Why deny it?”

She let out a careful breath. It didn’t shake, but he could tell that was hard won.

“It’s not wanting you on a sexual level, since heaven knows that’s all you mean, that I deny, Teo,” she said, clearly if a little breathlessly. “It’s allowing a liar to have access to my body that I deny. You can trust that is not much of a punishment on my end.”

She was an excellent liar, but he knew she lied. Because she could hate him for his subterfuge. She could spend the rest of her life not trusting him. But she knew and felt as well as he did what they could create together. And denying it was a physical pain, even if a necessary one.

“Trust, bedda, I know just how much pleasure I offered you. You can pretend you don’t miss it, if that makes you feel better.” Then he stepped off the porch and held out his arm for her. “Now, we have places to be. Let us not be late.”

CHAPTER NINE

SAVERINA REFUSED TO consider the dress a mistake. She’d been waiting for an appropriate place to wear it, and this gala was just such an event. Yes, she’d hoped that the way she looked in it might punish Teo, and she liked to think it had. She’d seen the flare of desire in his eyes. She knew he wanted her, in a physical way, if nothing else.

She just hadn’t thought about the fact that it would punish her as well. Because the way he looked at her—not just outside her home, but here at the gala—made her wish it was his hands not his gaze on every last inch of her.

She did not understand how she could be so hurt by someone and still want them. She was beginning to realize she’d still had a child’s black-and-white outlook on life. Now she had to adjust to something more...complicated. Gray areas and moral complications.

She hated it.

Still, she smiled. She chatted. She didn’t stick to Teo’s side or vice versa, but they had arrived together, and at strategic points throughout the night they shared a chat, got a drink from the bar together, cozied up with each other in a corner.

Saverina could feel the interest from some people—mostly the people she worked with. The way eyes followed them when they were together, when they drifted apart.

She would have to call Lorenzo tonight as most of those people were his employees and would no doubt find a way to pass along what they’d seen the minute Lorenzo returned if not sooner. She supposed she could tell her brother the truth about pretending with Teo to get revenge—without the little bit about how Teo had fooled her for so long—but he’d no doubt tell her to stand down. Not important or too dangerous or whatever.

No, she would have to lie to her brother. Pretend she was desperately in love with Teo. She glanced across the large ballroom, her eyes landing on his tall, impressive frame. He spoke with two other Parisi executives, but she didn’t even notice who. Because her heart twisted in her chest.

It wasn’t a lie that she loved him, no matter how she wished it was. The lie would be that he loved her back. She blew out a breath and took a sip of her champagne. She should drift closer, give Teo a reason to break off from his business associates, but she liked her little corner where no one really noticed her. Where she could breathe and fortify herself against the next Teo attack.

You want me.

The dark way he’d said that there in the pretty evening in one of her favorite places. Looking so handsome it hurt. If she would have left her answer at yes, opened her door, they’d be back in her room rather than here.

And that would have been a mistake, she reminded herself harshly.

Maybe she’d enjoy the moment of being with him again—okay, no maybes. She would enjoy it. Until it was over. Then she would have all the same hurts, and even more regrets.

She didn’t want that.

Suddenly Teo was at her elbow. He leaned close. “Dante is here,” he murmured.

She scanned the crowd. Dante was over by the bar talking to a few men.

“Did you know he would be here?” Saverina asked.

“No. He was not on the guest list.” There was a grimness to Teo’s expression that Saverina didn’t think would do well for the overall plan. She slid her hand up to his shoulder and tried to harden herself against any reaction.

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