‘Have you not seen Luca since then?’
‘He came to my father’s funeral.’ He looked away, not wanting her to see the expression on his face reflecting what he felt beneath his skin whenever he thought of his father’s funeral. While a tiny part of him had felt relief that he could break free from Salvatore’s shadow, he’d mourned the man. Truly mourned him.
If he’d known then what he knew now, he would have lit fireworks by his open graveside in celebration.
‘My father’s death freed me. It freed Luca and me to resume our old friendship. When we were kids we often used to play cards together, and always said that when we grew up we would open a casino together. We opened our first one three years ago, but then last year he decided he wanted out.’
‘Why was that?’
He met her eyes. ‘His wife thought I was bad for him.’
Her forehead furrowed. ‘He said that?’
‘Not in so many words. But it was obvious. She hates my guts.’
Still her forehead furrowed. ‘But why?’
‘Because I’m a big bad gangster.’
‘No, your father was a big bad gangster,’ she corrected.
‘Even after everything you’ve witnessed, you still refuse to see it.’ He planted a kiss on the end of her nose.
‘No, I do see it. You are who you are, but you’re nowhere near as bad as you like people to think.’
She wouldn’t say that if she could read the thoughts going through his mind. Thoughts of revenge, not just against his father but against Luca Mastrangelo. And Pepe.
He would not allow the Mayfair casino to fall into Mastrangelo hands. It was his and he would do whatever was needed to ensure it.
‘Do I take it that those men are also interested in buying the casino?’ Hannah asked, swinging her legs onto his lap.
‘I’d heard rumours they were after it. Being there tonight confirmed it.’
‘And do I take it you threatened them?’ At his surprised glance, she grinned ruefully. ‘I might not speak Sicilian, but I can read body language.’
‘And you think I have good in me?’ Rubbing his hand absently over her calf, he couldn’t help but notice the little bags that had formed under her eyes. Those little bags made his heart constrict.
This was a woman who worked so hard for such a good purpose she hardly slept. And she saw good in him?
‘You won’t hurt them,’ she said with simple confidence.
He didn’t answer. The one thing he would never do was lie to her. He’d lived a lifetime of lies.
Before she could question his silence, her phone vibrated. Dropping his hand, she reached into her bag.
‘Is it work?’ he asked, trying hard to keep the edge from his voice. The only time Hannah lost her sweet humour was when he mentioned her excessive use of her phone. On those occasions her claws came out.
She shook her head absently. ‘Melanie.’
‘She’s back from her work trip?’
‘Yep. She wants to know if I’m free tomorrow for the last fitting. For my bridesmaid dress,’ she added heavily.
‘Are you not going to answer?’ When it came to work she would fire off a reply the second she read them.
‘I suppose I should.’
Before he could question her reluctance, they pulled up outside his hotel.
‘Shall we have a bath together?’ he asked once they were safely ensconced in his suite.
Hannah’s nose wrinkled. She felt all...out of sorts. Right then she needed something sweet to counteract the acidity that had formed in her throat. ‘Can we have chocolate-fudge cake first?’
‘Hot?’
She smiled. Already he knew her so well. Especially with regard to her hot chocolate-fudge cake addiction, which was fast becoming usurped by her Francesco addiction.
Was this how drug addicts started out? she wondered. A little fix here, a little fix there, then swearing never to do it again? But then temptation was placed right under their nose and they were too weak to resist? Because that was how she felt with him. Unable to resist.
Why did she even need to keep resisting? Addictions were bad things. How could Francesco possibly be classed as bad for her? Her work hadn’t suffered for being with him.
The only reason to resist now was for the sake of her heart, and she’d already lost that battle. In reality, she hadn’t stood a chance.
She looked at him, her big bear of a man.
What would he say if he knew that, despite all her protestations over not wanting a relationship, she’d fallen for him?