What happened when she upped her demands? Would she be dismissed, like Jenna? It was Caitlyn now suddenly near to tears.
When he’d decided he’d had enough, when she’d served her purpose or dared to make a demand, it would be over—not just a fantasy figure to get over, but her first love to recover from.
‘What are you doing here?’
Malvolio’s voice made her jump, and her eyes darted along the corridor, her heart thudding in her chest as for the first time since he’d tried to kiss her she faced him.
‘Lazzaro came to see his sister.’
‘I’m not asking about Lazzaro…’ Malvolio hissed. ‘Stay the hell away from my family—got it?’
Head down, she nodded, walked quickly away. But Malvolio hadn’t yet finished.
‘Oh, and, Caitlyn—you might think you’re on to a good thing, in your fancy new clothes and with your fancy new title, but let me tell you one thing about my brother in-law.’ She kept walking, refusing to look back, but his black voice caught up with her before she’d turned the corner. ‘He doesn’t give a damn about anyone—not even his own family. When he’s finished with you—when you’ve served your purpose—he’ll spit you out along with the pips.’
Lazzaro’s face was as grim as Caitlyn’s when he finally joined her in the car. Climbing in, he didn’t even bother to say hello—just told Jeremy to step on it.
‘Everything okay?’ Finally he deigned to look at her.
‘Great!’ Caitlyn’s eyes met his in the darkness, glittering with tears and holding his for an impossibly long time. ‘How about you?’
‘Great!’ Lazzaro snapped. ‘Things couldn’t be better.’
CHAPTER SEVEN
THEY breezed through check-in and Customs and took off on time. The journey was in fact perfect—except for the two coiled springs sharing the first-class cabin.
As they hurtled across time zones, Caitlyn played a game with the night sky—convincing herself that the day that had started so perfectly was being extended so it could end on a better note, that somehow he’d look over and smile, as if pleased the universe was giving him these extra hours. Only Lazzaro didn’t use them wisely. Barely a word passed between them even as they landed and renegotiated Customs—and stepped out into the freezing morning.
Freezing!
Melbourne winters weren’t exactly warm, but they were positively tropical compared to this. Her breath was blowing out white clouds, her teeth chattering as they headed to the waiting car, jumping like a puppy left behind into the heated warmth as the driver loaded their cases.
But nothing—not Lazzaro’s black mood nor her earlier confrontation with Malvolio—could dim the beauty of Rome, as the sleek black Mercedes drove them at breakneck speed through the ancient city. She longed to ask the driver to slow down—had to stifle a squeal as the Colosseum came into view.
‘It really is in Rome…’ She rolled her eyes at Lazzaro’s old-fashioned look. ‘Right in the middle.’ Pressing her nose against the window, at that moment Caitlyn didn’t care about his bloody mood, or her bloody mood, or what was happening, or where things were going. She was in Rome—in Rome—and it was beautiful. The people were beautiful. Stunning groomed women, trailing scarves clipping through the cobbled streets. Elegant men, in long coats…Not caring what Lazzaro thought, she opened the window, closed her eyes for a second against the icy blast of air that hit her, then opened them on a carnival of noise. Mopeds weaving through the heavy traffic, drivers shouting and cursing—she’d never seen so many people. Rush hour in Melbourne was like a Sunday stroll in the park compared to this.
‘Close the window,’ Lazzaro snapped. ‘It’s cold.’
‘It is!’ Pushing the button, blocking out the noise, just for a second, one very defiant second, she looked at him and gave him a little piece of her mind. ‘In fact it’s probably warmer outside!’
There were five-star hotels, Caitlyn realised as the car door was opened and she stepped out, and then there were five-star hotels. Heavy gold revolving doors spun her into a stunning foyer, and Caitlyn didn’t know whether to look up or down. Marble pillars stretched to a magnificent high-domed ceiling, and a chandelier surely the size of Caitlyn’s back garden, and thick exquisite rugs dotted the black and white tiled floor. And the beauty of her surroundings was only surpassed by the stunning guests.