‘I have nothing more to say to you,’ she uttered with finality, her voice as chilled as her heart. ‘Goodbye, Paolo.’
‘Sapphy, listen to me—’
She dropped the receiver back onto the cradle. ‘Goodbye, Paolo,’ she whispered, shivering now, her arms hugged closely to her chest as the shock of deep sudden loss took hold.
Strong arms surrounded her and pulled her close. For a moment she wanted to struggle—what was this? The victorious barbarian staking his claim? But she sensed none of that with his warmth. Instead she felt compassion, even some kind of understanding, and she sagged gratefully into him, welcoming the solace and comfort he offered.
His strong heartbeat thumped loud in his chest, its rhythm steady and firm and as rock-solid as the man holding her.
‘It’s okay,’ he whispered against her hair. His lips brushed her scalp in the barest of kisses and the warmth from the contact radiated down through her as her breathing steadied, her heart rate calming to match his.
And it hit her then.
Her life hadn’t changed when she’d discovered the truth about Paolo. It had changed the moment Khaled had stepped inside the Milan salon. He’d been the catalyst, the trigger that had turned her life upside down.
When Khaled had kissed her that first time in the workroom, he’d forced her to face up to her ambivalence in her feelings for Paolo. She could never have betrayed someone she loved deeply by falling into the arms of another man. Now it had been Khaled again who’d proved her relationship had been a sham from the beginning.
Whatever his motives were for doing it she had no idea, but she certainly didn’t have to thank him for it.
It was time to regain control of her life.
She peeled herself away from his chest, aware of his reluctance to let her go and dipping her head so she could wipe away the traces of tears before he could see them.
‘I’m sorry you had to find out that way.’
‘Are you?’ she snapped. His gentle words did nothing to ease her pain and everything to cement her resolve. ‘It seemed to me you were only too happy to throw that knowledge in my face.’
‘It was time you knew the truth.’
‘Why? What does it have to do with you anyway? Did you think I would be so devastated by the news that I would happily fall in with your crazy plans to marry you? I’ve just rid myself of one lying man. Why the hell would I launch myself straight into the arms of another?’
His jaw looked as if he was grinding his teeth together. Then he whispered, low and menacingly, ‘Never put me in the same category as Paolo.’
‘Why the hell not? Why are you doing this? Paolo said you two had been involved in some feud years ago. I told him he was being crazy, that no one probably even cared any more. But you do, don’t you? You care so much it’s like a poison in your system. Tell me, what did he do? Why do you hate him so much?’
Anger set the planes of his face hard and cold.
‘You’re upset,’ he said, his voice revealing a barely controlled fury.
So he was mad, good for him. It was nothing to how she was feeling.
‘Damned right, I’m upset,’ she said. ‘And I’ll stay upset until I get out of this place. You don’t have to become the barbarian. For the most part you appear to be a civilised man. You have no need to act like some petty despot. And if you have any respect for me at all, if you think anything of me, you have to respect my wishes. Let me go. I have to go.’
He looked down at her, the depths of his dark eyes swirling, his brow knotted, and her hopes lifted. Was he relenting in his mad desire to make her his wife? Had he realised he’d inflicted enough damage on her already?
‘I can’t let you go.’
Fury blasted through her. ‘Then I’ll go in spite of you. I’ll find some other way of getting to the airport and I’ll go anyway. Because I won’t stay here.’
She stormed her way to her suitcase propped up near the door and grabbed purposefully at the handle.
‘You’re not going anywhere.’
‘I’m not staying here. I’m definitely not marrying you.’
‘So you keep saying, but that changes nothing. You cannot leave Jebbai now.’
‘You can’t keep me here. I want to go home.’