in the crowded room aware that he gave the crucial negotiations just half his attention. The other half lingered over plans for his faithless ex-lover.
THE NEGOTIATIONS PASSED in a blur for Jenna.
Concentrating on the rapid-fire back and forth exchange was beyond her, despite her now excellent Italian. She refused to blush at the memory of how it came to be so good. To gain fluency in a language, they said you should take a native speaker as a lover.
Her throat closed over a shocking surge of hysterical laughter as she watched the man on the other side of the table effortlessly dominate the proceedings. She hadn’t taken Fabrizio as a lover. He’d taken her.
One chance look across the crowded café in Saint Mark’s Square.
One hour of conversation with a black-haired stranger over minuscule coffee cups and delicious sweet pastries. She’d been oblivious of tourists and pigeons and everything but the hot silver of his eyes and the approving curve of his thin, sculpted lips as he coaxed her into conversation.
One afternoon letting him guide her through
his
Venice, to secret places few tourists ever saw, from crumbling, ancient beauty to modern luxury, the taste of delicious seafood and the sensation of the sea breeze in her hair as they watched the sun set in a fiery glow.
One evening of fairy-tale perfection that had made her feel like Cinderella finding her prince. Except there’d been no running away at midnight. Instead there’d been a night of seduction, passion, bliss, unlike anything she’d ever known.
One night was all it had taken for her to lose her heart and put her career plans on hold now her internship at a plush Venetian hotel was over.
One night had led to another and another, until she was installed in Fabrizio Armati’s Roman palazzo as his lover.
No, not his lover. He’d finally made that cruelly clear. His
mistress
. His disposable mistress, not good enough to claim a place in his rarefied world.
The pain of that rejection had cleaved her heart. Alone in the world, she’d poured everything of herself into their relationship, believing she’d found her soul mate.
Jenna blinked, trying to focus on the intense discussion around her rather than the slash of raw pain through her middle. She’d been primed for this meeting, though surprised at her inclusion among the corporate lawyers and strategists.
‘It’s agreed, then,’ her boss, Luca De Laurentis, said. ‘We’ll meet again once the amendments are drafted. In the meantime I look forward to a personal inspection of the Florentine property before we sign.’
She breathed a sigh of relief, realising the negotiations hadn’t required her input after all. Tension wound her so tight, she wasn’t sure she’d have found her voice.
‘As I look forward to viewing the Amalfi estate.’ A flash of bright steel pinioned her as Fabrizio’s eyes narrowed on her across the room. Immediately Jenna lifted her chin. He had no hold over her. If she told herself often enough, she might even come to believe it.
Chairs scraped back and everyone stood. Everyone except Fabrizio. Jenna yanked her gaze away, refusing to give in to temptation and watch him. She grabbed her briefcase and turned with her colleagues towards the door.
‘One last thing.’ That familiar voice cut like a honed blade through soft flesh. ‘I have limited time available. I’ll have a briefing on the Villa Bellini now before my site visit.’
‘As you wish. Ms MacDonald can provide all the details you need.’ Luca De Laurentis caught Jenna’s eye and smiled. ‘Jenna, come and see me in my office when you’ve finished with Signor Armati.’
Finished with Signor Armati.
Jenna gritted her teeth, wishing she had finished with him once and for all.
She pasted on a smile for Signor De Laurentis. ‘Of course, sir.’
Slowly the room emptied. She was aware of Fabrizio indicating that his staff should go too. And still she couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes.
THE NEGOTIATIONS PASSED in a blur for Jenna.
Concentrating on the rapid-fire back and forth exchange was beyond her, despite her now excellent Italian. She refused to blush at the memory of how it came to be so good. To gain fluency in a language, they said you should take a native speaker as a lover.
Her throat closed over a shocking surge of hysterical laughter as she watched the man on the other side of the table effortlessly dominate the proceedings. She hadn’t taken Fabrizio as a lover. He’d taken her.
One chance look across the crowded café in Saint Mark’s Square.
One hour of conversation with a black-haired stranger over minuscule coffee cups and delicious sweet pastries. She’d been oblivious of tourists and pigeons and everything but the hot silver of his eyes and the approving curve of his thin, sculpted lips as he coaxed her into conversation.
One afternoon letting him guide her through
his
Venice, to secret places few tourists ever saw, from crumbling, ancient beauty to modern luxury, the taste of delicious seafood and the sensation of the sea breeze in her hair as they watched the sun set in a fiery glow.
One evening of fairy-tale perfection that had made her feel like Cinderella finding her prince. Except there’d been no running away at midnight. Instead there’d been a night of seduction, passion, bliss, unlike anything she’d ever known.
One night was all it had taken for her to lose her heart and put her career plans on hold now her internship at a plush Venetian hotel was over.
One night had led to another and another, until she was installed in Fabrizio Armati’s Roman palazzo as his lover.
No, not his lover. He’d finally made that cruelly clear. His
mistress
. His disposable mistress, not good enough to claim a place in his rarefied world.
The pain of that rejection had cleaved her heart. Alone in the world, she’d poured everything of herself into their relationship, believing she’d found her soul mate.
Jenna blinked, trying to focus on the intense discussion around her rather than the slash of raw pain through her middle. She’d been primed for this meeting, though surprised at her inclusion among the corporate lawyers and strategists.
‘It’s agreed, then,’ her boss, Luca De Laurentis, said. ‘We’ll meet again once the amendments are drafted. In the meantime I look forward to a personal inspection of the Florentine property before we sign.’
She breathed a sigh of relief, realising the negotiations hadn’t required her input after all. Tension wound her so tight, she wasn’t sure she’d have found her voice.
‘As I look forward to viewing the Amalfi estate.’ A flash of bright steel pinioned her as Fabrizio’s eyes narrowed on her across the room. Immediately Jenna lifted her chin. He had no hold over her. If she told herself often enough, she might even come to believe it.
Chairs scraped back and everyone stood. Everyone except Fabrizio. Jenna yanked her gaze away, refusing to give in to temptation and watch him. She grabbed her briefcase and turned with her colleagues towards the door.
‘One last thing.’ That familiar voice cut like a honed blade through soft flesh. ‘I have limited time available. I’ll have a briefing on the Villa Bellini now before my site visit.’
‘As you wish. Ms MacDonald can provide all the details you need.’ Luca De Laurentis caught Jenna’s eye and smiled. ‘Jenna, come and see me in my office when you’ve finished with Signor Armati.’
Finished with Signor Armati.
Jenna gritted her teeth, wishing she had finished with him once and for all.
She pasted on a smile for Signor De Laurentis. ‘Of course, sir.’
Slowly the room emptied. She was aware of Fabrizio indicating that his staff should go too. And still she couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes.
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