Revelations of the Night Before Read online

  Nico swore softly. He could see her through the window, sitting there on the terrace and not moving. The ring he’d given her sparkled in the lights, drawing his attention.

  She sat so still. He wondered what she was thinking. He had an insane urge to go to her, to pull her into his arms and tell her—once more—that he was sorry. What was wrong with him? Why was he feeling soft when it came to her?

  Dio, he’d already revealed things to her that he should not. He’d opened up a window into his soul when he’d told her how he felt about his parents.

  And then, to compound his mistake, he’d admitted to her what her family had meant to him. How he’d been desperate to sit in their warm glow and just soak it up as if he belonged.

  He’d been pitiful, like a starving dog staring into the back door of a restaurant, hoping for a few scraps to come his way. He, a Gavretti, the heir to an ancient title and estates around the world, had envied the humble home of the D’Angelis. He’d wanted to be one of them much more than he’d wanted to be Niccolo Gavretti.

  But of course he hadn’t belonged. It had taken almost two years, but he’d found that out the hard way. He’d told her he ruined everything he touched—and it was true. He and Renzo had been friends, working together on a project that meant everything to Renzo’s future, and Nico had screwed it up.

  He’d taken that feeling of belonging and thrown it back in their faces as if it had meant nothing. That’s not at all what he’d intended when he’d gone to his father, but it’s what had happened nevertheless. And he’d been powerless to stop it. Worse, he’d been complicit when he’d eventually done what his father had demanded of him.

  She would hate him if she knew what he’d done. If she knew that he was directly responsible for Renzo’s setback in the first year, that he had as good as reneged on his word, she would despise him. Even a baby wouldn’t change that.

  For the first time, he couldn’t bear the thought of her knowing. Of her hating him. He’d forced her into this marriage with threats to her family because he’d believed marrying her was a shrewd move, as well as the right thing for the child, and he’d done it all without a care for how she felt about him.

  Now he couldn’t bear the idea she would hate him. God, what was wrong with him?

  Nico stood with his fists clenched at his side and watched her through the window. Was she angry? Was she crying? He was on edge watching her. A sliver of desperation curled around his heart. He wanted to go outside and gather her in his arms, and then he wanted to take her to bed and pretend this had never happened. That he’d never spoken to her of his love-starved childhood and that he’d never let her know what her family had meant to him.

  Because when she learned the truth, when she hated him and wanted out of this marriage, she would know how much he’d once cared about the D’Angelis. And she would pity him for it.

  Dio, he was screwing this up in so many ways. He refused to have a marriage like his parents had had—a cold, bitter, soul-destroying relationship that had warped not only their lives but his as well—and yet he’d set himself up for it when he’d insisted on marrying the sister of the man he’d betrayed.

  He wanted to go to her. He wanted to take her to bed and see her eyes darken with passion, wanted to hear her soft cries as he took them both over the edge of control, and then he wanted to lie beside her and go to sleep with her body tucked into the curve of his.

  She fit there so perfectly. He loved resting his hand on her belly. It was far too early in the pregnancy to feel anything, but he liked knowing that his child nestled beneath his hand. He felt a connection there, something he’d never felt with another person, and he liked the way it made him feel inside.

  Tina stood up then. Her beautiful body was outlined against the light, so lush and curvy that it made him ache just to look at her. Then she turned and came back inside. He held his breath for a long moment, hoping she would come into the office and challenge him, that she would put her arms around him and tell him she wanted him.

  But she kept walking, down the hall and into the bedroom. He did not go after her.

  “We’re returning to Castello di Casari,” Nico said, and Tina looked up from where she sat with her computer open on the couch. She’d been engaging in some light trading this morning, moving funds around and diversifying into a few tech stocks that she thought were poised for growth.

  The financial papers were at her side, but she’d not read them yet. She usually liked to read them over breakfast, but she’d been too preoccupied. Even now, thoughts of last night warmed her cheeks and made her squirm in her seat.

  Nico had come to bed late last night, slipping in beside her and lying on his back with an arm behind his head.

  She’d pretended to be asleep, though she’d hoped he might reach for her anyway. He did not, so she’d turned toward him and put a hand on his chest. He still didn’t reach for her, so she sidled closer and ran her palm down his flat abdomen.

  He’d shuddered beneath her touch. And then he’d turned to her as if she’d flipped a switch inside him and tugged her into his arms.

  “Tina,” he’d groaned into her neck. “Tina.”

  She’d spread her hands on the hot, silky skin of his back. “Make love to me, Nico. Please. I want you so much.”

  What followed had been the most intense lovemaking between them yet. He’d worshipped her body reverently, as if he’d had forever to do so. As if they were suspended in time and the only thing that mattered was the two of them. He’d kissed his way down her torso, and then slid his tongue between her folds, swirling and sucking her clitoris until she came apart with a cry.

  He did it again and again, until she’d begged him to join his body with hers and end the torture. He’d slid inside her, his body hard and strong, filling her so exquisitely. She’d thought she’d felt it all with him, but she’d realized in that moment she hadn’t.

  Because it felt different when you realized you really were in love with the man whose body knew yours so perfectly. But perhaps different was the wrong word. It felt like something … more.

  More intense, more thrilling. More heartbreaking. Especially when the man you loved did not love you.

  Tina gave herself a mental shake as she looked up at him now, her heart aching for him. How had she let it happen? How had she fallen in love with him between one breath and the next?

  She’d thought she’d been on her guard, thought she’d been in control. She hadn’t.

  “I’d like that,” she said in answer to his announcement. “I didn’t get to explore it quite enough the last time.”

  Besides, there were shadows under his eyes and she worried that he’d been working too hard. It would be good to go somewhere more remote and peaceful. Somewhere that she wouldn’t be worried about her brother showing up unannounced and having a meltdown.

  “I’ve finished what I needed to do in Rome. We’ll leave after lunch.”

  Tina was busy for the rest of the morning, packing and getting ready to leave the city. She texted Lucia, who wished her a buon viaggio and told her to call every day, and then they were on their way.

  This time when the helicopter swooped over the mountains and headed down to the imposing castle sitting in the lake, Tina paid attention to everything she had not before. The water was crystalline blue, turquoise in places, from the melt waters that came down out of the mountains and fed the lake.

  Today, the sky was clear. Sailboats and motorboats dotted the lake. People sunned themselves on yachts, looking up with hands shading their eyes as the helicopter passed overhead.

  “What a beautiful place,” she said. “How they must envy you coming into the manor in the lake.”

  He laughed. “Perhaps they do. I’ve often thought we should open to tourists, but that was before I married you. Now I think we will keep the castle as our own private refuge from the world.”

  She liked the sound of that, though she felt slightly sorry for the tourists who would never ge
t to visit. On the other hand, there were plenty of other tourist attractions nearby.

  But even better, she liked that he’d said it would be their private refuge.

  She turned her head to look out the window as the craft began its descent onto the helipad. The emotions whirling inside her were almost too much, and she was afraid that if he looked at her she would cry.

  She desperately wanted to grab his hand, hold it to her cheek and tell him she loved him.

  Instead, she swallowed the impulse and waved as she saw Giuseppe. He stood at the edge of the landing pad, his hair whipping in the breeze from the rotors even though he had very little of it. Behind him, several staff members waited, no doubt to help with the luggage.

  Giuseppe waved back, and she smiled to herself, suddenly sure that it wasn’t the most dignified thing in the world for him to do but that he’d done it for her.

  “My lady,” he said, bowing over her hand when they’d alighted from the helicopter and moved away from the rotors. “Congratulations on your marriage, and welcome once again to Castello di Casari. This time, you are her mistress and she is happy to have you.”

  “Thank you, Giuseppe,” she said, smiling happily. Her world wasn’t perfect, that was certain, but it had been a pretty good day thus far.

  Nico put his arm around her and pulled her into the curve of his body. She wanted to turn into him, tuck her cheek against his chest and breathe him in.

  Giuseppe grinned broadly as his gaze moved between them, and she knew that he’d seen what she couldn’t hide.

  “So happy to see a couple so deeply in love,” he effused. “Maybe soon we can hope for the bambino, yes?”

  She wasn’t certain how Nico would react to that, but he only smiled and clapped Giuseppe on the shoulder. “Perhaps we can, Giuseppe. I’ll see what I can do.”

  The other man laughed, and then they were going down the steps and into the castle the same way they’d gone before. This time, however, Nico took her up the stairs and into his room instead of the adjoining one she’d had the last time.

  Once the door closed, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her at the same time he slipped the straps of her dress off her shoulders.

  “What are you doing, Nico? They’ll be bringing the luggage up soon,” she said, laughing as he dipped his lips to her shoulder.

  “That’s what locks are for, cara. Besides, I did promise Giuseppe I’d get started on the baby making.”

  “I think it’s safe to say that task is done,” she replied. His fingers went to her zipper and started sliding it down slowly.

  “Just to be certain, I think we should get naked anyway.” He reached behind him and flipped the lock on the door, then picked her up and carried her to the bed. He quickly divested her of her clothes, though he still wore all of his as he hovered over her on his palms. It was rather erotic to feel the scrape of his jeans against her sensitized skin.

  “Wait,” she cried as a thought occurred to her.

  He looked up, his beautiful stormy-gray eyes hot and intense. “What, cara? Do you have a request?”

  Now, there was a thought. “No,” she said quickly. “But your father—it, um, it wasn’t this bed, right?”

  Nico laughed. “Definitely not. He was in Florence at the time. Besides, I have ordered new mattresses for all the residences.”

  “I’m relieved to hear it.”

  He bent and licked her nipple, and a shot of liquid desire melted in her core. “Now, about that request,” he murmured. “Tell me what you desire from me, Tina … anything you desire.”

  The next few days were glorious. Tina had never been happier. She felt so free, as if she really could be whomever she wanted. As if she truly were bold and brave, and not a cowering mouse deep inside. Nico made her feel that way—as if she could conquer the world and not regret a single moment of it.

  Each day, they started with breakfast on the terrace where they laughed and talked and teased each other with hot looks and silly innuendo.

  They sometimes went for walks around the garden, or took a swim in the warm pool. Once, they went out in a yacht and floated along the lake’s shore, stopping at one of the towns for lunch and some shopping.

  Every night, they stayed up late, making love, watching television, or sitting side by side in the bed and working on their computers. It was domestic and blissful and she looked forward to the days stretching before her so long as they began and ended with Nico.

  Today, they’d been swimming when he’d suddenly given her one of those heated looks that she knew preceded an afternoon of hot lovemaking. She hadn’t even pretended not to notice. Instead, she’d climbed out of the pool and toweled off while he’d watched her.

  And then she’d told him she’d race him to the bed. She could hear him lifting out of the water behind her as she’d started to run, laughing, but he’d never managed to catch her. She’d made it to the bedroom first, and when he arrived, he’d still had water dripping down his hard, tanned muscles.

  He hadn’t even dried off before stripping her bikini and coming down on top of her.

  After they made love, she fell into a sound sleep, waking sometime late in the afternoon, her body replete, her skin still glowing and sensitive. She turned toward Nico, but he wasn’t in bed. She frowned as she sat up, yawning and stretching.

  She had to stop sleeping in the middle of the day. And she had to tell him to stop letting her do so.

  Except that she knew he wouldn’t listen. He’d nod and say of course—but if she slept, he would let her sleep. Apparently, according to him, the pregnancy website said excessive tiredness was common in the first trimester. Nico was turning into quite the authority on pregnancy, she thought wryly.

  Her phone buzzed with a text. Occasionally, she got enough of a signal to get a message or two, usually when the sky was clear. Tina reached for her phone, pleased that someone was getting through. There were three bars today, which were a good sign, and a text from Faith.

  What’s going on there? Is everything okay?

  Tina swallowed a sliver of dread and texted back. Of course. Everything is fine.

  A second later, her phone buzzed again. Renzo is worried about you.

  I’m fine.

  There was something in the paper about you being seen with Niccolo Gavretti in Rome a few days ago.

  Tina’s heart sank. She’d been expecting something to happen, knowing the way the tabloids usually covered Nico, but she’d allowed herself to be lulled into a false sense of security when nothing had happened. At least they didn’t have the story of her hasty marriage yet.

  Nico and I move in the same circles sometimes. It wouldn’t be unusual to see him at an event. Oh, the irony of lying about seeing Nico while sitting in his bed.

  The pause before the next text was long. Finally, her phone buzzed. He’s dangerous, Tina. He wouldn’t think twice about using you in order to get to Renzo. Be careful.

  Tina’s heart twisted. She wanted to call Faith up and tell her how wrong she was, but it would do no good. Faith had her information from Renzo, and of course she would take her husband’s side.

  Tina sighed. What a mess she’d gotten herself into. She loved the man her brother hated, and she still had no idea what had happened between them. Clearly, her reprieve was nearly up and she had to tell Renzo the truth before the papers said anything more. But she wasn’t going to do it through a text to his wife.

  I will.

  Faith texted a few more things, a picture of baby Domenico sleeping in his crib, and they said their goodbyes. Tina got up and dressed, and then took the newspapers she’d not read this morning and went out onto the terrace. The afternoon sun was less intense, and the shade of the laurels kept her cool while she flipped through the papers.

  They were financial papers, not tabloids, but she still scanned them for any news about Nico that might appear.

  When she found it, her chest felt tight.

  Gavretti Manufacturing Cash Flow Shorta
ge, Order Cancellations.

  She read the article twice to be sure she understood everything the reporter speculated. Then she got up and went to find Nico. They’d been here for days, and he’d said nothing. It bothered her and worried her at the same time.

  She found him where she expected, in his home office with its gorgeous paneled walls, floor-to-ceiling bookcases and overstuffed leather furniture. He sat at the desk and tapped on his computer. Three phones lay on the desk in front of him.

  Nico looked up as she walked in, the frown he’d worn easing when their gazes locked.

  She ignored the jolt of electricity buzzing through her system and held up the paper. “Is this true?”

  The warmth in his eyes faded to something akin to resignation. “Not all of it.”

  “Which part is true then?”

  She thought he wouldn’t tell her, but he sighed and leaned back in the chair. “My father left me a mess. I’m trying to fix it.”

  “By raiding your company?”

  “By shifting assets temporarily.”

  She came over and sat down in front of his desk. “I want to help.”

  He shook his head. “I have it under control. I have advisers and a crack financial team. We’re handling it.”

  Worry spiked in her belly. “You’re vulnerable right now.”

  His eyes flashed. They both knew what she did not say. “Somewhat, yes. But trying to take me over would strain D’Angeli Motors. It would not be the wisest of courses that Renzo could take.”

  “And yet whatever this thing is between you doesn’t seem to care about logic.” Tina shook her head and swore. “So stubborn, the both of you!”

  She hadn’t brought up the subject in days, and he’d not, either. Now, he looked irritated.

  “It’s complicated, Tina.”

  She smacked her hand on the desk, startling him if the way he flinched was any indication. “It’s not complicated at all. You talk, you solve what needs to be solved, and you walk away with a clear conscience. No one says you have to be best friends again, but for God’s sake, there is a child on the way and he or she will need a whole family, not half of one.”