LITMIR.BIZ

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mean—is it a party in her honour? Because that’s how she was acting!’

      He ran his hand up to her neck, rubbed softly, his fingers bumping against the heavy earrings that even in the gloom caught scattering light.

      Suddenly she swung round. ‘Are you mad at me?’

      He frowned. ‘Why would I be mad?’

      She swung away. ‘I don’t know—for running my mouth off? But I can’t take those kind of women. Acting as if they’ve got a mandate on life just because they’re every man’s fantasy.’

      ‘You believe that? Even if I tell you that some of those curves feel like leather balloons and they’re no more real than the those fake emeralds you’ve got hanging from your ears.’

      She fired her hands up to touch them and framed her own face in shock. ‘Are you serious? I thought these were legit! I’ve been terrified all night that I’d lose one.’

      He laughed out loud. Put his hands on her shoulders, pulled her in and hugged her.

      ‘I love that about you,’ he said. ‘Of course they’re real. Totally genuine. Just like you.’

      She mock punched his chest and he held her close. There was so much about her that he loved. Even apart from the way she felt in his arms and in his bed. He loved her total lack of artifice—seeing her next to Carmel had been such a startling contrast, suddenly making him see her own Achilles’ heel, making him feel so protective of her.

      Maybe there was more than sex between them.

      Maybe they should talk it through—cards on the table.

      Or maybe that would just get her thinking in ways that wouldn’t be all that helpful. And he had so much of his own thinking to do now.

      He lifted his head to the helicopter that was now thundering closer, recognised it as Dante’s. Its lights lit up the lawn, the tennis courts and finally the helipad itself.

      ‘Here comes Dante.’

      They stood on the terrace, watched as he jumped out under the copter’s whirring blades in a black tux, white shirt and black tie, blond hair slicked back. His moviestar looks were striking. He jogged up, hand raised in greeting, but as he climbed the steps and got closer Rocco saw the usual million-dollar smile was slightly subdued.

      Dante glanced to Frankie in acknowledgement and in question.

      Rocco shook his head—a warning to say nothing.

      Dante nodded. ‘Hey! How’s the party?’ He was an expert, slipping right into charm mode. ‘May I say how beautiful you look?’

      He took Frankie’s hands, scanned her, kissed her cheek. Rocco tried not to care.

      ‘Well said. There’s a whole crowd of women in there, waiting for you to say that to them. Starting with Carmel. We’ve got more important things to do.’

      Dante looked mildly amused.

      ‘Of course you have. Life just keeps getting in the way, doesn’t it?’

      ‘Take it easy in there, handsome.’

      ‘I’ll call you. Later.’

      They grabbed hands, slapped backs. Then Rocco watched him go. Straight back, easy stride, head high, holding knowledge he burned to know.

      Three girls—tiny dresses, long legs—threw up their arms and ran to him. Dante slid them all under his shoulder, not missing a step. Rocco slid his own arms around Frankie, pulled her flush against him. Stood there. Just held her.

      Once more the lure of music and dancing and hardcore partying held no interest. He couldn’t wait to get himself and his toxic thoughts away—to lose himself in this woman. To mindlessly make love to her until he didn’t feel any pain, until he had cleared a path to what he had to do next.

      ‘You want to stay much longer?’

      He nodded to the valets and cars crawling slowly by, dropping, parking, leaving.

      ‘I think Dante’s got it covered.’

      He nodded, tucked her in close again, slid his hand up through the soft skein of her hair.

      One thing and one thing only was clear to him now. He was going to tell her that she’d better arrange a leave of absence for a while, because he needed her here. He wanted her in his bed and in his life. He wanted to wake up beside her and come home to her for longer than just this weekend.

      And, just like Martinez being held to account, it was non-negotiable.

       CHAPTER NINE

      NIGHT’S DARK CLOAK lay heavy all around. Frankie woke with a start, for a moment lost, with no dawn-edged window, no lamplit carpet to guide her vision.

      She was in a huge space, lightless. Black. Warm. Safe.

      Rocco’s room. Rocco’s home.

      She flung out her hand. No Rocco.

      He liked total darkness when he slept. Blackout blinds, no lamps. Just bodies—naked, entwined—and loving, and snatches of deep, dreamless sleep.

      Then daybreak.

      But it was still so dark, so vividly velvety black. And his empty space was cold. She clutched her arms around her body and shivered.

      Rocco had been more intense than ever in his lovemaking tonight.

      Almost as soon as they had got home he had poured them both large measures of whiskey. His he had thrown down his neck in a single gulp, the stinging heat of the liquor appearing to make no impact on him. He’d seemed to waver over pouring another, glancing sideways at the bottle before putting his glass down carefully. Then he’d cast off his dinner jacket and tie and in two slow strides had hauled her against him.

      He had devoured her. It was the only way she could describe it. It had seemed there wasn’t enough of her for him. They’d kissed so fiercely her lip had been cut and he’d tasted her blood. It was only then that he’d stopped his wildness. He’d heaved himself back from her, arms locked and rigid, gripping her and staring at her with shocked concern that he’d hurt her. But she’d felt nothing. Nothing but bereft when he’d pulled himself away.

      She’d grabbed his head and pulled him back, and then they’d formed that heaving, writhing mass of fire and passion and pleasure. Hot, slick heaven. No wonder she was shivering now.

      She licked her bruised lip and wondered where he was … what time it was.

      Her hands groped over the clutter on the table beside her, grabbing for her phone. Her fingers bumped against the glass of water Rocco had placed there for her, trailed over the emerald earrings she’d carefully removed earlier and finally closed around her smartphone.

      Instantly it lit the room. 4:00 a.m.

      The screen showed two missed calls.

       Mark.

      Her heart froze. What was wrong? He rarely phoned. He knew she was here. Had something happened to her mother? Her brother? Her father …?

      She sat up straight and frowned as her eyes focused, trying to work out the time in Dublin. 10:00 p.m.? She opened her messages and clicked on the link that he’d posted. It took her straight to a news item.

      Her brother Danny. In Dubai. A photograph of him walking with a beautiful redhead. So what?

      She squinted at the text. Married?

      The message from Mark was curt. Did she know anything about it? Their mother was in a state of shock.

      No wonder! Danny did exactly as he pleased. Without asking anyone’s permission. And the last person, the very

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