“You know, only the promise that soon I will be unzipping this dress allows my fingers to do this. Helping you put on your clothes goes against every fiber of my being.” Luca’s breath was hot against her ear and when he kissed her neck, making her knees wobble. It took every ounce of willpower she had to step away from him.
She grabbed the matching wrap and took a moment to admire him. He was dressed in a grey suit with a white shirt and pale pink tie. His black hair was brushed back and her fingers itched to run through it and release the curls. She preferred him slightly disheveled, a satisfied smile on his face. In private anyway. Now he looked every inch the powerful businessman, intent on securing the deal. Only tonight’s business was pleasure. Another shiver coursed through her already sensitized body. They may have had two nights together already, but that didn’t mean she’d had enough of him, or, it seemed, him of her.
The maître‘d sat them at a table on the terrace, next to the lake. She took a quick look at the menu handed to her, but her thoughts were too jumbled to decipher the contents. “I can’t decide what to eat; it all looks so good. Would you order for me, Luca? I’d like a surprise, something I haven’t had before.” Tonight seemed like the perfect time to try new things.
Luca ordered their meal while she stared at the twinkling lights across the lake. “If you like surprises, then you should appreciate this.” He handed her a small velvet box.
They had exchanged wedding bands at the registrar’s office, but he’d not given her an engagement ring. She hadn’t really thought anything of it. Jewelry wasn’t a big thing for her, probably because she’d never had anything of value. With slightly shaking hands, she opened the small box and her hand flew to her throat.
“Oh, Luca, it’s exquisite,” she breathed. Inside the box lay a large pear-shaped, faceted emerald surrounded by smaller diamonds on a gold band. The cut of the stones looked old; however, the brilliance of the gems gave it a timeless elegance.
“I know it’s not a huge diamond like you were probably expecting and deserve. I will buy you those as well. This is the family ring. My father gave it to my mother, and his father before him. It has passed down to the first male to give his bride for over a hundred years. My mother has been keeping it for me. She gave it to me this afternoon to give to you.”
“It is the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen. I will treasure it until the day I hand it over to our son to give to his bride.” The legacy of the piece was almost overwhelming. She’d never had anything with family tradition to add to its value.
Luca slid the ring on her finger and then raised her hand and placed a slow kiss on it, all the while holding her gaze—his eyes promising much more of the unexpected.
Without her even noticing, the waiter placed their first course on the table. She lifted a taste of the creamy soup to her mouth when a chill coursed down her spine.
“Sophia? Sophia Stevens? Is that really you?” A husky voice with a polished English accent called out.
She dropped the spoon as if scalded. It clattered against the china bowl, spewing its contents across the place setting.
Seven years. How could she still remember the voice after seven years? How could it cause terror to well up in her heart after all this time? She’d thought she’d exorcised that particular ghost, and now it had come back to haunt her in the flesh. Seeing her face on the magazine a couple of days ago had been bad, hearing her voice now was worse.
Luca glanced at her as she grabbed his hand and squeezed tightly. Black spots danced before her, obscuring his concerned face. She tried to reassure him with a smile, but it never formed. Before she could even take in a shaky breath, the owner of the voice appeared at their table.
The woman was tall with long, blonde hair, the color as natural as a Saharan waterfall. She wore heavy makeup and a deep red dress that left little to the imagination. The neckline, if it could be called that, as it was nowhere near her neck, revealed an abundant amount of breast, which Sophia would bet were not natural either. The hemline only made it to mid-thigh, showing an ample amount of leg, teetering on strappy sandals with six-inch heels. A cloud of Poison perfume enveloped her, an apt choice of scent given the wearer’s venomous personality.
“Kathy Summers.” Sophia exhaled sharply. It was as though someone had punched her in the stomach, she was barely able to breathe. Trying to stop herself from shaking, she squeezed Luca’s hand tighter.
“Actually, I’m called Kate now—now that I’m famous,” the other woman said smugly. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and turned a blinding white smile on Luca.
“Yes, I’ve seen your face, and other assets, in the papers. But I don’t remember you having such a posh accent. Whatever happened to your north London drawl?” She waited while the actress stopped devouring Luca with her eyes and looked at her once again.
“Ah, we’re a long way from Tottenham now, dahling.” Kathy wrinkled her nose, as if disgusted to be reminded of her past. “What are you doing in Italy, Sophia? I almost didn’t recognize you.”
“I’m not surprised.” The bile that rose from her stomach tinged her words with bitterness. The blood that had drained from her face earlier came back in full force as a flash of pure anger and hatred filled her. “The last time I saw you, you were covered in my blood.”
• • •
Luca’s stomach clenched at Sophia’s words. Was his wife in danger? He started to rise from his seat but sat back down as her grip on him tightened. Her eyes begged him not to escalate the already unpleasant scene.
He recognized the woman from the restaurant in London. The one who had caused Sophia to flee on that occasion as well. He’d looked her up; she was some sort of B-list British soap star, known more for her body than her acting ability. But he still had no idea where she fit into Sophia’s past.
“Yes, well, that’s ancient history.” The artificially enhanced actress looked around as if to make sure no one else heard Sophia’s comment.
“Not when you look at the scars every day.” Sophia’s jaw clenched at the words. “I think your friends are looking for you.” She indicated the group of people waving at Kate.
“Well, I guess I’ll see you around.” Kate dismissed Sophia with a nod but flashed another dazzling smile at him. She sauntered over to her dinner companions with an exaggerated swing of her hips.