Page 65 of His to Keep
“It’s okay. Everything is okay.” His palm caressed her back and his lips pressed down onto the crown of her head.
After a few settled heart beats, his arms slackened and he pulled away. Coldness crept over her skin when his body heat retreated.
His phone buzzed. Retrieving it from his jeans, he answered the call and muttered a few quick words before slotting the phone back into his pocket.
His expression fell blank but his face paled and the pulse in his throat bounced. “I have something urgent to take care of. Freddy, can you get Lana a glass of water.”
“Of course.” Freddy trotted to the fridge.
“You okay?” he asked flicking out his wrist and checking the time.
A warning beacon flared like a bright red firework. She was taking up his precious time. She straightened her spine and rolled her shoulder.
“Yes, I’m fine.” A forced smile barely twitched her lips.
“We’ll talk later, beautiful.” With one step, he leant in and pressed his lips to her temple with a quick peck.
Her stupid heart leapt, even though it was more like a friendly gesture. He turned away and marched out of the kitchen with his phone screen glowing.
She inhaled with an unsteady stutter.
“You okay, honey?” Freddy handed her a tumbler of water, placing it in her shaky hand.
She sipped slowly. “Can you believe it? He’s giving you the money to set up your own restaurant.”
Freddy slapped his palms to his temple. “My head is spinning.”
“Mine too.”
28
After spending an hour or two relaxing by the infinity pool, Lana wandered through the cool corridors back to her bedroom.
She spent the morning thinking about her situation.Did Marcus know she was here? Was she an unexpected ex who he knew would fall at his feet?
He was playing a wicked game of tease and she was adamant he wouldn’t win.
A large cream box sat on the edge of her bed, wrapped with a thick white ribbon. Her fingertips lightly brushed the shiny opalescence material before she released the flouncy bow.
Hidden beneath crisp white tissue paper, nestled ruby red silk. Pinching the fabric, she raised the garment to eye level, allowing the most beautiful dress to ripple out of the box.
A white card dropped to the floor with the words, ‘A beautiful dress for a beautiful woman’, handwritten in black ink.
The thought of a gift from an Italian lover sprinkled chills down her spine, quickly turning to a head whirling panic.What if it didn’t fit?Over the past few weeks, sadness had trimmed her shapely silhouette.
What if Emilio bought the wrong size?Ugh, what a disaster.
She lay the dress on the bed and stepped back, falling into the realms of darkness yet again.
The black dresssplayed out on the bed, the matching shoes beneath. Someone is in the house, creeping up the old wooden stairs.
It can’t be Rory, he needs help. She’s the only one who can help him. Her bones are on ice, her spine stiff with fear.
There’s nowhere to hide, no way to get out. Too late to think. Get behind the door.
His eyes are dark and his smile sinister…
The galloping tempoof her pulse thrummed in her veins. Her knees buckled and she slumped to the hard floor. The walls blurred and spun like the Waltzer at the village fate. Stingy bile burned her gullet, and her hands splayed in the tiles, barely holding her up.
