Page 29 of Dark Masquerade
For a long moment, Indio squeezed his eyes shut, then, with haunted eyes, he gazed at her. “Yes,” he said simply and closed the door in her face.
Hollowed out and empty, Elli drove straight to Aldo’s home, not really registering where she was going. She found him in his study, working. He looked up and smiled, but Elli didn’t return the expression.
He stood and reached for her, but she backed away. Indio’s scent was still on her. She could still feel his arms around her and see the despair in his green eyes as he shoved her bodily away, shouting. “Aldo …did Indio Navaro build this house for you?”
She saw his shoulders slump. “Yes.”
“And did he and Yvetta have an affair?”
Aldo nodded, his eyes wary. “And then he murdered her. Inthishouse. In your bedroom. Where we make love. Is that correct?”
Again, Aldo nodded. “Elli, I’m sorry. I didn’t know you knew him.”
“I went to see him this afternoon and I fucked him.” Elli felt dead inside, but she was still shaken by the look of hurt in Aldo’s eyes.
Aldo drew in a deep breath and took a step back. “I did say what happens there, stays there.” He rubbed his hand over his eyes. “But,damn,Elli. Why did you have to tell me?”
“Because you would have wondered and I want to be honest with you. If you want me to go, just say. I never wanted to hurt you, Aldo, but I can see that’s what I have done. I cheated and I’m sorry.”
Aldo shook his head, sitting down heavily on the couch. For once, Elli didn’t feel like she could sit beside him. “No. I said you were to do what your heart told you to. I don’t count that as cheating.”
“He told me he killed Yvetta.”
Aldo’s eyebrows shot up. “He confessed to it?”
Elli nodded. “Aldo, why didn’t you have him arrested?”
“You sound angry at him.”
“Please answer my question.”
Aldo sighed. “Because there was no evidence that he had done it, apart from their affair. The police questioned him, but for some reason, he was released without charge. I have no doubt he stabbed Yvetta to death.”
He got up then and came to her, and Elli let him pull her into his arms. It felt right … and yet so wrong. “He’s a dangerous, sick man, Elli. When I think of you alone with him—god.”
Elli wanted to protest, to tell Aldo that Indio would never hurt her, but inside, she didn’t believe it herself. Indio was so changed. So angry. She stood in Aldo’s arms for a long time before Aldo made her look at him.
“Just tell me. Do you love me?”
Elli nodded. “Yes, Aldo, I love you.”
“Do you lovehim?”
She hesitated, then nodded again. “I’m sorry, but, yes, I do. I’m trying not to.”
Aldo stroked a finger down her cheek. “I know. I know.” He sighed, and Elli watched as a million emotions went over his face.
“Aldo, if you wanted to end things with me, I wouldn’t blame you.”
“God, no,” he breathed. “That would kill me, Elli. Just kill me. Elli, you have no idea how much you mean to me. I want to be with you forever. I was hoping your …obsession …with Indio would be dampened by meeting with him, but I can live with it.”
“I’mnotobsessed,” Elli said, a little stung. “Indio and I just have history.”
Aldo gave her a soft smile. “Was he your first?”
Elli shook her head. “No, it was more than sex, it was …” She struggled for a moment. “We didn’t have sex at all. We were just very, very close friends. Indio was my brother’s best friend. That part I didn’t lie about. But I fell in love with him—completely. He was my world. Then something happened between him and my brother and he went away.”
“You were heartbroken.”
