Page 44 of Bride of Betrayal
Angelica stopped and looked up at him, eyes huge and green. ‘Oh, wow, Leo, that’s so kind.’
For a second Leo was oblivious to the busy Manhattan sidewalk, all he wanted to do was grab Angelica, bundle her back into the car, go straight to the apartment and recreate the magical sensual dream they’d just experienced for the last few days.
Gruffly, he said, ‘It’s really not kind at all. It’s the least I can do.’
Angelica was still buzzing later when she got back to the apartment ahead of Leo. He was still in meetings. She’d seen him through the glass window, moving back and forth, gesticulating. She’d seen how some of the women around the boardroom table were mesmerised. And some of the men. She couldn’t blame them.
He’d spotted her and had come out for a moment. He’d kissed her, in front of all of those people. An automatic and easy gesture that had almost felled her. She’d floated back down to the lobby, high on the new possibilities that her charity idea could actually work and on that kiss. Imagining for a moment—dangerously—that this could somehow be real. A real marriage. A real relationship. A partnership.
But it wasn’t. They were just playacting for a little longer.
Michael, the apartment manager, was there, welcoming her back, only reinforcing that fantasy. He said, ‘I’m going to go now. I’ve left the supplies Mr Falzone asked for in the kitchen.’
‘Supplies?’
Michael nodded. ‘I believe he’s going to cook this evening?’
Angelica held her tongue and then said a little bemusedly, ‘OK, thank you.’
When Michael had left, Angelica went into the kitchen and saw vegetables in bowls. There was meat in the fridge. And wine. Angelica groaned softly. Leo was going to cook? Was he deliberately trying to make her fall for him again?
That evening Angelica was doing her best to remain as detached as possible but it was the hardest thing she’d ever done. Leo had returned to the apartment and after disappearing to the gym for an hour or so, he’d returned and was now freshly showered and wearing soft jeans and a loose shirt, sleeves rolled up, and preparing the ingredients for a stew with professional-chef levels of competence.
Angelica was dressed in sweats and a baggy top, hair up.
Leo looked at her. ‘Would you have preferred to go out to eat?’
‘Not at all, this is far more entertaining.’
He looked a little embarrassed. ‘I have to admit I find it relaxing.’
He’d poured her a glass of wine and she took a sip. He glanced at her. ‘So tell me about the meeting with the team.’
Angelica couldn’t help grinning. ‘It was amazing. I mean, it was also a little scary, because, in order to really go for it, it’s going to take an incredible amount of work and money…but if we can set it up properly, this could be a real game-changer for young kids and teens locked into criminal gangs, all over the world. A real lasting way out, not just being moved to a different part of the country you live in.’
She went on, ‘For really young kids, born into mob families, it would have to involve a parent who might want to leave also, or being put into foster homes…and that’ll take an enormous amount of resources. The government in Italy are already involved in a project to remove children from dangerous situations and so there’s always a possibility of working with them.’
‘Sounds like you made a lot of headway.’
‘Well, thank you for letting me use your resources to see if it’s a possibility.’
He looked at her. ‘They’re your resources too, Angel…’
She squirmed a little. ‘Yes, but…we won’t be married for long so…’ She trailed off, not even sure if she wanted to be broaching this.
But Leo was shaking his head. ‘Even if we’re not married, I’d like to be the first investor of this project so you won’t have to look elsewhere for initial funding or support.’
‘You really don’t have to do this out of a sense of—’
He held up a hand. ‘Don’t even say it. I’m doing this because it’s a cause I believe in. I came from that background too, remember? Of course I’d love to see more kids and teens be offered a chance of another life.’
‘I… OK.’ Angelica felt inordinately grateful. ‘That’s very generous of you.’
Leo made a face. ‘Aldo didn’t exactly do much in the way of philanthropy while he was in charge, so it’ll be good to have a worthwhile project to invest in.’
Of course Leo was thinking of the optics too, not just of easing his conscience where Angelica was concerned. That actually made her feel both better and worse at the same time. She shook her head at herself—she was being ridiculous. ‘Well, thank you, we’ll only go ahead with it if we think we can make it work, without putting people in danger if they leave those situations. That’s the last thing we’d want.’
He looked at her. ‘I’m sure you can make it work.’
