Page 3 of A Son Hidden from the Sicilian

He laughed. Perhaps it was arrogance. Perhaps it was the fact she was no actress. But he did not for a second believe she’d forgotten him.

“Now, let’s not play games,dusci. It doesn’t suit you.”

He’d give her credit. She held his gaze. Didn’t cower or even narrow her eyes. She remained looking faintly puzzled. But her cheeks grew darker and darker red. “Lorenzo. It’s been a long time,” she said after a long, considering moment.

“That it has, Brianna.” He smiled at her in the way she had once calleddisastrousto her better judgment.

She did not smile back.

“I... I’m sorry. I have to go.” She backed away from him, and he realized she wasn’treallymaking eye contact. She was just looking at his forehead as she made a large circle to avoid being with arm’s reach. Then she darted for the restrooms.

He watched her go, utterly confused—not a condition he found himself in very often. She looked back at him, once over her shoulder. He did not see any sort of anger in that gaze. This wasn’t vitriol in those blue eyes, hatred over the way he’d ended things. It wasn’t embarrassment or even some sort of romanticized emotional distress over their long-past breakup.

It wasfear.

He could understand all the other responses, but even if she’d heard all the rumors about him, fear didn’t make sense. All the accusations against him related to the Marino family and business. No woman had ever accused him of violence—though Dante had no doubt tried to pay off a few to. Dante would stop at nothing.

Lorenzo watched the space where Brianna had disappeared. Something was...off. Something waswrong.

And he wouldn’t rest until he knew what.

CHAPTER TWO

“WELL,THATWASvery stupid,” she muttered to herself as she stared at her reflection in the restroom mirror. Luckily no one else was in here, so she could do things like groan and talk to herself.

Running away was hardly playing it cool. All she’d had to do was stand there and make some small talk, andthenexcuse herself without running.

But coming face-to-face with Lorenzo was like sticking her finger into an electrical socket. No amount of preparation had hardened her against thatzapof reaction.

She had felt exactly like she had two years ago. Dazzled. Charmed. Tempted. And all he’d done was say hello and accuse her of playing games. What waswrongwith her?

She sucked in a breath, pulled her phone out of her evening bag and looked at her lock-screen picture. Gio grinning at her from the middle of a clutch of tulips.

She was here forhim. For everything this show might be able to do for their future. She stared at the picture, usually her guiding star, but in this case all she could see was that he had his father’s nose and smile.Disastrous.

Yes, Lorenzo was. But she wasn’t the same girl she’d been two years ago. She was a mother. She had someone to protect, and she would protect Gio at all costs.

She wouldnotfeel guilty for keeping Gio from Lorenzo. Not when it could potentially put Gio in danger. Even if it was hard to believe Lorenzo was dangerous, it was clear his business dealingscouldbe. And if it could affect his rival’s family, why not Lorenzo’s own?

She needed to stay away from him. Just by being near him she risked too much, and she was evidently not nearly as clear-sighted as she’d thought she was. So she’d just...go back out and make her excuses to leave. No one needed her here. She’d sold plenty of art so far.

Why was he even here? She didn’t allow herself to consider the possibilities because the one she wanted to be true was the one she couldn’t want to be true.

He’s here to see you.

Well, too bad. She was leaving. She wouldn’t give him a chance to... Whatever it was he wanted to do. Even if her heart nearly skipped a beat at the thought of him thinking of her all this time later. Thinking of her and wanting to see her and...

No. There was noand. There was only getting out of here so she didn’t make any mistakes that might put Gio at risk.

Determined, she slipped her phone back in her purse and marched back out to the gallery. Chin high, shoulders back,alldetermination.

But when she scanned the crowd...she didn’t see him. He was gone. She let out a long breath. She felt relief, really.

Really.

It was just it landed strangely like disappointment. And it sat with her. Heavy until she couldn’t think past howexhaustedshe was. She found the organizer and said her goodbyes, thanked a few people who complimented her pieces on her way out, and then made her way to the exit, where a car would be waiting to take her back to her hotel.

But before she could get from door to car, there was a slight obstacle.

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