Page 30 of A Son Hidden from the Sicilian

Cold. Calculated. And nothing to do with the roiling, jagged things fighting for purchase inside of him after that little conversation with Brianna.

Which was why he’d obtained a date even though he’d decided against it earlier. When he’d walked into Brianna’s room and seen her in thatdress. That deep red. The way her body shimmered. Like sex itself.

The thought of her attending the event alone, a sheep to the wolves essentially, had torn him up inside. It wasn’t jealousy, he told himself. Just...common sense. There would be men there and she was the mother of his child.

So he’d made the impulsive offer to go with her. Or maybe it was a demand. He didn’t really remember past the punch of seeing her. The desire to touch her and forgeteverything else.

But then she’d started talking about ancient history. About feelings and leaving and... Well, it had reminded him where he got when he did things impulsively. Somewhere ridiculous.

So he’d gone back to the original plan. The calculated plan. A date. So he could protect her, and keep his distance.

Honestly, he deserved her gratitude, not her foolish questioning.

That hit far too close to home.

He scowled at himself as he strode up to his date’s building. The doorman nodded him inside and when he knocked on her door, she opened it with her famous sultry smile.

“Natalia,” he greeted, forcing his mouth to curve though it did not want to. “You look beautiful this evening.”

She offered her hand and he brushed a perfunctory kiss against the knuckles. She wore a slinky black dress and smoky dark makeup. He should have been immediately distracted from the pop of color that Brianna had been.

But all he could think about was the way the red had made her skin glow. The way her blue eyes were dark and warm and full of so many things.

“I was surprised to hear from you,” Natalia said, grabbing a handbag and a wrap. “This isn’t our typical kind of event. I didn’t know you had any interest in the arts.”

They walked to his car, and he tried to focus on the dark, alluring promise that was Natalia. Not sunlight. Not warmth. Not the weight of Gio in his arms while a tear slid down Brianna’s cheek.

This was growing harder and harder and he could not imagine why. He could notacceptwhy. He was in charge of his mind. His thoughts, his choices. Feelings were of little consequence to a man of his superior control.

“I have an interest in many things,” he said, trying to sound his charming self. But the words sounded brittle even to his own ears.

They rode to the art gallery where Brianna’s artwork was the main event. She had made quite a splash at the first event, and her manager was eager to get her back into the studio. Lorenzo would need to create her an art studio on the property. She would need to get back to creating as she was going to be in high demand in short time.

What’s the plan there? Keep her and her parents at your estate forever?

No, they would need their own place. But on the grounds. Close. So Gio was always within reach.

Well, why couldn’t they all live in the same house? It would be easy. Best for Gio. Best for all of them. Maybe it wasn’t the common thing to do in such a situation, but he wasn’t trying to be common any more than he was trying to be traditional.

However, if he kept Brianna in his house, he would need to ensure that did not create too much interest or speculation.Or temptation. He’d need a wife. To convince everyone that it wasn’t what it looked like. That they were very modern and accepting. Ablendedfamily.

He glanced at Natalia. She knew how to act, work angles. Maybe she wasn’t exactly the perfect wife material, but she had a keen mind. If he could convince her this was in her best interest—if he couldmakea union in her best interest—he could have this settled soon.

You know, some men leave their partners because they are scared by the depth and breadth of their feelings.

Brianna’s voice echoed in his mind. The image of her in that dress burnt into his mind no matter how he tried to erase it.

The sooner he had a wife in place, the better.

He helped Natalia out of the car and took her arm as he led her into the art gallery. He saw Brianna immediately in that brilliant red. And, as if she was keenly attuned to him, she looked over her shoulder and unerringly found him.

Their gazes met across the room. He watched the shock hit her. Convinced himself the dark thrill that wound through him was simply satisfaction of a plan well made. He would keep his eye on her, and no one would speculate.Thatwas why his body reacted.

Not her beauty. Not the little flash of jealousy he saw there in her eyes before the person she’d been talking to regained her attention and she looked away.

Then snuck glances at his date as they made their way around the room.

Something like satisfaction swept through him. That she watched. That she cared. That she didn’t like it.

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