Page 32 of A Son Hidden from the Sicilian

She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to get a hold of her whirling feelings. She needed to find somewhere where shecouldn’tlook at them. Because honestly, her feelings weren’t the fault or responsibility of that woman, or even Lorenzo. Her feelings, her desire, her desperate wish he could believe in love were hers and hers alone.

Brianna made her way through the party, eyeing the balcony that looked out over the sparkling Palermo. Some fresh air, some distance, and she would find a way to get herself under control. She was strong. She’d had to be over the past two years. It couldn’t dissolve just because Lorenzo was back in her life.

Maybe this would all be easier if he hated her. If he told her in no uncertain terms he would never love her.Maybe. But maybe it would just...all be hard, and she had to find some way to deal with it better than she had been.

There were people out here on the balcony, but not as many as inside. She wished she could escape the low buzz of conversation, but Brianna found a little shadowed area of the balcony where it at least felt like she was alone. The cool air against her hot cheeks. The stars above.

She had to find some inner strength out here. But it was hard. Because she did not understand him. There was a piece to his thought process she was clearly missing, and he wasn’t about to share it with her.

No, he preferred to come into her bedroom, claiming he’d go with her. Refusing to answer questions about why he’d broken things off with her. Then showing up here with a date.

Was he trying to make her jealous? Was he stooping to something so childish? Or did he really think so little about her and what she might feel, that he couldn’t fathom why this would hurt?

Worse, was it some combination of all those? Complicated and messy. Not so easily defined. Like everything swirling inside of her.

“Ms. Andersen, I am surprised to find you hiding in the dark. This is not quite the cheerful image of the artist we’ve been fed,” a man’s voice said.

Brianna looked over at the form that approached. She knew her manager had introduced her to this man at the cocktail party the other night, but that entire event was a blur and she didn’t remember his name. Still, she smiled politely. “Art isn’t always cheerful. Even mine.”

“But I am fascinated by the cheer in it nevertheless.”

“That’s very kind.” She tried to focus on the man, her art, this conversation. Forget everything else. “It’s important to me that no matter how macabre the subject matter, the end result doesn’t become bleak.” Her core life belief. One it would do some good to remind herself of in the midst of this little pity party.

“I think that’s what makes it so powerful. I particularly enjoyed the piece you had titledSunset Melancholy. But someone has bought it out from under me.”

It was the exact distraction she needed. Talk of her art. Talk of peoplebuyingher pieces. Lorenzo wasn’t out here and this man had clearly inspected her work enough to really be able to talk about it, so she could get lost in discussion of craft. He was flirting with her, underneath all these compliments he showered on her as the conversation continued. She wasn’t so naive she didn’t understand that, but that too was a distraction.

Full minutes passed as she talked with the man. She didn’t flirt back, but she didn’t end the conversation either. It was a breath of fresh air that she didn’t feel the need to search out Lorenzo. She could just stand here and talk.

So it figured that Lorenzo would then approach, bringing that small moment of respite to a crashing halt.

“Calo. How good to see you,” Lorenzo said, without even excusing himself for interrupting the conversation. He thrust a hand toward the man as he came to stand next to Brianna.

The man in question turned his attention from Brianna and gave Lorenzo a vague kind of smile and shook the offered hand. “Ah, Mr. Parisi. It’s been a while.”

“Yes, it has.” Lorenzo was every inch the smiling businessman, but Brianna definitely picked up on something less than friendly between the two. “Will you excuse us, Calo? I have something private I wish to discuss with Brianna.”

“Of course,” the man replied. He offered Brianna a smile and began to say something, but Lorenzo took her by the arm and led her away. Back into the main room of the party, then into a hallway. Away from people.

Brianna didn’t jerk her arm out of his grasp. She wouldn’t cause a scene, though she considered doing so. But what would that serve? They were trying toavoidtoo much paparazzi attention.

So why is he anywhere near you?

“Where’s your date, Lorenzo?” she asked, trying to keep the jealousy out of her tone as he drew her into a darkened room. Even if she felt jealous, she knew there was nothing productive about this feeling.

But if he had sex with that woman, she’d want to tear her hair out. That was just how she felt, whether she wanted to or not.

That all being true, she still understood thewhysof him bringing a date. And thosewhysdidn’t make sense if he was going to drag her into darkened rooms.

“Never mind that,” he said, turning to face her in the very dim light. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at her, expression thunderous. “You can thank me for saving you from that man.”

For a moment, she could only stare up at him. Shock held her utterly mute. Could he truly be so out of touch with reality? “Saving me?” she finally managed, though her voice was strangled. “I was having a nice conversation with a man interested in buying one of my pieces.”

“I am sure he was interested insomething,” Lorenzo returned acidly.

Acid. Anger. Because she’d...had an innocent conversation with a man? Fury erupted within her. “Let me get this straight. You get to bring a date tomyart show, but I can’t even have a conversation with a man? Lorenzo, you can’t be serious.”

“I know that man,” he said, pointing back toward the event she could no longer see or hear. “I know what he’s after.”

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