All too soon she felt him pull away. He sat up on the side of the bed, leaving her shivering at the sudden loss of his heat. She wanted to ask him what he was talking about, if these moments of trance-like behaviour happened often. But she feared him shutting down, freezing her out again. She needed to wait for him to open up, no matter how much she craved to know what had happened to him during those awful weeks and the months that followed.
She sat up, moving beside him and fighting the urge to cover one of his large hands with her own. She couldn’t stop wanting to touch him, to be near him. It was ridiculous—she was supposed to hate the man.
‘Look...you don’t have to tell me any details. But you didn’t hurt me, okay?’
He stood up, hissing briefly as he straightened his leg. Avoiding her eyes, he set about buttoning his shirt. ‘Those marks on your shoulder say otherwise.’ He looked back at her, cursing under his breath. ‘Don’t worry. I won’t let it happen again.’
Dani frowned, realising that was the opposite of what she wanted. She had been surprised to wake up to find him in bed beside her, but it had been the kind of surprise that sent shivers down your spine, not fear. She had worried that he might be able to sense her response to having him there with her, but stopped now she saw the familiar look of detachment cover his handsome features.
She could understand him being angry, and possibly embarrassed by whatever she had witnessed, but the complete blankness that had descended over him made her grip the blanket tighter across her chest.
‘You’ll join me for breakfast on the terrace.’ He avoided her eyes, and his words were more of a command than an invitation. ‘I’ll leave you to...get dressed.’
His movements were stilted, the injury in his leg more pronounced as he stalked over to the doorway and disappeared without another word.
CHAPTER FIVE
WHEN DANI EMERGED from her room, she was freshly showered and dressed for the office in one of her favourite dusky pink shirts, which she’d paired with form-fitting, lightly flared dove-grey trousers. The meeting wasn’t taking place until late afternoon, but she had some files to prepare and some facts to confirm. Valerio’s presence was only a small part of her attack plan. She never walked into anything without considering every possible angle, and today was going to be no different.
The housekeeper showed her out to an impressive marble dining terrace, bathed in golden morning sunshine and surrounded by creeping vines full of beautiful spring wild flowers. Valerio was drinking a steaming cup of coffee and staring blankly out at the hustle of Port Hercules below in the distance. His dark brow was furrowed when he turned to acknowledge her, standing to pull out a chair. She wasn’t used to such small, chivalrous gestures. It made her slightly uncomfortable. But she knew he’d been raised in Italian high society—it was likely just second nature.
She avoided his eyes, thanking his housekeeper with a wide smile when she appeared with a platter of fresh fruit and a fresh pot of water for tea before disappearing again.
‘I remember you don’t drink coffee.’ Valerio looked across at her, his eyes slits of stormy blue under his furrowed brow. ‘I’ve had a selection of teas ordered in. I don’t know if they’re any good.’
‘Thank you. That was very thoughtful.’
Dani felt a glow of warmth bloom in her chest, then instinctively pushed it away, remembering that she was trying to keep her guard up. But a small part of her whispered that Valerio had never been purposely unkind to her in the past—only indifferent. It wasn’t his fault that she’d been attracted to him. If he was trying to make a gesture of goodwill, she should accept it.
She made a show of admiring the fine bone china teapot and selected her favourite brand of English breakfast tea. They passed a few moments in companionable silence, with the buffer of the usual city sounds forming a background.
‘We need to discuss our living arrangements,’ he said, then waited a moment, frowning at her stunned silence. ‘I’m aware that you haven’t yet permanently occupied any of the homes that will form your inheritance. My villa is not the most convenient location, but it has a large study you can use for your consulting work.’
Dani felt something tighten in her throat as she looked down at the ring on her left hand. She had been so preoccupied with today’s meeting she’d foolishly thought they would just brush past the fact that they were now engaged to be married.
‘Valerio...we haven’t even talked about the logistics of this arrangement yet and you’re already saying you want me to move in here with you?’
‘Yes—as soon as possible.’ He looked away, his jaw tighter than steel. ‘Obviously we won’t share a bedroom, but living under one roof will be better for your safety as well as for keeping the appearance of a normal marriage.’
Dani marvelled at the utter madness of his words. ‘We both know that there is nothing “normal” about this marriage. But from a PR point of view, I suppose I agree.’ She sat back, running a finger along the filigree rim of her teacup. ‘I’ve still got a lease on my apartment in London, but that can be easily fixed. And I won’t need your study, as Velamar is my only priority for the time being.’
‘Good.’ He paused, meeting her eyes as he processed the end of her statement. ‘Wait...you’ve stopped taking on any independent clients? Why would you do that?’
‘It’s kind of hard to be the sole leader of a global brand and still find time to fly around the world on consulting contracts with unpredictable time frames.’ She squared her shoulders. ‘I made a conscious choice to focus on Velamar for my own reasons.’ She spoke with a clear edge to her tone. ‘Just as I will continue to do so now that I’m inheriting the responsibility.’
Valerio pinched the bridge of his nose sharply. ‘Dani, I didn’t think through leaving you the sole responsibility of Velamar while I was gone. You have to know I would never have allowed you to sacrifice your own career in order to step in for me.’
‘Well, then, it’s a good thing I didn’t need your permission, isn’t it?’ She cleared her throat, pouring more tea into her cup. ‘I’m not here to discuss my career decisions. Please can we just continue with the discussion at hand?’
For a moment he looked as though he fully intended to start an argument. But then he exhaled on a low growling sigh and braced two hands on the balcony ledge. ‘We will live here, then, for the time being. For obvious reasons, we will both need to remain unattached while this arrangement is in place. Will that be a problem?’
‘You’re the notorious womaniser.’ She raised one brow in challenge. ‘If anyone will struggle with discretion, it won’t be me.’
He seemed annoyed at her comment, his eyes darkening to a storm. ‘I’m not talking about my wife indulging in discreet affairs—I’m talking about you abstaining from them completely. Just as I will.’
She froze at his use of the word ‘wife,’ baffled at the sudden intensity in his gaze and the effect it was having on the knot in her stomach.
She hadn’t been trying to insult him—it was no secret that he liked to date a variety of beautiful women. He hadn’t been photographed with anyone since the accident, but likely he’d just been discreet. She seriously doubted that his name and the word ‘abstinence’ had ever been uttered in the same sentence.
‘Dani, you know how this needs to look to anyone who is watching. I wish that I could have found any other way...’
‘Yes, yes—I get it that you’re making a huge sacrifice by marrying me.’ She was surprised herself at her own flash of annoyance, and saw his eyes widen in response. Softening her voice a little, she avoided his curious gaze. ‘Fine. So I move my stuff in with you and there will be no sordid photographs in the press of me with a string of lovers. Understood.’
‘Good.’ He was still watching her, his strong, tanned fingers idly twirling a spoon through his second cup of espresso. ‘I’m glad we understand each other.’<
br />
Dani ignored the flush of awareness that prickled along her skin at the effortlessly sexy tone of his voice. Being around Valerio Marchesi so much was already causing mayhem on her nerves and she was agreeing to marry the man? Suddenly she felt caged in by all the unknowns about this arrangement and her ability to survive it.
‘Is there a time frame for all of this?’ she asked as nonchalantly as she could manage. ‘I mean to say...how long do we actually need to stay married?’
His eyes darkened. ‘Already dying to be free of me, tesoro?’
She inhaled sharply at the endearment, noting that he seemed slightly unnerved by his own words as well. He pulled gently at the collar of his shirt as though it had suddenly grown too tight.
The tense silence between them was interrupted by soft footsteps in the doorway to the kitchen. His housekeeper moved towards them, announcing an urgent phone call from Valerio’s brother on the landline.
‘Take the call. I’ve got to get to the office anyway,’ Dani urged.
‘This conversation is far from over, Dani.’ He stood, unbuttoning the top buttons of his shirt. ‘I’ll pick you up for lunch. You can brief me on the meeting.’
And with a barely audible curse under his breath, he excused himself, disappearing inside with swift, thundering steps.
Dani watched him go with a mixture of relief and disappointment. ‘I wish that I could have found any other way.’ Just what every woman wanted to hear from her fiancé. He had sounded as if he was prepping himself for a walk to the gallows.
His brother had probably got wind of the news and was calling now to put a stop to such madness. She shouldn’t be hurt by Valerio’s coldness. This was business. This was a formal transaction—a professional arrangement and nothing more. From his standpoint this was simple and clear-cut. He wasn’t tied up in knots by complicated feelings and emotions the way she was.
She thought back to all the times she had dreamed of her own wedding day. She cared little about the actual day itself—more what it represented. Commitment, love, a family of her own and a home filled with happy memories. Deep down she craved the love and devotion she’d seen while growing up.
Her parents had adored one another and had always put their children’s welfare before their own. They’d traded in their lofty social scene in Brazil when she was ten years old for a simple life in the English countryside. She had always imagined herself doing the same for her own children some day—that was why she had said yes when her ex, Kitt, had proposed after only six months of dating...even when a small voice in her head had told her to slow down and think it through.
But when her career had skyrocketed, she had realised that the high-powered work life she craved wasn’t easily compatible with the traditional family life she had once dreamed of. At least that was what Kitt had said when he’d given her his ultimatum. He’d told her that her ambition and refusal to compromise was ruining any chance they had of a future.
Maybe this kind of business arrangement was the closest thing she would ever get to a real marriage. Maybe it was time she faced the fact that her life was never going to be the stuff of fairy tales and maybe that was okay. She loved her work. She was committed to taking care of the legacy her family had left behind, to doing them all proud.
Faking a happy marriage to a man who would never see her as anything but an obligation was a small price to pay for her safety.
It had to be—she had no other choice.
The rest of her morning was a blur, starting with an unplanned meeting with her regional team about some issues that had arisen with their plans for the Monaco Yacht Show. Usually she didn’t enjoy playing CEO at meetings, but for once she threw herself into the role, thankful for a slice of normality.
Work had always been a source of calm for her during times of difficulty. Her parents had taught her the value of hard work, ambition and charity, ensuring that neither of their children became entitled trust fund brats. After Duarte had dropped out of college at nineteen, to live the wild life with Valerio, she had thrown herself into graduating with top honours and had then gone on to do the same in her master’s degree in Public Relations and Strategic Communications.
When their parents had died so suddenly, in that car accident seven years ago, she’d jumped at Duarte’s offer to be Velamar’s PR and marketing strategist. She had been the one to help them turn their modest success into an empire. She was more than capable of public speaking and turning on the charm but, being naturally introverted, preferred to do her work from the shadows as much as possible. She did not possess her twin’s natural ability to attract people to her with an almost gravitational pull. Duarte had been the wall she had always leaned on and hid behind.
Pushing away the overwhelming sorrow that always accompanied any memory of her twin, she threw herself into a few hours of preparation for the meeting that lay ahead, praying that Valerio would have the good sense to arrive early so that she could prepare him.
But afternoon came without him and she made her way alone to the large boardroom on the top floor of the building, frowning at the eerily empty space. Even the surrounding offices were empty. A feeling of unease crept into her stomach as she tapped a button on her phone, calling her personal assistant.
‘Dani, thank God you called. I just saw one of the secretaries for two of the board members...’ The young woman gasped, as though she’d been running.
‘Are you okay? What’s wrong?’
‘They moved the meeting!’ her PA exclaimed. ‘They moved it to Valerio Marchesi’s villa and deliberately chose not to pass on the memo to you.’
Dani felt her fist tighten on the phone until she heard a crunch. Thanking her overwrought PA, she slammed the device down on the table.
He’d moved the meeting and hadn’t called her. Damn him.
She had asked him to do one thing—one simple favour... But, as usual, Valerio Marchesi did what he wanted to do and only ever on his own terms. Heaven forbid the man should ever take her advice or think of someone other than himself.
She wanted to fight—she needed a win of some sort. Maybe then she might start to feel something again other than this restless void of work and sleep.
Embracing the hum of adrenaline in her veins, she raced towards the elevators.
Valerio sat at the top of the long marble dining table and surveyed the six men and three women seated around him. He told himself that he’d chosen to change the location of the meeting to his own home at the last minute because it would give him an advantage—not because he needed the option of retreat if he lost control. And he knew the board members wouldn’t be able to resist the chance to find out where he’d disappeared to. To discover if the rumours of his madness were true.
Just to keep a little mystery on his side, he’d spoken very little as they’d commenced their professionally catered lunch, and had given short, clipped answers to their many questions. But his unease had grown as the minutes had turned into an hour and there had been no sign of his fiancée.
Daniela was never late.
He wanted a single-minded focus on finding out who had pushed for Duarte’s death certificate, but now he could hardly concentrate.
After ordering one of his guards to find out where she was, he sat back and tried to focus his anger on discovering which of these people, with their greed and lack of patience, had put Dani in danger.
But of course no one else knew the truth behind the seemingly random events that had transpired in Brazil. No one who was still alive, anyway.
Angelus Fiero stood up from his seat near the top of the table, slicking back the neatly oiled salt-and-pepper hair atop his head. Valerio had never met the man in person before last night...
‘Marchesi, I’m afraid my flight plans have changed and I need to leave. I’m needed back in Rio sooner than I thought. But I believe I speak for all of us when I say that I�
��m very relieved to see you return to work.’
Valerio swallowed his final mouthful of crème brûlée, narrowing his eyes at the man with barely restrained menace. Around him, the other board members continued in their heated discussion about the success of their new Fort Lauderdale headquarters and their expansion throughout the Caribbean and South America.
Angelus Fiero had been their very first investor, back when they had started up and had needed capital to bulk up their fleet offerings. An old friend of the Avelar family, he had been trusted with managing the family’s affairs in Brazil after their move to England.
‘Please, allow me to see you out.’
Valerio stood, prowling slowly beside the table until he stood so close to the other man he could see a tiny vein throbbing at his temple. He had amassed enough experience over the past six months to know when someone wasn’t telling the full truth.
As they walked side by side towards the entrance hall, Fiero made small talk about the latest yacht designs. Valerio barely heard a word—he was too busy mentally cataloguing what he knew of the man’s character. He had briefly suspected Fiero’s involvement in the kidnap after he’d returned from Brazil and started his investigations, but he hadn’t found a single motive or link. The man was comfortably wealthy, he had no debts or enemies, and he didn’t stand to gain anything from Duarte’s death other than the headache of managing the company’s reputation and a slew of uneasy investors.
‘I was surprised that Daniela didn’t join us for lunch today.’ Fiero paused in the hallway to don his coat and hat. ‘She has to know that half of the board are pushing to have her voted out.’
‘Quite a stupid move on their part,’ Valerio drawled, ‘considering Daniela is about to become officially one of the wealthiest women in Europe, thanks to an anonymous push for Duarte’s death certificate to be released. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?’
The Vows He Must Keep (Mills & Boon Modern) (The Avelar Family Scandals, Book 1) Page 7