0263249026 (R)

by Bella Frances

  Frankie slid her arm around his waist, swivelled back to Carmel. ‘And, for the record, my date has all he needs right here.’

  Carmel put her hands on her abundant hips and stuck her head forward, looking for all the world like a turkey in a burlesque show. She started gabbling in Spanish, clearly thinking Frankie wouldn’t understand, and she was totally unprepared for the volley that was fired right back at her. Even he was surprised at the colour of the words Frankie was using.

  ‘Come. Enough,’ he said, putting his arm around her and dragging her outside as she continued to sling one shocking insult after another.

  Her feet shuffled to keep up as he quickened his pace, and then he spun her right round, framing them in the French windows.

  ‘Stop, now. Enough! Where did you even learn those words?’

  He held her possessively, and when she still poured forward mouthfuls of cheek he had no other option. He gripped her jaw and angled her mouth just where he wanted it. Heard the swell of gasps and gossip, saw the flashes of cameras as he lowered his head and kissed her quiet.

  She gripped onto his arms, wavered on her tiptoes, until he felt the anger and fight ooze out of her. Fury died in her mouth to be replaced by the soothing heat that only they could build.

  He pulled back and smiled at her. ‘Finished?’

  As her eyes fluttered open there was a lull in the music and he heard the noise of a helicopter’s rotors in the distance. He looked up. Dante? He trained his eyes on the lights from its belly as it loomed closer.

  What had he found out? Surely they were closer? Surely someone knew something about Martinez? He desperately wanted to know the details—still couldn’t believe it was completely a dead end—but that would have to wait until they were alone. Right now he owed it to Frankie to soothe her tension and get her well away from Carmel and the rest of this circus.

  He led her down through air thick with pulsing music and events that were yet to happen.

  ‘Is there anyone you won’t take on, hermosa?’

  He smiled softly at her. She was still tense and tight-lipped, rigid shoulders still not relaxed under his arm.

  She shrugged. ‘She deserved it.’

  He couldn’t disagree with that.

  ‘I mean—is it a party in her honour? Because that’s how she was acting!’

  He ran his hand up to her neck, rubbed softly, his fingers bumping against the heavy earrings that even in the gloom caught scattering light.

  Suddenly she swung round. ‘Are you mad at me?’

  He frowned. ‘Why would I be mad?’

  She swung away. ‘I don’t know—for running my mouth off? But I can’t take those kind of women. Acting as if they’ve got a mandate on life just because they’re every man’s fantasy.’

  ‘You believe that? Even if I tell you that some of those curves feel like leather balloons and they’re no more real than the those fake emeralds you’ve got hanging from your ears.’

  She fired her hands up to touch them and framed her own face in shock. ‘Are you serious? I thought these were legit! I’ve been terrified all night that I’d lose one.’

  He laughed out loud. Put his hands on her shoulders, pulled her in and hugged her.

  ‘I love that about you,’ he said. ‘Of course they’re real. Totally genuine. Just like you.’

  She mock punched his chest and he held her close. There was so much about her that he loved. Even apart from the way she felt in his arms and in his bed. He loved her total lack of artifice—seeing her next to Carmel had been such a startling contrast, suddenly making him see her own Achilles’ heel, making him feel so protective of her.

  Maybe there was more than sex between them.

  Maybe they should talk it through—cards on the table.

  Or maybe that would just get her thinking in ways that wouldn’t be all that helpful. And he had so much of his own thinking to do now.

  He lifted his head to the helicopter that was now thundering closer, recognised it as Dante’s. Its lights lit up the lawn, the tennis courts and finally the helipad itself.

  ‘Here comes Dante.’

  They stood on the terrace, watched as he jumped out under the copter’s whirring blades in a black tux, white shirt and black tie, blond hair slicked back. His moviestar looks were striking. He jogged up, hand raised in greeting, but as he climbed the steps and got closer Rocco saw the usual million-dollar smile was slightly subdued.

  Dante glanced to Frankie in acknowledgement and in question.

  Rocco shook his head—a warning to say nothing.

  Dante nodded. ‘Hey! How’s the party?’ He was an expert, slipping right into charm mode. ‘May I say how beautiful you look?’

  He took Frankie’s hands, scanned her, kissed her cheek. Rocco tried not to care.

  ‘Well said. There’s a whole crowd of women in there, waiting for you to say that to them. Starting with Carmel. We’ve got more important things to do.’

  Dante looked mildly amused.

  ‘Of course you have. Life just keeps getting in the way, doesn’t it?’

  ‘Take it easy in there, handsome.’

  ‘I’ll call you. Later.’

  They grabbed hands, slapped backs. Then Rocco watched him go. Straight back, easy stride, head high, holding knowledge he burned to know.

  Three girls—tiny dresses, long legs—threw up their arms and ran to him. Dante slid them all under his shoulder, not missing a step. Rocco slid his own arms around Frankie, pulled her flush against him. Stood there. Just held her.

  Once more the lure of music and dancing and hardcore partying held no interest. He couldn’t wait to get himself and his toxic thoughts away—to lose himself in this woman. To mindlessly make love to her until he didn’t feel any pain, until he had cleared a path to what he had to do next.

  ‘You want to stay much longer?’

  He nodded to the valets and cars crawling slowly by, dropping, parking, leaving.

  ‘I think Dante’s got it covered.’

  He nodded, tucked her in close again, slid his hand up through the soft skein of her hair.

  One thing and one thing only was clear to him now. He was going to tell her that she’d better arrange a leave of absence for a while, because he needed her here. He wanted her in his bed and in his life. He wanted to wake up beside her and come home to her for longer than just this weekend.

  And, just like Martinez being held to account, it was non-negotiable.

  CHAPTER NINE

  NIGHT’S DARK CLOAK lay heavy all around. Frankie woke with a start, for a moment lost, with no dawn-edged window, no lamplit carpet to guide her vision.

  She was in a huge space, lightless. Black. Warm. Safe.

  Rocco’s room. Rocco’s home.

  She flung out her hand. No Rocco.

  He liked total darkness when he slept. Blackout blinds, no lamps. Just bodies—naked, entwined—and loving, and snatches of deep, dreamless sleep.

  Then daybreak.

  But it was still so dark, so vividly velvety black. And his empty space was cold. She clutched her arms around her body and shivered.

  Rocco had been more intense than ever in his lovemaking tonight.

  Almost as soon as they had got home he had poured them both large measures of whiskey. His he had thrown down his neck in a single gulp, the stinging heat of the liquor appearing to make no impact on him. He’d seemed to waver over pouring another, glancing sideways at the bottle before putting his glass down carefully. Then he’d cast off his dinner jacket and tie and in two slow strides had hauled her against him.

  He had devoured her. It was the only way she could describe it. It had seemed there wasn’t enough of her for him. They’d kissed so fiercely her lip had been cut and he’d tasted her blood. It was only then that he’d stopped his wildness. He’d heaved himself back from her, arms locked and rigid, gripping her and staring at her with shocked concern that he’d hurt her. But she’d felt nothing. Nothing but bereft when he’d pu
lled himself away.

  She’d grabbed his head and pulled him back, and then they’d formed that heaving, writhing mass of fire and passion and pleasure. Hot, slick heaven. No wonder she was shivering now.

  She licked her bruised lip and wondered where he was … what time it was.

  Her hands groped over the clutter on the table beside her, grabbing for her phone. Her fingers bumped against the glass of water Rocco had placed there for her, trailed over the emerald earrings she’d carefully removed earlier and finally closed around her smartphone.

  Instantly it lit the room. 4:00 a.m.

  The screen showed two missed calls.

  Mark.

  Her heart froze. What was wrong? He rarely phoned. He knew she was here. Had something happened to her mother? Her brother? Her father …?

  She sat up straight and frowned as her eyes focused, trying to work out the time in Dublin. 10:00 p.m.? She opened her messages and clicked on the link that he’d posted. It took her straight to a news item.

  Her brother Danny. In Dubai. A photograph of him walking with a beautiful redhead. So what?

  She squinted at the text. Married?

  The message from Mark was curt. Did she know anything about it? Their mother was in a state of shock.

  No wonder! Danny did exactly as he pleased. Without asking anyone’s permission. And the last person, the very last person he would confide in was Mark.

  Frankie hated the estrangement between them. It had lasted so long. What a waste—what a terrible waste that they’d never got past their bitter feud. She thought of Rocco and Dante and the inseparable bond between them—her brothers should be like that. They really should.

  She stared at the space where Rocco should be lying. Stared at the untouched glass of water on the table beside it, at his watch beside that, and beside that …

  The tiny battered leather-framed photograph of the golden haired cherub. It was gone.

  She stared at the space where it should be—where he’d carefully placed it earlier. She’d hardly even dared to look in his direction when he’d sat on the edge of the bed, pulled it from his pocket and set it upright. Almost ritualistic, almost reverential. She’d felt the air seize up, as if some sacred event was happening.

  Of course since then she’d run her mind over all sorts of possibilities. It definitely wasn’t Dante. He’d been six years old to Rocco’s eight when Rocco had been adopted. The child in the photograph was barely two or three. She wasn’t given to flights of fancy, but she’d hazard that the child was a blood relative. Maybe they’d been separated through adoption? Maybe that was way off the mark, but there was something that ate at him from the inside—something that caused those growling black silences, that haunted glazed look, his overt aggression.

  He’d been like that tonight. She’d sensed it. Sensed it in the way he’d lain in bed, holding her after they’d both lost and found themselves in one another.

  After he’d poured himself into her she’d felt an instinctive need to hold him, cradle him. But he’d pulled away, closed down. Lain on his back, staring unseeing at the black blanket of air. Lost.

  She knew she should encourage him to talk, the way he had encouraged her. She also knew getting past the hellhound that guarded his innermost thoughts would be a Herculean task. But it was the least a friend could do. The least a lover would do.

  And that was the dilemma that she was going to have to face. What was she to him? What was he to her? And even if she worked that out, what future was there for two people who lived thousands of miles apart? He might say he wanted her to stay on, but even if she stayed a few extra days—assuming she could negotiate that with her boss—what was going to happen at the end? How horrible if he suddenly tired of her and she felt she’d overstayed her welcome, like the last guest at a party.

  Distance was be the one thing that would give her clarity. Of course she wanted to stay on—he was addictive, this life was heavenly—but it was all part of the ten-year fuse that had been lit when they’d first met. And she didn’t want to be blown to pieces once it finally exploded. She’d have to have this conversation with him. And before too much longer.

  Her phone vibrated in her hand. Another message from Mark … another photograph. This time there was no mistake. Bride and groom. She dragged on the photo to enlarge it. The girl was beautiful, but with Danny that was nothing new. Whoever she was, and whatever she had, she’d hooked him. Danny looked … awestruck.

  Wow. She had to show this to Rocco. Had to share her news.

  She swung her legs out of bed, reached for a shirt and set off to find him along the cool, tiled hallway. At the far end she could see the eerie green glow from the courtyard pool. On the other side, the TV room was lit up, the flickering glare of the television screen sending lights and shadows dancing.

  She took the long way—through the house rather than across the little bridge. The glass walls reflected light and made it hard to see anything.

  But what she did see wounded her more than any torn lip.

  He was sitting on a low couch, facing the screen. The light licked at the naked muscled planes of his body. One arm rested on the armrest of the couch, a whiskey tumbler full of liquor caught in his hand, and the other held something small, square—it had to be the photograph. He was staring at it, unsmiling, as a sitcom she recognised played out on the screen.

  Parallel to the room, across the courtyard, separated from him by the illuminated water, the bridge and all that glass, she watched him. He didn’t move. Not a single muscle flickered with life. He sat as if cast in marble.

  Finally he lifted the glass to his lips and sank a gulp of whiskey.

  She didn’t need any close-up to see that he was upset. Her heart ached for him.

  Through the glass rooms she went until she came alongside the doorway. She stood still.

  ‘Rocco,’ she said softly.

  He knew she was there. She felt his sigh seep out into the room. He blinked and dipped his head in acknowledgement, then finally lifted his arm in a gesture she knew was an invitation to join him.

  She moved, needing no further encouragement, and slid onto the couch, under his arm. He closed it round her and she laid her head on his chest.

  His body was warm. He was always warm. She rubbed her face against him, absorbing him, scenting the faint odour of his soap and his sweat. The powerful fumes from the whiskey.

  He lifted the tumbler to his lips and drank. Less than earlier, but still enough for her to hear the harsh gulp in his throat as he swallowed. He put the glass down on the edge of the armrest and sat back, continued to hold her in the silence of the night.

  ‘I woke up. My phone’s been going off.’

  He took another silent sip.

  She spoke into his chest. ‘Looks as though Danny got married. In Dubai. Mark sent some pictures that are in the news over there. He says no one had any idea. Mum’s in a state.’

  ‘He’s a big boy,’ said Rocco.

  What could she say to that? He was right. There was no way anyone would have hoodwinked Danny. He was far too smart.

  ‘I know, but I kind of wish he’d told us.’

  ‘What difference would it have made? Would you have gone?’

  She shrugged her shoulders, incarcerated under his arm.

  ‘I might.’

  The silence bled again. He took another sip.

  ‘Are you planning on sharing that whiskey?’

  ‘You want to drink to the happy couple?’

  It wasn’t a snarl, but it wasn’t an invitation to celebrate, either. She pushed up from him but he didn’t look at her. His face, trained now on the television screen, was harsh, blank.

  She reached out her fingers, gingerly threaded them through his fringe, softly swept it back from his brow.

  ‘I want you to be happy, Rocco.’

  It was barely audible, but it was honest. Shockingly honest. And when he turned his hurt-hazed eyes to hers she began to realise how much she me
ant it.

  ‘Come on. Come back to bed,’ she said—as much a plea as an order.

  She stood, reached for the tumbler, tried to take it out of his hand. And then her eyes fell on the leather-framed photo that he held in his other hand. He turned it then. Turned it round so that the plump-cheeked infant was staring up at him. He looked at it and his bleak, wintry gaze almost felled her. Then he turned it face down, lifted the glass and tipped his head back to drain the dregs.

  ‘Come on, Rocco. Please.’

  He held his eyes closed as he breathed in, soul deep, then opened them and stared blankly at the screen.

  Frankie turned to see the characters’ slapstick antics. They were trying to move a couch up a flight of narrow stairs—a scene she’d seen countless times before and one that always made her laugh. But not this time. Not in the face of all this unnamed pain.

  She turned back to see the coal-black eyes trained back on the photograph.

  ‘If you want to talk or tell me anything …? God, Rocco, I hate to see you like this.’

  ‘Go back to bed, then.’

  She swallowed that. It was hard. It would be hard hearing it from anyone. But from a man of his strength, his intensity, his power—a man who meant as much to her as he did …

  ‘Not unless you come with me.’

  He lifted the empty glass to his lips, sucked air and the few droplets of whiskey that were left. Like a nonchalant cowboy before he went back on the range.

  ‘As much as you tempt me, I don’t think that’s a good idea right now,’ he said, glancing at the bottle on the bar to one side of the huge television.

  She stood right in front of him, deliberately blocking his view of the silently flickering screen and the half bottle of whiskey that was just out of reach.

  ‘Why not, Rocco? Why not talk or make love or even just hold each other?’

  He shook his head slightly, made a face. It was as if all his effort was trained into just … being.

  ‘Right now I don’t trust myself. I don’t want to hurt you again.’

  ‘What do you mean, again? You didn’t mean to hurt me—you got carried away. We both got carried away. You’ve got something carving you up. Rocco. Let me …’