Sweet Seduction (8 page)

Antonio expected her voice to be laced with sarcasm, but it wasn’t. The pressed lapped it up.

‘Where did you meet?’ a young journalist called.

Panic rose in his chest. They hadn’t discussed their backstory. ‘We —’

‘At a business lunch. We couldn’t keep our eyes off each other, could we, darling?’ Sienna said sweetly. She reached up and cupped his head, pulling his lips to hers. The crowd cheered and clapped.

‘Where are you from?’

‘Melbourne.’

‘What do you do?’

‘I own a hotel with my family.’

‘Just one?’

Antonio felt Sienna flinch next to him.

‘Just the one. You know what they say: opposites attract?’ Sienna pulled Antonio close once more. ‘Describes us to a T.’

‘How so?’ a journalist at the front of the pack asked.

‘Most of you saw me arrive at the airport today; I’m sure you could see the difference.’

A couple of journalists laughed.

‘You mean he’s rich and you’re not,’ asked a pretty, smartly dressed woman with a microphone. ‘He’s famous, we’ve never heard of you —’

‘Thank you,’ Antonio cut in.

But the journalist wouldn’t let it go. ‘He’s sophisticated, you’re —’

‘Exactly,’ Sienna said. ‘I’m just like Cinderella. Plucked from obscurity by a prince.’ She balanced on tiptoes and gave Antonio a kiss on the cheek. If he’d planned the event himself, it couldn’t have been any better.

‘But you’re Italian?’ another journalist shouted out.

‘My family’s originally from Naples.’

Antonio looked at her. He didn’t know that.

‘Any Mafia connections?’

He tensed. What would she say now?

Sienna laughed and the camera flashes exploded. ‘If I had Mafia connections, do you think I’d own just one hotel?’

The crowd roared with laughter. They lapped it up.

He took Sienna’s hand. It trembled. He glanced at her face and under the big smile he saw tension in her eyes. Behind the confident exterior, Sienna was obviously terrified. He held up his hands.

‘Thanks, everyone. That’s enough for this evening.’

The crowd shouted more questions, but he led Sienna quickly back inside. She walked to the rear of the restaurant and collapsed into an empty booth. He slid in next to her.

‘They love you.’ He couldn’t hide his delight.

‘That was a stupid thing to do,’ she said, breathing deeply.

‘No. That was much better than a press conference. Your idea of painting yourself as an Italian Cinderella – brilliant.’

She looked at him with an expression he couldn’t read. ‘Yes, that sounds about right. Cinderella did everybody’s bidding.’

Antonio frowned. ‘You signed up to this deal.’ The words came out more harshly than he intended.

‘Did you give me a choice?’ She stood and walked away.

Her words struck him like a tsunami. He sat back in his chair. Was it true? Had he coerced her into this? He shifted in his seat. He hadn’t given a thought to how this affected her. He raked a hand roughly through his hair.

Wait a minute. The deal was incredibly generous. She’d save a huge amount of money for a couple of months’ work.

He stood and walked after her. This deal was win-win whichever way you looked at it.

But he couldn’t quite eliminate her words from his mind.

Sienna emerged from the dark tunnel onto a well-lit street. She glanced about . . . Not a camera to be seen.

‘Where are we?’ she asked.

‘About two streets from the restaurant.’

Sienna looked back down into the dark hole behind her. ‘You gotta love those medieval smugglers and their tunnels,’ she said.

‘That’s why Belucci’s is one of my favourite restaurants,’ he said, taking her hand.

Venice shone in the moonlight as they walked towards the opera house. Sienna marvelled at the magic of the city. The canals reflected the glittering golden glow of the city’s lights as gondolas slid almost silently over the dark water. She considered pinching herself just to make sure she really was walking the famed cobblestone streets on the arm of Europe’s most eligible bachelor.

A shout sounded behind her. She jerked her head around, but it was nothing sinister. Just some young men in high spirits.

‘Don’t worry,’ Antonio said. ‘We’ve lost them.’

‘I’d love to live here for a while.’ She sighed.

‘Why don’t you?’ Antonio asked.

Because I’m trapped.
‘Not everyone is as free as you,’ she said, unable to keep the bitterness from her voice.

‘You create your own freedom.’

‘I have responsibilities.’

‘Of course, but it’s up to you to create the life you want.’

‘You can’t control everything, you know.’

She felt his arm stiffen against hers. ‘True. But whatever must be controlled should be, ruthlessly.’

‘You can’t control love.’ She winced. What on earth had made her say that?

‘Of course you can.’

She stopped and looked up at him. ‘You’re saying you can control who you fall in love with?’

‘Love’s overrated.’

She stared at him aghast. ‘What’s life without love, passion —’

‘Painless,’ he said simply, pulling her gently along.

She couldn’t argue with that.

‘Teatro La Fenice,’ he announced, pointing up the street.

A glamorous crowd milled under the columns of the grand white building. They all looked sophisticated, rich and as if they belonged. An elegant woman spied Antonio and waved.

Sienna held back.

‘Something wrong?’ Antonio asked.

‘I just need a moment,’ she said, taking in a deep breath.

He looked at her closely. ‘Are you still tired? We can skip the second half.’

‘Not tired.’
Terrified.
‘Ah . . .’

‘What?’ he pressed.

‘Nervous.’

Antonio’s eyebrow arched. ‘Why?’

‘Every person in that room will be judging me.’

‘Probably,’ he said.

‘Great. Thanks for making me feel so much better.’

He smiled. ‘I didn’t think you were afraid of anything.’

Wow, I must be a good actress.

‘You’re not afraid of me,’ he said, leaning down close to her face. ‘You certainly don’t stick to my carefully laid plans.’

His proximity caused her heart to beat a little faster. ‘Something about you makes me want to rebel.’

He put his arms about her and pulled her close. She exhaled sharply as his hands moulded to her bare back.

‘Sounds exciting.’

‘People are watching,’ she said, looking past his broad shoulders.

‘Let them,’ he said.

‘Antonio!’ A woman’s shrill voice sounded across the cobblestones. A beleaguered look flashed across Antonio’s face. ‘Darling,’ she called.

‘Time to take you into the lion’s den.’ He took Sienna’s hand and led the way. He waved greetings to a number of people as they approached the sophisticated throng.

Sienna had never seen so many jewels and couture in one place. She straightened her dress and smoothed her hair. As the fiancée of one of the world’s most desirable men, Sienna knew she’d suffer intense scrutiny. She wouldn’t let her father down. She’d make this deal work. After tonight, the world would know she legitimately belonged by Antonio’s side.

‘Antonio.’ A gorgeous woman swept up to them. ‘Late as usual.’ She slipped her hand around Antonio’s waist. Sienna had to move aside, or she’d have been knocked sideways. She watched as the woman planted lingering kisses on Antonio’s cheeks.

‘I’ve booked our usual table,’ the woman said in a conspiratorial whisper. Sienna knew the words were articulated for her to hear clearly.

Antonio reached for Sienna’s hand and brought her to his side. ‘Marcella, I’d like you to met my fiancée, Sienna De Luca.’

‘Fiancée?’ The woman’s beautiful face flashed with such venom Sienna recoiled.

‘Of course I’d heard the rumours, darling,’ the woman said, placing her hand on Antonio’s arm and smiling up at him brilliantly. She tried to angle him towards her, but he remained firmly at Sienna’s side. ‘I thought they were the usual tabloid lies.’

‘Not this time. All true,’ he said, placing his arm around Sienna’s waist. The woman’s gaze tracked the movement, barely contained fury filling her emerald-green eyes. Antonio’s body felt like a protective shield. One Sienna clearly needed.

‘Must go,’ the woman said, turning with a flounce and walking off, her heels clicking up the stone steps into the opera house.

‘Who’s that?’ Sienna asked.

‘The manager of the opera house.’

‘She looks very young to hold such a senior position.’

‘Daddy,’ Antonio said, leading them towards the steps.

Sienna stepped from his grasp. ‘She seems a little put out that you’re getting married.’

‘We’ve been friends for a long time.’

‘Friends?’
Friends with benefits, more like.

He slipped his arm about her waist again. ‘I’ve dated a lot of women in Venice. It’s my hometown. We may run into a few.’

‘Wonderful.’

‘They don’t bite.’

‘Maybe not, but I’m feeling a bit singed from that little encounter.’

‘Marcella’s just a little hotheaded.’

‘Are you blind? That woman wants you.’

He stopped and tilted her chin until she locked eyes with him. ‘And yet, she’s not going to get me, is she?’

Sienna swallowed. ‘Not for a year anyway,’ she managed to say.

‘I don’t know, I’m getting used to having you around.’

Heat touched Sienna’s cheeks. She relaxed a little in his arms. ‘Really?’

‘I have a beautiful woman on my arm with none of the emotional drama that usually comes with it.’ He kissed her forehead. ‘Perfect.’

Her body stiffened and she pulled away. She was just an ornament. Something to be shown off like one of his new hotels. She felt like hurling all the emotional drama she was capable of right in his face.

‘Yes, perfect,’ she said, holding her head high and walking ahead of him into the fray.

As usual, Antonio answered emails on his phone as the opera droned on about him.

‘Put your phone away,’ Sienna implored. ‘This is wonderful.’

‘I’ve seen
La Traviata
at least four times,’ he answered.

‘Why do you come?’ Sienna whispered.

‘I’m a patron.’ He leant in close. ‘Also tonight I’m giving a special presentation.’

‘What kind of presentation?’

A lone violin struck up a mournful melody.

‘Wait and see,’ he said mysteriously.

Sienna settled back in her seat. Within seconds the performance had her mesmerised. How could Antonio not enjoy this?

When interval arrived, Sienna clapped like a madwoman. A man walked to the centre of the stage.

‘Before intermission, we have a special presentation. As you know, the profits from tonight’s performance will be donated to the Children’s Wing of the Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo Ospedale.’

Antonio grabbed her hand. ‘Come on.’

‘But I want to see this,’ Sienna said.

‘You will.’

Antonio led her down the stairs from their private box. He pulled open the door to the main auditorium and escorted her through. The stalls looked packed to capacity.

‘What are we doing?’ she asked, trying to hang back.

‘You’ll see,’ he said, accompanying her down the central aisle. The gaze of hundreds of people tracked their progress.

‘I’d like to invite Antonio Moretti and his special guest to the stage,’ the man announced. The whole auditorium broke into loud applause.

Sienna tried to pull free of Antonio’s grasp. ‘I’m not going up there,’ she said, the panic in her voice clear to her own ears.

‘Come on,’ he said, a wicked smile playing about his lips. ‘I think you’ll like this.’

She trembled as she stepped onto the stage. Antonio led her to the microphone and she looked out upon a sea of faces. Right in the front row sat Marcella, throwing daggers with her eyes. Sienna edged as best she could behind Antonio’s body.

‘Good evening.’ Antonio’s voice resonated clearly through the opera house. A hush fell over the crowd. ‘Tonight I proposed to my beautiful girlfriend, Sienna De Luca.’

Antonio slipped his arm about her waist. Sienna noticed Marcella stand and storm from the room.

‘You will all see that special moment in
High Life
magazine in the morning. The sale of the pictures benefits the hospital.’

Sienna’s eyes flew to Antonio’s face. He flashed her a brilliant smile, then pulled a cheque from his pocket and handed it to Sienna. ‘Sienna and I would like to donate the proceeds, one million euro, to the hospital.’

Sienna stared at the seemingly endless zeros written on the cheque.

‘Can you forgive me?’ Antonio murmured in her ear.

She looked up at him, unable to speak. A flood of conflicting emotions engulfed her. How could she be furious with him when the photographs had been for such a good cause? But why hadn’t he trusted her with his plan?

A man accompanied by a small boy walked from the wings. The boy had his arm in a sling and a huge grin lit up his face. She handed the cheque to the man and he kissed her lightly on each cheek, muttering his thanks.

Sienna bent down to the boy. ‘This is exciting, isn’t it?’ she said, putting her arm about his shoulders.

‘Yes,’ the boy said, his eyes wide.

‘How are you feeling?’

‘Good, but my sister’s very sick. A car crashed into us.’

‘Oh.’

‘This will make her better though,’ he said, pointing to the cheque, his little face shining with hope. ‘Won’t it?’

Her eyes watered. ‘Sure to,’ she said, giving him a hug. Over the child’s shoulder her eyes met Antonio’s. His mouth sported a smile, but his eyes told a different story. Dark, intense – anguished? Sienna blinked. Real pain stared back at her. Antonio turned away quickly and spoke to the hospital representative.

‘Thank you,’ the boy said, planting a wet kiss on each of her cheeks. A cheer broke out across the room. She’d forgotten half of Venice looked on. She stood awkwardly, not really knowing what to do next.

‘See, I’m not all bad,’ Antonio said as he walked back to her side. Sienna studied his face. He looked the picture of a man who ruled the world. Not a trace of torment. Antonio captured her hand and led her from the stage to raucous applause.