A Dark Sicilian Secret - By Jane Porter Page 0,57
Although sunshine still poured through the tall windows, splashing light across the tiled floor, Jillian couldn’t focus. Couldn’t see.
In less than five minutes Marco had turned her world inside out. In less than five minutes Marco had stripped away her security, and her hope.
Jillian wasn’t sure her legs would hold her as she carried Joe up the stairs from the breakfast room to the nursery on the third floor.
Her heart thudded. Her teeth chattered. Her mind raced, thoughts spinning wildly in every direction.
What would she do now?
What could she do?
She had no idea how Marco had found her. But he had. And now that he had, she put everyone here in danger.
Like Katie before her, Marco’s people would use her, make her a tool for destruction.
But she couldn’t risk Vittorio’s family’s safety. And there was no way she’d ever hurt Vitt.
Not when she loved him. Not when he was the one person who’d reached out to her, helped her, loved her.
Because in her heart, she did feel loved. In her heart, she knew he’d do anything for her.
But she needed Vitt alive and strong for Joe. Because Joe, as a d’Severano, would need guidance. Joe would need the wisdom and courage of his father.
Drawing Joe closer against her breast, she breathed him in, smelling his sweetness, aware of his softness. She would never put her baby in danger. She would never compromise his safety in any way.
There was only one thing she could do.
Only one decision to be made.
She had to go. It was the only way.
Tears filmed her eyes and she blinked to clear her vision as she reached the top step. Joe stared into her face with concern and patted her cheek. “Mama,” he said, his baby hand against her face, “Mama.”
“It’s okay,” she soothed him, kissing his small palm. “Daddy loves you. Momma loves you. Everyone loves you.”
Entering the nursery, Jillian found Maria folding Joe’s clothes. At first glance, Jillian thought Maria must have done his laundry, but then she realized Maria was putting everything of Joe’s into a suitcase.
Had Vittorio found out about Marco’s call?
Was Vittorio sending them away?
“What are you doing?” Jillian asked Maria.
“Signor told me to pack the baby’s things.”
Jillian’s legs shook. “Why?”
“He said that you were going on a trip.”
“Me?”
Maria nodded, and Joe impatiently kicked, wanting to be put down. Numbly Jillian set him on his feet and just like the first day he was here, he raced toward his toys, pulling out a stuffed floppy dog off the bookshelf to squeeze to his chest.
Jillian drew a shallow breath. “When did he say that?”
“Five minutes ago. Maybe ten. He came into the nursery and told me to pack because the three of you were going away on holiday for a few days. Going to Capri, I think he said.”
Relief coursed through her veins. “Capri?” Jillian repeated.
Maria folded another one of Joe’s little T-shirts and added it to the stack in the suitcase. “He wants you to relax before the wedding. It’s a pre-honeymoon honeymoon.”
A pre-honeymoon honeymoon, to Capri no less. Vitt’s thoughtfulness staggered her, aware that he knew it was one of the places she’d always wanted to go but had not yet been.
Shaking her head, Jillian looked off, across the bright nursery with its cheerful colors and fanciful fish. She loved this nursery almost as much as Joe did. It was such a perfect room for a little boy to call his own. “Maria, can I leave Joe here with you while I go talk to Signor?”
Maria smiled. “Of course.”
Jillian left the nursery and headed down the hall for the bedroom she shared with Vitt.
The room was dimly lit as the curtains had been drawn against the morning sun. In the darkened room the large canopy bed looked massive and the antique wardrobe in the corner appeared to almost topple over. A suitcase lay open on the bed and Vitt’s clothes were stacked in a neat pile in half of it.
Inside the bedroom she heard the sound of running water coming from the ensuite bathroom. Vitt was showering. Humming.
He sounded so happy.
It was such a small thing, but somehow it stole her breath, and practically brought her to her knees.
She couldn’t hurt him. She couldn’t do it. But just being here with him put everyone at risk.
And then the sound of running water stopped. Vitt had finished his shower.
Jillian put a hand to her middle. For a moment she felt so physically sick she thought she’d lose her breakfast right there on