A Shadow of Guilt - By Abby Green Page 0,51

… and the sweet fig starter … truly inspired …’

Valentina smiled weakly and cursed herself inwardly. This was what she’d been waiting for, an opportunity to showcase her skills in front of the very people who could take her forward with her career and yet she couldn’t concentrate. She was too keyed up, her whole body quivering because she knew Gio was just feet away in the crowded throng. Guests were finishing lunch in the VIP marquee and moving back outside for the biggest race of the three days.

Valentina gave up trying to focus on what the guests were saying to her and murmured her thanks and excuses, cursing herself again that she was so distracted. She turned to head back out to the main tent to make sure that everything was set up for the inevitable celebrations after the race and ran straight into a wall of steel.

Gio.

She looked up. His hands were on her arms and her legs felt like jelly. His gaze raked her up and down and dimly she realised that he’d shaved since the morning. He looked … edible. Her insides melted. She thought of the tattoo and her heart clenched.

‘OK?’

It took a second for his question to register. She was too caught up in her reaction to him. Jerkily she nodded her head and then she realised that he was standing with another couple. The man was tall, as tall as Gio. There was a startling resemblance even though Valentina knew it wasn’t one of his brothers. A woman stood beside the man, his hand in a proprietorial hold on her arm, much the same way Gio now held Valentina’s arm. It was only then that she became aware of the crackling tension between the men.

In that instance some flicker of affinity passed between the women, even though Valentina had never seen her before. She was beautiful, with long straight brown hair and stunning blue eyes.

‘Angelo, I’d like you to meet Valentina Ferranti, the woman who has been in charge of catering for this year’s Corretti Cup.’

The man smiled and Valentina felt Gio’s hand tighten on her fractionally. He was stupendously handsome, even though he did nothing for Valentina. He put out a hand and said urbanely, ‘Nice to meet you. I’m Gio’s illegitimate cousin. I’m also betting against his horse today and I expect to win.’

Before Valentina could respond Gio was biting out, ‘She’s got nothing to do with our pathetic family dramas.’

Valentina took Angelo’s hand and felt something inexplicably primal rise up within her. She smiled sweetly. ‘We’ll be serving Prosecco and elderflower cocktails after the race to help you drown your sorrows when you lose to Gio’s horse.’

Angelo kept ahold of her hand and after a long moment he looked from Valentina to Gio and said with steel in his voice, ‘We’ll see.’

Shocked at that protective surge she’d felt to defend Gio, Valentina took her hand back and jerked her arm out of Gio’s hold. Focusing on no one in particular she muttered something about needing to check something and left the tent.

Thankfully things were gearing up for the big race so Valentina knew that Gio would be busy and unlikely to come after her and she needed some space. She couldn’t keep avoiding her own conscience after last night and that morning.

She found a secluded spot hidden away from everything and leant against the railing of a nearby paddock, resting her forehead on her hands. Her insides felt as if they were cramping. Her breath was choppy. She shouldn’t have slept with Gio … and yet, Valentina had enough honesty to admit that if she went back in time, was confronted with Gio all over again … no force on earth could have induced her to resist.

But the tattoo … what he’d been through after Mario’s death—it all whirled sickeningly in her head now.

‘What is it? What’s wrong?’

Valentina was being pulled up from the railing, her heart slamming to a halt before she even realised that Gio had followed her. Sudden anger at this invasion of privacy when she felt so vulnerable made her lash out. ‘Nothing is wrong, Gio, apart from the fact that I despise myself for being so weak!’

Every line in Gio’s face stood out in stark relief. ‘I told you last night, Valentina. I give you full permission to despise me. And believe me, I have every intention of making you despise me over and over again.’

He reached out with two hands and pulled her into