A Shadow of Guilt - By Abby Green Page 0,62
happening in her body. Valentina had to concentrate on what he’d asked and when she registered how he was looking at her so dispassionately, just waiting for an answer, she blurted out, ‘No!’
She flushed, ‘I mean, yes … I think that’s a good idea. After all … there’s nothing …’
Valentina stopped; she was feeling very light-headed, breathless. Pain was blooming in her chest and Gio was saying from somewhere distant, ‘There is nothing. I think it’s for the best. You have your job to get on with. After the Corretti Cup getting work should be the least of your worries. My aunt won’t stand in your way again.’
Somehow Valentina thought she managed to get out something that sounded like, ‘Yes … thank you …’
The previous couple of weeks flashed through her head, the way Gio had stepped into her life and so comprehensively turned it around. He’d felt obligated; he’d felt the yoke of history heavy around his neck. And he’d desired her. But it was all over now. Finished. Duty and obligation had been seen to and delivered. There was nothing left. A small voice mocked her—since when had she wanted anything else? Anything more?
Then the air steward was interrupting them and telling them they’d be landing in a few minutes. Blindly Valentina found her belt buckle and fastened it. The click seemed to reverberate around her head and she looked out the window as the familiar Sicilian landscape rushed up to meet them and kept telling herself, Breathe, just keep breathing.
Once the plane had landed and they were on the tarmac Gio turned to Valentina. A muscle ticked in his jaw. ‘One of my assistants will take you to get your car at the racetrack. You can let him know when you wish to return to Naples and he’ll arrange for your flight.’
Pride stiffened Valentina’s spine and to her everlasting relief she felt strong enough to say, ‘I can take a scheduled flight, Gio, you don’t have to—’
He slashed a hand through the air, making her flinch minutely. And then he cursed softly. ‘Just … don’t argue, Valentina, please. Take my plane.’
Valentina felt like childishly stamping her foot and demanding why the hell he cared if she went by his plane or not when he clearly never wanted to lay eyes on her again. But just then his phone rang and he lifted it to his ear, not taking his eyes off Valentina, as if daring her to defy him. ‘Pronto? ’
As Valentina watched she saw Gio’s face turn ashen. He said faintly, ‘I’ll be right there.’
Impulsively she reached out a hand, scared. ‘Gio, what is it?’
He was distracted, looking for his assistant, who came running before turning back to Valentina. ‘It’s Misfit, he’s been taken ill.’
‘Oh, Gio …’ Her throat constricted and all anger drained away. ‘Is there anything I can do?’
Gio stopped for a moment and looked at her, his assistant hovering nearby, and then he just said with chilling finality, ‘No, there’s nothing you can do. Goodbye, Valentina.’
And then he’d turned and was walking to his low sports car nearby. He swung into the vehicle and with a muted roar was gone. The assistant approached Valentina and took her small case out of numb fingers. ‘Ms Ferranti? If you’d like to follow me?’
Two days later Valentina was returning on Gio’s private plane to Sicily in the early evening. She’d delivered her mother’s clothes and supplies from home. Her father was gaining strength every day and, in all honesty, Valentina knew she hadn’t seen him look better in years. What Gio had done, with such effortless ease, had ensured a renewed lease of life to her parents that they could never have attained on their own.
Gio. Valentina felt numb when she thought of him. She still had to clear her things out of the accommodation at the racetrack but felt too weary to think about it straightaway. Her heart clenched when she remembered how ashen Gio had gone on hearing that Misfit was ill. For the first time Valentina realised fully how no one had been there for Gio after Mario died; Mario had been his only, closest friend. A friendship and trust that had been hard won, and which had encompassed her too, once.
When the plane landed Valentina went to her car which was parked in the car park. She sat in it for a long time before making a decision.
When she approached the closed and unfriendly looking gates of Gio’s castello about thirty minutes