The Fiorenza Forced Marriage. Melanie Milburne

he had discarded so cavalierly. She wondered if he had called her or texted her on his mobile, not even bothering to wait until he could speak to her face to face. Either way she couldn’t help wondering if the woman had done the unthinkable and fallen in love with him. It was a sobering reminder of what she was in for if she dared to allow her own feelings to get out of control.

      ‘It’s very late,’ she said. ‘You should go to bed. You look exhausted.’

      He cocked his head at her. ‘How about you tuck me in? I am sure you are very good at it. After all, isn’t that what my father paid you to do?’

      ‘I would have looked after him without any payment,’ she said, even though she knew it was going to annoy him. ‘In my opinion he was worth two of you.’

      A flicker of anger flashed in his dark gaze. ‘Are you telling me you were in love with him?’ he asked.

      She held his glittering gaze with an effort. ‘Everyone deserves love, Rafaele; even, dare I say, someone as odious as you.’

      She gave him one last frosty look and stalked out with the sounds of his mocking laughter following her all the way upstairs.