Bestselling Authors Collection 2012(114)
A stubborn look settled on her face. “Don’t you see? I had to face him the same way I had to face the lake. Luc and Juice wouldn’t have let anything happen to me. And the police were alerted in advance. They had officers in the area.” She caught her lower lip between her teeth, her jade gaze holding a combination of apology and determination. “I did it, Constantine. I looked him right in the eyes and realized what a contemptible little worm he is.”
Constantine fought to temper his anger, to consider the situation from her point of view. “I can’t argue with your description. I can and do argue with how you went about it. Did you give a single thought to my take on all this? To how I’d react or my opinion? We’re supposed to be a team, Gianna.”
She winced. “You’re right and I am sorry. I promise I won’t keep anything from you in the future. Not that anything like this will ever happen again.”
“No, it won’t, as I intend to make very clear to each and every one of your relatives.” He couldn’t help himself. He pulled her close and held her. “Were you very afraid?”
“Not even a little.” She tilted her head back and grinned. “Okay, maybe a little, but it was only a very little.”
“D’Angelo followed you to the Mereaux residence?”
“More or less. He arrived a few minutes after I did.”
“He didn’t harm you or the Mereaux woman?”
“No. Mia handled it like a trouper. He came in and demanded the doll. Luc had told us what to say so it would be a clear-cut case of theft.” Her brow wrinkled. “Or is it burglary?” She shrugged. “No matter. They taped every last word. Then David ripped open the poor doll and removed Brimstone. Lord, it was huge. And because it’s worth so much, taking it makes it a far more serious crime. Somehow I don’t think he’s going to get out of this one as easily as he’s gotten out of so many of his other problems.”
“He won’t be getting out of those, either. He and his father are under investigation for embezzlement.”
“Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy,” Gianna said cheerfully.
Constantine checked his watch. “Moretti should be arriving shortly. I need to get back to the Diamondt building.”
“I gather I’m coming with you?” she asked.
He shot her a hard look. “You, piccola, will not be out of my sight for the rest of our stay in Seattle.”
She sighed. “Sort of thought you might say that.”
Gianna and Constantine arrived at the Diamondt building shortly after four. To her intense surprise, the first person she saw when she entered the foyer was her oldest cousin, Sev. She made a beeline for him.
“Severo Dante, what on earth are you doing here?” she demanded.
He jerked at her question and swept around to confront her. She checked her forward momentum at the last instant, only just preventing herself from giving the man a hug.
He was as tall as Sev—two or three inches over six feet—with hair every bit as black. He also possessed the same intense golden eyes as both her cousin and her grandfather, Primo. His features were equally hard, cut in strong, less-than-handsome lines, but all the more powerful because of it. He’d dressed in a black suit, one that emphasized his broad shoulders and strong, muscular legs, and cloaked him in darkness.
Unable to help herself, she fell back a step, thoroughly intimidated. “I’m sorry. I thought you were my cousin.” She glanced over her shoulder, searching for Constantine, before offering her hand with a hesitant smile. “I don’t suppose you have any Dante relatives in your background? You could pass for one of my family without any problem at all. The resemblance is really quite amazing.”
He didn’t speak for a long moment. Then in a voice as deep and black as his appearance, he asked, “Who are you?”
Her hand dropped slowly to her side. “I’m Gianna Dante. Constantine Romano is my fiancé,” she explained stiffly.
His eyes narrowed in open displeasure. To her extreme relief, she felt the reassuring pressure of Constantine’s hands on her shoulder. “Is there a problem?”
Moretti hesitated, then shook his head. “I’m satisfied with what I’ve seen here. Send the contract,” he said, his gaze never shifting from Gianna. And with that, he turned and left, flowing from the building like black fog.
“What the hell was that about?” Constantine demanded.
“I think I remember where I heard the name Moretti before,” Gianna murmured, stricken. “That’s the name of the woman my uncle Dominic had an affair with. The woman he was leaving Aunt Laura for. Oh, Constantine. I think maybe Uncle Dominic did more than have an affair with her. A lot more.”