‘She gets to be a princess. Isn’t that every little girl’s dream? It used to be yours.’
Marietta conceded his point with a nod. ‘Although my father was a prince, so it’s slightly different. But is Sienna happy with that?’
‘She will be.’
‘And she doesn’t love you?’
‘Of course not!’ And after the things he’d said to her today, he’d be surprised if she was even talking to him. He flinched when he remembered. He shouldn’t have likened her to a high-class whore. She hadn’t deserved that.
‘Just as well.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Only this, big brother. Our mother adored our father and all for nothing because he was incapable of returning that love. She died lonely and bitter because of it. So if you care at all for this woman, don’t let that happen to her.’
He had to prise his teeth apart in order to speak. ‘It won’t.’
Rafe found her in her room, collecting up her damp towels, freshly showered and smelling like a new morning after a night of rain showers. And even in the jeans and singlet top she’d changed into, her hair pulled into a loose ponytail behind her head, she looked so beautiful that the desire to possess her swelled up large in his chest.
‘Marietta was hoping to meet you.’
Her eyes were cool, noncommittal, and he figured she was still angry with him from their argument on the boat. ‘I’m sorry. I needed to freshen up. Is she staying?’
He nodded, watching her carefully, searching for any sign that Marietta could be right, and that Sienna might somehow have fallen in love with him. ‘She’s joining us for dinner.’
‘Fine.’ She made a move towards the bathroom with the wet towels.
‘Sienna …’
‘What?’
‘Somebody else will get those.’
‘They’re only towels. It’s no trouble to hang them up.’
He followed her into the bathroom. ‘Look, I shouldn’t have said what I did, on the boat.’
She looped one towel over the rail, not even looking at him. ‘Which bit, exactly?’
He reached a hand behind his neck and massaged muscles tight and stiff. ‘When I likened you to some high-society whore. I shouldn’t have said that.’
She sniffed, sliding the other towel over the rail to join the first, fussing with the edges so they exactly aligned. ‘I don’t know, I actually thought referring to me as “some bitch in heat” was equally as offensive.’ Satisfied with the placement of the towels, she turned and pushed past him, back into the bedroom, sitting down on the bed, slipping sandals on her feet.
‘I was angry.’
‘I’ll say, not that I think that excuses you. Seems to me that it’s okay for you to demand sex and to tell me that you want me, but that the moment I do, I’m some kind of whore.’ She stood up. ‘How does that double standard work, exactly?’
‘I’m sorry. I was out of line.’
‘Yes, you were. Now, if you’ll excuse me?’
‘Where are you going?’
‘Just for a walk.’ She felt no compunction to tell him where and what for, no need to tell him that the pilot of the helicopter was a former colleague and that she was looking forward to talking to someone she’d known longer than ten minutes. Sebastiano had promised her he’d be able to give her a few minutes before the chopper had to take off, before the curfew came into effect. ‘To clear my head.’
‘The wind’s getting up. Don’t take the cliff walk.’
This time she managed to dredge up a smile. ‘No. I wouldn’t dream of it.’
‘And, Sienna.’
She turned just inside the door. ‘Yes?’
‘Marietta was worried about you.’He noticed the slight frown that puckered her brow. ‘I thought I should say something.’
Her frown deepened. ‘About what?’
‘About how things are between us. About how they have to be.’
He had her full interest now, every cell in her body sitting up and taking notice. She shut the door and turned towards him, crossing her arms in front of her. ‘So tell me.’
‘This won’t be a normal marriage.’
She gave a brief laugh. ‘You think I haven’t picked up on that? But why should Marietta be worried about me. We’ve never even met.’
‘Because of what happened to my mother. A long time ago.’ He dragged in a breath and threw his eyes to the ceiling, looking as if he’d rather be anywhere but here, and meanwhile she waited, caught between wanting to flee and to protect her emotions from yet another roller coaster ride, and wanting to stay and hear what he had to say. To get to the bottom of his fears and hang-ups, to have him open up to her about his family and what made him the person he was—surely he wouldn’t do this unless she meant something to him? She didn’t want to raise her hopes, only to have them cut down again. But neither could she live without hope. Had Marietta made him see something he hadn’t seen himself?