Chapter Four #3
Stepping into it, he saw the change in Marnie with one glance.
She was curled on a rattan sofa at the far end, reading.
Her long, choppily layered blond hair was loose and looked recently brushed, the clothing he could see that wasn’t hidden by the blanket on her lap looked like daywear rather than the oversized pyjamas she’d spent eight weeks living in.
Although his staff had provided regular updates in his absence, seeing the marked improvement for himself released such unadulterated relief that he sank onto the footstool by her feet with a beaming grin.
For all the complicated contradictions of Domenico’s feelings for Marnie, there had been nothing complicated about how he’d felt watching her suffer these last few months. He’d hated it. If he could have infused her suffering into his own body and set hers free, he would have done.
‘You look well.’ A week ago, she’d said she thought the nausea was easing.
Now, for the first time in eight weeks, she had a touch of colour in her cheeks.
Her eyes—he couldn’t decide if they looked grey or blue today—were brighter than they’d looked in eight weeks, too, the bruises of exhaustion that had lived beneath them much faded.
The touch of a smile curved her cheeks. ‘I’m feeling stronger every day. If I carry on like this, I should be able to go home soon.’
That was definitely a hint of challenge in her voice. She really was improving!
Refusing to take the bait, he instead turned it to his advantage. ‘Let’s get you to full strength before we discuss that step, and I have just the thing to get you there.’
She arched an eyebrow in perfect suspicion.
‘Let’s go to Rome. They’re predicting another two weeks of rain here, but in Rome, they’re forecasting sunshine.
’ And he knew Marnie loved his Roman villa.
It was the perfect place and setting for her recovery.
The romantic nature of the place meant it fit perfectly with his plans to woo her back into his life permanently.
‘You’ve already been thinking about this?’ she asked suspiciously.
‘I’ve done more than think about it. I spoke to your consultant yesterday, and he’s comfortable with you flying out there now that your symptoms have eased.
He’s spoken to an Italian colleague who is willing to have you under his team’s care while we’re there.
We will take every precaution—I’ve spoken to Lucy and she is happy to travel with us.
’ Lucy was Marnie’s favourite member of the nursing team.
‘It seems you’ve spoken to everyone about it except me,’ she commented, her tone dry.
‘I didn’t want to build your hopes up in case the consultant said it was too great a risk, but we are talking about it now. Just think how much better you’ll feel when you’re able to breathe some fresh air and take a refreshing swim in the pool,’ he coaxed.
Marnie turned her stare away from Domenico’s expectant gaze and looked out over the pouring rain.
Her heart was racing as quickly as her mind, her hold on her book tight as she found herself filled with a longing to lose herself in the lush grounds of his Italian villa and feel the sun on her face.
It hadn’t stopped raining since she’d felt well enough to venture outside. She was sick of being confined indoors.
What difference did it make if she continued her recovery here or there?
It wasn’t like she would be taking a holiday with him.
Domenico would spend his days working in his Rome office, so in that regard, there wouldn’t be any change to being here at all, and it might just be what she needed to rejuvenate her body and spirits and make her well enough to finally return to her own home.
So what was making her hesitate?
Domenico.
She didn’t trust him an inch. He didn’t do anything that wasn’t for his benefit.
She didn’t deny that he’d been great these past eight weeks and had kept his word about not discussing their future, but he hadn’t needed to.
She’d been under his roof, exactly where he wanted her.
That she was now on the road to recovery meant he would be looking to restart the game to make her temporary stay a permanent one, and with the stakes being so high…
When he judged the time was right, he would pounce, and she would find herself under a full-throttled offence aimed solely at making her capitulate and tie her life back to his. That time was ticking closer. He would use their child as a weapon. Nothing would be off the table.
But she was stronger than she’d ever given herself credit for.
She’d found the courage to break her own heart and leave him, and had fortified her spine with steel to get through the awful months of their divorce.
She’d found the strength to tell him to leave after that one heavenly night of weakness…
She cut the memory away.
The only time her strength faltered was when she replayed that night, and she couldn’t afford to falter. Not with Domenico. Any weakness would be pounced on.
He didn’t want her. That’s what she needed to keep fresh in her mind. His antics during their divorce had never been about her; that had been his pride lashing out, and now she was just the incubator who carried his longed-for child.
She’d stopped being the Marnie he respected and valued the day he married her.
Turning her stare back to his, she smiled. ‘That’s a lovely idea, thank you.’
The flash of triumph in his eyes only confirmed her suspicions about this trip being his first move.
The game had restarted.
She wished her pulse didn’t quicken at the thought of where it might lead.
It wouldn’t lead anywhere.
It didn’t matter what Domenico did or what tricks he thought he had up his sleeves, she would never go back to him.
Marnie had lived alone for six years, but had never felt loneliness like she’d experienced during her short marriage.