Chapter 35
AMBER
The door has barely clicked shut when I turn on him.
‘I found Simone’s necklace in our bed, Dominic. Our bed. What the hell was it doing there?’
He gapes at me like I’ve just announced I discovered a severed horse’s head on his pillow.
‘I genuinely don’t know, angel. Maybe it fell off when she was making it.’
I snort. ‘Give me some credit. I don’t suppose Simone has made a bed in her life.’
‘All right. Maybe whoever took her earrings and Felix’s Rolex dropped it in here while they were searching our room.’
‘You mean Maria?’
He shrugs. ‘I’m not pointing the finger at anyone.
I’m just telling you it’s not what you think.
Simone and I are ancient history. Besides, she has Felix now.
’ Is that a flicker of hurt crossing his face, or am I seeing what I want to see?
His expression clears a moment later and he draws me into his arms.
‘Please, Amber, don’t let jealousy ruin what we have.
Yes, Simone and I have a shared history, but she’s just a friend now, nothing more, all right?
’ He moves behind me, his thumbs finding the knots at the base of my neck, working small circles into the muscles until some of the tension starts to ease away.
Then he turns me round, his hands gripping my shoulders, and stares straight into my eyes. ‘I love you, OK?’
I almost blurt, ‘But there was a photo of you in the locket,’ but bite back the words. If Dominic knew Simone clearly still holds a torch for him, it might change everything, and that’s a risk I’m not prepared to take.
Wanting desperately to believe him, I let him guide me to our bed where he undresses me slowly, tenderly, only pausing to drop feather-light kisses on my shoulder, my neck, my breasts.
He undoes my shirt, button by button, and holds the mati pendant in his hand, examining it.
‘That’s pretty. Did you get it today?’
I nod. ‘It’s supposed to protect me from the evil eye.’
‘Funny, I’ve never seen you without the necklace your gran gave you.’
‘I can’t find it.’ My voice wobbles. ‘I’ve looked everywhere. It’s completely disappeared.’
‘Poor baby.’ As he reaches for my hand his eyebrows shoot up. ‘It’s probably been stolen too!’
‘But why would anyone bother to steal it? It’s hardly worth anything.’
‘Whoever took it doesn’t know that though, do they? It’s too much of a coincidence.’ He rocks back on his heels, thinking. ‘They must have dropped Simone’s locket when they were searching our room. I told you there would be a rational explanation.’
I consider this and realise he’s right. It does make sense.
‘But who’s stealing our stuff, Dom? I can’t believe Maria would do that. Why would she risk losing her job for a watch and a few pieces of jewellery?’
‘Tiffany earrings and a Rolex worth thousands,’ he corrects me. He doesn’t include my necklace, I notice. ‘I’ve known Maria for years and believe me, I’d hate to think it was her. But she could be in financial difficulties for all we know. Desperate people do desperate things.’
‘I know, but—’
‘Seriously, the older I get, the more I realise that everyone has something to hide, even the people we think we know best. Especially the people we think we know best. No one is ever who they seem.’ This time a shadow definitely darkens his features, but it’s gone almost as quickly as it appeared and he pulls me close and nuzzles my neck.
‘Anyway, let’s forget about it for now. I have far more important things on my mind. ’
My body responds automatically, like it always does, but I can’t switch off the doubts. I used to think my boyfriend was an open book, one of those uncomplicated people who wear their heart on their sleeve. Do I still think that?
I’m not sure.