by Betsy Swann
Izzy raised herself up and headed for the dressing room. She smiled. It was time to get changed.
CHAPTER SIX
Looking the epitome of male sophistication Enzo Vallorini strode up the stairs leading into Nick Hetherington’s sumptuous London flagship hotel. He hadn’t set foot in England for twenty-two months now and he certainly hadn’t planned to come back, but Luca’s imprudent love affair with his personal assistant had left him no option. His younger brother had been married to a stunningly beautiful gold-digger before, at great cost, and there was no way he would allow Luca to repeat this mistake. He had been shocked when Luca had phoned him yesterday to admit his shortcomings; that he’d entertained an affair with his blonde PA and even thought about tying the knot again, only to catch her with Nick Hetherington in the box room of his office.
Enzo gritted his teeth. No way would Luca bring another Rebecca Morton into their family. The damage Luca’s first wife had done was more than enough, more than Enzo could bear. The thought that Rebecca now owned the manor house in Suffolk as part of her divorce settlement made his stomach clench. Surely she had never set a foot across the threshold since she forced them to move out of their beloved family home. Rebecca merely enjoyed the victory; the fact that she’d taken the one possession Enzo treasured above all others. He had no doubt that this was what it was all about. Revenge that he had not married her after their brief fling a few years ago, so she had turned to Luca instead, who had been stupid enough to fall into her love trap and tie the knot. Even more stupidly, Luca had been too love-struck to make a water-tight pre-nuptial agreement. Instead he had chosen to secure just the business but not his private assets, convinced that their love would last a lifetime. He had paid dearly for his mistake. Not even three months after the wedding Luca had returned home early from a business trip to Las Vegas and caught his actress wife making love with a famous producer in the marital bed. That had been the end of their marriage, the start of her Hollywood career and the beginning of a long and costly divorce.
Enzo sighed. It had been his idea to embark on friendly terms with their competition, namely Nick Hetherington. A few months ago he had heard through the grapevine that Hetherington thought about selling their ten luxury hotels in Italy, and Enzo was keenly interested. So he had generously sponsored a series of charity events for ‘My Greatest Wish’, Hetherington’s own charity, and had reason to hope that they would soon sign contracts. Of course this was before Luca had realised that Hetherington had set his eye on his pretty PA and slammed his fist into Hetherington’s nose.
Thankfully Hetherington seemed to take the whole thing like a man. At least he hadn’t mentioned a word about his fallout with Luca, when Enzo had phoned him earlier today to announce his presence at the charity ball and promise another generous donation. Enzo clenched his fists. He wouldn’t allow that girl to have an impact on his business relationship with Hetherington or have his brother make a fool of himself again. Luca had already left for Vegas, so he wasn’t here to spoil things with sudden bouts of jealousy. On his return the Italian luxury hotel chain would be Enzo’s, and the PA would be gone unless she was truly in love with Luca, he’d make sure of that.
Rebecca, the wicked witch was tonight’s guest of honour, Enzo had accepted with gritted teeth, but this was none of his business. He’d ignore her, just as she would ignore him, and no one would ever know how much they loathed each other. After all, this evening was not about his personal vendetta against the woman who’d taken the family mansion. This night was about charity and a good cause that he was keen to support. He planned to donate a vast amount of money to help out and would have done so anyway, even if he hadn’t set his eyes on Hetherington’s Italian luxury hotels.
Swiftly he crossed the spacious reception lounge, impressed about the changes that had been made since he’d last been here. ‘The Hetherington’ had always been the epitome of chic, but it hadn’t quite managed to make the all-important step into the new millennium. All the necessary modern conveniences had been installed, of course, and the guests were cared for and pampered like in the olden days, but that was exactly what had been the problem, he suspected. Somehow the hotel had felt like a relic from a bygone age. Beautiful but with a supple icing of dusk covering it.
Not anymore, Enzo realised. The reception lounge was positively buzzing with animated chatter, and the whole atmosphere had changed from stuffy regal to bright and elegant. As he strolled towards the ballroom doors, he passed the hotel boutique. Enzo stilled. The selection of Hetherington’s Clarissima collection in the window display was to die for. These dresses were stunning, yet with simple, clear lines. Too bad that Hetherington’s designer Clarissa, who’d been with the company for two years, worked exclusively for him. Enzo would have loved to sell her designs in his own hotel boutiques. No doubt Clarissa was also responsible for the improved décor in Hetherington’s hotels all over the world.
The ballroom with its stunning colour scheme of yellow, white and gold had been skilfully transformed into Alice’s Wonderland, complete with trees, rose bushes and real white rabbits hopping within a fenced grassy area by the entrance. Enzo took a glass of champagne from a pretty waitress dressed as the Queen of Hearts. Her dress, he was sure, was another of Clarissa’s creations. The way it slightly swayed with her every movement as she walked through the crowd… No doubt he’d buy one of these for his lover, if he had one at the moment. The designs probably came with a hefty price tag, but he didn’t care. He’d never seen dresses as stunningly beautiful as these.
Enzo held the champagne flute to his lips and scanned the room. He was late because his plane had been delayed before its departure in Rome, and then his limousine had got stuck in traffic on the way from Heathrow airport. The main part of the auction of promises that was being held to raise money for ‘My Greatest Wish’ was probably over by now. Well, in that case he’d just have to bid on what was left.
Hetherington hadn’t spared any expense to keep his guests in a good mood, Enzo noted with a knowing smile. An abundance of waiters and waitresses, all dressed as characters from Alice in Wonderland offered drinks and canapés, and the room was filled with happy chatter. The large French windows had been opened, and a good number of guests had spilled out onto the terrace.
Being blond, tall and with striking good looks Nick Hetherington was not difficult to spot. He stood close to the stage elegantly dressed in a dark tuxedo, a willowy brunette in a revealing lime green evening gown next to him. Her hand possessively resting on his arm, she whispered something into his ear and smiled. Rebecca Morton, the witch. Enzo pressed his lips into a hard line. He wasn’t keen to greet his host as long as Rebecca was clinging to him like a vine, but he certainly wouldn’t let his hostile feelings towards that woman come between him and Hetherington. He wondered whether the man even knew about her character. Probably not. He could just as well have made a snake the guest of honour.
He crossed the room in the direction of the couple, but before he could get through the crowd the two of them put down their glasses and went up on stage. Enzo could only admire the way Hetherington managed to quieten the whole room by merely stepping in front of the microphone. The man had some presence, no doubt.
‘And now to the highlight of our auction,’ he heard Hetherington say, his smooth-as-honey voice instantly capturing the audience. ‘The highest bidder will have the pleasure of a dance with our guest of honour, the beautiful actress Rebecca Morton.’
Applause filled the room while all eyes went to Rebecca, who glittered next to the host in her lime green sparkling robe. All eyes but Enzo’s. He had planned to spend half a million on the good cause tonight but certainly not on a dance with that bitch. Restlessly his eyes flickered over the crowd while the bidding started. He would hand in his donation later tonight, after the auction. There was no way he would…
His breath caught. The White Rabbit. There was something about the way the waitress in the stunning white gown bent her head while o
ffering a selection of canapés to the lady next to her, something that instantly sparked his interest. The twinkle of her huge periwinkle blue eyes behind that fluffy rabbit mask. The glistening silver blond of her tresses falling down to her slender waist. The soft curve of her lips. Time, movement, noises, everything around him came to a standstill while he kept staring at her, his brain seemingly having stopped working.
How could he ever have thought that he was over Izzy’s betrayal?
Enzo swallowed hard. What a fool he had been. Even deep enough in love to actually investigate if she had really spent the night in the hospital – only to find out that it had all come down to clever acting and a few, well placed tears. In the first few months after their break-up he had hated her with a vengeance, with every fibre of his being. Together with the loss of the family mansion it had almost broken him. Then, as the months went by and he had erected a safe distance between them after his move to Italy, his high emotions had slowly calmed down. Or so he had thought. Now, realising how her lovely smile still warmed his heart from across the room although it wasn’t even directed at him, he was not so sure anymore. He pressed his lips together. His stupid heart, jumping up and down for joy at the mere sight of her, was a fool. As was this other part of his treacherous body that had instantly hardened as soon as he’d become aware of her presence.
Enzo finished his glass, his eyes still fixed on Izzy’s face, on that lovely mouth with the pink soft lips. He wasn’t even sure whether he’d be able to look away, if he tried. Dio! He hated this. Even more he hated her for all she had done to him, for betraying him in cold blood and so utterly and heart-shatteringly destructive that he would never allow himself to fall in love again. He felt anger rising up his body, gripping his stomach with steely fingers and freezing him from the inside. He hadn’t been able to look at another woman for a whole year after they’d parted, and even after that he couldn’t get her out of his head, no matter how stunningly beautiful or accomplished his lovers had been.
Enough. He was here now, back in London. If this was the last thing he’d be doing, he’d get Izzy out of his system, at any rate.
‘Fifty-five thousand pounds, ladies and gentlemen,’ he faintly heard Hetherington’s voice at the back of his mind. ‘A dance with the fabulous Rebecca Morton is surely worth more than that… Ah, the gentleman in the white tuxedo is raising his hand. Thank you, Sir. Sixty thousand pounds, ladies and gentlemen…’
Enzo saw Izzy’s lips tremble one of a sudden, as if she felt his brooding glare touching them. Uneasily her eyes shifted over the heads of the audience until they found his. Her lips parted in shock as he mockingly bowed his head in her direction. A cold smile curved the corners of his mouth. When they’d last met the shock had been on him. Not ever again. From now on she would be the one to suffer. Starting right now…
‘Half a million.’
The ballroom fell into complete silence.
On the stage Nick Hetherington turned to him in disbelief. ‘I’m not sure whether I understood correctly Mr Vallorini…’
‘Half a million,’ Enzo repeated. ‘For a dance with the White Rabbit.’
Hetherington threw an uncomfortable glance first to Rebecca Morton next to him on the stage, hot angry streaks forming on her cheeks as if someone had slapped her, then back to Enzo. ‘Unfortunately the White Rabbit is not part of tonight’s auction. Miss Morton was recently crowned the Sexiest Woman Ever, so surely you can’t wish…’
‘I can and I do.’ Enzo shrugged his shoulders. ‘Take it or leave it. Half a million is a lot of money…’
‘Even if I wanted, the White Rabbit does not…’
‘Oh yes, I do.’
At the other side of the room the crowd suddenly began to shift, parting like the Red Sea to let the White Rabbit glide through. Enzo could only admire the way she kept her shoulders straight, her chin defiantly lifted as she came to stand beside him, never even sparing him a glance let alone a smile. Like some modern day Jeanne D’Arc ascending the scaffold. For a moment he wondered why she had to work as a waitress these days but then decided that he didn’t care after all. Carson had probably got bored with her and paid her off with a nice leaving gift. The diamond earrings she was wearing right now, most likely.
‘I gladly dance with this gentleman, if he’s willing to donate such a generous amount to ‘My Greatest Wish’,’ she said in that melodious voice of hers, that voice of an angel.
He stiffened. My God, how he had loved that voice, those sweet words she had whispered into his ears. All lies. Every single word had been tainted with deceit, and he would not allow himself to ever forget that.
Hetherington still didn’t seem happy about the sudden turn of events and threw her a worried glance. ‘Are you really sure about this Miss…’
‘Jones,’ she cut in. ‘And of course I am sure – as certainly any other lady in the room tonight would be, if someone asked her for a dance in aid of this wonderful charity.’
Hetherington raised his head. ‘In that case I can only say thank you to the lovely Miss Jones and to Mr Enzo Vallorini for his most generous bid.’ He threw a beaming smile into the audience. ‘Here we go, ladies and gentlemen. Half a million pounds for a dance with the White Rabbit going once, going twice… gone!’
Among a myriad of claps and cheers the guests cleared the dance floor, and the first notes of a waltz filled the air, instantly creating a romantic ambience that Enzo neither enjoyed nor wanted. His stomach clenched at the thought of the bridal waltz they had never come to dance, and Izzy standing in front of him now in that glittering white gown didn’t help. Apart from her mask she looked like a bride. The bride she’d never be, at least not to him.
Hiding his feelings he gave her a mocking smile. ‘Shall we dance?’
She put her hand into his, and a slight shadow of emotion crossed her eyes. Something almost like hurt, but it disappeared so quickly that he couldn’t be sure, if it had even been there. Anyway, she had been the one dishing out the pain, not the other way round. So why would she feel hurt now?
‘You won the bid,’ she said fixing her eyes on his shoulder. ‘So let’s get over with it.’
Enzo was aware that they were the centre of the attention after his outrageous bid, and he was not surprised when camera flashes came down on them. Tomorrow’s papers would be full of his half-a-million-pound bid, the White Rabbit twirling across the dance floor in his arms and all these greatest wishes his generous contribution would help fulfil. He didn’t mind being photographed by the press, but Izzy didn’t seem to feel comfortable judging by the steep crease between her brows and the way she suddenly pressed her delightfully soft lips together.
‘Let’s get out of here,’ he said in a low voice. Holding her slender waist with his right hand and guiding her hand with his left, he skilfully waltzed her towards one of the opened French windows leading onto the terrace.
Dancing to the romantic tune under a glittering canopy of stars, Enzo realised his mistake. This was too hurtful, too much like the starry night way back on the Suffolk beach when he had proposed to her, when they had promised each other everlasting love. He had been so sure that they belonged together. He gritted his teeth. All she had been sure of was dangling the gift of her virginity in front of his nose like a carrot, and he had fallen for it hook, line and sinker. And God help him, Enzo realised, he was falling again. All it had taken was the warmth of Izzy’s slender body waltzing in his arms, the delicious scent of her hair inveigling his senses and the perfect porcelain texture of her skin. How he had missed her. He closed his eyes for a short moment, allowing himself to dream about touching her, getting lost in her and her loving response. It was nothing but a dream, the same one he always dreamt, he told himself. Nothing that would ever come true, but he couldn’t help himself and he hated her for that. Hated himself for lusting after her, still longing for her after all this time, while she didn’t even deserve a mere thought.
‘What are you doing?’ she hissed, wak
ing him from his reveries. ‘I have no desire to be outside with you, under the stars. We’ve danced long enough now anyway. The deal was…’
‘The deal was to dance with me,’ he replied with a sardonic smile. ‘Just so we understand each other. No word was said about where or how long, and for half a million pounds you bloody well stay in my arms for as long as I desire.’
‘Bastard!’ She shot him a glance aimed to kill. ‘If it hadn’t been for your money you wouldn’t have been allowed to touch me again. Not ever.’
That did it. Enzo saw red, a terrible mist of heated jealousy clouding his brain. Money. That was all she was after. The thought of Carson being allowed to touch her for money and glittering diamond earrings drove him wild. Furiously he pressed his mouth on Izzy’s as if driven by the devil, his hot arousal pulsing against her belly. Any moment now she would slap him, he knew, but he was too much out of control to let this impair his actions. All he could think about was how perfect his mouth felt on her soft lips and how well their bodies fitted together. As if they’d been made for each other. His tongue tasted the delectable fullness of her lips until she finally opened them to let him ravish the moist pleasure of her mouth.
Heaven.
Their kiss felt like heaven, just perfect. As if they’d never been apart, as if nothing could ever come between them. As if…
‘I don’t think kissing the rabbit was part of the agreement,’ Nick Hetherington’s deep voice broke the moment. ‘Not that I wish to interfere with your love life, Vallorini, but I am responsible for the wellbeing of my waiting staff, and Miss Jones is still on duty.’
Reluctantly Enzo raised his head. What the hell…
‘Oh my God,’ he heard Izzy whisper. She stared at him in some kind of frozen shock like an animal confronted with the headlights of a speeding car, then she pushed away from him. ‘This should never have happened.’
