A Marriage Fit For A Sinner

His arrest days later for criminal negligence had confirmed what sort of man she’d foolishly woven her dreams around.

She met his gaze now. ‘You got what you wanted—your name next to mine on the front page. The whole world knows I left with you last night, that I’m no longer engaged to Harry.’

His hand slipped to her nape, worked over tense muscles. ‘And how did Fairfield take being so unceremoniously dumped?’ he asked.

‘Harry cares about me, so he was a complete gentleman about it. Shame I can’t say the same about you.’

Dark grey eyes gleamed dangerously. ‘You mean he wasn’t torn up at the thought of never having access to this body again?’ he mocked.

She lifted a brow. ‘Never say never.’

Tension coiled his body. ‘If you think I’ll tolerate any further interaction between you and Fairfield, you’re severely mistaken,’ he warned with a dark rumble.

‘Why, Zaccheo, you sound almost jealous.’

Heat scoured his cheekbones and a tiny part of her quailed at her daring. ‘You’d be wise to stop testing me, dolcezza.’

‘If you want this to stop, tell me why you’re doing this.’

‘I’m only going to say it one more time, so let it sink in. I don’t intend to stop until your father’s reputation is in the gutter and everything he took from me is returned, plus interest.’

‘Can I see the proof of what you accuse my father of?’

‘Would you believe even if you saw it? Or will you cling to the belief that I’m the big, bad ogre who’s just throwing his weight about?’ he taunted.

Eva looked down at the papers on the table, every last one containing everything Zaccheo had demanded. Would her father have done it if Zaccheo’s threats were empty?

‘Last night, when you said you and I...’ She stopped, unable to process the reality.

‘Would be married in two weeks? Sì, I meant that, too. And to get that ball rolling, we’re going shopping for an engagement ring in exactly ten minutes, after which we have a full day ahead, so if you require further sustenance I suggest you finish your breakfast.’

He dropped his fingers from her nape and stepped back. With a last look filled with steely determination, he picked up the closest paper and walked out of the room.

CHAPTER FIVE (#ulink_688d75c4-bb41-5673-bafa-05a7c364e108)

THEIR FIRST STOP was an exclusive coat boutique in Bond Street. Zaccheo told himself it was because he didn’t want to waste time. The truth mocked him in the form of needing to cover Eva Pennington’s body before he lost any more brain cells to the lust blazing through his bloodstream.