The Platinum Collection: A Diamond Deal: The Flaw in His Diamond / The Purest of Diamonds? / In the Brazilian's Debt

‘Well, you could have fooled me.’

‘You look cute in that outfit. Dangerously cute.’

‘Oh, please! Cute? Pass the sick bucket, will you?’ She was transported back down the mine, jousting with the men. She was so sure Roman was mocking her, she had to hit back first. And, for goodness’ sake! Belligerent, laddish, abrasive, any of those adjectives would suit her. But cute?

‘If you don’t believe me, just look at yourself,’ he said, turning her to face the bar.

There was a long mirror behind the counter and in between the bottles and darting bartenders Eva could see the reflection of a girl she hardly recognised—a girl with flushed cheeks and bright eyes, and a wild tumble of glittering copper hair—a slim girl standing next to a colossus who looked like every woman’s dream. But instead of feeling thrilled or flattered, she felt her stomach clench with apprehension. The old Eva was back and ready to defend against hurt and ridicule, and against all those things Eva had never quite got the hang of, like accepting a genuine compliment with a simple ‘thank you’.

‘If I’d had anything else to wear, I’d have worn it,’ she flashed ungraciously.

Roman’s lips twitched suspiciously.

‘Are you laughing at me? Did I say something funny?’

She was totally out of her comfort zone, feeling increasingly hot and awkward. She couldn’t compete with the other girls at the party with their sleek, immaculately groomed hair and their expensive designer gowns. She should have known Roman would end up teasing her. It was probably the only reason he had invited her to the party. It was probably his way of punishing her for causing disruption at the mine and for arriving on his island uninvited—

‘Where do you think you’re going?’

He caught hold of her arm as she stormed away.

‘I’m going back to the palazzo—’

‘Oh, no, you’re not,’ he said. You’re staying here with me. You don’t seriously think I’d let you loose on my home, do you?’

‘One of your homes—’

‘Don’t get bogged down in detail,’ he snarled, drawing her close.

Roman’s eyes were so dark and compelling. He radiated power. She tried to subdue the urge to wriggle away from him so she could bolt as far and as fast as she could. Lifting her chin, she matched his stare. ‘I’ll stay at the party and play my part.’

She would stay on his island until they had that talk. Let them see how cute he thought her then.

‘Excellent,’ he said coldly.

She relaxed and stopped fighting him, and he let her go.

With no option but to stay at his side, she began to notice how popular he was—revered even. Why were some of the older people kissing his hand? He was chatting to them like old friends. It was such a warm village, family oriented. That was what she was missing. And it was all her fault. She had worn her family out with her tantrums. She had chosen the wilderness and the wildlife that lived there over them. No one had been able to answer the emptiness inside her when she lost her ma and fa, and only the mighty Arctic landscape seemed to dull the pain. Spending time with people like this only proved how much she took her sisters for granted. When was the last time she had given much thought to the blessings of family life, or swallowed her pride to apologise after a row, which she normally started?

‘You’re seeing another side of life, I think,’ Roman said with his usual perception. ‘You appeared to be enjoying yourself and now you’ve gone all serious again.’ He stared at her keenly.

‘I’m having a lovely time,’ she admitted, ‘though I’m curious as to why everyone makes such a fuss of you.’

‘My good points are buried so deep you can’t see past my disreputable appearance?’ he suggested with amusement.

She opened her eyes wide. ‘Do you mean you have some good points? What I really want to know,’ she said, changing tack, ‘is why do some of the older villagers kiss your hand?’

‘Would you rather they spat in my eye?’

She rolled her eyes, knowing she wasn’t going to get anywhere like this. ‘I’m just curious, that’s all.’

And Roman’s look said she could remain that way.

CHAPTER SIX (#u11a576c4-5736-534e-838f-114ca7b79675)

HE’D SEEN THE looks the old ladies in the village were giving him. He knew they were impatient for him to find a bride. They still thought of him as the rightful heir, the son of the Don who always would be their leader. He wasn’t that son, and the business his cousin now ran was wholly legitimate, but the elders of the village still looked to Roman to care for them and to provide them with an heir. He did care for them, and he would always protect them, but sadly he had to disappoint them where attending tonight’s party with an attractive stranger was concerned.

It was ironic to think he used to resent this tight-knit community, believing he could never be part of it, and yet he now felt at the heart of it. But then his confident belief in who he was and where he belonged had been shattered on his fourteenth birthday—

‘Roman?’

‘My apologies, Eva, I was distracted for a moment.’

‘Please don’t let me disturb you.’ She was being sarcastic, he gathered as she added, ‘I’m quite happy scowling and staring into space too.’

He matched her look with one of his own. ‘Why don’t I introduce you to some more people?’

‘Get me off your hands?’ she suggested.

‘Oh, no. I’ll be close by, watching you.’

‘Great.’ As promised, she scowled.

This was a unique event for him. He was used to women who knew where they stood and what they wanted, and who went straight for his jugular. They made no call on his emotions, and up to now he hadn’t wanted them to. Their interest in his body and his bank balance had always been enough for him, but Eva really wound him up. He might even say some long-forgotten protective instinct had kicked in when his friends had clustered round.

Eva thought she knew what she wanted, but she didn’t have a clue. Her body language told him one thing, while her worried eyes told him something else. She looked sensational, but hardly seemed aware of the admiring glances she was getting. All the men wanted to sleep with her, but took it for granted he was already there.

He hadn’t felt anything remotely like this since he had screwed up his youth and vowed never to have feelings again. Caring was a pointless waste of energy, he had decided at age fourteen. And feelings hurt like hell. He had softened since then, but doubted the shame of returning home to his adoptive parents after being shunned by his blood family would ever leave him. After the love and care his adoptive parents had given him, he had betrayed them in the most terrible way. And for what?

‘You’re doing it again,’ Eva exclaimed, jolting him back to the present. ‘Only this time I suppose I should be glad you don’t have a weapon to hand.’

‘What do you mean?’ He knew, and shrugged the bad mood away.

‘We should enjoy the party, now we’re here,’ she pointed out.

‘You’re stealing my lines.’

They almost smiled at each other.

The moment passed. He controlled himself and relaxed. Eva had caused him more than enough trouble in Skavanga, but beneath the bluster he could see now that she was just a shy, awkward girl, out of her comfort zone, trying to do the best she could for other people. In that they weren’t so different. And whatever else he thought about Eva Skavanga, he had to admire her pluck. They should forget their differences tonight and see where that took them. To smooth the path, he led her towards more familiar territory. ‘Tell me something about your family,’ he suggested.

‘Why do you want to know?’ She stared at him suspiciously.

He didn’t blame her for being wary. He hadn’t exactly welcomed her onto the island, and now he expected her to expose the people closest to her.

It was too much too soon and, as he suspected she would, she quickly changed the subject.

* * *