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The following silence seemed to fill the room, taking on a life of its own.

Rhett looked as if he might spit nails at any second. “I’m sorry,” she whispered.

“I’m not accepting apologies right now.” Rhett paced away from her. Turning abruptly on his heel, he asked. “Why didn’t you say something?”

It took her a beat to realize he was asking about Luca’s persistent, nagging messages today.

Not the past.

“Maria called me just before Ilsa and I left for the dress shop. Luca was being belligerent and haranguing my team. I thought it was handled.” She pointed to the phone Rhett had placed on the kitchen island. “You read the explanation I gave. Of course he kept calling, that’s how he is. He doesn’t accept an answer he doesn’t like.” Rhett’s eyes narrowed at her. She rushed to add, “You saw I ignored him.”

Her explanation only seemed to frustrate Rhett more. His jaw set so hard she thought it might snap and his chest puffed up as he dragged in deep slow breaths. His hands flexed loosely at his sides.

Remarkably, she wasn’t afraid for herself. Something about Rhett reached inside her and underscored that ultimately she was safe with him, even in a temper. He would never hurt her.

She found his fuming way too enticing, his appeal amplified.What was wrong with her?

“I suppose we should call this off.” She managed to say the words. Before he felt obligated to withdraw his support.

“That sounds like another attempt at an apology.” He stepped closer. “I don’t want it.”

Knowing she was safe, believing in his integrity, a shiver rattled through her. Some previously untapped strength of will held her in place, despite her watery knees. “Then what do you want?”

Chapter Twelve

What did he want?

The whole story. A kiss. Her trust. And that was just the beginning of a list that was growing longer by the minute.

Rhett didn’t say any of that. He couldn’t answer her at all without taking another calming breath. He was more thankful than ever for Max’s training and the discipline he’d learned at the gym this past year.

He felt himself teetering on the edge of scaring her and he fought hard to dial it back. The way she stood there holding her ground, her chin up and her eyes defiant, made him proud.

Weird. Possibly inappropriate. She didn’t need him to be proud of her, but there it was anyway.

“Those messages from Gallo aren’t benign,” he began. “I’m angry with him, not you.”

“I’m angry with him too.” The tension eased from her jaw. “He arrived days early and he’s been a jerk when I refused to change my schedule.”

“That’s not the half of it,” he grumbled.

She couldn’t possibly have read those messages. How could he help her without instilling more fear?

On the one hand, he was grateful, on the other… he worried. There was so much more to this than she was telling him. Maybe more than she knew. Everything inside him clamored for the whole story of her history with Gallo. Of his connection to her parents. There was a threat here. He could feel it, but how could he learn the details without invading her privacy?

“What kind of family friend is this pushy?” He decided it was best to start there.

“Luca Gallo,” she said with a quick nod.

Good grief, her curls were adorable and distracting when they bounced along with her expressive movements. He had a flash—not for the first time—of what those curls, her deep dark eyes, and that curvy body would be like in bed. He shoved his errant thoughts aside before he scared her in a whole new way.

“Your parents know him well,” he said. “They must trust him to have given out what amounts to your home address.”

“Yes to both.” She pressed her lips together and swallowed hard. “You’ve been wonderful, but I can’t ask you to do any more for me. You gave me the breathing room I needed to get my head on straight. I’ll go back and deal with this.”

“Deal with Gallo?”

“Yes.” She folded her arms, her earlier defiance already crumbling. “And my parents.”