Page 6 of Disarming Caine

“Can I call you at your sister’s?”

“Of course. I’ll be there around six.”

“Marone. I’ll be at La Fiamma at that hour.”

Rhonda or I could have just been killed, but his big stress was clubbing? “Fine. We can talk tomor—”

Something pressed down on my shoulder. I jumped and spun, ready to strike.

The first thing I saw were the shocking blue eyes. Then the weak smile and perfectly styled blond hair. I smacked his chest as he withdrew the hand he’d used to get my attention.

“Nathan! Christ, you scared me half to death.”

He spread his arms to hug me, but I put out my hand to stop him. His breath hung in a plume in front of him, until another gust blew it away. Hugging him would be as bad as telling Antonio what happened.

I had to get back to work.

“Samantha?” said Antonio on the phone, his voice raised.

I turned around and softened my tone. “Antonio, I have to go. We can talk tomorrow, okay?”

“Alright.” He took a deep breath. “I love you, bella.”

“Good.” I paused. If only those three words were as easy for me as they were for him. Something held me back. Probably stubbornness.Be honest with yourself, Sam. It’s nothing but fear. “I’ll call you in the morning.”

Once the phone was in my pocket, I turned to Nathan who wore an impeccably tailored navy suit and overcoat. I offered a hand to shake.

He looked at it, furrowing his brow. “What’s this?”

“No hugs while I’m working, Nathan. What are you even doing here?”

“Prosecutor’s office sent me to oversee some evidence collection and I heard you were involved.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his long coat and shrugged. “You okay?”

“Fine.”

“How’s the Italian doing?”

“I have an appointment.” As the closest thing I had to a big brother, I gave him some latitude. But he pushed it where Antonio was concerned. “See you at Cass’s tonight?”

He stepped closer, like he was going to try to hug me again. Likely wanting to break down the wall I’d put up between me and what happened. “Do I get two hugs when I see you there?”

“At this rate, I’m guessing none.” I nudged him and frowned before heading for my truck.

Chapter 3

Antonio

Thebassthunderedinsideme, my vision swimming with each chest-pounding pulse. Any other night, being at the club with so many friends would be the perfect evening, but this night was torture. Everything around me was a reminder of the insurmountable void which had ripped through my stomach.

I dragged both hands through my hair, resting my elbows on my knees and stared at my shoes, which drifted side to side. No, perhaps that was my head drifting. How many drinks had I had? Too many, whatever it was. Coming here had been a poor choice.

Raising my eyes, I scanned the crowd. Samantha had come to this club with me once. We drank, danced, and made love in the VIP bathroom. Perhapsmade lovewas not the right term. It had been carnal and desperate, full of overwhelming need. But it had followed an explosion of honesty and I’d seen the love in her eyes that night.

My jaw relaxed for a moment as her face came back to me. She’d been an absolute vision in the little dress she wore that night, with its Medusa-head medallions on the straps. I held tight to the black ceramic ring on my left ring finger. It was only a promise ring, but my whole heart was tied to it, despite my other half being an ocean away.

“What’s wrong with you?” Thomas appeared next to me on the large red couch overlooking the dance floor. I had not seen him in an hour or more.

Tall and handsome, seven years my senior, he was working for me on a conservation project in Pompeii, on loan from the British Museum in London. He’d been Samantha’s boss as an intern a decade ago, and possibly more than her boss, but I’d never gotten a straight answer from either of them on that. Not that it was my business. She had a life before me. It was alright that she’d been with other men. Men like Thomas Grange. And Nathan Miller.