Page 103 of The Tycoon's Affair: Tempted By Desire

‘If there’s anything you need help with, please let me know.’

Her heart twisted. So polite. So courteous. A million miles from their first meeting in this office. And even though she knew her own family would be there to back her up, she felt an awful quiver of vulnerability—because, really, the only person she wanted by her side the day she faced her father again was Luca.

But that scenario was not to be part of her future.

She hitched up her chin and tried to block out the fact that she’d told Luca she loved him and had received no similar declaration in return. That fantasy belonged deep where she harboured dreams of the kind of fulfilment and happiness she saw her sister experiencing with her family. But at least she could take one good thing with her.

‘Are you still going to give me a job?’

‘Of course—wherever you want,’ Luca said quickly, making another piece of Serena’s heart shatter. He was obviouslythateager to see her go.

‘I’d like to go back to Athens today.’

Luca said tightly, ‘Laura will arrange it for you.’

‘Thank you.’

So clipped, so polite.

Before anger could rise at Luca’s non-reaction to her baring her soul to him, she turned to leave.

She was at the door before she heard a broken-sounding, ‘Serena...’

Heart thumping, hope spiralling, Serena turned around. Luca looked tortured.

But he said only two words. ‘I’m sorry.’

Her heart sank like a stone. She knew he didn’t love her, but she marvelled that the human spirit was such an irrepressibly optimistic thing even in the face of certain disappointment.

She forced a smile. ‘Don’t be. You’ve given me the gift of discovering how strong I am.’

You’ve given me the gift of discovering how strong I am.

Luca was stuck in a state of paralysis for so long after Serena left that he had to blink and focus to realise that Laura was in his office and speaking to him, looking worried.

‘Senhor Fonseca? Are you all right?’

And as if he’d been holding something at bay, it ripped through him then, stunning and painful in its intensity, like warmth seeping into frozen limbs. Burning.

‘No,’ he issued curtly, going over to his drinks cabinet and helping himself to a shot of whisky.

When he turned around, Laura’s eyes were huge and she was pale. And Luca knew he was coming apart at the seams.

He forced himself not to snarl at the girl, but the pain inside him was almost crippling. ‘What is it?’

Laura stuttered, making him feel even worse. ‘It’s—it’s Miss DePiero. I just thought you’d want to know she’s on her way to the airport. She’s booked first class on a flight to Athens this afternoon.’

‘Thank you,’ Luca bit out. ‘I’m going to be unavailable for the rest of the day. Please cancel all my appointments. Go home early if you want.’

Laura blinked and said faintly, ‘Yes, sir.’ And then backed away as if he might explode.

He waited until Laura had left and then left himself, knowing nothing more than that he needed to get out—get away. Because he felt like a wounded animal that might lash out and cause serious harm.

He was aware of one or two people approaching him as he walked out of the building, but they quickly diverted when they saw his face. He walked and walked without even knowing where he was going until he realised he was at Ipanema Beach. Where he’d taken Serena just a few days ago.

The scene was the same, even during the week. The beautiful bodies. The amorous couples. The crashing waves. But it mocked him now, for feeling so carefree that day. For believing for a moment that he could be like those people. That he couldfeellike them.

Anger rose up as he ripped off his tie and jacket, dropping them on a bench and sitting down. That was the problem. He knew he couldn’t feel. The ability had been cut out of him the day he and his brother had been torn apart.