He swept her up and down with a scathing glance. ‘But right now I find that my desire has waned.’
He turned and strode back into the apartment and Serena started to shake in reaction. Everything in her wanted to call out to him.
But wasn’t this what she wanted? To push him back? The shackles of her past had never felt so burdensome as they did right then. She recognised that they were protecting her, but also imprisoning her.
She could imagine Luca getting changed, walking out through the door, and her gut seized in rejection. Luca was the only person she’d come close to telling everything. She could remember the look on his face just before she’d turned cold. He’d beenconcerned. Until she’d convinced him that she had nothing to say except that she wanted him to leave.
And why wouldn’t he leave? He was proud enough to take her at face value. She knew how quickly he damned people—after all he’d damned her for long enough... But that had been changing.
A sense of urgency gripped her—so what if hedidjust want her in his bed? Suddenly Serena knew that in spite of how terrified it made her feel, she desperately wanted to lean on Luca’s inherent strength and face these last demons that haunted her still. She was sick of letting her past define her, of being afraid to get too close to anyone in case they saw inside her.
After all, what was the worst that could happen? Luca couldn’t look at her any more coldly than he just had. And if he didn’t believe her...? Then at least she would have been totally honest.
She heard a movement and saw Luca stride towards the front door, dressed now in black trousers and a black top.
He looked utterly intimidating, but Serena gathered all of her courage, stepped into the apartment again and said, ‘Wait, Luca, please. Don’t go.’
CHAPTER NINE
LUCASTOPPEDATthe door, his hand on the knob. Had he even heard that? Or was it his imagination conjuring up what he wanted to hear from a siren who had him so twisted inside out that he barely knew which way was up any more?
He didn’t turn around and forced out a drawl. ‘What is it,minha beleza?You’re ready to come this time?’
He felt dark inside, constricted. He’d really thought he’d seen something incredibly vulnerable in Serena—he’d finally believed that she truly was exactly as she seemed—and then...wham!She couldn’t have made more of a fool of him if she’d professed undying love and he’d believed her.
There was no sound behind him and he whirled around, anger like a molten surge within him. When he saw the pallor of Serena’s cheeks and how huge and bruised her eyes looked he pushed down the concern that rose up to mock him and said scathingly, ‘Nice try,namorada, but I’m not falling for whatever part you want to play now. Frankly, I prefer a little consistency in my lovers.’
Luca went to turn and leave again, but Serena moved forward jerkily. ‘Please, just wait—hear me out.’
He sighed deeply, hating the ball of darkness in his gut. The darkness that whispered to him to run fast and far away from this woman.
He turned around and crossed his arms, arching a brow. ‘Well?’
Serena swallowed. Her hair was like a white-gold curtain over her shoulders, touching the swells of her breasts under the robe. Breasts that Luca could taste on his tongue even now.
Incensed that she was catching him like this, and yet still he couldn’t walk away, he strode past her over to his drinks cabinet and delivered curtly, ‘Spit it out, will you?’
He poured himself a glass of whisky and downed it in one. Hating that she’d even made him feel he needed the sustenance. His hand gripped the glass. He wouldn’t look at her again.
‘Serena, so help me—’
‘You were pushing me to talk...and I didn’t want to. So I pretended just now...pretended that I wanted to be alone. I didn’t mean what I said, Luca.’
Luca went very still. An inner voice mocked him.She’s still playing you. But he recalled the way she’d looked so hunted...just before something had come over her expression and she’d morphed into the ice queen in front of his eyes.
Slowly he put the glass down and turned around. Serena looked shaken. Pale. Yet determined.
‘I’m sorry.’
Her voice was husky and it touched on his skin like a caress he wanted to rail against.
He folded his arms. ‘Sorry for what?’
She bit her lip. ‘I wanted you to think that I’d had enough so you’d leave, but that’s not true.’
‘Tell me something Idon’tknow,’ Luca drawled, and saw how she went even paler.
He cursed out loud and went over to her, taking her by the arm and leading her to a couch to sit down.
