Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 291 - Chapitre 300

‘Elmo!’Evaristo Leonardo was, of course, the guest of honor at his own party, but Elmo clearly came in a close second. Their host quickly excused himself from the gathered crowd and made his way over, talking in rapid Italian as he greeted his friend but politely switching to English as soon as Brianna was introduced."So, you are Elmo’s new personal assistant—congratulations!" "No doubt we will be seeing quite a bit of each other.""It’s a pleasure to meet you," Brianna dutifully answered."May I say you look stunning?" "Every head turned when you walked in."In Elmo’s direction, Brianna wanted to point out but instead she murmured her thanks."This is my wife, Bonita..." Evaristo said cheerfully, sliding an arm around his wife’s tiny waist as she came over. "You're looking stunning too—though so should you, darling," he teased good-naturedly, "with the amount of time you spent at the parlor today!" Bonita, this is Brianna Elmo’s new personal assistant! And from the tiny nervous dar

‘Drop it!’ His voice had a stern warning ring—angry, even. Only it wasn’t aimed at her; instead, it was turned onto himself. The past few days had been hell—the past few weeks, in fact. Knowing his family would soon all be together, Elpido’s name would be said again. Like living in a sewer, the filth and grime seeped through the floorboards no matter how much he tried to gloss it over. And now here she stood—understanding in her voice, eyes that seemed to reach inside him—and it would be so, so easy to push aside doubt and convince himself that she actually was different, that here was someone he could tell.And how he wanted to tell. Only Gilberto’s warning was ringing in his ears like the doomsday bell, and eyes as blue as Maya’s were staring back at him, just as they had that fateful day."It shouldn’t be like that, Elmo...""How should it be, then?" Elmo fixed her with his glare and tried to warn her off—to get her the hell back—tried to ward her off, tried to keep his head, befor

"I wish you’d told me," Brianna said, wondering how the sky could be so blue and the sun could be out, yet it was so cold as they emerged from the hotel. Finally, she was to be treated to a real glimpse of the Eternal City..."It wasn’t my place to tell.""So you let me think the worst?""You chose to think the worst," Elmo pointed out."So do you..." It was the hardest thing she’d ever said, offering a fact that was only based on her feelings. "Elmo, surely it’s something we should talk about—?"‘Not today.’ He silenced her with a kiss. "Let’s just enjoy today."There were only a few hours till they headed back to Australia—and though she’d braced herself for coldness and the distance between them, it was anything but. And once breakfast was over, he’d suggested they spend the day wandering Rome.They stopped in tiny cafés, where Brianna practiced her appalling Italian and Elmo winced in apology at the waiters. She took her camera out at every turn. She ate chestnuts out of the bag,

"What the hell do you want?" Elmo sneered out the words, contempt blazing in his eyes as he stared at the person he hated most in the world. "Who let you in?"Audrey let me up; she still remembers me. Maya flicked back her dark curls and strode across his office as if she owned it. I thought we should clear the air..."Clear the air?" Elmo spat. "The air stinks when you’re here." The stench of you makes me—’"Better out than in!" Maya’s red lips smiled sweetly at him. "I saw Brianna on the news—she’s good, I have to admit that." "When she sets her mind on something, she always gives it her best."‘What?’ Elmo snapped, then shook his head—because he didn’t want to hear it, didn’t need to hear it, and didn’t want to be in the same room as Maya for even a second. "Get out, Maya—you make me sick.""Did you fund her lawyers, Elmo?"‘Lawyers?’ Narrowed eyes watched his smudge of a frown appear. "I don’t know what you’re talking about.""You mean she didn’t tell you?" Did sweet little Briann

What the hell had he done?Elmo paced the lobby, his hand clamped over his mouth, his breath hyperventilating into his hand, as his staff watched on bemused. Dylan was the only one with the nerve to approach him."Is everything okay, sir?"He didn’t answer—I didn't even hear him. His mind was with Brianna, hating what he’d done to her. He could see her in his mind’s eye, standing frozen as he’d shamed and humiliated her—and for what?Because once she’d wanted him?Because all this time she’d loved him?It was like an axe splitting his skull open—and he hated himself more as he remembered that night they’d first met. Hell, if he’d had a photo of her, if she’d been in a magazine...Maya was poison—she twisted things, blurred the truth—and she wasn’t Brianna.Just as he wasn’t Elpido, so Maya wasn’t Brianna.sweet, trusting Brianna—which she was.She was!He trusted her. For the first time in the longest time, he trusted someone—actually believed in someone—and it truly terrified him.‘S