page1 (1/2)

CHAPTER ONE

THE MOORLAND LANDSCAPE on Dartmoor was cold and crisp with ice As the four-wheel drive turned off the road onto a rough lane, Vito saw the picturesque cottage sheltering behind winter-bare trees with graceful frosted branches His lean, strong face griot out of the car ahead of his driver, only tensing as he heard the sound of yet another text hitting his phone Ignoring it, he walked into the property while the driver emptied the car

Instant warh the dense blue-black hair that the breeze had whipped across his brow There was a welcoht the sense of relief threatening to engulf him He was not a coward He had not run away as his ex-fiancée had accused hiround and stayed in Florence had he not finally appreciated that the pursuit of the paparazzi and outrageous headlines were only being fuelled by his continuing presence

He had grudgingly followed his best friend Apollo’s advice and had re that his h to deal hen her husband was in hospital following a serious heart attack without also having to suffer the embarrassment of her son’s newly acquired notoriety Undeniably, his friend hadscandals and bad publicity The Greek playboy had led a far less restricted life than Vito, who had known froe that he would becorandfather had steeped him in the history and traditions of a faes when the Zaffari name had stood shoulder to shoulder ords like honour and principle No more, Vito reflected wryly Noould be fas and strippers

Not his style, not his style at all, Vito ruhts to lavishly tip his driver and thank hiations, he could only suppress a groan One of his closest friends at school had taken so that had killed hial substances And the whores? In truth Vito could barely reed until a week earlier, Marzia had always been cool in that department

‘She’s a lady to her backbone’ His grandfather had sighed approvingly, shortly before his passing ‘A Ravello with the right background and breeding She will make a superb hostess and future mother for your children’

Not now, though, Vito thought, glancing at his phone to discover that his ex had sent him yet another text Dio mio, what did she want from him now? He had perfectly understood her decision to break off their engage the house she had been furnishing for their future occupation back on the market That, however, had proved to be a h he had assured Marzia that she elcome to keep every stick of furniture in the place

What about the Abriano painting? she’d texted

He pointed out that his grandfather’s engageift would have to be returned It orth millions—how es? He had offered her the house but she had refused it

But in spite of his generosity, he still felt guilty He had messed up Marzia’s life and embarrassed her For probably the first tied someone O

n the spur of the moment he had made a decision that had hit Marzia very hard and even the sincerest apology could not lessen the impact of it But he could not have told his former fiancée the truth because he could not have trusted her to keep it secret And if the truth cae the only woross huh choice and he was fully prepared to take the heat for it

That, indeed, hy vanishing off-grid for a couple of weeks over Christutless to Vito, whose natural instincts were pre-emptive and forceful

‘Ritchie’s a lying, cheating scu!’ Holly’s flatmate and best friend, Pixie, ranted furiously down the phone

Holly grih her heavyblue eyes red-rimmed and sad as she checked her watch to see that she was still safely within her lunch hour ‘You’re not going to get any argument from me on that score,’ she said ruefully

‘He’s as bad as that last guy who borrowed all the money from you,’ Pixie reminded her with a typical lack of tact ‘And the one before that anted to marry you so that you could act as a carer for his invalid mother!’