Free Passion's Mistress by Helen Bianchin

would never be
    a consideration.'
    No, she thought shakily. He was too skilled a lover to harm his partner with
    any form of physical pain. His revenge would be infinitely more subtle.
    As it had been on one previous occasion, when she'd driven him to anger
    with a heated accusation she'd refused to retract or explain, and he had
    simply hauled her unceremoniously over his shoulder and carried her into
    the bedroom where he had conducted a deliberate leisurely assault on her
    senses until she was on fire with a desire so intense that she had possessed no
    reason, no sanity, only base animal need and a wild driven hunger for the
    release that only he could give. Except that he had taken pleasure in making
    her wait until she was reduced to begging unashamedly like a craven wanton
    caught in the throes of some primeval force, and then, only then, had he
    taken her with a merciless mastery that knew no bounds in a totally erotic
    plundering of her senses. With no energy left to move, she'd drifted into
    sleep, only to waken in the early morning hours, where self-loathing had
    surfaced, and a degree of shame. It had been the catalyst that had motivated
    her to leave.
    Carly shivered suddenly, hating him more than she thought it was possible
    to hate anyone, and she watched in silence as he crossed to a concealed wall-
    safe, activated the mechanism, then removed a small jeweller's box before
    covering the distance between with calm, leisurely steps.
    'Your rings,' Stefano declared, extracting the exquisite square-cut diamond
    with its baguette-cut diamond mounting, and its matching band.
    Surprise momentarily widened her eyes as she recalled tearing both from her
    finger in a fit of angry rage. 'You kept them?'
    His gaze was remarkably steady. 'What did you expect me to do with them?'
    She was lost for words, her mobile features hauntingly expressive for a few
    seconds before she schooled them into restrained reserve, unable in the few
    ensuing seconds to make any protest as he took hold of her left hand and slid
    both rings in place.
    Of their own volition her fingers sought the large stone, twisting it back and
    forth in a gesture that betrayed an inner nervousness.
    His proximity disturbed her more than she was prepared to admit, and she
    was aware of a watchful quality in his stance, an intentness so overpowering
    that she felt almost afraid.
    Her whole body stirred, caught up in a web of sensuality so acute that it
    seemed as if every vein, every nerve cell in her body flamed in electrifying
    recognition of his, which was totally opposite to the dictates of her brain.
    To continue standing here like this was madness, and without a further word
    she turned away from him, crossing to her luggage to begin the chore of
    unpacking.
    Carly's movements were steady and unhurried as she placed clothes on
    hangers in a capacious walk-in wardrobe, and she was aware of the instant
    he turned and left the room.

    Dinner was a simple meal comprising minestrone followed by pasta, and
    afterwards Sylvana served coffee in the informal lounge.
    Settling Ann-Marie to bed was achieved without fuss, and Stefano willingly
    agreed to his daughter's request to listen to a bedtime story.
    A novelty, Carly assured herself as she chose the opposite side of
    Ann-Marie's bed, conscious that she was the focus of two pair of eyes—one
    pair loving and direct, the other musing and faintly speculative.
    Forget he's there, a tiny voice prompted as she picked up the book and began
    to read. Who do you think you're kidding? another derided.
    Somehow Carly managed to inject her voice with its customary warmth and
    enthusiasm, and she had almost finished when Ann-Marie's eyes fluttered
    down.
    Minutes later Stefano rose quietly to his feet and waited at the door for Carly
    to precede him from the room.
    'Does she usually wake in the night?' he queried as they neared the head of
    the stairs, and Carly shook her head.
    'Very rarely.' She was a nervous wreck, she