Compromising Positions

argument.

“Will you listen?” The words were simple, but there was a world of meaning in them. She knew that if she agreed she was committing herself to something bigger than this conversation in the street. She knew it could hurt, but she was already hurting more than she’d ever imagined.

What did she have to lose?

“I’ll listen.” The decision made, her bravery returned, faint but real, and she opened the car door. “Let’s go somewhere we can talk.”

As she slid into the leather seat she glanced back up at Giovanni’s apartment. Ivy was standing in the second story window watching, and Gio’s head was just visible behind her. Ivy smiled and nodded, giving Mina a thumbs-up as she slammed the door, and Mina could only hope her friend was right. Otherwise, she’d just gone from the frying pan back into the fire.

Chapter Five

Marco drove in silence, and Mina watched the scenery as it passed. Giovanni’s apartment was in Genoa-a bigger city than Miami-but Portofino was tiny. She’d explored the area in between as she’d wandered her way through the local museums, and pretty soon she realized they were headed back to the villa. Back to the beginning.

Or the end.

She couldn’t stand the silence. They’d spent hours on these roads, all of them more comfortable than this one.At least they could talk about work. “The last of the collezione shipped out this morning.”

“You went to the office?” He sounded surprised, and she felt a little redness warm her cheeks.

“I sent Gio.” She didn’t know why the admission embarrassed her. She’d already explained that she hadn’t wanted to see him-this was no different.

“I thought you’d be there,” she shifted in her seat, “and I wasn’t ready to see you.”

Marco shot her a confused look. “How could I be there? We didn’t arrive at the airport until two” he looked at his watch, “and a half hours ago.”

She shook her head, “Think about it. I didn’t even know you were gone. How could I know you hadn’t gotten back?”

The conversation stalled and Mina zoned out watching fence-posts as they zipped past.

“You didn’t know I’d flown to Miami?” There was an odd note in Marco’s voice and she turned in her seat to look at him.

“No idea,” she shrugged her shoulder a little. “It didn’t even occur to me that was possible. I mean, no matter what else was happening, the collezione had to be dealt with. When I left the villa I asked Giovanni to find me a hotel. It wasn’t until later that he offered to let me stay at his place since it was convenient to the main offices in Genoa and I didn’t have a car.” A stormy look crossed his face and she rolled her eyes. “Don’t look like that. He was a perfect…”

Marco gave her another look and the words died in her throat.

“We will talk about Giovanni later,” he said, and she shivered at the edge in the words, “but right now I have another question. Did you leave a message for me Saturday morning?”

The impending conversation was forgotten and she shook her head.

“Message?” Mina gave a little snort. “No. I had a lot I wanted to say, but I didn’t leave any messages. I thought you’d call, or come by, or something, and I could say it to your face. ” She realized how pathetic that sounded and wished she could take it back, but it was true. She’d been hurt and angry but underneath it all she’d been certain that he would track her down and they’d have another knockdown, drag-out fight that would probably end up with them in bed. Shows what she knew.

You expected him to prove himself. Again. Mina squirmed but the voice in her head refused to back down. Apparently it was in league with Ivy.

“When you didn’t contact me I thought…” She let the statement fade off without finishing it. It was too embarrassing to admit that she believed he was bored with her and didn’t call because he was glad she was gone.

“I can imagine what you thought.” The words came out in a snarl, surprising her. “Three days. Wasted.” His hands tightened on the steering wheel, anger in every line of his body.

She didn’t know what his problem was but she refused to be blamed for this. “I’ll have you know I haven’t wasted any time. I kept my part of the bargain,” even if you didn’t, she thought. “Every artifact, every contractor… I took care of all the…” Her indignant response was cut short as a heavy hand reached over and rested on her knee.

“No, Mina darling, not you. Me.” He looked at her and she could see emotions warring on his face.

“I have wasted three days-three very frustrating days-on what was apparently a wild goose chase.” The anger was still there, banked beneath the surface, but he wasn’t directing it at her. His hand tightened on her leg. “You see, I was told that you left for Miami, Mina. Told that you quit your work with the collezione, and that you never wanted to see me again.”

The words hung in the air between them and Mina tried to make sense of what he was saying. “Never wanted to see…?” she stopped mid-sentence and stared at him. “I never said that. You had to know I would never say that.”

Did he? The Ivy-voice asked. You ran away before. Why wouldn’t he believe you’d done it again?

She refused to dignify that with an answer.

Marco’s hand felt hot through her jeans and she couldn’t help remembering how it felt against her bare skin, how it caressed her, and held her… and how it looked against Serafina’s shoulder.

The memory stung her pride and she sat straighter in the leather seat.

“I am a professional. I wouldn’t abandon my responsibilities to the Oppen no matter how much my feelings were hurt.”

There, she thought, see what he makes of that.

His fingers patted her leg gently. “I should have realized your honor would never let you do that. But I,” he let out a rough laugh, “Well, I wasn’t thinking particularly clearly.”

There was some cold comfort to be had from that, she supposed. She’d hate to think she was the only one royally screwed up over this.

“Well, whoever told you I left was either messing with you or full of wishful thinking.” As soon as the words left her mouth she realized their importance. She met Marco’s eyes across the car and was taken aback at the blazing anger she saw there. She was thankful it wasn’t aimed at her, but it made her wonder who was the target.

“Who told you that anyway?”

He turned the steering wheel and guided the car down the long drive to the Genovese compound, his face blank. “It came straight from my dear Mamma, of course.”

The wheels in Mina’s head were turning faster than the ones on the car. His mother told him she’d run back to Miami? That made no sense. She wanted her out of the picture, and she got that when she ran out after seeing what was going on in the office in the first place. Why send Marco chasing her halfway across the world?

She probably believed he’d be too angry to chase her. That made more sense. It would never occur to Bianca Genovese that Marco might actually care enough to pursue someone so beneath him.

Bitch.

“Amazingly helpful woman, your mother. She’s the one who made sure I saw you and your friend,” she said sarcastically. “It’s impressive. Between slapping me in the face with your infidelity and sending you on a wild goose chase, I can’t imagine how she can manage her busy social