Compromising Positions

Understanding lit his face, and then morphed into something that looked uncomfortably like sympathy.

“Of course you do,” he said, without question. “What do you need me to do?”

Mina looked across the lounge and caught Bianca Genovese’s eye. She saw the satisfaction, brutal and clear, on her face and realized that she’d known Marco was with another woman when she’d sent Mina upstairs to change. It was a beautiful set-up-as elegant as the woman herself-but Mina couldn’t blame her for it. It only worked if Marco was already guilty.

She took an unsteady breath. What was she going to do? There was a commotion at the lounge door, she saw Marco standing there, larger than life and angry as the Devil himself. She met his eye across the crowded room and purposefully looked away, turning back to the man standing beside her.

“Do you think you could take me to a hotel?” Mina swayed. Her voice sounded miles away, and she squeezed her hands tightly together to fight off the dizziness that threatened to bring her down. Giovanni glanced back and forth between her and Marco, watching as his older brother strode across the floor, ignoring everyone in his path. He straightened and pushed Mina behind him, setting himself between her and the whirlwind, his face hard as he answered.

“I think I can manage something.”

Chapter Three

“No, Dr. Peabody, there’s no problem. The artifacts should be arriving as scheduled, and I will be returning at the end of the week. I have a few details here to wrap up,” Mina’s voice cracked a little and she cleared her throat as she shifted the phone to her other ear, “but it shouldn’t take long.”

Not long at all, she thought sadly, thinking about flying home. She wasn’t going to bother with the few things she’d brought to Italy. She’d have to replace her laptop and her phone, but it was better than the alternative. She’d bought a few things-jeans and t-shirts mostly, but they were a comfort after her foray into haute couture-but once she got back to the States… well, she had to move all her stuff back out of Marco’s apartment, and that was going to be a pain, but at least she wouldn’t have to replace anything.

Except maybe her heart.

She listened with half her attention as her mentor rattled through his excitement over the first round of crates that had arrived. Mina knew the first shipment had gotten to Miami safely-she’d already spoken to Ivy-and the technicians were unpacking them and preparing them ahead of her return. The second shipment was arriving today, and the last few items had been shipped out this morning under Giovanni’s watchful eye.

Mina knew it was cowardly to send him in her place, but she didn’t have the strength to face Marco yet. Everything was still so raw. Every time she closed her eyes she saw him kissing that strange woman, saw his angry eyes as she hid behind his brother, saw his mother’s gloating face as he stormed out of the room.

She’d deal with him-the exhibit required it-but not yet.

“Yes, Dr. Peabody. Yes I’ll call, Dr. Peabody,” she sighed. “As soon as I land. I promise.” He was worse than Giovanni. The past two days had been nothing but, “Are you okay, Mina mia, are you hungry Mina mia, is there anything I can do for you, Mina mia?”

Mina mia was about to scream.

She heard the front door open and sighed again. Speak of the devil.

Giovanni wandered into the living room and she raised her hand to indicate for him to give her a minute and she’d be right off the phone.

“Okay, then, I’ll see you Monday,” she pointed at the phone and rolled her eyes, “Yes. Monday. No, I won’t be jet-lagged. Yes, Dr. Peabody. Oh, Signor Genovese has just come in. I have to go! Yes. Ciao!”

She punched the off button and tossed the phone on the couch. She scrubbed her hands through her hair, pulling the curls through her fingers and groaned in frustration.

“Dear God, you’d think that man had never opened a new exhibit before. He’s going absolutely mad!” She flopped down on the couch next to the phone. “I’ve never seen him like this.” She shook her head a little. “I don’t know what’s gotten into him.”

Giovanni plopped down on the sofa next to her and patted her leg.

“He‘s probably just excited,” he said, leaning back and stretching his long legs out to rest on the coffee table. “It isn’t every day that a private collection of this size goes public.”

Mina nodded. It was true. This was going to be a coup for the Oppen. It would very likely make national news.

It was sad she wasn’t excited about it anymore.

“Well, Cinzia and the Direttore were both very helpful. They assure me that the last of the collezione was couriered to the airport this morning. So, it’s finished. You have nothing else to keep you here.”

Bleakness crept over the world and Mina felt her shoulders sag. She didn’t know what she expected-she’d seen Marco kissing that woman-but some tiny part of her had held out hope that he would come after her, would tell her it was all a terrible misunderstanding, and that he’d never betray her like that… not for a beautiful woman, nor for his mother.

“Did Marco say that?” Her mouth felt like it was full of sand. She didn’t want to hear the answer, but she couldn’t stop the question.

Giovanni stopped patting.

“Actually, he wasn’t there.” His voice was carefully neutral, and he watched Mina’s reaction closely. “Cinzia handled everything.”

Mina’s eyes flew wide. He wasn’t there? Why wouldn’t he be there? Her mind flew through possibilities-he’d forgotten the final arrangements, he’d been called away on business, he’d been abducted by aliens-but she couldn’t help but come back to the obvious answer: he didn’t want to see her.

A shudder ran through her like a shock wave. He wasn’t even there. It didn’t seem possible. She’d been prepared for persuasion, or temper. She’d role played through conversation after conversation where she explained that they had to go back to being just business associates. They were too different. She couldn’t be with a man who put so little value on their relationship.

She just never believed he put that little a value on it.

He knew she had to finalize the last of the shipments. Knew the insurance forms had to be filed, and the security people had to be briefed. He knew…

“Cinzia told me she hadn’t seen him since the party. He left a message with her to handle everything-that he’d be out of touch for a few days-and that was the last she heard from him.”

Mina’s heart slammed back to life in her chest. Maybe…

“Have you heard from him?” She held her breath, not sure what she wanted him to say.

Giovanni let out a strangled laugh. “You mean after he took a swing at me in front of Mamma and lo sindaco?” He shook his head and rubbed his jaw in painful memory. “No, Mina. I told him to stay away, and he has.” He leaned forward and took her hand in his. “If you’re going to address this, I think you’re going to have to make the first move.”

Mina squeezed his hand but didn’t speak.

Make the first move, she thought. You mean put myself back in the line of fire?Yeah, because that makes so much sense.

She tuned back into what Giovanni was saying.

“It isn’t like him, this silence. Marco has never been one to sit back and let someone else dictate the action.” He laughed. “He’s always been more likely to block all the exits and flank his opposition so they have no choice but to do what he wants them to.”

Like going to a museum and offering someone the opportunity of a lifetime-just to convince them to give him a chance. Mina bit her lip. Hard.