Page 25 of Giorgio

“I will be there.”

“Sofia has been calling.” He saw when Giorgio’s shoulders stiffened.

“And?”

“She wants to know when she is going to see you.”

“I have no idea. She is not my type, and I have no intention of marrying her, so seeing her is not going to make a difference.”

“You have not been with anyone.”

He turned around. “Make up your mind, papa,” he said sardonically. “When I was gallivanting and partying all over the globe, you upbraided me and warned me to clean up my act. Now I am walking the straight and narrow and you are complaining? Are you that difficult to please?”

“I am just wondering why the change? Or should I guess?”

“What are you getting at?” He demanded.

“Figure it out.” Finishing his drink, Alfredo rose and headed towards the doorway. “You have changed over the last week and it is drastic. Something to think about.”

He was left alone with his thoughts. Troubling ones. First, he mowed her down with his vehicle and almost ended her life, the accident had certainly done its damage. It had wiped her memory clean and secondly, shaking his head, he shied away from that particular thought. She was not a classic beauty.

She was much too thin, her features small. Her eyes dominated her face and every time he stared into them, he felt as if he was drowning. Not only that, but her voice soothed and intrigued him. He enjoyed talking to her.

What amazed him as well was the lack of accusation and blame. She knew he was the cause of her misery and yet she had never once convicted him. There was also this fierce protectiveness he felt where she was concerned.

He did not like to see her hurting. When he had taken himself off to that function, he had been unable to enjoy himself because his thoughts had been at that clinic and in that room where she was. As soon as he received the call, there had been no hesitation, he had gone running.

There was an intrinsic bond between them, a spark that he could not and would not dare explore or fan into flames. He had told his father that his intention was to make certain she got the best care, and he meant every word.

He could not touch her, if needs be, he would stay the bloody hell away from her. How sick would he be to want to take off her clothes and explore every inch of her slender body? Hadn’t he done enough?

Feeling the sickness churning at the pit of his stomach, he decided it was time to make a call. Downing the drink, he slammed the glass down and reached for his phone.

*****

“I apologize.” He said stiffly.

“What can I do?” She asked quietly.

“Nothing.” He was about to use a trite expression about it being about him and not about her but decided against it. It would only rub salt into an open wound. He could not believe this was happening to him.

He could not perform. He had called her up after ignoring her for the past week and she had invited him over without hesitation. Now this. He was as limp as branch that had been dislodged from the life-giving support.

He actually recoiled when she touched him and her efforts to bring him to life had failed dismally. He was disinterested, and his mind was elsewhere. He found himself wondering if she was sleeping soundly or having nightmares.

“I apologize.” He repeated and without another word, dragged on his trousers and retreated hastily.

Chapter 6

He was avoiding her, and he hated himself for being such a bloody coward. Last night was unbearable. He had arrived home in the dead of night after driving aimlessly around and imbibed, thinking he could get hammered enough to fall asleep. But he had been proven wrong.

He had spent the better part of the night agonizing over whether or not she was in the throes of a nightmare. He had almost gotten out of bed to check on her but decided against it. It wouldn’t have been prudent to go into her room at all.

This morning, he rose bleary eyed and irritable. After donning workout gear, he had gone into his private gym and practically eviscerated the punching bag. Not feeling punished enough, he had forty-five minutes on the Peloton, setting the machine at an almost breakneck speed.

Soaked in perspiration, he had lifted weights until his muscles were screaming. After cooling down a bit, he had stripped naked and done several laps in the pool next to the gym.

Dragging himself from the water, he noticed to his surprise that it was almost eight. He had been up since five. Toweling himself dry, he picked up his phone to see if he had received any missed calls. When it was confirmed that there were no calls from her, he dialed her room.