She debated for a second, then took a breath.
‘It’s okay if you don’t want to admit to having daddy issues. I lived in denial myself for a long time,’ she whispered, aware several guests stood close by.
‘Excuse me?’ he rasped.
‘I could apologise but I thought we were...you know...sharing.’
‘I don’t share, Ruby. At least not in that way.’
‘Listen—’
‘You’re missing the show,’ he cut across her.
Forced to curb her reply, she resumed watching the show, aware that he grew tenser with every passing minute.
A particularly daring acrobat surged right over their heads. Narciso’s hand tightened around hers. Thinking he was reacting to the spectacular display, she glanced at him, to find his gaze fixed across the stage, on the man who’d confronted her less than an hour ago.
In that instant, the resemblance between them struck her hard. Their similar heights, their silver eyes, the proud, arrogant way they viewed the world. How could she not have seen it until now?
‘Oh, my God, he’s your father.’
He stiffened and glanced down at her with cold, grim eyes. ‘He’s a man whose DNA I happen to share. Nothing more.’
Applause broke through the crowd as the show finished in a crescendo of dives and leaps choreographed so fabulously, she couldn’t help but clap despite her shocking discovery.
They were father and son. And they hated each other with a passion that was almost a separate being every time they were within feet of each other.
She wanted to know what had placed such a wide divide between them but she held her tongue. She had no right to pry into anyone’s life. Her own baggage was enough to be dealing with. After fighting for so long and so hard to get away from the noxious environment her parents chose to inhabit, the last thing she wanted was for someone like Narciso Valentino to dredge it all up.
The smartwatch on her wrist beeped twice.
Narciso glanced down at it. ‘We’re leaving.’
Her heart climbed into her throat, and she fought the snap of excitement fizzing through her. What on earth was wrong with her? She couldn’t be secretly thrilled with the thought of being alone with this man.
Could she?
Within minutes their cases were being loaded into the trunk of the stretch limo that stood idling in the underground car park, with a smartly dressed driver poised at the door. She slid in and Narciso joined her.
The moment the door shut, she wanted to fling it open and dive out. She’d thought she was venturing into the unknown by coming to Macau.
By agreeing to go to Belize with The Warlock of Wall Street, she was really stepping into an abyss.
‘I...don’t think I can...’ She stopped. What was she doing? She’d forced herself to endure a TV show after Simon had convinced her it was the only way she could fund Dolce Italia.
She’d plunged herself into the very environment she’d grown up in and actively detested just so she could establish her independence. Now she stood on the threshold of seeing it pay off.
‘Having second thoughts?’ he asked as the car rolled up a ramp and exited into bright mid-afternoon sunshine.
‘No. I’m not,’ she insisted more to herself than to him.
‘Good.’
The smartwatch emitted several discreet beeps. ‘What’s it doing?’
‘It’s erasing the evidence of my activities here.’
‘Wow, you’re not part of the CIA, are you?’
‘I could be if spies are your thing.’ He gave another of those wicked smiles and her mouth dried.
‘I’ll pass, thanks. Although I’m curious what you have to do to belong to a club like that.’ She took the watch off and examined its multifaceted detail.
‘It involves a lot more than chicken bones and goat sacrifices, I can assure you.’
Against her will, a smile tugged at her mouth. Letting go, she laughed. He joined her, his perfectly even teeth flashing in the sunlight. The deep sound echoed in the enclosed space and wrapped itself around her.
Danger! Her senses screamed again. But it was a seductive danger, akin to knowing that extra mouthful of rich, decadent mousse was deadly for you but being unable to resist the taste.
And she’d quickly discovered that if she let herself fall under his spell, he would completely bypass her hips and go straight to her heart.
‘Here, take this back.’ She held out his watch, stressing to herself that she didn’t miss having something of his so close to her skin.
‘Keep it. It’s yours.’
‘Are you serious?’ she gasped. ‘But what about its value—’
‘I wasn’t thinking of its monetary value when I offered it. And if you’re thinking about pawning it, think twice.’