‘I don’t think so, he isn’t staying here. He’s already spoken to La Leonessa.’

Damn.

‘Oh yeah, the other thing I needed to tell you is that La Leonessa is on the warpath again.’

Gina felt her heart sink. Could the two things be related?

Vittoria gave her an encouraging smile. ‘Anything I can do? Remember, la vita è come una fotografia. Se sorridi, viene meglio! Life is like a photograph. If you smile, it’s better.’

Gina knocked on the door of Lucia’s suite, her heart pounding. Once again, she’d been summoned by La Leonessa and, once again, she knew it wouldn’t be for anything good.

Lucia let her inside without saying a word. She looked immaculate in a white trouser suit, with no shirt beneath the jacket, only a diamond-encrusted bra. Gina tried not to feel intimidated by how rich and famous Lucia was, but it was as though Lucia was flaunting her glamour and wealth, a power play to keep Gina in her place.

‘Signora de Santis. How may I be of assistance?’ Gina said coolly.

‘How was your date with Marco?’ Lucia said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Gina was shocked. ‘How did you …?’

‘That’s not important.’

‘You didn’t call me up here to talk about my personal life.’

‘Oh, you’re wrong,’ Lucia said, her eyes glittering dangerously. ‘I did. I called you up here to tell you to keep your grubby little paws off Marco DiMaggio.’

Gina shook her head in disbelief. ‘I don’t understand. Why—’

‘No, clearly you don’t understand,’ Lucia cut her off. ‘It’s very simple, I’m sure even you can get your pretty little head around it. Stay away from Marco, or your shameful little secret might just end up splashed across the newspapers.’

Gina’s thoughts were racing, her mind full of unanswered questions. What did Lucia want with Marco? And why did she want it badly enough to threaten Gina? Gina didn’t want to stop seeing Marco – they’d had a perfect evening together, and for the first time in a very long time, she’d found someone with whom she could envisage a future. Would Lucia really follow through on her threat? And was Gina really prepared to risk everything to find out?

‘A detective came to see me earlier,’ Lucia continued, as though she knew exactly what Gina was thinking. ‘He showed me a photograph. I told him I didn’t know a thing – that I didn’t recognize the young girl in the picture. But who knows, my memory might suddenly come flooding back, and I don’t think you’d want that, would you, Gina?’

Gina felt anger rise in her; who the hell did Lucia de Santis think she was? ‘I’m not sure who you are confusing me with,’ she said coldly, ‘but my personal life is none of your business.’

Lucia laughed cruelly. ‘Oh, but I think it is, and you know it, too.’

Gina needed to think quickly to neutralize the situation.

‘Marco is here to work on the filming and my job is to facilitate that. That’s all. Anything else is purely your imagination. Now, if there is nothing else, I wish you a good morning. Massimo is here for your day-to-day needs, as you know.’

A sneer crept across Lucia’s face. ‘You can’t hide from the truth, Ms Bellini.’ Lucia emphasized her surname. ‘Just stay away from Marco.’

The two women glowered at each other, before Gina turned swiftly on her heel.

Once she had left, Lucia swept across the room and picked up her phone. She scrolled to her agent’s number and placed the call.

‘Bianca? I need you to cancel tonight’s performance. Don’t ask why, just do it. I have an understudy, don’t I? Well then, she’s just got her big break.’

Lucia hung up and looked out of the window over the Venice cityscape, inhaling deeply to bring her breathing back under control. It was all going exactly as she had planned. In Lucia’s world, everything always turned out just the way she wanted it.

Chapter 28

Gina bolted back to her office, Lucia’s words ringing in her ears. Despite what she might have said to La Leonessa, what choice did she have, except to go along with her plans? Gina was falling for Marco, but if the truth came out about her past …

Gina walked quickly into the sanctuary of her office and closed the door behind her, letting out a long, shaky breath. The sight of her familiar surroundings calmed her down and she began to think more clearly. She took in the plans and sketches on her desk for Max and Olivia’s wedding, her piles of notes and overflowing diary, and realized that she needed to focus on her work. That was her strength; it was where Gina excelled, and everything with Marco had been a distraction, she saw that now. She’d been a fool to imagine that she could have what everyone else had – a relationship, happiness, love. No, this life of solitude was the price she had to pay, for everything that had happened.

There was a knock on the door and Gina blanched. Lucia again? Detective Gallo?

‘Come in,’ she called.

It was Marco. He grinned at her, and Gina felt as though her heart would burst. He looked so handsome, so solid and steadfast, and he was carrying an enormous bunch of pale pink roses.

‘I couldn’t resist,’ he smiled, as he laid the flowers down on her desk and bent down to kiss her. For a second, Gina was caught up in the moment, wanting to melt into his arms, tilting her face up to his – but then she remembered. She pulled away, and took a step backwards.

‘No,’ she said, shaking her head. She cast her gaze downwards so he wouldn’t see the desire in her eyes. ‘I’m sorry, Marco.’

Marco’s forehead creased in confusion. ‘What do you mean?’

Gina swallowed. ‘I mean I made a mistake,’ she lied. ‘You and me … It should never have happened.’

‘Yes, it should,’ he insisted. ‘What are you talking about? Has something else happened?’

‘No,’ she said in frustration. She didn’t want to have to explain – she couldn’t explain.

‘Gina …’ Marco stepped towards her, his arms reaching for her.

Gina moved away from him, standing behind her desk, putting physical distance between the two of them. She felt devastated for them both; she hated that she was causing this much confusion for Marco, and it was killing her too, but she didn’t have a choice.

‘Just go,’ she told him, her voice barely more than a whisper. ‘Leave me alone.’

Marco stared at her for a long moment. ‘What the hell is going on? I just don’t understand. I really thought we had a connection, and now you turn round and say you’ve changed your mind? What are you frightened of, Gina?’

Gina bristled at the unfairness of his comment, blinking away the tears that threatened to betray her. ‘I can’t see you any more. I’m sorry, it’s complicated, but last night was a mistake.’

‘It wasn’t,’ Marco insisted, an honesty and a yearning in his eyes. ‘You know it and so do I. I didn’t imagine the way you looked at me, the way it felt when we kissed. What’s going on? Tell me.’

‘Please,’ Gina begged. ‘Don’t make this any harder than it is. I’m sorry.’

Marco looked at her, his eyes blazing with a mixture of hurt and confusion, and Gina willed herself not to relent. She met his gaze levelly, her arms folded across her chest, as though she was physically holding herself together.

Without another word, Marco turned and walked out of the door. Gina sat down on her chair, feeling as though her legs would no longer hold her. The flowers were still lying on her desk; they were utterly beautiful, perfect. She couldn’t bear to look at them, so she picked them up and threw them into her waste basket. She had to forget all about Marco DiMaggio.

The phone buzzed in Issy’s room.

‘Good morning, it’s Vittoria on the front desk. We have a delivery for you. Should I send them up?’

‘Yes, thank you.’