Read Online The Legend of de Marco by Abby Green - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Abby Green
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intensity in his eyes the night they’d met.
Or earlier … in the apartment.
Gracie frowned, feeling seriously confused. The lift came to a halt too soon and she looked at George, who just shrugged. They weren’t at the penthouse level yet. The doors opened to reveal Rocco standing there, hands on hips. Jacket off, tie loose and top button open. Immediately Gracie’s throat went dry and her heart beat faster.
‘We were just shopping for dinner,’ she blurted out. Why did she feel so guilty when he must know exactly where they’d been?
Rocco looked at George and took Gracie’s bags out of her hands, handing them to the huge man whose hands were already full. ‘Gracie will be up shortly. I have something to discuss with her first.’
Rocco led the way through a labyrinth of glass-walled offices and Gracie followed reluctantly, still feeling a little raw. She couldn’t believe now that she’d ever had the temerity to think she could just waltz into this building to see if Steven might be here. That night felt like an age ago.
Rocco was holding open the door to his office, waiting for her to precede him. Somehow that small chivalrous gesture made her feel even more vulnerable. Once she’d walked in she went into attack mode to disguise her feelings, turning to face him as he shut the door.
‘If you’re going to have a go at me just because we went to the shops then—’
Rocco put up a hand. ‘Have I said a word?’
Gracie shut her mouth and shook her head. She felt very shabby next to Rocco. He’d changed since this morning into a suit. Gracie watched warily as he went around his desk and sat down. And then she took in the full majesty of the awe-inspiring view.
Momentarily distracted despite herself, she went towards the window. ‘Do you always have the best views?’
Rocco’s voice was cynical. ‘Of course. Don’t you know that people are judged by how high they are and how far they can see?’
For some reason his words made Gracie feel sad for him. She ran a hand over the back of the sleekly modern chair that faced his desk and returned her gaze to him. ‘I wonder when it becomes impossible to be too high, or see too far.’
The weight of silence that stretched between them became almost unbearable and Gracie looked away, feeling embarrassed. Where had
that
little philosophical observation come from?
To avoid Rocco’s black gaze she took in the sleek furnishingsand modern art that hung suspended on steel wires against the clear windows. Other staff, undoubtedly the best at what they did, were visible through the glass walls of their own offices nearby, but no one was looking up. They were all too busy. Making millions for Rocco and his clients, Gracie surmised grimly. Her brother had been one of those employees and yet he’d stolen from the people who trusted Rocco with their money. Her insides twisted.
She looked back to Rocco and didn’t want him to guess the direction of her thoughts. She hunted for something—anything—to say. ‘Don’t you mind?’
‘Mind what?’
Gracie gestured with a hand. ‘That everyone can see you? You’ve no privacy?’
‘This office is soundproofed, so no one can hear my private conversations. And this way I can see everyone.’
Gracie looked at him and his face was a bland mask, no expression. It made her feel prickly, wanting a reaction. ‘You mean, that way you can control everything.’
Rocco shrugged minutely. ‘I couldn’t control your brother’s scheming to swindle money from me and my clients.’
Gracie looked down and clasped her hands together. He’d just articulated her own thoughts. She heard Rocco move and glanced up to see him standing at his window with his back to her, hands in his pockets. For a moment his powerful physique looked completely incongruous against the cityscape, as if he should be outside, battling something elemental and natural.
He turned then, so abruptly that he caught her staring, and Gracie
Or earlier … in the apartment.
Gracie frowned, feeling seriously confused. The lift came to a halt too soon and she looked at George, who just shrugged. They weren’t at the penthouse level yet. The doors opened to reveal Rocco standing there, hands on hips. Jacket off, tie loose and top button open. Immediately Gracie’s throat went dry and her heart beat faster.
‘We were just shopping for dinner,’ she blurted out. Why did she feel so guilty when he must know exactly where they’d been?
Rocco looked at George and took Gracie’s bags out of her hands, handing them to the huge man whose hands were already full. ‘Gracie will be up shortly. I have something to discuss with her first.’
Rocco led the way through a labyrinth of glass-walled offices and Gracie followed reluctantly, still feeling a little raw. She couldn’t believe now that she’d ever had the temerity to think she could just waltz into this building to see if Steven might be here. That night felt like an age ago.
Rocco was holding open the door to his office, waiting for her to precede him. Somehow that small chivalrous gesture made her feel even more vulnerable. Once she’d walked in she went into attack mode to disguise her feelings, turning to face him as he shut the door.
‘If you’re going to have a go at me just because we went to the shops then—’
Rocco put up a hand. ‘Have I said a word?’
Gracie shut her mouth and shook her head. She felt very shabby next to Rocco. He’d changed since this morning into a suit. Gracie watched warily as he went around his desk and sat down. And then she took in the full majesty of the awe-inspiring view.
Momentarily distracted despite herself, she went towards the window. ‘Do you always have the best views?’
Rocco’s voice was cynical. ‘Of course. Don’t you know that people are judged by how high they are and how far they can see?’
For some reason his words made Gracie feel sad for him. She ran a hand over the back of the sleekly modern chair that faced his desk and returned her gaze to him. ‘I wonder when it becomes impossible to be too high, or see too far.’
The weight of silence that stretched between them became almost unbearable and Gracie looked away, feeling embarrassed. Where had
that
little philosophical observation come from?
To avoid Rocco’s black gaze she took in the sleek furnishingsand modern art that hung suspended on steel wires against the clear windows. Other staff, undoubtedly the best at what they did, were visible through the glass walls of their own offices nearby, but no one was looking up. They were all too busy. Making millions for Rocco and his clients, Gracie surmised grimly. Her brother had been one of those employees and yet he’d stolen from the people who trusted Rocco with their money. Her insides twisted.
She looked back to Rocco and didn’t want him to guess the direction of her thoughts. She hunted for something—anything—to say. ‘Don’t you mind?’
‘Mind what?’
Gracie gestured with a hand. ‘That everyone can see you? You’ve no privacy?’
‘This office is soundproofed, so no one can hear my private conversations. And this way I can see everyone.’
Gracie looked at him and his face was a bland mask, no expression. It made her feel prickly, wanting a reaction. ‘You mean, that way you can control everything.’
Rocco shrugged minutely. ‘I couldn’t control your brother’s scheming to swindle money from me and my clients.’
Gracie looked down and clasped her hands together. He’d just articulated her own thoughts. She heard Rocco move and glanced up to see him standing at his window with his back to her, hands in his pockets. For a moment his powerful physique looked completely incongruous against the cityscape, as if he should be outside, battling something elemental and natural.
He turned then, so abruptly that he caught her staring, and Gracie
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