Read Online Too Devious to Tame (The Giovanni Clan) by Doris O'Connor - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Doris O'Connor
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heavily jeweled hand.
"Giada Carbanisi, Luigi's long-suffering wife, and you're Jemima, right?"
At Jemima's hesitant nod, she retracted her hand with another amused smile. "I had to come and see who had my menfolk in such a tizzy. And you look as though you could do with some female company, not overbearing males making demands on you!" She shot a challenging look to Giorgio, and Jemima noticed the slight flush on his high cheekbones with a stab of astonishment.
"I wasn't making demands, Giada. I was just—"
"Just what, boy? Pull the other one. How long have I known you? I get it, I do, but she has been through one hell of an ordeal, and what that girl needs right now is a nice hot bath, followed by a massage to get those kinks out. Everything hurts, right?" She glanced back at Jemima with a sympathetic smile. "So, I tell you what I told Luigi. Butt out, let her recover, and leave her to me."
She put a hand up to stop Giorgio's immediate protest.
"I have already told Alfonso to beat it. Where Luigi expects her to get to is beyond me. And you're no use to her in this state either. So shoo. It's your goddaughter's birthday party this afternoon, lest you've forgotten, and you'll scare her silly looking like this."
She raised one eyebrow at the Italian curse muttered in response. "And there is no need for that language either, boy."
"Si, scusi, but—"
"No buts, get some rest, have a wash, change. We'll meet you at the party. I promise you won't recognize her once I'm done with her."
The smile that accompanied those words was positively mischievous, and Jemima relaxed marginally. Amusement bubbled up through the niggling worry, at the put out look Giorgio wore just then. Who'd have thought the great Giorgio would be put in his place by a five foot nothing female?
"Do I even get a choice?"
"None whatsoever, boy. There is the door. Make sure you shut it on the way out."
Giada locked eyes with the man towering over them both, and with another muttered curse, Giorgio shrugged his shoulders in defeat. He bent down to brush a feather light kiss across Jemima's lips, and with one last brooding look of hurt, male pride he was gone.
Silence descended on the opulent room like a suffocating blanket, and Jemima's heartbeat sped up again, when one small hand cupped her chin to make her look into crystal blue eyes, drawn together in a frown.
"They say you have amnesia. Is that true?"
"Yes."
"How convenient, for you. Not so much for anyone else, is it?"
"I'm sure I don't know what you mean." Jemima inched up the bed a bit, moaning at the wave of pain from her ribs as she did so, all too aware of those eyes still assessing her.
"You should know I am very fond of Giorgio, and anyone who hurts him or my husband's interests tends to … well … let's just say it's not conducive to one's health. But then you have found that out already."
Jemima swallowed nervously at the barely concealed threat and the steel in those eyes, still boring through her.
"Trust me, if I remembered anything of worth I would tell him."
Giada's smile didn't reach her eyes.
"Hmm trust, si . Trust is earned, is it not? Why should I trust you? My husband doesn't. In fact, if it wasn't for Giorgio's unexpected attachment to you…"
"I wouldn't be here, right." Jemima interrupted her, sudden anger spurring her on. "As if I would want to be. Who in their right mind would want to be caught up in all this … this nightmare? I didn't even know Giorgio was involved in all of this, until I woke up in that hospital bed. He should have just left me there."
Her voice broke on the last few words, and she resolutely blinked the tears away. Stop being such a goddamn watering pot, girl. This isn't helping anything.
Giada smiled thoughtfully, her gaze resting on the huge diamond ring on Jemima's hand, and her next words made Jemima's head come up in surprise.
"Last time I saw that ring was on my best friend's hand."
"You knew Giorgio's mother?"
"Si, I did. He
"Giada Carbanisi, Luigi's long-suffering wife, and you're Jemima, right?"
At Jemima's hesitant nod, she retracted her hand with another amused smile. "I had to come and see who had my menfolk in such a tizzy. And you look as though you could do with some female company, not overbearing males making demands on you!" She shot a challenging look to Giorgio, and Jemima noticed the slight flush on his high cheekbones with a stab of astonishment.
"I wasn't making demands, Giada. I was just—"
"Just what, boy? Pull the other one. How long have I known you? I get it, I do, but she has been through one hell of an ordeal, and what that girl needs right now is a nice hot bath, followed by a massage to get those kinks out. Everything hurts, right?" She glanced back at Jemima with a sympathetic smile. "So, I tell you what I told Luigi. Butt out, let her recover, and leave her to me."
She put a hand up to stop Giorgio's immediate protest.
"I have already told Alfonso to beat it. Where Luigi expects her to get to is beyond me. And you're no use to her in this state either. So shoo. It's your goddaughter's birthday party this afternoon, lest you've forgotten, and you'll scare her silly looking like this."
She raised one eyebrow at the Italian curse muttered in response. "And there is no need for that language either, boy."
"Si, scusi, but—"
"No buts, get some rest, have a wash, change. We'll meet you at the party. I promise you won't recognize her once I'm done with her."
The smile that accompanied those words was positively mischievous, and Jemima relaxed marginally. Amusement bubbled up through the niggling worry, at the put out look Giorgio wore just then. Who'd have thought the great Giorgio would be put in his place by a five foot nothing female?
"Do I even get a choice?"
"None whatsoever, boy. There is the door. Make sure you shut it on the way out."
Giada locked eyes with the man towering over them both, and with another muttered curse, Giorgio shrugged his shoulders in defeat. He bent down to brush a feather light kiss across Jemima's lips, and with one last brooding look of hurt, male pride he was gone.
Silence descended on the opulent room like a suffocating blanket, and Jemima's heartbeat sped up again, when one small hand cupped her chin to make her look into crystal blue eyes, drawn together in a frown.
"They say you have amnesia. Is that true?"
"Yes."
"How convenient, for you. Not so much for anyone else, is it?"
"I'm sure I don't know what you mean." Jemima inched up the bed a bit, moaning at the wave of pain from her ribs as she did so, all too aware of those eyes still assessing her.
"You should know I am very fond of Giorgio, and anyone who hurts him or my husband's interests tends to … well … let's just say it's not conducive to one's health. But then you have found that out already."
Jemima swallowed nervously at the barely concealed threat and the steel in those eyes, still boring through her.
"Trust me, if I remembered anything of worth I would tell him."
Giada's smile didn't reach her eyes.
"Hmm trust, si . Trust is earned, is it not? Why should I trust you? My husband doesn't. In fact, if it wasn't for Giorgio's unexpected attachment to you…"
"I wouldn't be here, right." Jemima interrupted her, sudden anger spurring her on. "As if I would want to be. Who in their right mind would want to be caught up in all this … this nightmare? I didn't even know Giorgio was involved in all of this, until I woke up in that hospital bed. He should have just left me there."
Her voice broke on the last few words, and she resolutely blinked the tears away. Stop being such a goddamn watering pot, girl. This isn't helping anything.
Giada smiled thoughtfully, her gaze resting on the huge diamond ring on Jemima's hand, and her next words made Jemima's head come up in surprise.
"Last time I saw that ring was on my best friend's hand."
"You knew Giorgio's mother?"
"Si, I did. He
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