CHAPTER FOUR

      ‘WHAT DID YOU say to my father?’ Valentina hissed at Gio as they walked back out of the hospital an hour later.

      Gio was still in shock himself at how Emilio had reacted to seeing him. Alone in the hospital room with the old man, Gio had steeled himself for whatever Mario’s father was going to say, expecting a diatribe or a level of hostility matched by his daughter. But the man had completely taken the wind out of his sails by saying a little stiffly, ‘First of all, thank you. I believe the reason I’m still alive is because of you.’

      Gio had muttered something unintelligible, embarrassed.

      And then Signor Ferranti had held out his hand. ‘Come here, boy...let me look at you.’

      Gio had walked over and given his hand to Emilio, who had taken it in a surprisingly strong grip. His voice was rougher, emotional. ‘When we lost Mario...we lost you too.’

      Gio’s mouth had opened and closed. His own emotion rising thick and fast. Eventually he’d got out, ‘But...don’t you blame me? Hate me for what happened?’

      Emilio had let his hand go and pointed to a chair for Gio to sit down and he’d done so, heavily. Stunned.

      ‘I did,’ the old man admitted, ‘for a long time. It was easier to blame you than to believe that it could have just been a tragic accident. But ultimately, that’s what it was. I know well how reckless Mario was, you were as bad as each other.’

      ‘If I hadn’t had that cursed horse though—’

      Signor Ferranti put up a hand, stopping Gio. He arched a brow. ‘Do you really think you could have stopped Mario when he wanted to do something?’

      Gio’s chest was so tight he could hardly breathe. He half shrugged.

      Mario’s father said gently now, ‘Mario followed you around like a puppy, wanted to do everything you did....’

      A granite weight settled in Gio’s belly, the all-too-familiar guilt rearing up when he thought of the countless reckless activities he’d encouraged Mario to join him in over the years. Anything to alleviate his own sense of yawning loneliness. ‘I know,’ he’d just answered quietly.

      As if sensing his self-flagellation though, Valentina’s father had said gently, ‘Gio, he worshipped the ground you walked on...just as I know you did him.’

      Gio looked at Signor Ferranti in surprise. There was no condemnation in his voice, only weary acceptance.

      ‘For Valentina though...it was very hard for her to come to terms with. She was so angry...is still angry, I think.’

      ‘Gio!’

      Gio looked down at Valentina blankly for a second. He was still in the room with her father. They were outside the hospital doors now and her arms were folded and she was glaring up at him. There were smudges of weariness under her eyes and that made Gio’s resolve firm even more.

      Now she’d got his attention she continued. ‘So are you going to tell me how on earth you had the nerve to propose moving my father to a private specialist clinic in Syracuse, let alone taking him to a hospital on the mainland for a major heart operation?’

      Gio reigned in his temper which seemed to be growing a shorter and shorter fuse around this woman. He took a deep breath. ‘I offered to help your father and I’m glad to say he accepted. By moving him to Syracuse while he waits for the operation, you will be able to move into the staff accommodation at the racetrack. It’ll wipe out your commute and give you an easy mind with your parents so close. It’ll also ease their minds to know you’re not overexhausting yourself.’

      ‘So you’re doing this to make things better for yourself?’ Valentina sneered. ‘Because you don’t want a fainting staff member serving your VIP guests?’

      Valentina wasn’t sure why she was so angry, just that she was. Blistering. It was something to do with the way her father had shown no enmity towards Gio. And it was more than just gratitude for having saved his life. After a long private conversation, she and her mother had been allowed back into the room and the first thing her father had said to her was, ‘You should have told us about your job, piccolina....’

      So not only had Gio told them about her disaster, they also now knew that she was working for him. And didn’t seem fazed by that knowledge at all. She’d looked at Gio accusingly but his face had been completely impassive.

      If anything, her parents had been looking at Gio almost adoringly. And then her father’s consultant had come into the room and Gio had cleared his throat and announced what he would like to do to help.

      Her parents had been taken aback by his audacious offer and Valentina had looked on in shock as her mother had gripped her husband’s hand and begged him with tears in her eyes to do as Gio suggested.

      ‘What’s the problem, Valentina? I would have thought you’d be happy to know that your father will be receiving the best treatment.’

      Valentina uncrossed her arms and her hands curled to fists by her sides. ‘You put them, all of us, in an awkward position—how could they say no? But you know we can’t afford this treatment. How do you think we can ever pay you back?’

      Gio’s face tightened. He waved a hand. ‘You don’t need to worry about that. I’ll take care of it.’

      He started to walk towards his jeep and Valentina called impetuously from behind him, ‘Do you really think money will make up for it?’

      Gio stopped in his tracks and after long silent tense seconds he turned around from the bottom of the steps. His face was stark. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

      Valentina had gone too far now. Something very personal and dark was pushing her over this edge. ‘You know what I’m talking about. You’re trying to atone—’

      Gio bounded up the steps again so fast and with such ruthless intent that Valentina took a step back.

      ‘So what if I am?’ he asked rawly. ‘Is that so bad if it saves your father?’

      Valentina felt like something was breaking apart inside her. ‘Yes. Because it won’t bring him back.’

      Gio took her arms in a tight grip with his hands. ‘Do you think I don’t know that?’

      For a second Valentina glimpsed a depth and level of stark pain in Gio’s eyes that made her want to cry out. It echoed within her like a keening cry. And another echo sounded deep within her, telling her she was a fraud of the worst kind, because she was deliberately pushing Gio away to avoid facing up to a dark truth inside her.

      It was the same reason she’d hurled those cruel words at him last week at the track: Since when have you cared so much for others...

      She’d been able to push