{"id":1924,"date":"2015-07-21T13:19:28","date_gmt":"2015-07-21T12:19:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/abby-green.com\/abbygreen\/?post_type=portfolio&#038;p=201"},"modified":"2015-08-25T20:10:06","modified_gmt":"2015-08-25T19:10:06","slug":"a-shadow-of-guilt","status":"publish","type":"portfolio","link":"https:\/\/abby-green.com\/portfolio-item\/a-shadow-of-guilt\/","title":{"rendered":"A Shadow of Guilt"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id='av_section_1'  class='avia-section av-av_section-d18d8c2c81d10022ebd21ffa95322c35 main_color avia-section-default avia-no-shadow  avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_section  avia-builder-el-first  avia-bg-style-scroll container_wrap fullsize'  ><div class='container av-section-cont-open' ><main  role=\"main\" itemprop=\"mainContentOfPage\"  class='template-page content  av-content-full alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-1924'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_one_half-352b07ef7d3bc99b2e9f92e7a9e06bdb\">\n.flex_column.av-av_one_half-352b07ef7d3bc99b2e9f92e7a9e06bdb{\n-webkit-border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n-moz-border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div class='flex_column av-av_one_half-352b07ef7d3bc99b2e9f92e7a9e06bdb av_one_half  avia-builder-el-1  el_before_av_one_fourth  avia-builder-el-first  first flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding '     ><p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_heading-42d85e5d42d4a3afb03a73e989228051\">\n#top .av-special-heading.av-av_heading-42d85e5d42d4a3afb03a73e989228051{\npadding-bottom:10px;\n}\nbody .av-special-heading.av-av_heading-42d85e5d42d4a3afb03a73e989228051 .av-special-heading-tag .heading-char{\nfont-size:25px;\n}\n.av-special-heading.av-av_heading-42d85e5d42d4a3afb03a73e989228051 .av-subheading{\nfont-size:15px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='av-special-heading av-av_heading-42d85e5d42d4a3afb03a73e989228051 av-special-heading-h3 blockquote modern-quote  avia-builder-el-2  el_before_av_textblock  avia-builder-el-first '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag'  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Description<\/h3><div class='av-subheading av-subheading_below'><p>Driven and Determined: To Forgive a Corretti<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"special-heading-border\"><div class=\"special-heading-inner-border\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-av_textblock-35972167d9f102c5ddaec0c531c98b9e'  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p>Valentina Ferranti has always blamed Gio Corretti and his reckless behavior for her brother\u2019s death. The last time she saw Gio she slammed the door on him and her youthful infatuation.<\/p>\n<p>Now, broke and with her name slandered by the infamous Carmela Corretti, Val needs help. There\u2019s only one person she can turn to\u2026the cold, inscrutable man from her past whose green eyes flash with guilt, regret and a passion that calls to her.<\/p>\n<p>Valentina may have had the strength to ask for help, but does she have the willpower to resist all that entails?<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><br \/>\n<div  class='togglecontainer av-av_toggle_container-f0c39e76d1f074f51d6efd8dbfc052b2  avia-builder-el-4  el_after_av_textblock  el_before_av_hr  toggle_close_all' >\n<section class='av_toggle_section av-av_toggle-b17d4e9cdf053f1500227c7d6002f182'  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div role=\"tablist\" class=\"single_toggle\" data-tags=\"{All} \"  ><p data-fake-id='#toggle-id-1' class='toggler   '  itemprop=\"headline\"  role='tab' tabindex='0' aria-controls='toggle-id-1'>Review of A SHADOW OF GUILT<span class=\"toggle_icon\"><span class=\"vert_icon\"><\/span><span class=\"hor_icon\"><\/span><\/span><\/p><div id='toggle-id-1' class='toggle_wrap  '  ><div class='toggle_content invers-color '  itemprop=\"text\" ><p>A SHADOW OF GUILT (4) by Abby Green: <em>Valentina Ferranti curses the Corretti name. The family is responsible for the demise of her business. Yet she has no choice but to seek the aid of the man whose recklessness killed her brother \u2014 the Corretti she hates but desires. When Valentina begs for his aid, Gio feels obligated to help. How can he not when there\u2019s Ferranti blood on his hands? But how will he handle his lust for her? When truths are confessed, can these lonely hearts become open to love? Green\u2019s Sicilian romance is both a heartbreaker and heart-healer. Set in the opulent Italian countryside, this is a sensual feast.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Debbie Haupt, Romantic Times<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<\/div><br \/>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_hr-42b83fc1d7e0886e3795b0f5da2f91a7\">\n#top .hr.hr-invisible.av-av_hr-42b83fc1d7e0886e3795b0f5da2f91a7{\nheight:25px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='hr av-av_hr-42b83fc1d7e0886e3795b0f5da2f91a7 hr-invisible  avia-builder-el-5  el_after_av_toggle_container  el_before_av_button '><span class='hr-inner '><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><\/div><br \/>\n<div  class='avia-button-wrap av-av_button-c92618446e5c68b64e558e8e19060c32-wrap avia-button-left  avia-builder-el-6  el_after_av_hr  el_before_av_hr '><a href='#excerpt'  class='avia-button av-av_button-c92618446e5c68b64e558e8e19060c32 avia-icon_select-yes-left-icon avia-size-medium avia-position-left avia-color-dark'  ><span class='avia_button_icon avia_button_icon_left' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue84f' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><span class='avia_iconbox_title' >Read an Excerpt<\/span><\/a><\/div><br \/>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_hr-f9c49c3d3336fc54a3f31ed109c785bd\">\n#top .hr.hr-invisible.av-av_hr-f9c49c3d3336fc54a3f31ed109c785bd{\nheight:30px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='hr av-av_hr-f9c49c3d3336fc54a3f31ed109c785bd hr-invisible  avia-builder-el-7  el_after_av_button  el_before_av_social_share '><span class='hr-inner '><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><\/div><br \/>\n<div  class='av-social-sharing-box av-av_social_share-091364a88cbf1bf8768d3d05e1fe0801 av-social-sharing-box-default  avia-builder-el-8  el_after_av_hr  avia-builder-el-last  av-social-sharing-box-fullwidth'><div class=\"av-share-box\"><h5 class='av-share-link-description av-no-toc '>Share this Book<\/h5><ul class=\"av-share-box-list noLightbox\"><li class='av-share-link 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id=\"style-css-av-av_one_fourth-2a64de42b738552fe666ca889af77e28\">\n.flex_column.av-av_one_fourth-2a64de42b738552fe666ca889af77e28{\n-webkit-border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n-moz-border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div class='flex_column av-av_one_fourth-2a64de42b738552fe666ca889af77e28 av_one_fourth  avia-builder-el-9  el_after_av_one_half  el_before_av_one_fourth  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding '     ><p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_image-7ae563120dd0422a470c218ac1b2c169\">\n.avia-image-container.av-av_image-7ae563120dd0422a470c218ac1b2c169 img.avia_image{\nbox-shadow:none;\n}\n.avia-image-container.av-av_image-7ae563120dd0422a470c218ac1b2c169 .av-image-caption-overlay-center{\ncolor:#ffffff;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='avia-image-container av-av_image-7ae563120dd0422a470c218ac1b2c169 av-styling- avia-align-center  avia-builder-el-10  el_before_av_textblock  avia-builder-el-first '   itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><div class=\"avia-image-container-inner\"><div class=\"avia-image-overlay-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" class='wp-image-1819 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-1819 avia_image ' src=\"https:\/\/abby-green.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/A-Shadow-of-Guilt-UK-21.jpg\" alt='' title='A-Shadow-of-Guilt-UK-2'  height=\"712\" width=\"450\"  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" srcset=\"https:\/\/abby-green.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/A-Shadow-of-Guilt-UK-21.jpg 450w, https:\/\/abby-green.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/A-Shadow-of-Guilt-UK-21-190x300.jpg 190w, https:\/\/abby-green.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/A-Shadow-of-Guilt-UK-21-446x705.jpg 446w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-av_textblock-35972167d9f102c5ddaec0c531c98b9e'  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><strong>Mills &amp; Boon<\/strong><br \/>\nJuly 2013<br \/>\n<strong>ISBN<\/strong>: 0263906175<\/p>\n<p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_font_icon-60c94506e0f2f67d60a2472f25f1e527\">\n.av_font_icon.av-av_font_icon-60c94506e0f2f67d60a2472f25f1e527 .av-icon-char{\nfont-size:40px;\nline-height:40px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<span  class='av_font_icon av-av_font_icon-60c94506e0f2f67d60a2472f25f1e527 avia_animate_when_visible av-icon-style- avia-icon-pos-left av-no-color avia-icon-animate'><a href='http:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0263906175\/agreen-21' target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class='av-icon-char' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue924' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/a><\/span> BUY NOW<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/p><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_one_fourth-60e65def2443d4fedd70f2f69834ac0f\">\n.flex_column.av-av_one_fourth-60e65def2443d4fedd70f2f69834ac0f{\n-webkit-border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n-moz-border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div class='flex_column av-av_one_fourth-60e65def2443d4fedd70f2f69834ac0f av_one_fourth  avia-builder-el-13  el_after_av_one_fourth  avia-builder-el-last  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding '     ><p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_image-ef56d52dc13af01d66636c6d50ca8f0e\">\n.avia-image-container.av-av_image-ef56d52dc13af01d66636c6d50ca8f0e img.avia_image{\nbox-shadow:none;\n}\n.avia-image-container.av-av_image-ef56d52dc13af01d66636c6d50ca8f0e .av-image-caption-overlay-center{\ncolor:#ffffff;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='avia-image-container av-av_image-ef56d52dc13af01d66636c6d50ca8f0e av-styling- avia-align-center  avia-builder-el-14  el_before_av_textblock  avia-builder-el-first '   itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><div class=\"avia-image-container-inner\"><div class=\"avia-image-overlay-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" class='wp-image-1817 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-1817 avia_image ' src=\"https:\/\/abby-green.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/A-Shadow-of-Guilt-US.jpg\" alt='' title='A-Shadow-of-Guilt-US'  height=\"712\" width=\"450\"  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\" srcset=\"https:\/\/abby-green.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/A-Shadow-of-Guilt-US.jpg 450w, https:\/\/abby-green.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/A-Shadow-of-Guilt-US-190x300.jpg 190w, https:\/\/abby-green.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/A-Shadow-of-Guilt-US-446x705.jpg 446w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-av_textblock-35972167d9f102c5ddaec0c531c98b9e'  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><strong>Harlequin Presents<\/strong><br \/>\nJuly 2013<br \/>\n<strong>ISBN<\/strong>: 0373131607<\/p>\n<p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_font_icon-98ba2b737d7c4a26a5385870b95e797a\">\n.av_font_icon.av-av_font_icon-98ba2b737d7c4a26a5385870b95e797a .av-icon-char{\nfont-size:40px;\nline-height:40px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<span  class='av_font_icon av-av_font_icon-98ba2b737d7c4a26a5385870b95e797a avia_animate_when_visible av-icon-style- avia-icon-pos-left av-no-color avia-icon-animate'><a href='http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/exec\/obidos\/ASIN\/0373131607\/agreen-20' target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class='av-icon-char' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue924' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/a><\/span> BUY NOW<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/main><!-- close content main element --><\/div><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_section-a39f1395b9c26d6fce19cea65cb3b34b\">\n.avia-section.av-av_section-a39f1395b9c26d6fce19cea65cb3b34b{\nbackground-color:#f6f6f6;\nbackground-image:unset;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div id='excerpt'  class='avia-section av-av_section-a39f1395b9c26d6fce19cea65cb3b34b main_color avia-section-large avia-no-shadow  avia-builder-el-17  el_after_av_section  avia-builder-el-last  avia-bg-style-scroll container_wrap fullsize'  ><div class='container av-section-cont-open' ><div class='template-page content  av-content-full alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-1924'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_one_fifth-352b07ef7d3bc99b2e9f92e7a9e06bdb\">\n.flex_column.av-av_one_fifth-352b07ef7d3bc99b2e9f92e7a9e06bdb{\n-webkit-border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n-moz-border-radius:0px 0px 0px 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.av-special-heading-tag .heading-char{\nfont-size:25px;\n}\n#top #wrap_all .av-special-heading.av-av_heading-f440866913d38d11a622a78dc96928d9 .av-special-heading-tag{\nfont-size:42px;\n}\n.av-special-heading.av-av_heading-f440866913d38d11a622a78dc96928d9 .av-subheading{\nfont-size:22px;\n}\n\n@media only screen and (min-width: 480px) and (max-width: 767px){ \n#top #wrap_all .av-special-heading.av-av_heading-f440866913d38d11a622a78dc96928d9 .av-special-heading-tag{\nfont-size:0.8em;\n}\n}\n\n@media only screen and (max-width: 479px){ \n#top #wrap_all .av-special-heading.av-av_heading-f440866913d38d11a622a78dc96928d9 .av-special-heading-tag{\nfont-size:0.8em;\n}\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='av-special-heading av-av_heading-f440866913d38d11a622a78dc96928d9 av-special-heading-h3 blockquote modern-quote  avia-builder-el-21  el_after_av_hr  el_before_av_textblock  av-inherit-size'><div class='av-subheading av-subheading_above'><p>Excerpt from<\/p>\n<\/div><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag'  itemprop=\"headline\"  >A Shadow of Guilt<\/h3><div class=\"special-heading-border\"><div class=\"special-heading-inner-border\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-av_textblock-35972167d9f102c5ddaec0c531c98b9e'  itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p>Gio took another full glass of champagne from a passing waiter\u2019s tray. He\u2019d lost count of how many he\u2019d had but the alcohol was having a nicely numbing effect on his brain. He\u2019d walked straight into the debacle of the century. Expecting to find his cousin\u2019s family jubilant and gloating with their new merger of power, he\u2019d instead found small huddles of guests in the sumptuously decorated reception room, all whispering excitedly of the runaway bride.<\/p>\n<p>The unfolding scandal was so unexpected that it defused much of his simmering anger at the thought of having to play nice with his family. Gio decided that he\u2019d more than done his duty and slugged back the champagne before putting the empty glass down. He made his way out of the main function room into the corridor and passed by an ante \u2013 room where the wedding band were setting up and doing a sound check. He shook his head in disbelief \u2014 clearly the word hadn\u2019t reached this far yet \u2014 or perhaps his formidable aunt Carmela wasn\u2019t going to let a runaway bride stop her guests from dancing the night away?<\/p>\n<p>Something suddenly caught Gio\u2019s peripheral vision. He stopped in his tracks. He was passing another room now, a store room. He could see that it was the figure of a woman sitting on a chair in the empty room, surrounded by boxes and other chairs piled high. Her head was downbent, glossy chestnut hair caught up in a bun. Shapely legs under a black skirt. A white shirt and jacket. Slim pale hands clasped on her lap.<\/p>\n<p>As if she could feel the weight of his gaze on her, her head started to come up. D\u00e9j\u00e0 vu was so immediate and strong, Gio nearly staggered back from it. No, he thought, it couldn\u2019t be her. Not here, not now. Not ever. She was only in his dreams and nightmares. Cursing him. Along with the ghost of her brother.<\/p>\n<p>But now her head was up fully and those glorious tiger eyes were widening. It was her. The knowledge exploded something open, deep inside him. Something that had been frozen in time for seven years. He saw colour leach from her cheeks. So much more angular now that her teenage plumpness had disappeared. So much more beautiful. He could see her throat work, swallowing.<\/p>\n<p>She stood up with a slightly jerky move. She was taller than he remembered, slimmer and yet with very womanly curves. The promise of the burgeoning beauty that he remembered had been truly fulfilled. So many things were impacting Gio at once that he had to shut them all down deep inside him.<\/p>\n<p>He had alternately dreaded and anticipated the possibility of this day for a long time. He couldn\u2019t crumble now in front of her. He wouldn\u2019t allow himself the luxury.<\/p>\n<p>He walked to the entrance of the room and totally redundantly he said, \u2018Valentina.\u2019 And then after a pause, \u2018It\u2019s good to see you.\u2019<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\">***<\/p>\n<p>Valentina was in shock. More shock heaped on top of shock. Without even realising she was speaking out loud she said, \u2018You\u2019re not meant to be here.\u2019 The sheer force of my will should have kept you away. But she didn\u2019t say that.<\/p>\n<p>Gio\u2019s mouth turned up on one corner in a tiny movement that wasn\u2019t quite a smile, \u2018Well my cousin is, was, the groom so I have some right to be here.\u2019 He frowned slightly, \u2018What are you doing here?\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Valentina\u2019s brain wasn\u2019t working properly. She answered almost absently, \u2018I\u2019m the caterer.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Gio was so much taller and broader than she remembered. Any hint of boyishness was gone. He was all stark angles and sinuous muscle and power. The suit hugged his muscular frame like a second skin. The white shirt and white bow \u2014 tie made him look even darker.<\/p>\n<p>His hair was still messy though, giving him a familiar devil \u2014 may \u2014 care look that rang bells somewhere dimly in Valentina\u2019s consciousness. His eyes were a light brown and a wicked voice whispered that she knew very well they could look green in certain lights.<\/p>\n<p>She\u2019d used to watch him and her brother for hours as they\u2019d egged each other on in a series of dare \u2014 devil stunts, either on horse \u2013 back or on the mud bikes Gio had had first on his father\u2019s property, and then later, on his own property. But by then they\u2019d been proper adult motorbikes and he and her brother had relished their death defying races. She remembered the way Gio would tip his head back and laugh, he\u2019d looked so vitally masculine, his teeth gleaming whitely in his face.<\/p>\n<p>She remembered turning fifteen and seeing him again for the first time in about four years, because he\u2019d been living abroad in France, building up his equine business. He\u2019d returned home a conquering hero, a self \u2014 made millionaire, with a bevy of champion thoroughbred horses. But that had had nothing to do with how she\u2019d instantly had an altogether different awareness of him. Her belly would twist when she saw him, and then there were the butterflies, so violent it was like feeling sick. Her gaze had been shamefully captivated by his tall rangy body.<\/p>\n<p>Much to her ever \u2014 lasting shame she\u2019d tagged along on her brother\u2019s visits to Gio in his new home near Syracuse whenever he\u2019d been home from college, during his long summers off. Gio had bought a palatial castello complete with a farm, where he\u2019d installed a state of the art stud and gallops. He\u2019d been in the process of doing up a nearby run \u2013 down race \u2014 track which by today had become the famed Corretti race track where the eponymous internationally renowned annual Corretti Cup Race was held.<\/p>\n<p>Gio had caught her staring once and she\u2019d been so mortified she\u2019d been red for a week. She hadn\u2019t been able to get out of her head how he\u2019d held her gaze for a long moment, a slow smile turning up his mouth, as if something illicit and secret had passed between them. Something that scared her as much as it had exhilarated her.<\/p>\n<p>He had a beautiful face, sculpted lips. High cheekbones and a hard slashing line of a nose. A strong chin. But something in his demeanor took away any prettiness. A dark brooding energy surrounded him like a force \u2014 field.<\/p>\n<p>Gio lifted a hand to point to her hair and said, \u2018You have something\u2026just there.\u2019 It shattered her memories and brought her back to the present. He was pointing above her right ear and Valentina reached up and felt something wet and sticky and took her hand down to see a lump of viscous orange salmon caviar.<\/p>\n<p>And then it was as if the deep baritone reality of his voice made the bells ring loud and clear in her head. He looked devil \u2014 may \u2014 care because that\u2019s what he was, and that attitude had led directly to her brother\u2019s death. For the last few moments she\u2019d been protecting herself from the reality that he was here, in front of her, and now that protection was ripped away.<\/p>\n<p>She remembered. And with that knowledge came the pain. The memories. That lonely grave in the graveyard. Seven years of an ache that didn\u2019t seem to get any better, only fade slightly. Until it caught you unawares and the wound was reopened all over again. Like right now.<\/p>\n<p>How dared he stand there and talk to her as if nothing had happened? As if civility could hide the ugly past. Anger and something much darker bubbled up inside Valentina. A kind of guilt, for having remembered another time for a moment \u2014 disgusted with herself she strode out of the room and straight up to Gio. She clenched the hand that held the remnants of the once perfect canap\u00e9 and looked up at him focusing on the blazing incinerating anger of grief, and not something much more dangerous in her belly when she realized how tall he was. \u2018Get out of my way Corretti.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Gio flinched minutely as if she\u2019d slapped him. He could remember in vivid recall how it had felt that day when she\u2019d punched him in the chest. And he welcomed it now. For a few seconds when she\u2019d looked stunned and not angry, he\u2019d thought that perhaps with time, a mellowing had taken place. But then he mocked himself \u2014 the pain of losing Mario still as fresh as it had been on the night he died. And the shock to cushion that blow had long gone. Now there was just the excoriating and ever \u2014 present guilt.<\/p>\n<p>Valentina was looking up at him, her eyes glowing gold and spitting. She hated him. It was in every taut and tense line of her body.<\/p>\n<p>She gritted out, \u2018I said get out of my way Corretti.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/p><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_one_fifth-2a64de42b738552fe666ca889af77e28\">\n.flex_column.av-av_one_fifth-2a64de42b738552fe666ca889af77e28{\n-webkit-border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n-moz-border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div class='flex_column av-av_one_fifth-2a64de42b738552fe666ca889af77e28 av_one_fifth  avia-builder-el-23  el_after_av_three_fifth  avia-builder-el-last  flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding '     ><\/div>\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Click to Learn More<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1817,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","tags":[21],"portfolio_entries":[23],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.5 - 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