and supplies into the back of a Jeep.
His backpack was about three times the size of hers. And there were walking poles. Nerves fluttered in Serena’s belly. Maybe she was being really stupid. How on earth was she going to last in the jungle? She was a city girl... That was the jungle she understood and knew how to navigate.
Luca must have caught her expression and he arched a questioning brow. Instantly fresh resolve filled Serena and she marched forward. ‘Is there anything I can do?’
He shut the Jeep’s boot door. ‘No, we’re good. Let’s go—we don’t have all day.’
A short time later, as Luca navigated the Manaus traffic, which eventually got less crazy as they hit the suburbs, he delivered a veritable lecture to Serena on safety in the jungle.
‘And whatever you do obey my commands. The jungle is perceived to be a very hostile environment, but it doesn’t have to be—as long as you use your head and you’re constantly on guard and aware of what’s around you.’
A devil inside Serena prompted her to say, ‘Are you always this bossy or is it just with me?’
To her surprise Luca’s mouth lifted ever so slightly on one side, causing a reaction of seismic proportions in Serena’s belly.
That dark navy glance slid to her for a second and he drawled, ‘I instruct and people obey.’
Serena let out a small sound of disdain. That had been her father’s philosophy too. ‘That must make life very boring.’
The glimmer of a smile vanished. ‘I find that people are generally compliant when it’s in their interests to gain something...as you yourself are demonstrating right now.’
There was an unmistakably cynical edge to his voice that had Serena’s gaze fixed on his face. Not liking the fact that she’d noticed it, and wondering about where such cynicism stemmed from, she said, ‘You offered me a chance to prove my commitment. That’s what I’m doing.’
He shrugged one wide shoulder. ‘Exactly my point. You have something to gain.’
‘Do I, though?’ Serena asked quietly, but Luca either didn’t hear or didn’t think it worth answering. Clearly the answer was no.
They were silent for the rest of the journey. Soon they’d left the city behind, and civilisation was slowly swallowed by greenery until they were surrounded by it. It gave Serena a very real sense of how ready the forest seemed to be to encroach upon its concrete rival given half a chance.
Her curiosity overcame her desire to limit her interaction with Luca. ‘How did you become interested in these particular mines?’
One of his hands was resting carelessly on the wheel, the other on his thigh. He was a good driver—unhurried, but fast. In control. He looked at her and she felt very conscious of being in a cocoon-like atmosphere with nothing but green around them.
He returned his attention to the road. ‘My grandfather opened them up when prospectors found bauxite. The area was plundered, forest cleared, and the native Indians moved on to allow for a camp to be set up. It was the first of my family’s mines...and so the first one that I wanted to focus on to try and undo the damage.’
Serena recalled what she’d read. ‘But you’re still mining?’
He frowned at her and put both hands on the wheel, as if that reminder had angered him. ‘Yes, but on a much smaller scale. The main camp has already been torn down. Miners commute in and out from a nearby town. If I was to shut down the mine completely it would affect the livelihoods of hundreds of people. I’d also be doing the workers out of government grants for miners, education for their children, and so on. As it is, we’re using this mine as a pilot project to develop ethical mining so that it becomes the standard.’
He continued. ‘The proceeds are all being funnelled into restoring huge swathes of the forest that were cleared—they’ll never be restored completely, but they can be used for other ends, and the native Indians who were taken off the land have moved back to farm that land and make a new living from it.’
‘It sounds like an ambitious project.’ Serena tried not to feel impressed. Her experience with her father had taught her that men could be masters in the art of altruism while hiding a soul so corrupt and black it would make the devil look like Mickey Mouse.
Luca glanced at her and she could see the fire of intent in his eyes—something she’d never seen in her father’s eyes unless it was for his own ends. Greedy for more power. Control. Causing pain.
‘It is an ambitious project. But it’s my responsibility. My grandfather did untold damage to this country’s natural habitat and my father continued his reckless destruction. I refuse to keep perpetuating the same mistake. Apart from anything else, to do so is to completely ignore the fact that the planet is intensely vulnerable.’
Serena was taken aback at the passion in his voice. Maybe he was genuine.
‘Why do you care so much?’
He tensed, and she thought he wouldn’t answer, but then he said, ‘Because I saw the disgust the native Indians and even the miners had for my father and men like him whenever I went with him to visit his empire. I started to do my own research at a young age. I was horrified to find out the extent of the damage we were doing—not only to our country but on a worldwide scale—and I was determined to put an end to it.’
Serena looked at his stern profile, unable to stem her growing respect. Luca was turning the Jeep into an opening that was almost entirely hidden from view. The track was bumpy and rough, the huge majestic trees of the rainforest within touching distance now.
After about ten minutes of solid driving, deeper and deeper into the undergrowth, they emerged into a large clearing where a two-storey state-of-the-art facility was revealed, almost completely camouflaged to blend with the surroundings.
Luca brought the Jeep to a halt alongside a few other vehicles. ‘This is our main Amazon operational research base. We have other smaller ones in different locations.’ He looked at her before he got out of the Jeep. ‘You should take this opportunity to use the facilities while we still have them.’
Serena wanted to scowl at the very definite glint of mockery in his eyes but she refused to let him see the flicker of trepidation she felt once again, when confronted with the reality of their awe-inspiring surroundings.
She was mesmerised by the dense foliage around them. She had that impression again that the forest was being held back by sheer will alone, as if given the slightest chance it would extend its roots and vines and overtake this place.
‘Serena?’
Frowning impatiently, Luca was holding open the main door.
She walked in and he pointed down a corridor.
‘The bathroom is down there. I’ll meet you back here.’
When Serena found the bathroom and saw her own reflection in dozens of mirrors, she grimaced. She looked flushed and sweaty, and was willing to bet that if she made it to the end of the day she’d look a lot worse.
After throwing some water on her face and tying her hair back into a more practical plait she headed back, nerves jumping around in her belly at the prospect of the battle of wills ahead and her determination not to falter at the first hurdle.
When Serena joined Luca back outside he handed her the backpack. There was a long rubber hose coming from the inside of it to sit over one shoulder. He saw her look at it.
‘That’s your water supply. Sip little and often; we’ll replenish it later.’
She put the pack on and secured it around her waist and over her chest. She was relieved to find that it didn’t feel too heavy at all. And then she saw the size of Luca’s pack, which obviously held all their main supplies and had a tent rolled up at the bottom.
Her eyes widened when she saw what looked suspiciously