‘You have to be the only person in the palace unaware of that piece of self-deception.’ Dario chuckled. ‘In this one field alone, you have no game. I caught on to the true story before we even left England.’
Lara blinked, emerging from her daze, anguish clawing at her, destroying her happiness, her confidence, her calm. She couldn’t breathe. It was as if someone had cut off her oxygen supply. She stumbled away, in search of a little dark hole to hide in. She had been so stupid, she had been so dreadfully stupid to trust him, particularly where Freddy was concerned.
It was obvious that Freddy, rather than Freddy’s mother, had been Gaetano’s most desired acquisition. He had wanted custody of his son and the easiest way to accomplish that goal had been to persuade Lara that he wanted a reconciliation. Well, he had got what he wanted. Could it be said that he was simply making the best of a bad job where their marriage was concerned? Since he was stuck with her anyway, he was suggesting they consider having another child. But why had he also said that he was afraid of her vanishing again?
Where’s your wits, Lara? Of course, Gaetano would be afraid of that development because he knew that if she left, she would be taking his son with her. And there was no deception there, was there? Gaetano indisputably adored his son and enjoyed being a father. He took breaks in the busiest day to spend time with Freddy. And their son was equally attached to his father. Freddy was benefiting from having two parents in a stable relationship. So, an immediate desire to run and keep on running from Gaetano would be a bad, selfish idea, she acknowledged.
She walked into their bedroom, still struggling to catch her breath as she hung onto the door handle for support. She had believed what she wanted to believe: that Gaetano had genuinely missed her and wanted her back. It had been too good to be true, but she hadn’t smelled a rat, had she? No, she had jumped back into his arms faster than the speed of light.
When had she forgotten that the guy she loved had been a notorious womaniser before their marriage? A man with loads of experience, practised at persuading women to believe what he wanted them to believe? So, he had given her the fairy story and she had swallowed it whole.
But this time he wasn’t going to get away with chewing her up and spitting her out, she thought bitterly. This time, there would be a reckoning...
CHAPTER TEN
GAETANOFINALLYFOUNDLara lying fast asleep on their bed. He had looked everywhere else for her. The staff had been looking too. Her phone had been found in the nursery.
He had expected her to approach him once she’d received the news of the positive DNA test but she had kept her distance. Gaetano, on the other hand, hadn’t had that luxury with her siblings. Ari Stefanos had phoned first and, assuming that Gaetano was already aware of that positive test, had asked when he could speak to his newly found sister because he wanted to arrange a visit to Mosvakia as soon as possible. Leah Zanetti had rung next, bubbling with excitement and enthusiasm, every bit as eager to meet Lara.
Gaetano had told them both that they were very welcome to visit and stay at the palace and was only a little taken aback when they announced that they would be arriving the following day. Presumably, Lara would be ecstatic because she would have them with her at the party.
Gaetano stared down at his slumbering wife. Sadly, Lara didn’t look ecstatic about the discovery that she had a new family. Weren’t those tear stains on her cheeks? Maybe it was just the emotional charge of that new knowledge that had stressed her out and saddened her. He was also wondering how she would handle the rather forceful personalities he had recognised on the phone. Lara was quiet, gentle and vulnerable and even if she decided that she didn’t much like Ari and Leah, she would pretend otherwise because she was kind and always thinking about other people’s feelings. They had better not hurt or disappoint her, Gaetano thought grimly,ortry to interfere in their marriage.
‘Yes, I appreciate that you’ve been married for two years but you didn’t announce the marriage,’ Ari Stefanos had reminded Gaetano sardonically on the phone. ‘And from what I understand my sister was on her own raising your child for those two years. Of course I’ve got questions.’
So, no, Gaetano wasn’t looking forward to meeting Lara’s brother and sister quite as much as he might have been. He did not think that his past misunderstandings with Lara were anyone’s business but their own.
Lara came awake slowly and for a moment she drifted until her brain kicked back into gear and then she sat up with a start, thoroughly disconcerted to see Gaetano working on his laptop at the table in the corner of the room. Pushing her tumbled hair off her brow, she mumbled, ‘Why are you working in here?’
‘I wanted to be here when you woke up. I was worried about you. I thought you’d come to tell me about the positive DNA test but you didn’t.’
‘I fell asleep...not enough sleep last night,’ she framed, her cheeks warming, but for once she didn’t try to meet his liquid dark golden gaze with the understanding mutual glow of a couple who were unable to keep their hands off each other for very long.
‘My fault. Your brother and your sister will be flying in tomorrow.’
‘Tomorrow?’she prompted in shock.
‘They’re exceptionally keen to meet you. Both of them phoned but we couldn’t track you down. You left your phone in the nursery,’ he reminded her.
Lara groaned and breathed in slow and deep. Her plan to stage an immediate showdown with Gaetano was now impossible. She didn’t want to stage a show of a troubled marriage for her new brother and sister. And naturally that would be a consequence of her tackling Gaetano head-on now about the fake reconciliation tactics he had used on her. There would be a huge row. And after that, there would be no hope of hiding the tension and awkwardness between them. So, for the present, she had to hold her fire.
From below her feathery lashes, she studied him. In the well-tailored charcoal-grey suit that outlined his lithe, powerful physique, he was breathtakingly good-looking. Black hair, stunning dark deep-set eyes, perfect bone structure. And on the surface, he was so courteous, considerate and supportive, but that could only be a smooth, sophisticated façade hiding the real truth of his feelings. Deep down inside he had to resent her for being so necessary to Freddy that she and her son were a package deal.
It was cold consolation that he had never said he loved her, but then she hadn’t said those words either. At least he hadn’t uttered that lie. It hardly mattered when Gaetano had sucked her in and spat her out, shredding her heart all over again. What was it about him that got to her every time? No matter what he did, no matter how he behaved? She couldn’t allow love to make a fool of her again. There had to be honesty without lies or pretty pretences.
‘I thought you’d be more excited about your brother and sister.’
‘I am, maybe just a little nervous. Are they bringing their families?’
‘They didn’t say. And we’ve plenty of space if they do but I would suspect they’ll only bring their partners. I warned them about the party tomorrow night and told them that they’re very welcome to join us,’ he completed quietly.
As usual he had thought of everything. Her chest felt tight, her throat even tighter. She needed to get a grip on herself again, she told herself angrily. She needed to be the best actor she could be for the next day or so, at least until her siblings had departed again and she had the privacy to confront Gaetano. And what was she going to tell him?
Yes, what was she planning to call him out on? How dare you give me my dream marriage? How dare you make me happy? How dare you convince me that what we have is real when it’snot? In truth, he might have lied but he had lived up to every one of his promises.
‘You don’t seem happy. You’re not reacting the way I expected.’ Gaetano rose with feral grace and dropped down on the side of the bed to curve an arm round her. ‘What’s worrying you? Are you afraid that they won’t like you? Don’t be daft. You’re a lovely person and they’ll see that in you, just as other people do.’
‘Gaetano—’ she said in embarrassment.