Claiming His Secret Love-Child

A courier arrived mid-morning with the floor plans of the hotel, but there was no accompanying note inside. Scarlett knew it was inconsistent of her to feel so out of sorts, for she was the one who had insisted it was a business deal and nothing else.

She spent the rest of the day worrying that Alessandro would walk in the door of her studio, and yet as she shut her computer down at five p.m. she felt strangely disappointed and aggrieved that he hadn’t.

Matthew was tired, but excited when she picked him up from crèche when she told him his granny was going to babysit him that evening.

‘I drewed you a picture,’ he announced proudly, unrolling the piece of art paper he had in his hands.

Scarlett smiled as she looked at the bright smudges of paint. ‘Wow, that’s beautiful, darling. What is it?’

‘It’s a cat like Tinkles, only not dead.’

Scarlett frowned as she thought about how she had handled the recent death of their neighbour’s cat. She had couched it in euphemistic terms, but it seemed Matthew had understood it in his own way.

‘It’s lovely,’ she said. ‘Can you do one for Mrs West as well? I’m sure she’d love to have a reminder of Tinkles.’

‘Can we get a cat?’ he asked as they came to the car. ‘Or what about a puppy? I’d love a puppy.’

‘Darling, we live in a flat,’ she said. ‘It would be cruel to have a kitten or puppy locked up inside all day.’

His little face fell in disappointment. ‘But Mrs West had a cat.’

‘I know, but Tinkles was very old and used to living inside, and Mrs West was home with him all day so he never got lonely.’

‘What about a daddy?’ he asked after a moment. ‘Can we have one of those?’

Scarlett disguised her shock by concentrating on unlocking the car and settling him into his car seat. ‘I’m not sure about that, sweetie.’

‘I wish my real one wasn’t dead,’ he said as he wriggled into the seat and automatically lifted up his arms so she could snap the restraining belt in place. ‘What if we prayed to God and asked him to make him come alive again?’

She had to look away from those big hazel eyes. ‘I’ve prayed and prayed, darling, but it’s not going to happen.’

‘I’m still going to pray,’ his little voice piped up from the back seat as she got behind the wheel a few moments later.

Scarlett met his beautiful green-brown gaze in the rear-view mirror and smiled, even though it hurt. ‘Let’s hope God is listening,’ she said, and took the turn towards home.

Dylan saw Scarlett as soon as she came in the door of his restaurant and, smiling broadly, embraced her in a solid hug. ‘It’s so good to see you, Scarlett. I was thrilled when I looked at the bookings and saw you and Roxanne had booked in for tonight. It’s been a few months since I saw you both. My fault more than yours, so don’t start apologising. I’ve been a bit antisocial since Olivia left.’

‘I understand,’ Scarlett said, returning his hug.

‘So how’s the business and Roxanne?’

‘I’m expecting her any minute,’ Scarlett said. ‘She’s probably having trouble parking. I had to shoehorn my way into the tiniest spot.’

Dylan smiled. ‘Let’s have a quick drink together while you wait for her,’ he suggested, and signalled for the drinks waiter. ‘The apprentice chef I have is brilliant, so I can trust him to hold the fort for a few minutes. The dinner crowd hasn’t trickled in yet.’

After two glasses of champagne were set down in front of them, he asked, ‘How’s Matthew?’

‘He’s good,’ she said with a smile. ‘Growing up all the time.’

‘He’s a cute kid,’ Dylan said. ‘I loved those photos you emailed me a while ago.’

Scarlett wondered if she should say something about Alessandro, when out of the corner of her eye she saw a tall figure stoop slightly as he came into the bar area with an attractive, willowy blonde on his arm.

‘What’s wrong?’ Dylan asked, leaning forward in concern.

Scarlett swallowed the bitter taste of bile in her throat. ‘Er…nothing. I just thought I saw someone I knew, that’s all.’

Dylan glanced towards the entrance. ‘That’s Velika Vanovic, the model everyone is talking about. See how popular you’ve made me?’ he said, turning back to smile at Scarlett. ‘Everyone famous or high profile wants to come here and enjoy the ambiance.’

‘I think I’ve seen her on a billboard, she’s very beautiful…’ Scarlett answered feebly, staring at the bubbles in her glass, hoping the knives of jealousy currently attacking her insides would soon disappear.

‘The man with her seems vaguely familiar,’ Dylan commented, frowning slightly. ‘I wonder where I’ve seen him before…. Hey, isn’t he that guy you were seeing in Milan?’ He swung his gaze back to her in confusion. ‘Scarlett, didn’t you tell us he was dead?’

She shifted position in the hope that Alessandro wouldn’t see her. ‘I can explain…’

‘Oh look, they’re coming this way.’

Scarlett felt her stomach clench as Alessandro and the glamourous model approached.

‘Good evening, Scarlett,’ Alessandro said, running his gaze over her appraisingly. ‘What a coincidence, seeing you here like this.’

Scarlett rose with Dylan from the sofa. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘It is.’

Dylan offered a hand to Alessandro with a pleasant smile. ‘Hello, Alessandro. It’s been a long time. What, nearly four years?’

For a moment Scarlett wondered if Alessandro was going to ignore Dylan’s outstretched hand, but after what was probably only a nano-second of hesitation he took it and shook it cursorily. ‘Yes, something like that,’ he said, his eyes flicking towards Scarlett with an inscrutable look. ‘Velika, this is Scarlett Fitzpatrick, the interior designer I was telling you about. Scarlett, this is Velika Vanovic.’

‘Pleased to meet you,’ Scarlett said, and took the other woman’s cold, thin hand briefly.

‘Likewise,’ Velika said in a husky tone, although the chill of her light-brown eyes belied her comment.

‘So,’ Dylan smiled pleasantly. ‘You’re here for dinner as well?’

‘Yes,’ Alessandro said, his gaze shifting to take in the twin glasses of champagne on the coffee table.

Scarlett felt the scorch of Alessandro’s gaze as it met hers; she felt as if every layer of her skin was being lasered off by the heat of it. She knew what he was thinking; she could see it in the rigidness of his jaw. In spite of her assurances to the contrary, Alessandro had always been convinced Dylan had designs on her. He had only met him once or twice, as Dylan, Jessica and Joe had been keen to get on with their tour. But Scarlett knew that finding her here sharing a drink with Dylan was hardly going to convince Alessandro that nothing but platonic friendship bound them to each other.

‘I hope you enjoy your evening with us,’ Dylan said. ‘I’ll organise the head waiter to see you to your table, unless you would like a drink in the lounge first?’

‘Thank you, but I think we will go straight to our table,’ Alessandro said. ‘Velika and I have somewhere else to go after dinner.’

To bed, most likely, Scarlett thought with another sickening wave of jealousy.

Alessandro looked down at her as if he could read her thoughts. ‘Enjoy your evening, Scarlett.’

‘We will,’ she answered with a little hitch of her chin.

Dylan waited until Alessandro and his partner were led to their table before he spoke in a low undertone. ‘OK, so you have some explaining to do, young lady,’ he said in mock reproach. ‘That’s Matthew’s father, isn’t it?’

Scarlett gave him a ‘please forgive me’ look. ‘Yes.’

‘I can see the likeness, it’s absolutely unmistakable,’ he said. ‘To tell you the truth, I never really did buy that story about Matthew’s father dying in a car accident, but I figured you had your reasons so I kept quiet.’

‘I’m sorry…I should have told you. Roxanne is still furious with me about it. You and the others had gone to the States by then. By the time you came back home, I couldn’t really tell you one thing and everyone else another.’

He took one of her hands in his and gave it a little squeeze. ‘So what gives?’

Scarlett could feel her hand shaking beneath the gentle pressure of his. ‘He doesn’t believe Matthew is his.’

‘Hasn’t anyone told him about DNA tests?’ he remarked wryly. ‘A friend of mine bought one off the internet. All it takes is a quick swab and the results are back in a couple of days. It puts an end to the argument over paternity right then and there.’

‘I begged him to have one at the time, but he point-blank refused. By the time I thought about pursuing it legally, I realised he might not be such a good person to have in Matthew’s life.’

‘Why’s that?’

She picked up her glass and watched as the miniature necklaces of bubbles rose to the surface. ‘My father made it a point to remind me whenever he could of how I was unplanned and unwanted. I didn’t want to risk Matthew being exposed to the same.’

Dylan gave her a look of concern. ‘You still hold a bit of a candle for him, don’t you?’

Scarlett met his clear grey eyes. ‘No,’ she said with steely emphasis. ‘I don’t think I will ever be able to forgive him for what he’s done. Every day I think about how Matthew has missed out on so much. I can’t forgive Alessandro for robbing our child of what he should have had.’

‘It’s upset you, seeing him with that woman, hasn’t it?’ Dylan said gently.

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Of course it upset me. He’s living the life of the rich playboy while I’ve been bringing up his son without support.’

‘Money isn’t everything,’ Dylan put in. ‘You’ve given Matthew a much greater gift in loving him.’

‘It’s not about the money,’ Scarlett said on a sigh. ‘It’s about the emotional support. It means everything to me.’

Roxanne came in at that point, looking flustered. ‘I’m so sorry I’m late, but my car broke down, and I—’ She pulled up short when she saw Dylan. ‘Oh…hi.’

‘Hello Roxanne.’ Dylan rose and gave her a brief kiss on the cheek. ‘How nice to see you again.’

Roxanne’s cheeks became pink, and she looked even more flustered. ‘Thanks. You too.’

‘Well, I’d better leave you girls to get on with your evening,’ Dylan said. ‘I can see one of my kitchen staff waving at me.’

He gave Scarlett a close hug and kissed her lightly on the mouth before releasing her. ‘Take care, Scarlett.’

Scarlett’s smile died on her lips when she caught sight of the slow burn of Alessandro’s gaze from across the restaurant. A faint shiver scuttled up her spine as she thought of the power she had given him in agreeing to work for him. Any length of time in his presence was going to be dangerous—and not just professionally…

CHAPTER FIVE

‘WOULD YOU mind if we do this some other time?’ Scarlett asked Roxanne briefly, describing what had occurred earlier.

‘Sure,’ Roxanne said, slinging her bag over her shoulder. ‘The last thing you need is to see that woman draped all over your son’s father.’

Scarlett knew Alessandro had had numerous lovers since her, but even so seeing him with the glamorous model had hurt her more than she had expected it to. She hadn’t thought it was possible to be affected in such a way, but her stomach was twisting and turning with anguish even now at the thought of him rushing through dinner so he could take that woman back to his hotel with him.

She tugged herself away from where her thoughts were leading. Why should she care what he did? It wasn’t as if she still felt anything for him. She hated him with a vengeance, and nothing but nothing was ever going to change that.

‘So, what’s going on with Dylan and you?’ Roxanne asked as they made their way out to where Scarlett’s car was parked.

Scarlett glanced at her friend as she pressed the remote-control device. ‘What makes you ask that? You know we’ve always been friends. There’s nothing going on.’

Roxanne rolled her eyes. ‘Sometimes you can be so naïve,’ she said. ‘Dylan was all over you. No wonder Alessandro was giving you the evil eye.’

Scarlett frowned as she strapped on her seatbelt. ‘Dylan’s still getting over Olivia. He’s lonely, that’s all.’

‘Lonely baloney,’ Roxanne said with a cynical look.

‘Are you jealous or something?’ Scarlett asked.

‘Of course not!’ Roxanne insisted. ‘He’s a restaurateur. He works the most ungodly hours. I pity the woman he eventually marries, she’ll never see him.’

Scarlett secretly wondered if her friend was being rather too emphatic in her dislike of Dylan. They had never quite hit it off, skirting around each other on the few occasions they had met, like two wary dogs.

‘You know, I’ve been doing some thinking,’ Roxanne said a few minutes later as Scarlett wove her way through the city traffic. ‘What if Alessandro changes his mind some time in the future?’

Scarlett glanced at her. ‘You mean about Matthew?’

‘One look at that child is going to make him have some serious doubts about his convictions,’ Roxanne pointed out.

Scarlett’s hands tightened on the steering wheel, her teeth nibbling at her bottom lip. ‘I know.’

‘He could make things very difficult for you,’ Roxanne said. ‘I have a friend whose sister went through a very acrimonious divorce a couple of years back. As a result, their only child has to travel back and forth on access visits to Melbourne every second weekend. If Alessandro Marciano decides he wants his son to spend time with him in Italy, it’s going to be tough on you, not to mention little Matthew.’

Scarlett felt her stomach start to clench again in dread. She had been down this road many times as a young child—forced into access visits that had never turned out the way she had hoped.

Roxanne was right.

Alessandro lived in Milan; he was only here to redevelop the old Arlington Hotel. He hadn’t indicated any permanent plans to reside here in Sydney. If he did somehow come to the realisation that he had fathered a child, he might insist on regular access, not stopping to think of how it would affect Matthew to be transported like a parcel through the post.

Matthew was in many ways still a baby. He had not long come out of nappies at night, and still had the occasional accident. He was certainly bright and advanced for his age, but a long-haul flight would be out of the question. Unless of course Alessandro insisted she accompany him, which would throw up a whole lot of other problems—the main one being her ongoing attraction to him. She fought against it assiduously, but each time he was in the same room as her she felt every cell in her body swell in awareness, every fibre of her being tingle in remembrance of the passion they had so briefly shared.

‘I feel so torn,’ she confessed. ‘For years I’ve wanted Alessandro to face the truth about Matthew, but now I’m worried about what might happen if he does.’

‘You’re still in love with him.’

‘How many times do I have to tell you I’m not?’ Scarlett asked in frustration. ‘I hate the man.’

‘Look, Scarlett, I sometimes think I know you better than I know myself,’ Roxanne said. ‘You still feel something for him, I can tell every time you mention his name. You get a certain look in your eyes.’

Scarlett gave her a withering glance. ‘You’re imagining it.’

‘Am I?’

Scarlett let out another sigh. ‘Look, I admit when I saw him at the restaurant tonight with his latest lover I felt physically ill, but that’s because he’s hurt me more than anyone else I know. Even my father’s crappy behaviour is nothing to what Alessandro’s done.’

‘Listen, Scarlett, you were in love with him four years ago,’ Roxanne said. ‘It makes sense that you could fall in love with him again. Believe me, it happens.’

‘Yes, I know,’ Scarlett said. ‘I swore I’d never end up like my mother, falling in love with a man who consistently let her down.’

‘I hardly think Alessandro Marciano is in the same category of scum as your father,’ Roxanne commented wryly. ‘You’ve only seen your father once since you were a young child, and that was when he came to ask you for money. What a creep.’

‘Don’t remind me,’ Scarlett said with a little grimace of distaste.

Roxanne gave her a reassuring smile. ‘You’ll get through this, Scarlett. I know you will. We’re a team, remember?’

‘I know…thanks.’

‘We’ll knock this project over together and then you can get on with your life. Alessandro will be back in Italy before you know it, and you’ll never have to think of him again.’

‘Yes.’ Scarlet began to gnaw at her bottom lip, a frown almost bringing her brows together over her eyes.

‘But you will, won’t you?’ Roxanne said. ‘Think of him, I mean.’

Scarlett released her lip and sighed as she looked at her friend. ‘I’m trying not to, but it’s hard when I have his son as a constant reminder.’

As soon as Scarlett arrived at the studio the next morning Roxanne handed her the telephone, cupping her hand over the mouthpiece to whisper, ‘It’s Alessandro. He wants to speak to you.’

Scarlett took the receiver with an unsteady hand and held it to her ear. ‘Scarlett Fitzpatrick speaking.’

‘That was a very clever trick, Scarlett,’ Alessandro drawled. ‘Dangling the opposition in front of my nose to make me want you all the more.’

She felt her face growing hot, and was glad he couldn’t see it. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about. Now, did you want me for something or is this simply a nuisance call?’

‘I want to see you.’

‘So make an appointment like everyone else does,’ she clipped back.

‘That is exactly what I am doing,’ he said. ‘I want to see you this evening at my house.’

Scarlett’s heart felt as if it had just slammed into a brick wall and bounced off again. ‘Your house? You’ve got a house?’

‘Most people do, do they not?’ he said, his tone sounding faintly mocking.

‘But…but I thought you’d be staying at a hotel, or a serviced apartment or something.’

‘I prefer to have my own space,’ he said. ‘I bought a house before I arrived.’

Scarlett had to peel her dry tongue off the roof of her mouth so she could moisten her lips. ‘So…so how long are you expecting to stay in Sydney?’ she asked.

‘As long as it takes to see to the business I have here.’

‘The Arlington Hotel, you mean?’

‘That and some other loose ends,’ he responded.

Jealousy rose like a bubbling, hot tide of lava inside her. ‘I suppose Velika Vanovic is one of those loose ends?’ she put in churlishly. ‘You’d better be careful, Alessandro, she’s been around the block a few times, or so I’ve heard.’

‘I like a woman who is up front about what she wants,’ he returned.

‘I hate to imply you have little else going for you, but women like Velika Vanovic are after one thing, and one thing only.’

‘Yes, I know,’ he said. ‘Sex, and plenty of it.’

Scarlett clenched her teeth. ‘I meant money.’

‘Velika is at least open about it, unlike you, who went about it by more devious means.’

She gritted her teeth. ‘I did no such thing.’

‘I will expect you here at eight p.m. We will have dinner together to discuss your ideas on the project so far,’ he said as if she hadn’t spoken.

‘I’m not having dinner with you,’ she said with stiff force. ‘I have another commitment.’

‘Cancel it.’

Three beats of silence passed.

‘I don’t usually see clients out of office hours,’ she put in guardedly.

‘I am sure you will not mind making an exception for me, since we are old acquaintances, hmm?’

‘So what we had together has been downgraded to mere acquaintances, has it?’ she asked with bitterness sharpening her tone.

‘Old friends, then.’

‘We were lovers, Alessandro Marciano, and as a result you are the father of my child,’ she said through tight lips. ‘Don’t you dare insult me by referring to me as a mere acquaintance.’

‘Are you suggesting you wish to be elevated to the role of my mistress?’ he asked.

‘Of course not!’ she spluttered in indignation.

‘It can easily be arranged,’ he put in smoothly. ‘In fact, I have been thinking about it since I ran into you last night with your boyfriend. He seems pleasant enough, but I bet he has not been able to make you writhe and scream the way I did.’

‘It’s none of your business what I do or who I do it with.’

‘And yet you responded to me so delightfully when I kissed you. I had only to touch you and you went up in flames.’

Scarlett knew she had no way to defend herself, but it didn’t stop her trying. ‘Lots of ex-lovers temporarily revisit the context of their past relationship. It doesn’t mean anything.’

‘It means you are still attracted to me, in spite of your involvement with another man,’ he said.

‘You’re a fine one to talk,’ she shot back. ‘If you’re so heavily involved with Velika Vanovic what business did you have kissing me?’

‘Ah, but that is what I wish to discuss with you this evening,’ he said. ‘I will send a car for you, so do not think of trying to wriggle your way out of it.’

‘Can I bring my son?’

The silence stretched and stretched, until Scarlett seriously wondered if he had hung up on her.

‘I do not think a small child should be up at that hour, do you?’ he asked. ‘If money is an issue I will pay for a babysitter.’

Scarlett let another little silence slip past.

‘Don’t send a car,’ she said, on a sigh of resignation. ‘I’ll make my own way there.’

‘I am sending you a car and I expect you to use it,’ he said in a tone that brooked no resistance.

She felt her top lip go up in a sneer. ‘Is this a late show of concern for my welfare on the streets alone at night?’

There was a tiny almost immeasurable pause.

‘Yes, it is, actually,’ he said gravely. ‘I deeply regret the way I treated you four years ago. It was ungallant and unfeeling of me.’

‘It was also totally unjustified.’

There was another small, tense silence before he broke it by saying, ‘I will see you this evening. Ciao.’

Scarlett let out her breath in a whoosh, and replaced the receiver on its cradle with a little clatter. ‘Ooh I hate that man!’ she growled.

‘Do you need me to babysit?’ Roxanne asked.

Scarlett folded her arms and began to pace the studio. ‘I’m not going. I swear to God, I’m not going.’

‘I’ll be there at seven-thirty,’ Roxanne said. ‘That’ll give me time to go to my Pilates class first.’

‘I can’t believe I signed that contract with that stupid clause in it.’ Scarlet was still pacing, her expression thunderous. ‘I should have known he would want to tighten the screws, so I had no choice but to get involved with him again.’

‘Whoa! Back up a bit,’ Roxanne said. ‘I think I missed something somewhere. What’s this about getting involved with him again? Do you mean involved as involved?’

Scarlett scowled. ‘He implied something along those lines, but I’m not going to stand for it.’

‘Are you sure you can resist him?’ Roxanne asked with a concerned look. ‘He’s one hell of a package, Scarlett. If I wasn’t so off men at the moment, I’d be tempted myself.’

‘I’ve changed my mind,’ Scarlet said, putting up her chin. ‘I’ll go around to his house tonight and prove to him that I’m not interested. I’ll take some sketches and layouts, and keep things formal and businesslike at all times.’

‘Yeah…right.’

‘What do you mean, “yeah…right”?’

Roxanne didn’t answer, but her expression was communication enough.

‘You don’t think I can do it, do you?’ Scarlett said.

‘I think you’re in very great danger of getting hurt all over again,’ Roxanne said. ‘History has a habit of re-marking its territory.’

‘Repeating itself,’ Scarlett corrected. Roxanne was always mixing her metaphors. ‘History has a habit of repeating itself, not re-marking its territory.’

‘It’s kind of the same thing, though, isn’t it?’ Roxanne said.

Scarlett was glad the front door of the studio was opened by a client at that point, so she didn’t have to answer.