Twist of Fate (19 page)

“Not by choice.” She shifted her gaze toward the list of lunch specials on the stand-up menu.

He studied her while she continued to look anywhere but at him. When she finally did focus on him, those pale blue eyes smoldered.

“I certainly couldn’t stay in a town where the man I loved shacked up with some insecure bimbo. I had standards.”

“They were your father’s, not yours.”

“Don’t bring my father into this. You can stop now. Your ten minutes are up.” She started to rise, but he grabbed her wrist.

“I won’t stop. Not until you understand.” The confusion splattered across her face had him stumbling to find the right words, knowing he was out of time. “I thought I was doing the right thing with Robin. And in doing so it cost me you.” He released her and stood to block her exit. “That’s something I will always regret.” He paused a moment to make eye contact. “When I found out the boy wasn’t really mine, it damn near killed me.” At the memory of the pain, his gaze fell to his work boots. “I’d lost all this time, time I could have been with you.” His gaze moved from her designer boots, to her pressed black slacks and red silk blouse which pulled ever so slightly around her breasts, until he found her eyes once more. “Time I should have spent winning you back.”

“Oh Sam.” She took his hands and pulled him back in his seat. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t you get it? You blew into Jed’s that night, and I knew it was a sign. I never should have lost you.”

“I feel sorry for you.” She avoided his face again, and he about fell out of his chair. “We are so over. It’s not about belief anymore. It’s about trust. After what you did, I don’t think I could ever trust you.”

“How can you say that? I would never hurt you willingly.”

“But you’ve hurt me twice already, and that’s twice too much. All because I dared to believe.”

“I’ll protect you from whatever it is you were running from. I won’t let them hurt you. You’ll be safe with me.”

“No, Sam. It’s not our time anymore. I appreciate you taking the time to--”

“You appreciate?” He raised his voice. “Don’t brush me off, princess. I’m not one of those goons you can order around.” By the look on her face, he knew he should tone it down or shut up, but he couldn’t. He spat out the words as if they were poison, and the first twinge of doubt crept in. “Apparently you’re not the woman I thought you were.”

When he rose to leave, it was her hand that made him stop. The heat from her touch burned under his skin. His first instinct was to pull her to him, but that wouldn’t be happening any time soon.

“It’s been a long time. People change,” she said in a tone so soft his blood pressure surged.

“Riight. Not that much.” He tore his hand away. “Do us both a favor.”

“What’s that?” She raised her brows.

“Think on what I’ve said. I’m betting somewhere deep inside yourself you know what I’m talking about.” He held up a finger before she could object. “Think about what you were running from a month ago. Think about how you really feel. Think about us.” Without another word he headed for the door. By the time he passed the front counter, she’d caught up and pulled on his shirt.

“Sam?”

He stopped at the sound of his name on her lips, but not before he saw the morning edition staring at him from the news stand. He swiped the paper and held it for her to see. “What’s this? Is it true?” He didn’t like the way she avoided his eyes. That small action spoke volumes.

“I, I’ve tried to tell you. Why won’t you listen to me?” She looked around as if she expected to see someone else. “My life is different now. It--”

“A month ago you were running scared. What happened? Did he threaten you?” The thought of Mr. GQ laying his hands on Kate made Sam think all sorts of crazy thoughts.

“This is my life, Sam. It’s none of your business now.”

“I think it is.” He waited for a response, but she continued to avoid his eyes. “So you’re really back with him?” He couldn’t hide the bitterness as bile rose in his throat. Kate took a deep breath, and for a moment he thought she would deny it. She glanced at the paper in his hands and finally to his face.

“I don’t know what you want me to say.”

She stood there looking innocent enough, but there was something else in her eyes he couldn’t place. Why would she lie to him? He’d been upfront about everything, so why did he feel like she was hiding something. Frustrated, he shoved the paper into her hands.

“You know what you have to do.”

Without her denial, he prayed like hell he’d gotten to her in time. He gave her a nod and walked out, disappearing among the crowd that bustled down the street.

**
*

Kate wasn’t sure how long she stood in the coffee shop doorway. She’d watched Sam’s blond head blend in with the many others going about their daily business. She’d wanted to go after him. He said he’d loved her. He’d never loved Robin, never married Robin. She still couldn’t believe it.

If only it were that easy to pack up and be with him. But it wasn’t. He may have loved her six years ago, but he couldn’t love her now. If he did, he wouldn’t have done the things he’d done. In addition, she had Dante to consider. He’d set the rules, and she had no choice.

She continued her walk home, trying to convince herself she’d done the right thing with Sam. There’d been a time when she would have happily returned to him. She remembered all too well the days of wishing he’d contact her. He never did, and she’d moved on. Now she needed to move on again, tuck Sam Hackett back into the depths of her heart for good this time. Somehow she’d find the strength to do what she had to and forget he’d ever come back, no matter what her heart kept screaming.

When she walked into the penthouse, Dante sat at the granite wet bar looking troubled. “You’re home early,” she commented, trying to collect her emotions before he suspected something was wrong. “I bought some of Hope’s favorites for dinner, but I have to warn you, she wants Pizza Factory.” She passed by and busied herself in the kitchen where she could still see him through the interior wall cut-out.

“That’s fine, Trina, whatever. We need to talk.”

Moments later, she rounded the end of the bar, feeling confident. “We do need to talk. But first I need to talk to you about our arrangements.”

“What about them?” He poured a small amount of scotch into a glass. She’d never seen him drink this early in the day and wondered what had happened to spark this behavior.

“I don’t think this is very realistic or fair.” She watched him down the drink and pour another. “I can’t go around lying to people. We need to make up some ground rules, not just your rules.”

“I see. So you’re not happy with my rules?” He poured a larger amount and swallowed it all.

“No, I’m not. I can’t live like this. I can’t live here with you.” She took the bottle from him before he could pour another.

“Ah, but you will. We’ve been over this already, Trina.”

“You can’t keep me here in hopes I’ll fall back in love with you. That’s what you want, isn’t it?” An uneasy feeling settled in her stomach.

“No. I want our daughter’s safety.” Dante snatched the bottle back and took a long draw of scotch.

“Don’t make this about Hope. This has nothing to do with her. This is about you controlling me.” She felt like pouring a drink of her own. That feeling in her stomach was getting worse by the minute.

“Don’t question me.” His stare was cold, his voice like a sword.

“I don’t like what this has done to you.” In a flash of memory she saw the man she’d grown to love. They’d had a good life until he became involved as an attorney for the Santini family. Slowly he’d started to change, until he became someone she didn’t know. Someone she didn’t like. Someone she didn’t trust.

“I make my own decisions, Trina. I chose this, and I like the power I have. And I do control you, my dear. I’ll be watching your every move. Don’t think about leaving me again.” Dante strode to the window to look out over the city. “You could be in danger.
”

“Danger? How can I be in danger when I have Paulie constantly with me?” She gave a weak laugh.

“Carlo doesn’t trust you. I don’t know if I can trust you. You threatened to leave me, and then you did. You wanted to divorce me and threatened to expose the family. You had the accident. You know too much.”

“What?” Her head was spinning. She felt like she was sinking. Blood pounded in her ears, and her mouth became dry.

“If you leave the family, Carlo would rather kill you and Hope than know you are free to say whatever you want.”

“Hope? She’s an innocent child.” The thought of her daughter being in real danger was enough she should admit defeat. She stood, putting herself between him and the window. “I never intended to get in that accident and lose my memory.”

“Did you intend to meet him?”

“Of course not.”

“Why don’t I believe you?”

“Believe what you want, Dante. You always do.”

“Don’t be bitter, Trina, it’s not flattering.”

“Ha, that’s a laugh. You’re keeping me here against my will. That’s not flattering of you, either.”

“I’m not forcing you to stay. There is no gun to your pretty little head.”

“There might as well be with the choices you’ve given me.”

What she wanted didn’t matter enough. She rounded the bar and poured herself a
Cognac
. What Kate saw in his dark brown eyes scared her. Dante’s silence was her confirmation. If she wanted out, she’d have to make her own way, and quickly.

Everything Sam had said about believing and thinking came crashing over her. She’d known the whole way home Sam had been right. It had taken until now to admit it to herself. As she stood before Dante she knew more than ever the truth had to be told. For six years she’d kept a secret. For six years she’d been no better than Sam.

“Hope is Sam’s child.”

“What?” Dante stepped back, his eyes wide. “Your ex-lover? The man who practically kidnapped you?”

“Yes. But he didn’t kidnap me.”

“You went willingly. Did you think you were going to leave me for him? Why isn’t he here with you now?”

“He doesn’t know about her, and I want my daughter to be safe.”

“After everything I’ve done for you, was it all a lie?” She thought she heard sadness in his voice as he raked his hand through his thick black hair.

“You knew when we met I was trying to get over someone.”

“Yes.”

“Within a month you knew I was pregnant.”

“We’d made love, Trina, I thought the child was mine. You led me to believe it was mine.” She could see his anger growing. Now was her turn to be truthful, even if it didn’t change things.

“I wasn’t sure at first. I’d been under so much stress at home before coming with Francesca to
Milan
. You were so wonderful to me. It was so easy to fall for you.” Her voice trailed off, and she gazed out across the city sky. “I let myself fall for you. I wanted that security you made me feel. When we were together and made love, you helped me forget the pain and sorrow from home. Then, when I knew for sure I was pregnant, I didn’t know whose baby it was. I was alone in a foreign country, Dante, I was scared.”  Kate kept her back to him for fear that if she saw his face she would be too afraid to continue. “You were so happy when I told you. I didn’t dare mention the thought that it could be Sam’s.”

“It wouldn’t have mattered, Trina. I loved you and would have loved the baby regardless. You didn’t have to lie to me.” Dante’s voice held not emotion, as if he’d been taken back in time but just now seeing the times of truth.

“But I couldn’t.” Tears welled in her eyes as she remembered struggling to tell him but being afraid he would leave her, too. “You talked of the life we would have, the places we would go and the more children we would have. You saved me from being an unwed mother, from facing my father. Back then, I was totally in love with the idea of being your wife.”

His voice went dry. “But you weren’t in love with me.” He paused, and when he stared at her, his glare was like looking into the depths of hell. “You lying little whore!” His glass slammed on the table, amber liquid spilling over its rim. “Are you going to tell this Sam that he has a daughter?”

“You’re not listening.” Kate forced herself to be strong even though fear worked its way through her body like frost over a window pane. “This has nothing to do with Sam. I don’t feel safe anymore. I thought I could forget Sam, but I can’t. And you still work for Carlo Santini.”

“Do you still love him?” Dante grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her close, her glass fell from her hand onto the carpet.

“You’re not--”

“Answer me.” Dante jerked her hard, making her teeth rattle.

“Yes.” Her voice cracked, “Yes I love him. But if you let Hope stay with me, then I’ll forget him. For the sake of my child, I’ll do what’s right. I’ll play your game. I’ll do whatever you want.”

Dante laughed, a deep throaty laugh. “Don’t you mean his child? You could never forget him. She is a constant reminder, and I am no fool.”

Kate noted the resentment in his voice. She felt like there was no way out. “You’re the only father she’s ever known.” She had to make this work no matter what the cost. She had to protect Hope.