Rumours: The Secret Billionaires

CHAPTER THREE

AS THE FIRST week turned into the second, Antonio was forced to admit it was going to be even harder than the first and it had nothing to do with the tiny apartment or the work. It had everything to do with Sadie.

Last weekend in the park he’d almost come clean, almost blown his cover. The temptation had been huge. As soon as he’d realised that Sadie’s little boy was almost certainly his child, he’d wanted to insist they return to Rome with him right there and then. It was only his loyalty to Sebastien, as well as Stavros and Alejandro, which had halted that impulse. That loyalty had been far stronger than the need to prove Sebastien wrong. Now he knew for sure their challenges had nothing to do with surviving without their fortunes. Sebastien had more than done his homework setting this challenge for him and no doubt had something of a similar nature planned for Stavros and Alejandro.

Now, at the end of his last week, he wiped his hands on a cloth and tossed it impatiently aside, eager to leave Toni Adessi behind, eager to put into motion what he needed to do.

As he slipped on his sunglasses he didn’t have to turn around to know that Sadie was coming down the steps from the office to the workshop. Every nerve cell in his body alerted him to her presence.

‘I understand you are leaving today.’ Sadie’s silky-soft voice so close to him caught him unawares after she’d spent the last week avoiding him. ‘Is this not the job for you after all? Have you failed in your mission to prove you can?’

Antonio channelled the gruff mechanic he’d been concealed behind for the last two weeks and turned to look down at Sadie’s face, her beautiful green eyes sparkling with mischief. Was she flirting with him, emboldened by the knowledge he was leaving?

‘I never fail, Sadie, but I am leaving today. I have much more important matters to deal with.’ Finally he was able to say something truthful to her.

‘So where are you going?’ A hint of anxiety sounded in her voice, despite her light and playful tone. Why was she suddenly so interested? She’d barely glanced his way since that afternoon in the park. The day he’d nearly blown it all, risked everything he, Stavros and Alejandro had agreed to, in order to claim what was his. Leo. The dark-haired little boy whose eyes were the intense black which all Di Marcellos seemed to possess.

‘I think I’m more suited to living in Rome.’ He had to stifle the smile which threatened to form at her obvious shock.

‘You live in Rome?’

‘Sì.’ He could feel Antonio sliding back into place as he thought of his modern offices and the luxury apartment with views across the city he’d made his home. From the city he would often drive out in one of his highly collectable cars and enjoy the freedom of the road. He longed to get back to all of that, back to normality. Except what he’d discovered whilst working here undercover had changed things—changed him.

Sadie’s eyes narrowed in suspicion, highlighting those deliciously long eyelashes. ‘So why are you here, Mr Adessi? Why work here in a small garage in Milan for just two weeks?’

The accusation in those questions was as clear as the sparkle on the Mediterranean Sea in the summer. Did she know who he was? A frisson of panic rushed through him. He couldn’t blow it now on the final day, not when so much more was at stake. This went far beyond Sebastien’s donation to the search and rescue charity, far beyond the need to prove anything to anyone.

‘I was helping out a friend.’ He had to force the roughness he’d adopted for the last two weeks to stay in his voice. He was so close to completing Sebastien’s challenge and there was no way he’d risk it all now. Not when Stavros was about to start his two weeks and Alejandro was yet to discover where he would be sent. Besides, Antonio Di Marcello never failed—at anything.

That thought infused him with the strength he needed to see this challenge to its conclusion. Once he’d got there he could deal with the reality of Sadie and the little boy he was almost certain was his.

‘When do you go back to Rome?’ Sadie seemed anxious, glancing around them as if looking for something or someone.

‘Not for a few days. I have some business to attend to first.’ That business involved seeing his parents, finding out just what they knew of Leo. Before he could tackle Sadie, he had to know if she’d gone to his family—and been turned away by them. Once he knew for sure that she had been there, that she had tried to contact him, he would be back—and this time it wouldn’t be as Toni Adessi.

* * *

Sadie looked at Toni, annoyed he’d once again chosen to hide behind his sunglasses. It didn’t help the unease that had grown with each passing day and when she’d learnt he was leaving after only two weeks of starting work. It only convinced her further that he’d been sent by Antonio to check up on her—or Leo. His mother must have finally passed on her message and a man as powerful as Antonio Di Marcello would have no problem finding her. But why now?

Was this the day she’d dreaded since the door of his parents’ grand imposing house had been slammed in her face? The day she would have to face up to the might of Antonio Di Marcello drawing closer? Toni Adessi worked for him, of that she was certain, and she fully intended to let Antonio know he was not welcome in her life, not when he wasn’t man enough to face her himself.

‘You have business here?’ she prodded gently, keeping her voice light and teasing. Being defensive, she decided, wouldn’t help her find out what Toni was up to, or even if he was working for the man she had no wish to see again. Even so, she would love to tell him exactly what she thought of his philandering playboy ways.

‘Sì, sì, I do. But first it is time for something to eat. As it is my last day, would you care to join me?’

Beneath the untidy black beard she could see him smiling and briefly wondered if she’d got it all wrong. Could it simply be that he liked her? Did her conscience and anger at the way the power of the Di Marcello family had disowned her and Leo make her see things that weren’t there? There was only one way to find out.

‘Yes, I’d love to.’ She smiled warmly at him.

‘You do not have to fetch your little boy today?’ The question froze the smile on her lips.

‘No, he’s with my mother today.’

‘In that case, there is a nice restaurant on the next street I’d like to try.’

‘Perfect.’ Sadie smiled up at him, acutely aware that the other mechanics were showing interest in their prolonged conversation. She glanced back up at the office window to see Daniela grinning madly at her and waving her away, which just spurred her on to abandon her usual caution. ‘Let’s go, then.’

Together they walked down the street to the restaurant Toni had mentioned. She’d been here before with friends but never with a man. In fact she’d never been anywhere with a man since Antonio had walked out on her, determined not to get caught up in things she and Leo just didn’t need.

‘So, you are here in Milan with your parents?’ The question caught her off guard as they sat outside, the early summer sunshine bright, but at least now she too could hide behind sunglasses.

‘Yes, we moved here when I was almost eighteen because of my father’s job, but we will be returning to England soon.’ Was she telling him too much? Should she have kept that to herself? If there was even the chance that her suspicions were right and he was working for Antonio Di Marcello, she would have to guard what she said.

He sat back and glanced around him as the bustle of Milan continued. He didn’t seem at all perturbed or even interested in what she’d said. Again she questioned if she’d got it wrong.

‘Will you miss Milan?’ he asked as their drinks were put on the table and she looked at him, at the way his overalls were open at the front, revealing a white T-shirt which showed off his tanned skin and the firm muscles of his chest.

Quickly she averted her gaze. Since when did she take such an interest in a man?

‘I will, but there is nothing to keep me here.’ She awkwardly rearranged the cutlery and condiments, hating the way she would be giving away her nerves to a man she still thought had ulterior motives for being here with her right now.

‘What about your little boy? Is his father in England?’ The casual question was loaded with suspicion and her unease notched up a level.

‘His father is here, in Italy—for all the good that does Leo.’ She couldn’t help the bitter anger which sounded in her voice, unable to keep the hurt of Antonio’s neglect from her tone.

‘And is he happy you are moving away with his son?’ Toni’s question hit her hard and she pressed her palm against her chest, as if she’d been physically touched. This was all getting too close to the doubts she’d battled with over recent months since her parents had announced they were moving back to England, desperately trying to persuade her to do the same. They had wrapped the move up in the need to retire closer to family, but she secretly wondered if it was more to do with her and Leo.

‘It’s none of his business,’ she snapped a little too sharply as Toni’s question hit on the root cause of her worry.

‘Does he not have a right to know?’ Behind those sunglasses she was sure Toni’s eyes were piercing her accusingly. She could feel it with every fibre of her body.

‘The only man who has a right to make any contribution to the decisions I make regarding my son is the man who puts a ring on my finger.’ Sadie couldn’t help the spark of anger which must show in her words and on her face. When she’d discovered she was pregnant, she’d hoped that man would be Antonio, the man she’d fallen in love with so easily, but she’d quickly learnt to accept that would never happen.

* * *

Antonio had a moment of panic before his usual control kicked back in. Marriage was something he’d tried once and never wanted again. It might have been based on lies, but it had only reaffirmed his long-held opinion that marriage wasn’t for him. Despite this, he knew he had a duty to the continuation of his family name—if there was no heir, that meant the end of the Di Marcello family. A duty he had shrugged off since his six-month marriage had spectacularly exploded in the most unpredictable way. That had been a marriage based on duty and now Sadie Parker had enlightened him to another duty and, whatever he thought of marriage, he was going to have to accept and honour that duty. His son had to come first, not because he was the Di Marcello heir, the next generation, but because he was his son and he didn’t want his son to have an empty childhood like his own. Could he put all he believed aside and love his son?

For his son he would do anything.

‘Strong words,’ he teased and sat back, forcing his limbs to relax in a way he was far from feeling. He couldn’t afford to blow his cover, not now. He was still Toni and would have to remain on alert. There was the rest of the day to get through before he could reveal himself and even then it would be too soon.

No, that particular revelation would have to keep for a little while longer. He had the small matter of his parents to deal with first. A visit he was not looking forward to. They would have to accept Leo. It was his turn to manipulate and use emotional blackmail.

He could sense Sadie’s suspicion, feel her doubt, and he knew this would have to be handled very carefully. He needed to give her space and time to let her guard down, because right now her defensive barrier was almost impenetrable, a mechanism he knew all about.

‘It’s what I feel, Mr Adessi.’

‘Toni, please.’

Sadie frowned at him, then sat back and smiled. ‘Okay, Toni, tell me a bit about you. What is it you are rushing back to in Rome?’

‘Who said I was rushing?’

She pushed her sunglasses up onto her head, pulling her hair from her face and allowing him to see those expressive green eyes. ‘You are leaving work today after only two weeks.’

There was lightness to her voice and he sensed her relaxing. Could it be that she was letting him closer? Or was she toying with him again?

‘It’s not what really interests me.’ There was a game of cat and mouse being played out across the table and it wasn’t yet clear who was which—or who was in charge. He suspected she was not as relaxed as she would have him believe.

‘What does?’ she asked, looking down as her meal was placed in front of her.

‘I’m more of a builder than a mechanic,’ he said, bending the truth to fit his double persona. If he told her he was in the construction industry, that his company built ground-breaking designs around the world, it would surely give him away—or confirm her suspicions.

She looked at him for a moment and he thought he’d gone too far, then she shrugged slightly and began her meal. ‘This is delicious. Thank you for bringing me here.’

He looked around at the simple restaurant and then back at her. Once he’d resumed the identity of Antonio Di Marcello he’d be taking her to much more glamorous places than this. His life was played out on a world stage and flying from one continent to another in his private jet was commonplace. For now, though, he accepted her change of subject.

‘I would have done this before if you hadn’t been so against the idea of being friends.’ He watched as she looked at him, saw the confusion enter her eyes and the uncertainty on her lovely face.

‘Is it possible for a man and a woman to be friends?’

He became distracted by memories of a passion-filled weekend and studied the way Sadie’s soft hair fell around her shoulders and the creamy pale skin of her throat, the plumpness of her lips. It certainly didn’t seem possible to be just friends with this woman. Despite her deceit in keeping his son from him for the last three years, he still wanted her. His body could still feel the heat of hers, the swell of her breasts against his chest as they’d tumbled naked in blazing passion over the large bed in the hotel room.

He bit down on the spike of lust and looked directly at her, speaking far more truth than she’d ever know. ‘A man and a woman can be whatever they want.’

* * *

Sadie began to feel uncomfortable. The suspicion deepened that this man was digging for information on her and Leo, that he had ulterior motives for being here. Why had she spoken so frankly and openly to him? If he was here working for Antonio, hadn’t she just given him all the ammunition needed to attack?

‘That depends very much on the man and woman, don’t you think?’ She took a sip of water and then sat back, the desire to eat any more gone, as had the pleasure of a little time out with a man. She still wasn’t ready to move on from Antonio’s betrayal; she wasn’t ready to trust another man, even though she wanted to.

Toni’s brows rose in surprise and she knew she sounded angry, knew that she was pushing away a chance to try to rebuild her life, to have fun again now that Leo was growing up. But what was the point when this man was about to leave for Rome and she was on the brink of returning to England? Quite apart from the fact that she still longed for the man she’d lost her heart to almost four years ago. She just had to face facts. She wasn’t over Antonio Di Marcello yet.

‘I’m enjoying this,’ she said carefully. ‘But you are returning to Rome and in a few weeks I will be back in England, which makes anything more than this difficult.’

‘Sì, sì,’ he said quickly, and instantly her mind rushed back to the weekend she’d shared with Antonio. She remembered lying in bed, her limbs heavy and languid after a night of dizzy passion and what she’d thought had been instant attraction, maybe even love. She’d given him her virginity, become a real woman in the very practised arms of Antonio Di Marcello.

Later, he’d been talking business on the phone, dealing with a problem, he’d told her afterwards, but he’d said exactly the same thing, using the same tone and speed to move the conversation on. Was Toni using it because he’d heard it so many times from Antonio?

A heavy kind of tension settled over them and she looked at him, wishing he’d remove the sunglasses and cap. Was it just her suspicion making his apparent need to hide behind them more menacing? But what if she was right? What if he was here to find out about Leo for Antonio? It was her worst nightmare and she’d lived in dread of it, but if Antonio thought he could send someone to charm her and lure her into a trap so that he could sweep in and take Leo from her, he’d seriously underestimated her.

‘We could spend a little time together first, no?’ His voice held a persuasive charm she knew only too well was lethal.

‘I’m busy all weekend,’ she responded quickly. There was no way she was going to put this man before Leo. He might have an uncanny resemblance to Antonio, but that made it all the more important not to get drawn in by him. She’d been alone since Antonio had turned his back on her and now all she wanted was to look out for Leo’s interests. She’d been young and gullible the weekend she’d fallen for Antonio’s charm and she wasn’t about to do the same with the first man who’d shown her more than a passing interest.