Seduced by the Enemy

by Alyssa J. Montgomery

  Comfort her with his kisses?

  Cavalo! What was he thinking?

  ‘This is Christiana’s room,’ he told Olivia with far more formality in his tone than was necessary as he tried to pull himself away from the thoughts of holding her close. ‘She’s outside in the garden at the moment with her English nanny.’

  ‘You explained she’s fluent in English and Italian. Does she have formal lessons?’

  ‘Her learning is through immersion and is very play-based. She’s a bright little girl and it was Antonio’s desire to bring her up speaking English as well as Italian,’ he explained. ‘She’s had both Italian and English nannies since the day she was born. Each of them take care of her on alternate days and Antonio insisted the English nanny spoke only in English, and that only Italian was spoken with the Italian nanny. Antonio used to address her in both languages.’

  ‘And what about Antonio’s wife?’

  Lavinia had made sure she’d had as little as possible to do with Christiana and had never accepted her as her daughter, but Luca wasn’t about to distress Olivia with the truth. ‘Italian.’

  He’d noticed how tightly Olivia held on to the parcel she carried, but when he saw her spine stiffen as he placed his hand on the door knob to Christiana’s room, her strain was palpable. ‘Relax, Olivia. She’s looking forward to meeting you. All will be fine.’

  Opening the door, Christiana came into view through the French doors which led off her bedroom and out to a paved courtyard area. She sat on a large mat, playing with her nanny.

  ‘Oh my goodness!’ Olivia exclaimed quietly. ‘She could be a young Jane.’

  ‘Last week, your mother showed me lots of photos of Jane at this age. The facial likeness is remarkable.’ Unlike Jane, however, Christiana normally had dark hair. Her beautiful mane of thick, dark, wavy hair had fallen out with the chemotherapy—in patches at first, until Christiana agreed to shave the rest of it off rather than have it coming out in chunks every time she brushed her hair.

  Luca had been intending to shave his head in support of her, and he’d had to fight back tears when Christiana had been most adamant he didn’t. She’d told him she liked his hair on his head and he’d look silly without it.

  Olivia fumbled in the pocket of her jeans with her free hand and brought out a handkerchief to wipe her eyes.

  He was aware her breaths were shallow. As she tried to say something, and no sound emerged, he guessed speech was impossible because her throat was too tight. He had to stop himself from drawing her into his arms and hugging her tight for reassurance.

  ‘You need to be strong for Christiana,’ he told her. ‘Don’t fall apart or she’ll be upset and won’t know what to make of you.’

  She squared her shoulders. ‘You’re right.’ With a slight nod of her head she told him, ‘I’m ready now.’

  Even while he warned himself to keep Olivia at arm’s length, Luca took her free hand in his and led her forward. ‘Christiana, you have another visitor.’

  Despite her pallor and sunken eyes, Christiana’s face lit up. ‘You must be my Aunty Olivia.’

  Luca introduced Olivia to the nanny as Christiana stood slowly and held out her arms to her aunt. He could see it was an effort for Christiana, yet it was so natural it made his chest tighten with joy. Bringing Olivia and Marjorie to Rome had definitely been the right decision on so many levels.

  Jane’s sister needed no second invitation to embrace her niece with heartfelt warmth. The two of them clung tightly until Christiana pulled back and eyed the parcel in her aunt’s hand.

  ‘Thank you for the koala and kangaroo. Grandma Marjorie told me they were from both of you, and I love them,’ she said as her focus kept darting very unsubtly to the gift Olivia carried.

  Olivia smiled. ‘Do you know any other Australian animals?’

  ‘No.’

  The single word had Luca’s lips tightening. Damiano’s interference had denied Christiana her Australian heritage. No more. When she was well enough, Luca vowed he’d take her to Australia. He promised himself she would beat this leukaemia and one day she’d cuddle a real koala and feed a real kangaroo.

  Olivia extended the parcel. ‘How about you open this and we’ll see what other animals you can learn about?’

  He detected the faint wobble of emotion in her words and sent her a smile of encouragement. She was holding herself together well under what were very heart-wrenching circumstances.

  Christiana needed no second invitation to take the gift. She had the paper ripped off in no time and was exclaiming her thanks. Then, as though she’d known Olivia all her life, she took her hand and led her over to a garden settee, sat down and patted the spot next to her.

  Luca cleared his throat to ease the tightness there. He wished he could turn back time—to make things right for Antonio and Jane and Christiana. At least he was doing the best he could now.

  When Olivia joined her, Christiana settled back against the cushions of the settee and started flicking through the pages of the book about Australian animals.

  Luca nodded to the nanny. ‘You might like to go and have a coffee while we’re here?’

  The woman thanked Luca and left as he settled down on a chair opposite aunt and niece.

  ‘Let’s see,’ Olivia said. ‘There’s the echidna and the platypus and the wombat.’

  Christiana laughed. ‘A wombat? Wom-bat. Wom-bat. It’s a funny name!’

  A boulder seemed to lodge itself in Luca’s chest as he watched the interaction between Christiana and Olivia over the next half hour. Earlier thoughts about Olivia’s natural manner and transparent emotions replayed in his head and he compared her behaviour to Christiana. They were both without guile, without artifice and chatted easily together—both so totally absorbed in each other it seemed they’d forgotten his presence!

  He stilled as he heard Olivia laugh. Christiana joined in and, although the pitches were different, their laughs were identical in their musical quality. It was uncanny how each of them moved their heads slightly backward in the same way when they started to laugh.

  Had Jane done the same thing?

  Guilt stabbed again. He should’ve been aware of what was going on between Antonio and Jane. If he’d known he would’ve stepped in and prevented Damiano’s despicable actions.

  Luca had left home and cut ties with his father when he’d inadvertently discovered some shady dealings Damiano had with the mob. Although he’d told his brother what he’d learnt, Antonio had never had the strength to step away from their father’s influence. Daunted by Damiano, Antonio had stayed—effectively ending communication between the twin brothers.

  Antonio hadn’t invited Luca to his wedding—or hadn’t been allowed to invite him. Even more hurtful had been that Antonio hadn’t bothered replying to the message Luca had left, asking him to be in the bridal party when he’d married.

  After Damiano’s revelations last night, Antonio now wondered whether the old bastard had intervened and whether Antonio hadn’t received Luca’s invitation in the same way he hadn’t received messages from Jane or from Olivia.

  The first time Antonio had contacted Luca in all those years, had been to invite him to Christiana’s Baptism. Perhaps Antonio had some premonition of the future when he’d asked Luca to be Christiana’s godfather? He’d had the courage to stand up to his father and named Luca as Christiana’s legal guardian when the old man had been insistent that he have guardianship of his granddaughter in the event any harm befell Antonio.

  ‘Mr Borghetti, Christiana is tiring. She should rest now,’ the nanny told him when she returned half an hour later.

  Mercifully, her announcement jerked Luca away from his sad memories. ‘It’s time for you to rest now, piccola.’

  ‘Will you come back and see me after lunch?’ Christiana begged Olivia.

  ‘I’m not sure I’ll be able to this afternoon, but if it’s okay with Uncle Luca, perhaps I can read a story to you tonight before bed?’

 
Christiana looked a little torn. ‘Uncle Luca reads to me every night before he tucks me in. Can I have two stories tonight?’

  Luca smiled indulgently and nodded his assent. ‘You rest now, little one, and I’ll bring Aunt Olivia and Grandma Marjorie back at bed time tonight. As it’s a very special day, perhaps you can stay awake for three stories?’

  ‘Yes! Thank you, Uncle Luca.’ She turned to Olivia and said, ‘I only ever usually get three stories when Uncle Max and Uncle Nick are staying with us.’

  ‘My closest friends,’ Luca explained.

  Olivia had another quick cuddle with Christiana before Luca kissed his niece on the cheek and led Olivia away.

  He didn’t lead her back through the house but took her further out into the garden instead. Today they’d be assured absolute and undisturbed privacy here because the gardeners were having a day off.

  ‘Thank you, Luca.’ Olivia’s voice lilted with happiness and gratitude. ‘You don’t know how much it means to be with her.’

  ‘I think I do.’ He captured her hand in his, threading his fingers between hers.

  ***

  An incredible array of feelings pumped through Olivia as Luca held her hand and led her along a pathway and through well-tended, colourful gardens.

  ‘Christiana’s wonderful. I’m going to cherish every moment of being with her.’

  ‘I’m sorry you’re only meeting her for the first time.’

  ‘No.’ She stopped and looked up at him. ‘Don’t apologise. I was wrong to transfer my anger to you. This isn’t your fault and I don’t blame you for what happened.’

  ‘I need to talk to you, Olivia, and I hope you don’t hold me responsible for the things I’m about to tell you.’

  Hearing the gravity of his tone as he squeezed her hand, her spine steeled, reluctant to hear what he had to say—afraid of whatever it was he was about to reveal.

  They walked a few more paces to a garden seat and she sat down beside him, unable to fully appreciate the beautiful surroundings because her nerves were now stretched too tight.

  ‘Damiano was waiting for me to arrive last night.’ Every word was saturated with heaviness.

  Little pinpricks of fear clawed at her skin as she remembered the scathing words and hostility the older Borghetti had directed at her when she’d phoned about Jane’s death. No human empathy or kindness dwelt in his heart. He’d ripped Jane’s character to shreds and been coldly insulting to Olivia even as Jane’s body lay in the morgue.

  Luca looked away from her for a few seconds and she watched his jaw clench as he fixated on the magnificent fountain in the garden opposite them. When he turned towards her, his expression was one of deep regret, but the tension evident in the stiffness of his shoulders conveyed barely suppressed fury.

  ‘My assistant checked on the transfer of money into Jane’s account and discovered it was in her name but my father was a signatory,’ he told her.

  ‘What? Damiano hated Jane. How would he have—?’

  ‘I learned from Damiano last night that Jane never agreed to a surrogacy arrangement.’

  Olivia squeezed her eyes shut. ‘I knew it,’ she said brokenly.

  ‘I’m ashamed to tell you all I’ve learned.’

  Her eyes flew open to see the normally proud, straight line of his spine and shoulders round as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his thighs.

  The tension in the air between them drained the energy from her even as all her nerves were taut and on full alert.

  Remorse radiated from Luca in giant waves and he clasped and unclasped his hands together in a gesture of sheer agitation which only served to magnify her angst.

  It both pained and unnerved her to see this proud man so humbled. ‘Tell me,’ she implored, as much to relieve herself of the anxiety of the unknown as to end his misery.

  ‘You were right. Antonio loved Jane,’ he began. ‘If I’d known, I would’ve supported him. I’ve learned he planned to divorce Lavinia but Damiano intervened and stalled the lawyers from filing for the divorce.’ He paused and placed the heel of his right hand to his forehead for a second before he stood and began to pace in front of her. ‘The old man’s always loved his business more than his children, and you know Antonio’s marriage was an important business alliance.’

  ‘That’s what Jane told Mum.’

  ‘I knew it. Antonio knew it,’ he underlined. ‘Marriages based on business interests were not uncommon in my father’s day and he’s never given up the old ways. He expected a marital alliance with the Kalemi family. When I found out Lavinia and Antonio were engaged, I contacted my brother. He said he found her reasonably attractive and he seemed happy enough, but I knew Antonio had a history of falling in with all our father’s wishes and I expressed my concern.’ He shook his head. ‘I wasn’t even invited to my brother’s wedding.’

  He stopped pacing and sat next to her again. ‘Olivia, when Antonio met Jane, I was working twenty hour days. I had virtually no contact with him because Damiano forbade him from seeing me. He said I’d walked away from the family and would have to come grovelling back on my knees and pleading his forgiveness before he’d ever acknowledge me again as his son.’

  ‘That’s awful.’ She reached out and placed her hand over his.

  His short laugh was mirthless. ‘It would be if I wanted to be acknowledged as his son.’

  ‘Thank God Antonio named you as Christiana’s guardian and not your father.’

  ‘Damiano challenged the guardianship in court. Thankfully, I won.’

  ‘I’m sorry, but your father is the vilest human I’ve ever come across.’

  ‘I can’t disagree with your judgement.’

  ‘Did he exert his influence over Antonio to make him desert Jane?’

  ‘Antonio didn’t desert your sister. Damiano intervened. As you know, he sent Antonio to London only hours after Christiana was born. He then went to the hospital and … he told me the exact words he said.’ She watched as the masculine notch at his throat worked up and down as he swallowed. She fixated on the movement because she was too scared to look him in the eye as he revealed what’d happened in Jane’s last day of life. ‘He told Jane Christiana was dead to her.’

  Her whole body juddered as though it’d received a high voltage charge. ‘What?’

  The trickling water from the fountain sounded horrendously loud as she waited for Luca to explain.

  ‘When I questioned Damiano further, he told me what he meant was that Jane would have nothing more to do with her. Somewhere in the translation, Jane understood Christiana had died.’

  The air escaped from Olivia’s lungs as though they’d been perforated. Every breath was an effort as she struggled to comprehend what had transpired.

  God. God. God. How could this have happened?

  The familiar bitterness of bile rose again in her throat and sheer loathing rushed through her veins in a toxic stream.

  Jane had become hysterical and been administered sedatives all based on a mistake?

  No. Damiano was evil. She couldn’t believe he didn’t know exactly what he’d intimated—exactly what Jane had believed.

  ‘It doesn’t lessen the result of his actions, but I don’t think he meant to tell her Christiana had died.’

  She drew back. ‘You’re defending him?’

  ‘No. Never. He’s a complete bastard and I’ve told him he’s never to come anywhere near Christiana again.’

  Frowning, Olivia closed her eyes and thought back to the telephone conversation she’d had with Damiano Borghetti. Every hateful word he’d uttered in response to her anguish was recorded in her auditory memory. Sifting through the conversation, she remembered his hesitation when she’d demanded to know where Jane’s daughter was buried. She’d thought Antonio’s father was denying her access to the grave, but now she replayed it … His long pause must’ve been because he’d been shocked she thought Christiana was dead. Damiano had never actually referred to Jane’s baby having died …You wi
ll not visit the baby, is all he’d said.

  ‘Damiano was completely manipulative and underhanded.’ Luca’s voice was thick with apology. ‘He tricked Antonio into signing the transfer papers for the money transferred into Jane’s account. Damiano presented the money transfer receipt to Jane. He told her Antonio wanted nothing more to do with her and said the money was payment to keep her mouth shut about the affair and to get the hell out of Antonio’s life.’

  ‘The bastard!’ She’d felt furious many times when Jane had been tormented in the playground or on the bus on the way to school. She’d been livid when Damiano had disparaged her sister over the phone and called her a cripple, but the rage she’d known then was nothing in comparison to the searing hatred that ran through her veins now. ‘Poor Jane! My God. She’d just given birth and been on a high … What about Antonio? Are you telling me he knew nothing about it?’

  ‘I believe Antonio was a complete victim of Damiano’s manipulations, knowing nothing about what was going on here in Rome until it was too late.’

  ‘But, why didn’t Antonio answer my calls?’

  ‘He never received them. Damiano made sure all the phone calls were diverted to him and that Antonio was tied up in London until you’d left Italy.’

  ‘But, didn’t he try to call Jane from London?’

  ‘I was told that when you arrived in Italy, Antonio didn’t know Jane had died.’

  ‘But I didn’t arrive in Rome until two days after Jane died, then I was here for several days afterwards because there was an autopsy and I had to complete so much paperwork to leave the country with Jane’s body.’ Her voice cracked with emotion. ‘How could Antonio not have called Jane in all that time? She’d just had their baby for God’s sake and Christiana was premature! I can’t believe he didn’t find time to ring and find out how they were.’

  ‘I didn’t speak to my father about it, but I assume my father would’ve made sure the hospital staff didn’t put the calls through. He probably had them trump up excuses—Jane was resting or in the shower or feeding the baby or something. I don’t know. I’m only assuming, but given everything else he’s orchestrated, I wouldn’t put it past Damiano to have arranged it.’