by Leanne Banks
Nicole’s head began to ache. Torn in a dozen different directions, she climbed out of bed and took a shower in the adjoining bathroom. Maybe the water could wash away her confusion.
The following morning, Nicole had to drag herself out of bed. After urging Joel to eat his breakfast, she drove him to his preschool, walked him inside and kissed him. He seemed a little less nervous than he had been the previous week.
After she waved good-bye, she returned to Rafe’s house, full of restlessness. She still couldn’t make sense of what had happened between her and Rafe last night, but she knew she couldn’t blame him for it. She’d been an all-too-willing participant.
Her cell phone rang, distracting her from her thoughts. Her father’s number appeared on the caller ID and her stomach tensed. She took a careful breath and answered.
“Hello, Father,” she said in the calmest voice she could muster.
“Nicole, I’ve had a hard time getting in touch with you. I called your house with no response,” her father said.
“That’s because I’m not there,” she said. “I decided Joel and I should take a little vacation. We’re in Florida having a wonderful time.”
“This is so sudden. You should have told me you were going,” he chided. “You know I like to keep tabs on you and my grandson.”
The undertone of manipulation in his voice clawed across her skin like a scratchy sweater. “No need to worry,” she said. “We’re having a fabulous time. We’re going to swim with the dolphins.”
An uncomfortable silence followed. “Where exactly are you staying?” her father asked.
“ Miami,” she said. “In a cottage.” The gross understatement stuck in her throat, but she swallowed it.
Another silence followed. “ Miami,” he echoed. “I have business contacts down there. I should visit.”
Nicole felt a surge of panic. “Oh, I’m not sure about that. We’re so busy. Joel is taking swimming lessons and we’re doing kiddy activities every day.”
“Hmmm,” her father said.
Her nervousness rose with each passing second. “Well, I don’t want to keep you,” she said.
“You’re not. I’m back from Greece. Working a deal with the Argyros cruise line. It looks promising. I should close it within the next week.”
“Congratulations,” she said, because she couldn’t think of anything else.
“Good instincts and hard work,” he said. “Let me talk to my grandson.”
“He’s in class at the moment,” she said. “Art class.”
“Art,” he said with a condescending tone. “You need to get him into something more competitive. A man needs a competitive drive in this world.”
“He’s not a man yet,” she said.
“But he will be. You need to make sure he’s ready. I worry that you won’t,” he said with the slightest edge to his voice.
“No need to worry, Father. He’s not quite four yet,” she told him, tamping down her impatience.
“He’s never too young to develop his competitive edge,” he said.
“I hear you,” she said, wanting to end the call, feeling as if he was closing in on her.
“You hear, but do you act?” he challenged.
“Of course, I do,” she said. “Thank you for calling me. And congratulations on your new deal.”
“I’ll call again soon,” he said, but his voice sounded like more of a threat than a comfort.
“Good-bye. Take care,” she said and hung up. She stared at the phone, wishing she never had to speak to him again.
Talking with her father reminded her of unanswered questions about Rafe.
Nicole still wasn’t content with the report from the private investigator. She wanted more information. Taking advantage of the time that Joel was in preschool, she drove to downtown Miami to visit Rafe’s former employer. Although it was early in the day, the club also served lunch.
A young blonde woman, wearing a dress that showcased her cleavage and long legs, greeted her. “How many for lunch?” she asked.
“I’d like to speak to the manager,” Nicole said.
“Keno’s hiring,” the young woman said. “I’ll see if he can talk to you now.”
“But…” Nicole said to the woman’s back. She’d already left.
A couple of moments later, the woman returned. “Come this way. Jerome has a few minutes since we’re not busy.”
“I’m not really-” She broke off as the woman led her into an office that faced the white sands and turquoise water of South Beach.
A large, dark-skinned man nodded toward her. “You want a job? We need hostesses,” he said and cocked his head to one side. “You’re not bad, but you’ll need more paint and shorter skirts. Have you considered going blonde?”
Nicole couldn’t quite swallow a laugh at the man’s suggestion. “My sister did that for me. I’m not here for a job. Are you Mr. Keno? I’m here to ask about Rafe Medici. I understand you were his employer several years ago.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Yes, I’m Mr. Keno. Why do you want to ask about Rafe?”
“Because he is the father of my sister’s son,” she said. “I need to know what kind of man Rafe really is.”
“Why should I tell you?” he asked.
“Because you are a good, ethical man,” she said with more hope than proof.
Jerome Keno laughed, revealing white teeth. “I’ve been called many things, but good and ethical are low on the list. You have a good cause, though, so I’ll humor you. What concerns you about Rafe?”
“He was charged with battery while he worked for you,” she said.
Keno shrugged. “Happens every now and then with bouncers. My lawyers always got the charges dismissed.”
Nicole felt a shiver of fear. “Does that mean the charges weren’t valid or your lawyer was good at his job?”
“Both,” Keno said. “Rafe didn’t use force unless it was absolutely necessary.”
Still uneasy, Nicole bit the inside of her lip. “Would you say that he was an angry man? Did he have issues with his temper?”
“I never observed him to be out of control. If anything, he was extremely calculated when using physical force. Why are you asking?”
She resisted the urge to defend her concerns. The truth was she was afraid for Joel. “I want to make sure he wouldn’t hurt a child. He’s a passionate man. I don’t want him to abuse his son.”
Keno paused. “I don’t believe he would ever use that anger against someone weaker than himself. His power lies in his self-control. That’s only my opinion,” he said. “My question for you is, what will you do when he learns that you have been investigating his past. Rafe has become a very powerful man.”
“Rafe won’t be surprised that I’ve investigated his past,” she said. “He’s done the same to me.”
Keno shook his head and laughed. “Well, if you should need employment, give me a call. A short skirt and a different top…My customers would like you very much. So would I. ” he said.
Nicole left the club with less doubt than when she’d walked in, but she began to wonder if she would ever be able to fully trust Rafe. How much of that was Rafe’s doing? How much of it went back to her father?
The next day, Tuesday, Rafe cleared his afternoon schedule in preparation for the visit from the social-services specialist. After lunch, he arrived home to find Nicole and Joel playing a board game with a woman who appeared to be in her late thirties.
Nicole glanced up at him. “Rafe, Joel and I have shown Mrs. Bell around the house and introduced her to the staff.”
“Thanks,” Rafe said and extended his hand to the woman. “Thank you for coming.”
“It’s good to meet you, Mr. Medici,” Mrs. Bell said.
“Can we go to the pool now?” Joel asked, popping up from where he crouched on the floor.
“Sounds like a good plan to me,” Rafe said.
“Cool!” Joel said, his eyes lighting up like blue sparklers. “I gotta g
et on my trunks.”
Mrs. Bell smiled. “He must like the water.”
“Oh, yeah,” Rafe said with a surge of pride. “A regular fish. Of course, we have extra safeguards in place so he won’t take any unsupervised swims.”
“Excellent,” Mrs. Bell said. “Nicole has mentioned the safety modifications throughout the house.”
“Mom, come on, we gotta change clothes,” Joel said, tugging at Nicole’s hand.
“Excuse us. We’ll be down in just a few minutes. Please have a seat by the pool,” Rafe said. “I’ll send my housekeeper out with something for you to drink.”
Within minutes, Joel was leaping off the side of the pool into Rafe’s arms. Chortling with glee, he clung to Rafe’s back as he swam the length of the pool. Rafe noticed Nicole hadn’t changed into her swimsuit and sat beside Mrs. Bell.
He wondered about her motive for staying out of the pool, but now wasn’t the time to ask about it. After a while, he dragged a protesting Joel from the water to enjoy a snack the housekeeper brought poolside.
Afterward, Rafe noticed Joel rubbing his eyes. The little boy stood. “I wanna go back in the pool.”
“You’ve had a busy day. You may need a little rest time,” Rafe said.
“Don’t wanna rest. I wanna go back in the pool.”
“The pool will be here tomorrow. I don’t want you to get too tired,” Rafe said, rising. “Even fish get tired. I think I’m going to catch a little fish who’s wearing orange swim trunks and put him-”
Joel’s eyes widened, then he squealed with laughter and ran in the opposite direction.
“Joel, don’t run!” Rafe called. He took off after his son, reaching Joel just as he took a tumble on to the concrete patio.
Joel howled as his legs scraped against the concrete.
Rafe winced, immediately scooping up his son’s little body. “Oh, buddy, I know that hurts.”
“Mama,” Joel wailed, his voice wavering with tears.
“You’ll be okay,” Rafe said. “Let me see-”
“Mama!” Joel screamed, his face contorting with pain. “I want Mama!”
Rafe felt an odd shot of helplessness as he scanned his son’s skinned knees and shin.
Nicole rushed to his side and Joel immediately pitched himself toward her, wrapping himself around her as she took him into her arms. “Oh, sweetie, let’s get some Band-Aids. This is why Rafe and I don’t want you running around the pool.”
Joel sobbed. “It hurts,” he said.
“I know it does,” she soothed. “But we’ll make it stop.” She glanced over her shoulder at Mrs. Bell with a wry smile. “Gravity can be a tough lesson for all of us,” she said and carried Joel inside.
Mrs. Bell nodded and walked toward Rafe. “She’s very important to him, isn’t she?”
Rafe nodded, the incident underscoring what he already knew. “Yes, she is.”
The meeting had been a disaster. A bitter taste filled his mouth. His frustration grew. He needed Nicole on his side. It was critical that he bring her around to his way of thinking.
Rafe plunged his fingers through his damp hair, nodding as Mrs. Bell made polite, neutral conversation. He pulled on his T-shirt. “I’ll walk you to the door,” he said and started to open the French doors to the den just as Nicole appeared with Joel in her arms, clutching a book.
“Hey,” Rafe said, his heart twisting at the sight of his son. “How are ya?”
“I’m all better,” Joel said solemnly. “I got Band-Aids,” he said. “Dinosaur ones.”
Rafe tousled Joel’s hair. “Good for you.”
“Mama said you might read a book to me on the patio if I asked you nice,” Joel said.
“You bet I would,” Rafe said, gazing at Nicole, feeling a well of gratitude and other emotions he couldn’t name. He could tell she still wasn’t sold on him, so this was a big step for her. He reached for Joel and his son clung to him.
After Joel was put to bed, Rafe and Nicole shared a quiet dinner. The tension between them was so thick she could feel it on her skin, in her lungs. She was keeping so many things from him, the fact that she’d had him investigated, her worries over her father. Exhausted from feeling like she was deceptive, she wondered if now was the time to tell him everything. She could feel him studying her with a mixture of curiosity and banked sexual need.
“So, why did you decide to make me look good?” he asked.
She choked on a sip of wine. “Dual goal,” she said. “I wanted Joel to associate comfort and protection with you and I wanted Mrs. Bell to see that the two of you are building a relationship.”
“That doesn’t answer why,” he said.
She bit her lip. “I want you to be a good father. I believe you can be.”
The light in his dark eyes flared. He lifted his glass toward hers. “I will win over my son. What will it take to win over his mother?”
Her heart jolted in her chest.
“Mr. Medici,” Carol said, saving Nicole from a response. “Miss Maddie Greene is here to see you.”
Surprise and irritation crossed his face. “Send her in and bring a glass of wine for her.”
“Red or white, sir?” the housekeeper asked.
“Red,” Rafe said then turned to Nicole. “I have no idea why she came here tonight. I didn’t request her presence.”
“Maybe she wants to see you,” Nicole said and swirled the wine in her glass. “Maybe her instincts tell her that another woman has encroached on her territory, even though I-”
“Maddie,” he said, rising from his chair. “What a surprise. What could possibly be so important that you would come here at such a late hour?”
Maddie’s face fell. “You and I conducted several business meetings after hours on the yacht,” she said in a reproachful voice and glanced accusingly at Nicole.
“True,” he said in a neutral tone. “What do you need?”
Maddie dragged her gaze back to Rafe’s and seemed to force a smile. “It’s not so much what I need as what you need. This contract needs to be signed and filed tomorrow,” she said, sliding a set of papers in front of him.
“Has my attorney Jeff seen these?”
“Of course,” Maddie said.
“Okay,” Rafe said. “I’ll look them over and bring them in tomorrow.”
Maddie frowned. “But-”
“I always read whatever I sign,” he reminded her.
She let out a long soft sigh. “Yes, of course.” She cleared her throat. “We also received an envelope from Italy. I didn’t open it because it was marked personal, but I thought you might want to see it,” she said as she handed him the envelope.
Rafe took the envelope in his hand and studied it. “Emilia Medici,” he said.
“A relative?” Nicole asked.
“Not one I’ve met, but she wrote me two other times. I wonder…” His cell phone rang, interrupting him. He glanced at his caller ID. “It’s an international call. I should take it. Excuse me. I’ll be back,” he said and strode toward his downstairs office.
After he disappeared from view, Maddie picked up her glass of red wine and studied Nicole. “It’s pretty nice here, isn’t it? Living in a mansion with access to Rafe on a daily basis. I’m sure it’s tempting to think something else could develop between you two. Especially since he was once crazy for your sister.”
“Rafe is providing a home for his son. I’m just helping Joel and Rafe make some adjustments. If you’ll excuse me.” No longer hungry, she picked up her half-empty plate.
“Oh, don’t rush off,” Maddie said and pointed at Nicole’s plate. “You haven’t finished your dinner.”
“I’ve had enough,” Nicole said, thinking she meant that in more ways than one.
Maddie set down her wine glass and put her hand to her throat. “I didn’t offend you, did I? I just know what kind of effect Rafe has on people, especially women. I would hate to see you get hurt. It would be easy for you to misinterpret the attention he pays you.”
>
Nicole knew she should ignore the woman, but some crazy part of her couldn’t resist. “How would I misinterpret his attention?”
Maddie shot her a sympathetic glance. “Oh, no. He’s already got you under his spell. Well, it’s obvious that you’re important to Rafe. You are the key to helping his son adjust, after all. Subconsciously he may think he can work through his latent desire for Tabitha,” she said with a shrug then took another sip of her wine. “I’m sure he would never admit to such a thing. Too much pride.”
Even though Nicole knew Maddie wanted Rafe for herself, she couldn’t tamp down a flicker of self-doubt. Why had she made love with him? Why had she let down her guard? Heaven help her, he was getting to her.
“Back,” Rafe said as he entered the room. “Thanks for bringing the contracts and the package from Italy. I know it was out of your way, so I won’t keep you.”
“Not at all,” Maddie said, lighting up like the Fourth of July. “You know my first priority is my job as your assistant. Nothing is more important.”
“Thanks,” he said. “I’ll walk you to the door.”
Maddie slid a sideways glance at Nicole then returned her gaze to Rafe. “Thanks. Good night, Nicole,” she said.
Just moments later, Rafe returned, but Nicole’s emotions bubbled like a cauldron. She bit her lip to keep from saying anything about Maddie even though some part of her seethed with resentment. Although her relationship with Rafe was far from ideal, she had the odd feeling of having their little island contaminated after Maddie’s visit. She would have to make sense of it later.
“That was an interruption I didn’t expect. I’ll have to tell her to give me warning in the future,” Rafe said as he reentered the dining area.
Nicole gave a noncommittal nod.
He glanced at the dining-room table. “You’re finished eating?”
“I’m not hungry anymore. A full day,” she said with a shrug.
“I’m not either,” he said. “Let’s go into the den. I wonder what Aunt Emilia has to say this time. She was my father’s sister. Never married because her fiancé dumped her after the family lost the homeplace.”
