Full Exposure

by Diana Duncan

  If she were having his baby, would he want to know?

  Ariana swallowed hard. She didn’t have to wrestle with that decision until a baby was a reality, not a daydream.

  She’d had her wild, beautiful dance in the flames. Time to pay the piper. She braced herself as she toiled up the last set of stairs to the security office.

  Gideon Dayan, the security officer, recovered quickly from his astonishment. Ariana assumed, from the fierce flash in his eyes at her statement that she’d been kidnapped, and his intense inquiry about her welfare, that she looked as ravaged as she felt.

  Gideon took her to the bridge to report to the Captain. When they entered, every officer on deck turned to stare. Shocked beats of silence ticked past, and then Captain Pappas surged from his seat. “Miss Bennett!” His eyes narrowed in concern at her tearstained face. “What happened to you? Are you all right?”

  She self-consciously smoothed her tangled hair. How to answer that question? Her entire life had changed and she would never be the same. “I…was…kidnapped outside of Naples.”

  “Gideon,” Captain Pappas barked, “notify the Athens police and Interpol. And phone the ship’s physician.”

  Obviously, they suspected she’d been assaulted. A natural assumption, given the circumstances. Out of the corner of her eye, Ariana saw Giorgio Tzekas, the first officer, slip away. The playboy had been putting the moves on her since day one. How uncharacteristic of him to show some tact.

  Ariana let their assumptions stand. The kid-glove treatment would give her room to think. “I’d like to go to my cabin, call my mother and clean up before I talk to the police.”

  Captain Pappas nodded. “Officer Dayan and I want to be present when you’re questioned, but neither of us can leave for a lengthy procedure. I’ll request a police officer come to the ship, and use every means at my disposal to influence their decision.”

  “Thank you, Captain.” She knew he and Officer Dayan were concerned about her…but also about the cruise line’s reputation. Nevertheless, she appreciated it. She’d rather not have to endure Athens traffic and hours of interrogation at a foreign police station in her raw emotional state.

  Captain Pappas surprised her into speechlessness when his gaze softened and he patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry, Miss Bennett. You’re safe with us.” Then he abruptly turned away to pick up the phone. “I’ll notify you when the police arrive.”

  Gideon escorted Ariana to her cabin, and gently advised her not to change clothing or shower until after she’d seen the doctor and police. She declined his offer to wait with her.

  Inside, she leaned against the door. Her heart yearned for Dante, logic and the law be damned.

  She swallowed the aching lump in her throat and willed herself to stop trembling. Dante’s final words echoed inside her. Stay strong.

  What was she going to tell the authorities? Dante had kidnapped her. But he’d also saved her life…multiple times. And he’d voluntarily released her. She hadn’t been harmed.

  A knock sounded behind her, and she sighed. She opened the door expecting the doctor…and was stunned to see her mother.

  “Ariana!” Sadie threw her arms around Ariana and burst into tears.

  “Mom?” Ariana hugged her, suddenly vulnerable and bereft and as glad to see her mother as if she were ten years old again. A fresh rush of tears hit. “I was just going to call you. What are you doing here?”

  Sadie cleared her throat, gave a little shake and composed herself. “Sit down. You must be exhausted. And you’ve lost weight.”

  Ariana sat cross-legged on the bed while her mother marched to the phone. Chic and pretty in charcoal pants topped by a sage sweater, Sadie ordered coffee and food, firmly insisting on immediate delivery. Then her mother commandeered the lone chair in the cramped quarters. “When I couldn’t get straight answers from anyone after you went missing, I decided it was high time to board the ship. I wasn’t about to give up until they found you.”

  Ariana stared at the confident, take-charge woman. “Where’s the pod, and what have you done with my mother?”

  “I have changed.” Sadie smiled wryly. “We have a lot of catching up to do.”

  Ariana dreaded the coming conversation.

  Sadie studied Ariana’s face. “You seem different, too. Somehow…older. And my girl is sad.” Her mother’s pale blue eyes misted. “Was it so very terrible, honey?”

  Terrible and wonderful…and she didn’t regret one moment with Dante. “I’m fine, Mom. I wasn’t mistreated or hurt.”

  “Something happened.”

  “I…I can’t talk about it yet.” She might never be able to mention Dante. He was a precious jewel she might have to keep hidden inside her heart forever.

  “I’m here when you’re ready.” Sadie rose and patted Ariana’s shoulder. “I have something important to discuss with you, too. However, now isn’t the time.”

  Ariana blinked. Normally, her mom would hover and ask anxious questions. Instead, Sadie briskly greeted room service.

  Ariana watched her mom set plates of sandwiches on the nightstand and pour coffee. Once the police arrived, details would come out about Megaera. Ariana didn’t want Sadie hearing about Derek’s infidelity from a stranger.

  It was now or never.

  “We should talk while we can. Once the authorities arrive, we might not get another chance for hours.” Telling her mom about her father’s infidelity would be as painful as stitching Dante’s arm. And, she sternly reminded herself, just as necessary.

  Buying time to settle her emotions, she reached for a turkey sandwich she had no appetite for. The conversation would be hard enough on Sadie without Ariana falling apart. “If you have important news, why don’t you go first?”

  “Are you sure you’re up to this?”

  “Absolutely,” she lied.

  “Yes…you’ll probably hear through the ship’s grapevine any way. It’s better if I simply come out with it.” Sadie smoothed nonexistent wrinkles from her slacks. “I’m…At my age, I hate to use the term dating. But I’m seeing someone.”

  Ariana nearly dropped her plate. “What?”

  “I’m seeing a wonderful man.” Sadie clasped nervous fingers together. “And it’s serious.”

  “Wait a minute.” Ariana set aside her food. “You’re serious about another man?” She stared at her mother. “Dad hasn’t even been gone a year.”

  “I know it’s a shock, honey. It shocked me, too.” Her mother scooted to the edge of her chair. “It wasn’t something I went looking for. I traveled halfway around the world to find you, and found Elias.”

  “Elias?” Ariana shook her head. “Elias Stamos, the tycoon who owns this entire cruise line?”

  “Yes. You’ve met his lovely daughters Katherine and Helen, and his granddaughter, Gemma. Elias also has a son, Theo, from another relationship. You might have seen him around. He operates a tour company that offers shore excursions to cruise passengers.”

  “How did this happen?” She struggled to process her mother’s startling revelation. “When?”

  “We met when Elias came aboard after you first went missing. He was kind to me, and terribly concerned about you. We grew extremely close.”

  “But you doted on Dad.”

  “Yes, I loved your father—you and I both did. I still miss him. But the world keeps turning. And I’ve found something with Elias that I didn’t even know I was missing. I don’t know how to explain it.”

  Ariana could completely relate. “At the risk of overstepping…I know your marriage wasn’t exactly…fraught with passion.” She slowly exhaled. “You and Dad had affection for each other, like Geoff and me. But in the end, you needed something more. A man who makes your heart pound and your knees shake. A man who makes you feel as if you can’t breathe when he’s not there.”

  “Yes.” Sadie gave her an odd look. “That’s it…exactly.”

  Ariana could hardly begrudge her mother a chance at happiness. “He obvious
ly makes you happy. You’re glowing.”

  Sadie’s anxious expression smoothed out. “Shinier than I’ve been in decades.”

  “Then I’m glad for you, Mom.” She smiled. “For both of you.”

  “Elias had to leave to attend to business, but he reboarded the ship last night.” She looked up, blue eyes wide. “I’d like very much for you to meet him.”

  Ariana nodded. “I can’t wait to meet him.”

  Sadie jumped up and hugged her. “What a relief! I was worried sick about breaking the news to you, especially with everything you went through after your father’s death. You always looked up to your father like he hung the moon and stars.”

  “About that.” Ariana patted the bed, and her mother sat beside her. “There’s something I’m not anxious to share. Something tough to hear, Mom.”

  Sadie squeezed her hand. “Nothing could be harder to hear than the news that you’d gone missing.”

  “Trust me, this won’t be easy.” She inhaled a fortifying breath. “I’ve stumbled across information about Dad.” She bit her lip. Which bullet to deliver first? “You don’t know the real reason I took this job.”

  “You wanted to visit the ports your father had, hoping to somehow prove his innocence.”

  Ariana sighed. She hadn’t given her mother nearly enough credit. “I found a CD hidden inside one of my journals. It was filled with Dad’s files encoded in ancient Greek. I’ve spent months transcribing notes, searching dig sites, talking to his contacts.” She swallowed. “But Dad didn’t leave the CD in my journal for me to find. He just thought the police wouldn’t look there. He…he was guilty. I can’t tell you the details until later. He did broker that stolen necklace…and a lot more.”

  “Oh, Derek.” Sadie closed her eyes, silent grief etching her face. “That’s where the money came from to pay all the medical bills when you were younger. He said he’d cashed bonds.”

  Ariana was shaking. “I’m sorry, Mom. I should have listened to you and left well enough alone.”

  “No.” Sadie opened her eyes and gently kissed Ariana’s cheek. “You don’t really believe that, and neither do I. I’m sorry you got dragged into the middle of it. I’m proud of you for revealing the truth, no matter how ugly.”

  Tears welled. “Brace yourself, okay? Because it gets uglier. Dad had…He was involved with another woman. For a long time.”

  Her mother didn’t speak for a span of heartbeats. “I see.”

  Ariana watched her calm profile. “You knew?”

  “I suspected.” Sadie sighed. “Not the criminal activity. I never would have turned a blind eye to stealing! But about another woman…yes. As you mentioned, things weren’t as they should have been between us. There was a separateness to our lives. He was gone so much.”

  “Why didn’t you say anything? Why did you stay?” Ariana gasped. “Was it for me?”

  “Honey, no! Don’t blame yourself. It was my choice. I didn’t want to face the truth. Didn’t want to shake up the safe world I’d created around my child and home and my charity work.” Sadie hung her head. “I loved Derek, and didn’t want to lose him. So I let him keep his secrets.

  “I don’t understand.” Ariana clasped her mother’s cold hand between her own. “How could you continue to love him after he lied to you? Cheated on you? Betrayed you?”

  “My sweet girl.” Sadie’s eyes swam with tears. “You don’t pick the person you fall in love with. You can’t switch love on and off.” She patted Ariana’s cheek. “The heart loves, flaws and all.”

  “How could I have been so blind?”

  “Your father had his faults, but he loved you dearly.” Her mother turned toward her. “Nothing he did negates his love for you. Never doubt that. It’s why he stayed as long as he did. Derek was obviously torn, kept from the woman he wanted to be with. Now that I’ve met Elias, I honestly feel sorry for Derek.”

  “Then you’re a stronger and more forgiving woman than I am.”

  Sadie smiled ruefully. “You’re young yet. It takes two people to make a relationship work…or fail. I should have confronted Derek instead of clinging to him. I should have let him go. If I’d set aside my own selfish needs, maybe we would have all been happier.” She smoothed Ariana’s hair. “If I’d been strong and forgiving enough to do what was best for him, maybe your father would be alive right now.”

  “Don’t, Mom!” It was Ariana’s turn to sweep her mother into a hug. “It’s not your fault. Dad lived and died by his own choices.”

  Her mother’s eyes welled again. “We all do, sweetie.”

  Ariana’s tears spilled over. Clinging to each other, the two women quietly wept for the man they’d both loved.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  SADIE LEFT, instructing Ariana to rest before her ordeal with the police, and to phone her when she felt up to talking. Ariana forced herself to eat half a sandwich and chugged coffee. How much should she reveal about Dante? The thought of both the Camorra and the police hunting him down like an animal made her sick.

  The knock rapped on her door long before she was prepared. Ariana steeled herself and swung open the door.

  “Giorgio?”

  His glance skittered over his shoulder. “I have to talk to you.”

  “This isn’t a good—”

  “The cops have just boarded, and they’ll talk to Gideon and the captain first.” His voice dropped to a murmur. “I have a message from a mutual acquaintance.”

  Her heart leaped into her throat. Had Dante sent him? “Come in.”

  He sidled inside and raked his fingers through his dark hair.

  “Well?” she prompted.

  “If you want retribution for what happened to your father, and if the police give you trouble, Megaera will help you.”

  “You’re working for her?” Stunned, she assessed him. Was this a police trap? “What if I don’t want her help?”

  “She…ah…said if you decline her offer, it will be her pleasure to remove any obstacles blocking your cooperation. Such as the Napoletano.” His glance slid away. “She wants you to know if you’re concerned about Dante’s welfare, you won’t talk to the police. About anything.”

  Fear rocketed through her. “She threatened Dante’s life?”

  “Hey, I’m not involved with any death threats.” Giorgio shoved his hands into the pockets of his white uniform. “If you keep your mouth shut to the cops, she’ll meet with you. Says she has an offer to make.”

  “All right.” She’d strike a bargain. Stall for time. Whatever it took to protect Dante. “When and where?”

  “Soon. I’ll let you know.”

  Giorgio slunk down the hallway, and she closed the door. Until she could somehow contact Dante and warn him, until she could speak to Tasia, she had no choice. She had to make a temporary end run around the police without perjuring herself, so she could eventually come clean.

  The million-dollar question was how?

  She ignored the inner voice whispering this was exactly what she wanted. A reason not to turn Dante in.

  “Miss Bennett?” Gideon Dayan’s voice and accompanying knock gave her a guilty start. She counted to five and opened the door.

  Dayan brought her to the captain’s office, saying many of the crew had been worried about her and would be glad to see her. They joined Captain Pappas and a stern Greek police officer named Inspector Zahakis. Zahakis grudgingly introduced a striking brunette with intelligent green eyes as Agent Esposito from Interpol. The ship’s physician, Dr. Latsis, was also present. The cool, competent blonde apologized for not being immediately available and she offered to examine Ariana after “the interview.”

  Inquisition seemed a more fitting word. Ariana was directed to a chair between Gideon and the doctor. A discussion ensued about who had jurisdiction. No one knew for certain. Ariana was an American citizen, but employed by a foreign cruise line, and she had been kidnapped in Italy, but released in Greece. The closest international FBI office was in Rome, with no
FBI agents immediately available for a nonemergency.

  Since Interpol had posted the missing-person notice on Ariana and coordinated interagency communications, Agent Esposito was present as a liaison to collect information. Interpol’s files would be shared with all involved law-enforcement agencies.

  Inspector Zahakis questioned Ariana in accented English and noted her date of birth, social-security number and employment details before barking out the scary questions. “You claim you were kidnapped outside of Naples over five weeks ago?”

  “Yes.”

  “Can you describe your kidnappers?”

  Down to the golden highlights in his eyes and the sensual curve of his lower lip. “I was so terrified…” She inhaled a wobbly breath. “I have memory gaps.” True. She had been scared at times, and didn’t remember every detail.

  “You cannot even recall your kidnappers’ appearance?”

  Dr. Latsis spoke up. “Memory lapses are common in victims who have suffered trauma. Especially over a long period of time.”

  “Miss Bennett.” The inspector’s sharp hazel eyes bored into hers. “When you disappeared, there was speculation that you willingly left with a lover. If the affair ended badly, there is no shame in admitting this. You need not to concoct a kidnapping.”

  “I’m not making it up!” The walls in the crowded room closed in on her. “I did not willingly leave Naples!” But she had taken Dante as a lover. And would have stayed with him if he’d asked. She had to get out of here before she did anything that would cause Megaera to hurt him. She couldn’t trust the authorities to protect him. She was the only one on Dante’s side. The only one who could help him now.

  The doctor leaned toward her. “Miss Bennett? Are you all right?”

  Guilt and fear smothered her until she could barely breathe. No, she was suffocating! The seed of an idea sprouted. “I…I’m sorry.” She didn’t have to fake her tremors. “I want to cooperate.” Again, true. “I don’t understand why you’re blaming me. I’m…confused and…and scared.”