Becca wasn’t going to force a confidence. She could see that something had deeply affected her friend.
‘Do you think the men will be okay with the babies? They’ve been left alone with them for hours.’
Bronte gave her a cheeky grin. ‘Nico’s an old hand. Worry not.’
Three hours later Bronte parked her SUV in the driveway of The Dower House.
They’d stopped to have a tasting session at Sweet Sensation where they’d narrowed down her choices and Becca had laughed harder than she’d done for years in no small part due to Bronte’s best friend and partner Rosie Gordon who was totally insane and great fun.
Bronte opened the door to the kitchen living space and stopped dead.
Becca gasped as her eyes scanned the detritus on the floor.
Toys were scattered everywhere.
Trucks, dozens of wooden cars all lay on their sides and hundreds of pieces of chunky Lego had been constructed into what looked like a fortification of some kind.
Dolls’ bodies lay face down obviously casualties in a battle of some kind. It looked like a war zone.
And someone had spilt talcum powder. A thin layer of white dust had settled on the black granite work surfaces and stainless steel appliances, not to mention the plate glass dining table.
Two baby high chairs were splattered in what Becca’s speeding heart initially thought was blood then realised it was tomato sauce.
Nico lay on his back, sprawled on the floor, sound asleep, with little Luca tucked under his arm. The child was plastered in tomato sauce and what looked like chocolate. Lucas was lying on his back with Sophia draped across his chest. Her blonde hair was stuck in clumps of congealed tomato sauce and her sweet little rosebud of a mouth was rimmed with chocolate.
The thing that made Becca snort with laughter was the fact that both men’s mouths were covered in chocolate too and Lucas’s hair was matted with what looked like bits of chocolate chip cookie.
Becca got her Smartphone out of her bag to take a photo. It was the first time she’d ever been deeply thankful for the device.
Tip-toeing over, she took at least three before Nico’s eyes blinked open.
Bronte nudged her husband’s bare foot with the toe of her pointy shoe.
‘Well, well, well. And what have we here?’ she drawled.
Nico gave his wife his best sexy grin. ‘We are babysitting, cara mia.’
Bronte nudged his toe again and folded her arms.
‘Don’t cara mia me, Nico Ferranti. Look at the state of this place? And look at my good clean floor!’
Lucas blinked up into Becca’s laughing face. ‘Querida? You look very beautiful.’
‘Do I? You look as if you’ve had death by chocolate.’
‘The cookies are organic and we gave the babies one each.’
Becca lifted up two large empty packets, gave them a little wiggle.
‘Really? And who ate the rest?’
‘You would not believe what hard work it is to look after two children,’ he said quite sincerely from the floor.
With care Bronte lifted a drowsy Luca and held him at arms length. Becca lifted Sophia and held her out too. They were both filthy and fractious and needed their nappies changing.
Bronte wrinkled her nose. ‘Phew. Time for a bath, milk and bed.’
She moved to the door and looked at the men over her shoulder. ‘And you two can clean my kitchen.’
Becca just grinned and followed her up the stairs to the nursery.
Lucas stood feeling dazed and stared at the debris.
He didn’t have a clue where to start.
‘Did we do all this with just two little babies?’ He ran a hand through his hair and peered at the chocolate chip he’d found there. He tasted it. Very nice.
Nico stood, stretched and scratched his flat belly under a T-shirt that had been white a few short hours ago. ‘We will begin with the toys first. No problem. I have a system.’
‘You do?’ Lucas wondered what the hell it was as he started to gather up Lego into a huge plastic container and groaned as his lower back ached.
Who’d believe how exhausting parenthood was? But he had to admit he’d had the best fun. He and his best pal Sophia had bombed Luca and Nico. The kids had had a blast and that was the main thing. What were a few crumbs of chocolate? And it had been years since he’d had spaghetti bolognese for lunch. He must get Moira to make it. And the rice pudding had been tasty too.
Since his feet were bare when Lucas stood on a small piece of Lego he howled, hopping on the spot, since it burned like the fires of hell.
‘Those little fuckers are the worst for that,’ Nico observed, hoovering up soft toys and wooden cars into a large expanding toy box. He hunted around in a spacious cupboard and emerged with a vacuum cleaner, pan and brush. Then he surfed over to another cupboard and brought out a yellow bucket with cleaning sprays and cloths.
Half an hour later the room looked pretty good to Lucas’s untrained eye and he sucked on a bottle of beer with his best buddy.
Life felt pretty damn good too.
‘Nico, Bronte wants you up stairs to say goodnight to the kids.’
Nico leapt up, smacking a big kiss on Becca’s cheek as he passed.
She grinned at Lucas’s narrow eyed stare.
‘I have a thing for Latin men,’ she told him with a cheeky grin.
‘Come here and sit on my knee and have a thing for me. I am Spanish.’
She ignored him and spun in a slow circle.
‘Wow, I’m impressed. You have hidden talents.’
‘Come here, woman,’ he growled.
Giving in to the command in his deep voice, Becca perched on his knee and snagged his beer to take a tiny sip. Handing him the bottle she plucked a tissue out of the box on the coffee table and wiped his mouth.
‘I’m not putting my mouth on that mouth until it’s clean,’ she told him in a motherly tone.
Lucas placed the bottle on the table and pounced.
Becca found herself under him on the couch as he showed her exactly what he could do with a dirty mouth.
‘Hey, Bronte! Our guests are making out on our couch!’ Nico yelled to his wife.
Laughing Becca smacked Lucas upside his head. ‘Let me up you big gorilla. We’re guests. Behave yourself.’
But Lucas simply kissed her even harder using his tongue as a weapon.
‘Oh, my,’ Bronte said from the door, her arm around her husband’s waist and a big grin on her face.
After an undignified tussle, Lucas released a very flushed Becca and pulled her down on his knees.
‘I’m so sorry about this, but there are times when he’s unmanageable,’ she told her hosts as she slapped at his hands.
‘Please, don’t worry. It’s usually us who embarrass guests. Nico’s always been very touchy feely.’ And he proved it by running his hand down her hip and over her bottom. Bronte stepped smartly away and cocked a brow at the pristine state of her kitchen. ‘Well done. I think you deserve at least a pizza for all that hard work.’
Becca stood, feeling terribly guilty that they were intruding on their host’s precious time together. ‘We don’t want to keep you guys.’
Nico stepped forward. ‘It is no trouble, cara. Please stay. It has been a long time since I spent quality time with Lucas.’
Lucas simply shrugged. ‘I am happy to stay for a couple of hours and share a pizza, querida.’
Becca looked to Bronte who simply grinned. ‘We’re more than happy to have you.’
With everyone staring at her, Becca shrugged. ‘Okay, but let me help. I’m hopeless in the kitchen but I can lift and carry.’
‘Sit,’ said Bronte. ‘Nico will set the table and my finger will dial The Hall for pizza. Easy.’
Nico switched on the large flat screen television and turned the volume down. The men settled down with a beer to watch the sport headlines while Bronte rolled her eyes at Becca.
‘Come on up and I’ll sh
ow you my wedding dress.’
‘This is gorgeous.’
Holding up a strapless concoction in ivory silk Becca swayed in front of the huge modern mirror framed in thick dark mahogany that leaned against wall.
Bronte lounged on a wide couch with a soft smile of reminiscence on her dreamy face.
‘It’s Elie Saab. I wore that when I was about sixteen weeks pregnant. Have a look at his dresses they’re fabulous. Especially for women like us who are long and lean and boobless.’
Becca handed the dress over to Bronte who zipped it up into its protective bag and hung it in her huge closet.
Settling into an ivory linen couch, Becca kicked off her pumps before tucking her legs under her.
‘I’ve done nothing about a dress. The whole thing feels surreal to be honest.’
‘Oh, I know how that feels. Lucas has swept you off your feet. Our men don’t hang around when they find the woman they want.’
‘More like steamrolled right over me.’
Bronte’s vivid green eyes went watchful. ‘Are you okay?’
‘I’m not complaining at all. I love him with all my heart. He’s been wonderful to me, Bronte.’
‘But it’s hard to find your feet especially with everything that’s been going on with dear Willow.’
Becca shook her head. ‘None of that stuff got to me. I’ve met her twice and I know of her because of what I do. The theatre world is a small one. Everyone knows everyone else and we have our fair share of gossip.’
‘So what’s up?
‘It’s just a feeling I have that everything is going too smoothly.’ Becca shrugged and gave a little laugh. ‘Which sounds a crazy thing to say after everything we’ve gone through, but I can’t help it.’
Bronte sat beside her. ‘It’s called nerves. I suspect that’s all it is. If you need to talk to someone, I’m here.’
‘I appreciate it. We’re due a scan next week and I think I’ll feel better when I know they have ten fingers and ten toes.’
‘It’s natural to be anxious. Just take it one day at a time and do as the medics say. You have a wonderful man who worships the ground you walk on. Don’t go looking to borrow trouble.’
Which was good advice and Becca decided to get a grip and take it.
Later, while the guys were getting stuck into pepperoni pizza and arguing the management skills, or lack of them, of a certain premier league football team, Becca tuned out the conversation while her eye scanned the news headlines.
With a gasp she bolted from the sofa and grabbed the remote to turn up the volume.
On the screen was a link from the United States, California, and there was Justin being arrested live on television. He was struggling in handcuffs as two huge men with black vests with FBI printed in yellow on the back hustled him into the back of a blacked out SUV.
With wide eyes Becca sank to a leather dining chair.
She rested her elbow on the table and clasped a hand over her mouth. Good God.
The ticker tape at the bottom of the screen said LiveBreaking News:The FBI have arrested a British man, Justin Cope, for blackmail. In a sting operation he’d been caught demanding monies with menaces from superstar Marcus Kennedy. A statement is expected from the film star shortly.
Since the feed was live, the British newsreader was racing to catch up and listening to a voice in his ear.
‘Let me interrupt to bring you breaking news. It appears film star Marcus Kennedy is about to make a personal statement. We can join our colleagues live in California now.’
The camera focused on the devastatingly handsome Marcus Kennedy taking a seat at a narrow table along with his beautiful dark haired wife of five years, Imogen Kennedy, who looked too pale and was visibly shaking. Marcus took her hand in his and whispered something in her ear. She nodded her head and took a deep breath.
On the other side of Marcus was Tobin Gillespie, Lucas’s business partner.
Lucas moved to stand behind her and Becca glanced up at his face. His eyes were riveted on the screen, they were cold and hard and utterly ruthless. Becca knew immediately that he’d known about this. He had his Blackberry in his hand and turned away to take a call without looking at her.
She turned to listen to Marcus feeling the ice of betrayal ball in her gut.
Tobin Gillespie spoke first.
‘This is the end of a three month ordeal for Marcus and his family. He will make a short statement. We will not take any questions. I ask that you respect his privacy and his family’s privacy at this difficult time. A man had been arrested for blackmail. Therefore speculation may be harmful to the case as it proceeds and the eventual outcome of said case. I respectfully ask the press to refrain from speculation. I believe the FBI will be making a statement at the end.’
Marcus cleared his throat. He was one of the biggest action heroes in the world, lusted after by women on every continent and Becca knew in her heart what was coming.
For God’s sake, Justin. What the hell have you done?
‘I had a sexual relationship with a man who subsequently blackmailed me to keep it secret. I paid him money. I am bi-sexual. However, the worst thing is that I have betrayed and hurt a person who did not deserve the betrayal or hurt. My wife, Imogen. I have begged her forgiveness.’ He paused and took a deep breath. ‘I confessed to Imogen over three months ago and it is with her support and permission that I am making this statement. Please give us the time and the privacy to heal our marriage.’ He looked his wife dead in the eye before he continued, ‘I love this woman more than life. She has never wavered while the world has imploded around us. I could not have done this without her. I pray each day that she will find it in her heart to forgive me. I would not blame her if she walked away and never looked back. I am sorry, my darling, for the hurt and the pain I have caused you.’
Tears poured down Imogen Kennedy’s agonised white face. She was heartbroken but she never let go of her husband’s hand. They rose as one and left. Tobin flanked the woman on one side and her husband on the other.
Staring at the screen, Becca felt physically ill. An innocent hurt, betrayed and destroyed by an act of unutterable selfishness.
Becca stood and realised that Bronte appeared totally confused by the heightened emotions, the searing tension now swirling around her beautiful home.
Lucas was talking to Margo. But what shocked Becca anew was that Nico was talking in clipped tones on his Smartphone, issuing instructions to have a jet and security team assembled because the ‘package’ was ready to leave for an island in the Bahamas. Becca wasn’t stupid. She knew he was talking about the actor and his wife.
Becca turned to Bronte, her tone cold, ‘Did you know about this too?’
Bronte turned wide green eyes to her and slowly shook her head.
‘No, I have absolutely no idea what this is all about. Who is the man they arrested?’
‘My ex-dance partner. He’s been like a brother to me for over ten years.’
Bronte’s fingers covered her mouth as her eyes went huge. ‘Good God.’
‘I’m getting out of here. Will you drive me back to the annexe please, Bronte?’
‘Of course.’
Nico was still firing instructions in his phone. Bronte gave her husband a vicious look before she swept out to get her jacket and car keys. Becca collected her bag and shrugged on her jacket. She checked her cell. There were voice messages from her mother and Burt Lindstrom. And so the circus begins. She might have known everything was too good to be true.
Lucas was still speaking to Margo but his eyes were on Becca. She couldn’t, wouldn’t look at him.
Bronte hustled her out to her car and Lucas came tearing after them.
He grabbed Becca’s arm and she pulled away to turn on him like a snarling tiger.
‘Don’t even think about laying a finger on me. I don’t want you near me.’
Dark eyes bored into hers. ‘I could not tell you, querida. The secrecy was air tight.’
> ‘What? You think I’d tip him off?
‘No. But ...’
She jabbed a finger into his chest and went nose to nose with him.
‘Tell me one thing. Was this your idea?’
He swallowed audibly and went too pale.
She narrowed her eyes and nodded. ‘Revenge? Right? I hope it’s going to be worth it.’
Fury rose in those dark eyes now. ‘How can you say that? The man is an animal. He hurt Marcus and his wife. Are you saying blackmail is okay?’
She stepped into his face and he stepped back. ‘No. I am not saying that so don’t even think about putting words in my mouth, big boy. Marcus hurt himself and his wife the day he betrayed her. Justin has a mother, a father, a sister and a sick grandmother. Tell me, do they deserve their hearts broken? Are their lives to be held up for public ridicule too? Not to mention all the unwanted attention I’m about to get thanks to you.’
His temper blew. ‘You are fucking unbelievable. The man almost destroyed you. He hurt you. He stole from you. He caused chaos in the life of a good man and an innocent wife and it is all my fault?’ He stepped into her now absolutely furious. ‘I would do it again in a heartbeat because I protect what is mine.’
Becca turned and got in the car with Bronte before she did something she’d regret like give him a black eye.
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
As Bronte drove them out the driveway, Becca tried to make sense of everything that had happened.
She didn’t know how she felt as her emotions took her on yet another wild ride. Oh, Justin, Justin. You stupid, stupid man. What the hell were you thinking? What on earth is wrong with you? She just couldn’t get her head around it. Justin wasn’t a fool. He’d had a fabulous career and brilliant future ahead of him. Why was he behaving like this? It simply did not make sense. Where was the lovely young guy she’d met at the Royal Ballet? So talented and full of big ideas and dreams? The thought of him turning into some sort of wretched parasite sucking the energy and blood from others just didn’t fit with what she thought she knew about him.
And his poor family would be totally devastated. They were the ones who needed support now.
The SUV parked outside the annexe and Bronte turned to her.
A Stormy Spring Page 24
