Chapter Seventeen
Elise splashed cold water in her face in a vain effort to get rid of the sluggishness that held her in its firm grip. She'd cried herself to sleep last night – at least she must have fallen asleep at some point –because the harsh knocking on her door half an hour ago found her on her face on the damp bedcovers.
"We are out of here in half an hour. I suggest you're ready, wife." Marco's ice-cold words caused a fresh deluge of tears until she gave herself a firm talking to.
She was not a cry baby, and tears never solved anything. So what if she had fallen in love with him? She wasn't the first, and she wouldn't be the last woman on earth to fall in love with a man who didn't love her, and no one had ever died of unrequited love. Right?
Damn right, Elise. You don't need a man; you managed perfectly well before he came along, and you will do so again. You will. You just have to!
A bit of makeup would hopefully sort the bags under her eyes, and she would walk out of here holding her head high. If her heart was bleeding, then only she would know that.
Another loud knock on the door made her jump. Sheesh.She had ten minutes yet. Straightening her shoulders, she welcomed the sudden rush of annoyance at his impatience. She flung the door open with a scowl, only to find a smiling Giorgio leaning against the doorframe.
"What do you want? Haven't you caused enough grief for one night?" She tried to slam the door shut, but he wedged his foot in the way, before she succeeded.
Oh she so had it with these overbearing, arrogant Giovanni men.
"Take your blasted foot out of the door right now, or..."
"Or what?" Giorgio smiled that infuriating, lazy smile of his, whilst pushing the door open wider until he towered over her.
"Relax, I didn't come to cause trouble. I only wanted to talk to you before Marco drags you off again."
He raised one hand to absentmindedly touch her hair and flinched when Elise slapped his hand away.
"I'm not her."
Giorgio visibly shook himself before his easy smile once again masked the flash of emotion in his eyes. He took a step back and murmured almost to himself, "More’s the pity."
Seriously? What was it about the male of the species? Last night, when he'd thought she was Jem he'd looked ready to murder her, and now – now that look made her incredibly uncomfortable. Especially as she sensed that it wasn't really her, he was seeing, but Jemima. Goodness only knew what the history was between these two. As handsome as Giorgio was, he did absolutely nothing for Elise.
Seemed it was only a pair of storm blue eyes in a scowling face that did. Just my damn luck! Oh Jemima, I am going to kill you when I get back to London for getting me involved in all of this.
"So, have you come to just stare at me, or was there a reason for your visit?"
Elise was quite proud of her sarcastic voice.
Yeah, see girl you can do this easy peasy. Now all you have to do is manage this with Marco, and then you'll be fine. Oh and there is that formation of pigs again.
Giorgio's next words had her doubting her hearing.
"I came to apologize, actually. I really thought you were Jemima. I didn't like the idea of her with my cousin. He's been through enough to have your sister foisted on him, no offence."
Elise snorted at that. "None taken I assure you. She is not my most favorite person at the minute. In fact I am going to kill her when I'm back in London." Giorgio’s dry chuckle made Elise smile, despite the grim circumstances.
"I think Marco may do that for you, and besides I don't believe for a minute that you will. Why put yourself through all this to protect her in the first place? You did do all this to protect her, didn't you?"
Elise shifted uncomfortably under his gaze and nodded.
"Thought so, I said as much to Marco last night after he stormed out of your room."
"You did?" Elise looked up. Goodness the hits just kept on coming.
"Yes, I did, but he wouldn't listen. All he can see is the two of you colluding and endangering Mimi. Where that little girl is concerned he takes no prisoners. I'm afraid he's going to make your life pretty miserable from now on. Last time I saw him this angry was when he found out about Jennifer."
"Jennifer and you, you mean. You can't blame him for being angry that you slept with his wife. Thanks for that by the way. He seemed convinced I would follow in her footsteps. As if! You may think you're god’s gift to women, but you do not impress me!"
Giorgio burst into amused laughter, and Elise once again marveled at the truth of that statement. He looked so much like Marco. Dark, handsome, tall, with impossibly broad shoulders, and that easy smile that made a woman feel like she was the only person in the room, yet she noticed all these features with complete detachment.
Oh girl, you are such a hopeless case!
"Not that I expect you to believe me, but I didn't sleep with her. And besides they weren't married at the time, and I did it to protect him."
"Do I look stupid to you, Giorgio? Is that what you tell yourself, so you can sleep at night?"
Giorgio's short laugh rang round the room.
"To quote you, my dear, I don't really care whether you believe me or not. But that is what happened. We'd all known her for years, of course. Practically grew up together and then her parents sent her away to boarding school. She was a different person when she came back, not that Marco seemed to realize that. He was besotted with her, and even though she hit on Alex and then me, fuck, any male in her vicinity, he just didn't see it."
Elise had to remember to shut her mouth.
"She hit on Alex?"
"Yeah, he told her to get lost. He was, after all, engaged to Irene at the time. Count yourself lucky you never met her. Anyways, I thought if he found her in my arms it would show him what Jennifer was really like, but he just made me into the scapegoat, and went and married her anyway. Stupid fool."
Elise hugged herself as a sudden chill grabbed her. Oh hell, no wonder Marco was so cynical and always believed the worst of people.
"I'm only telling you all this because he won't. Like I said, I haven't seen him this angry since then, so for what it's worth, I think you're under his skin more than he realizes. Don't give up on him just yet, eh? And I'm sorry, I stirred things up, really I am."
He did look sincere, and Elise found some of her anger evaporating. What a sorry mess this all was.
"And talking of Marco, let me help you with those bags. The man is ready to leave and is chomping at the bit, so you best not keep him waiting."
Elise followed Giorgio. Her heart rate picked up automatically at the sound of Marco's voice, only for ice cold fingers to grab and squeeze the beats out of it, when she really listened to what he was saying.
"I'm well aware what the time is, Jones, but your social life is not my concern. Like I said double the fee, if I have what I ask for by the time I get back to London.... I realize that, but I want her watched twenty four/seven, the sister, too....She's staying at my wife's flat... I'm not interested in your opinion; just do your job!"
Marco snapped the phone shut. He turned round, and the full frost of his eyes hit her like a physical slap.
"There you are. I take it you're ready to leave?"
Elise just nodded. She didn't trust her voice. After everything she'd just learned she ached to put her arms around him, and make it all better for him, but she knew not to try. Her loving, funny, sexy husband was gone. In his stead was an angry, hurt – yes definitely hurt, she recognized the tight set of his shoulders and the grim line to his mouth – slightly scary version of him.
They made their goodbyes from Giorgio, and the pity she saw in his eyes did little to alleviate the tendril of dread fast enveloping her. When she climbed into the waiting taxi, she scooted as far away from her husband as she could in the small confines of the back seats.
The tension pulsed between them and only increased when Marco flipped his phone open again and started talking in rapid Italian. Elise could
just about make out that he was talking to Mamma G. When Mimi's name was mentioned, the first genuine smile she'd seen since last night's fiasco lit up his face, before he glanced at her, and the mask came down again.
A heavy silence stretched between them. Elise couldn't help herself. She couldn't just sit and stare out of the window and ignore him. A glance at his profile showed a bone weary man, his shoulders slumped, dark shadows under his eyes, his jaw tightly clenched. He hadn't bothered to shave this morning, and he wore a stained shirt. That more than anything told Elise the strain he was under. She had never seen Marco look anything but perfectly groomed.
He turned his head, and their gazes collided. Elise forgot to breathe at the myriad of emotions she glimpsed in those stormy depths.
"What?" he snarled and broke the spell.
"I was just wondering how Mimi is?" Elise asked.
He threw her such a look of contempt that she had to bite the inside of her mouth to stop herself from reacting. He shook his head and turned his back on her.
"I asked you a question, Marco. I want to know how Mimi is!"
"Do not concern yourself with my daughter; she is just fine."
"She is my daughter, too, Marco."
His furious rumble made the taxi driver look back at them in alarm. Elise forced a smile for the man. Marco barked something at him in Italian that made the middle aged man blanch and turn his attention back to the road.
Elise almost wished the ground would be able to swallow her up, when Marco's whole unspent fury hit her with full force, his voice a deadly whisper.
"Mimi is my daughter, woman. Don't you ever forget that. You have no claim to her. You and your sister have done enough damage."
"How dare you, Marco Giovanni. I've done nothing to harm Mimi, and I never would. For god's sake the only reason I agreed to all of this was to help Mimi; you know that. I wanted to resign, remember? You wouldn't let me. And like it or not we are married, and that makes Mimi my stepdaughter, and I care about what happens to her."
"Save it, woman, you only did what you did to save your twin's miserable ass." Elise reeled back at the venom in his voice. "You couldn't care less about me, or Mimi, or any of us; that much is clear."
Those dratted tears threatened again, and Elise ruthlessly fought them back. Her hands clutched the upholstery to stop herself from wiping that look off his face with a well-deserved slap.
"You're being completely unfair. I love Mimi as though she were my own. As for Jem, I'm not defending her actions, but she never harmed Mimi."
"By the grace of God she didn't! And that's the only reason I haven't had her already arrested for fraud, or you for that matter, wife."
Damn, damn, damn the man. Elise knew he was reeling from everything he'd learned, but did he have to so bloody obnoxious about it all?
"And the fact that you need me to get rid of Mimi's mother has nothing to do with it of course, you arrogant fool."
A muscle ticked in his tightly clenched jaw as his eyes once again locked with hers. The sudden heat in that gaze scorched Elise from the inside out. She had to break eye contact, her breathing heavy as though she had just run a marathon. His large hand grabbed her roughly under the chin, forcing her to look up. Damn, when had he gotten so close?
His mouth hovered over hers. Their breaths mingled, and Elise simply melted under that intense stare. Every one of her female senses went into hyper drive in anticipation of his kiss. Instead of kissing her however, he shoved her away.
"Save it, wife. I wouldn't touch you if you were the last woman on earth." The contempt behind the words brought her out of her sensual haze with the force of an ice cold shower.
"Though I agree, we need to keep up appearances until all the hearings are over. So, you, wife, will be my adoring arm candy if you know what's good for you and your lying bitch of a sister."
"And if I don't?"
The mouth that descended upon her out of nowhere was harsh and unforgiving. It stoked her own anger to such a degree that she bit the tongue he was trying to force inside her clenched lips. He pulled away with a muttered oath.
"You can't have it both ways, Marco. Don't touch me in anger ever again, do you hear me?"
She stared him down, her own heart hammering so fast, she was starting to feel faint. He gave a small nod, murmured something in Italian, and retreated to his side of the back seat.
They stayed silent for the rest of the trip, only talking when the situation and other people demanded it. Elise was too emotionally wrought to appreciate the scenery or the first class air travel back to Heathrow. In fact by the time they went to land she was so highly strung that she only just made it to the toilets before losing what little of the airplane breakfast she had managed to eat.
When her shaky legs carried her out of the cubicle she collided with Marco. He grabbed her by the elbow and steered her back to her seat with a muttered, "I was going to get the cabin crew to open that damn door. We are landing in a minute, so stop the theatrics." But the hand on her arm gentled, and he handed her a fresh bottle of water, after searching her face with another muttered Italian curse.
Elise shook his hand off.
"I'm fine. Don't pretend to care. Save it for an audience, will you?" Her curt retort earned her another curse before he went back to ignoring her.
They were now parking outside his house, and Elise's heart gave a little pang. They were home. Mimi was in that house, and part of her sang in anticipation of Mimi's little arms around her neck. She'd missed the little tyke, much more than was wise, she was sure. So much had happened since the first day she'd walked up that gravel drive, wondering what Jem had gotten her into now. She'd hopelessly fallen in love with the adorable toddler and her complicated father. Heaven help her, what was she going to do?
Before she could think on that anymore the door opened, and Agnes appeared with a broad grin on her face. She enveloped Elise in a bear hug.
"Ah there ye be, lassie. So nice to have ye home. The wee one ach she'll be so glad to be seeing ye. Mamma G is here, too. And away ye both go, ye twa love birds away in and I be sorting them cases."
And with a shove Elise found herself propelled into the foyer, aware of Marco right behind her.
Mimi's delighted screech was followed by the little girl launching herself at Elise. The toddler squeezed her tight and gave her a big sloppy kiss.
"Elllolisssss."
"What did you say, Mimi?" Elise couldn't believe her ears. She must have imagined that, surely. She was dimly aware of Marco's voice rough with emotion echoing her just uttered question.
"What did you say, bambina piccola?"
Elise did burst into tears when Mimi turned round and with a big grin addressed a stunned looking Marco.
"Ello papa!"
Chapter Eighteen
"Surprise!"
Stella Giovanni's smile lit up the room. She handed Elise a tissue, which shegratefully used to dry her eyes. Marco looked completely stunned, tears in his own eyes, as he hugged a giggling Mimi to himself.
"How? When?" was all he managed to croak out, before emotion overtook him completely, and he buried his face in Mimi's hair making the little girl giggle more.
"Ickle Papa, ickle, down!"
Marco reluctantly let her go, and Mimi wrapped her little arms round Elise's legs, before skipping to Agnes. The housekeeper grinned from ear to ear.
"Aye wee one, ye did it. Right, time for ye treat me thinks. Just dinnae tell papa, eh." With a warm grin over her shoulder she spirited Mimi away to the kitchen.
"I don't understand. Why is she suddenly talking? What happened?"
The rough timbre of Marco's emotionally laden voice vibrated through Elise, and her heart went out to him once more. One shaky hand went through his hair as he turned towards Mamma G. Her next words made his head swing round, and his blue eyes collided with Elise's. They widened in some undefined emotion Elise couldn't decipher.
"It's all due to Elise, of course. I told you she
was good for her."
Marco made a strangled noise in the back of his throat. He stepped away and shook his head at Mamma G.
"Are you going to explain yourself, or has my wife got magic powers I don't know about? Mind you the truth is something she seems incapable of, so..."
"Marco, please," Elise interrupted, mindful of Stella's raised eyebrows and pursed lips.
"Marco Giovanni, that is no way to talk about Elise. Your papa would be turning in his grave if he could see you now. After everything Elise has done for Mimi and you." Stella said
"Really? What exactly has she done? This I need to hear. I can assure you she has done nothing for me, nothing, apart from live a lie every minute of every day that I've known her, haven't you,darling?"
His once again frosty gaze raked over Elise in disdain, but before she could respond Stella cut in.
"If you are referring about the fact that she switched with Jemima, Marco, then I hate to disappoint you, but I know all about that. Yes, Marco, as would you if you opened your eyes."
Marco's furious growl in response made Elise jump, but Stella just stared him down. She switched to Italian, and put one hand on Elise's arm, as if to reassure her.
Elise watched the two of them arguing in helpless fascination for what seemed like an eternity. In reality it was probably no longer than five minutes before Marco threw his hands up in surrender, shook his head and murmured,"Forgive me for thinking my family ought to be on my side." He strode off in the direction of the kitchen without a backward glance.
"I don't know.That boy really needs to lighten up. Please tell me he hasn't been like that the whole time you were away?" Stella shook her head at her nephew's retreating back.
"No, he, he was, well he was..." Elise blushed at Stella's knowing chuckle.
"That good, eh? Did you use the pineapples? Blew his mind right?"
Elise wanted the ground to swallow her up, and she was sure she'd turned a nice shade of beetroot red, to match Mamma G's suit.
"Stella Giovanni, I'm not going to discuss this with you!"
The elderly woman smiled and winked at Elise. "No need to, your face tells me all, Elise. I know you had some honeymoon at least, so what went wrong? I figured he'd be so besotted with you he'd forgive you anything. When did you tell him?"
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