Tess is shocked. "Not your role? That's your two year old boy lying there on the ground in front of you and you're telling me that's not your role. Please."
"It's not my role."
"Why are you here then? To say goodbye?"
"No. I don't want that."
"Then what? You can't have your cake and eat it, Dante."
"I've moved on Tess, I think you should too."
"This is a goodbye isn't it?"
"It's not a goodbye."
"Six months ago, when I last saw you, you said things were going to change. You said you'd make more time. You said, you'd be here for him."
"I am here for him."
"Here, Dante", Tess says, raising her voice now. "Here in LA. Here by his side. Here like a father should be."
Dante takes a moment to sip his coffee. Tess hasn't carried motherhood well and in the harsh artificial light of the coffee shop, he notices it now. She's still beautiful, of course, but she looks tired, as though exhausted just by her daily life requirements. Dante finds himself thinking about Sash. He knows what she is doing, because he's paid someone to watch her. He knows how much she's spending, and what she's spending it on, because every evening in his hotel room, he double checks the account. Everything is under control, and that pleases him greatly. She's passing the test. She's proving she's capable of fulfilling her role. If Oliver had her genes, he'd be even more handsome than he is now. He'd be theirs.
"Are you dating?" Dante asks.
"Dating? Are you serious?"
"I can't be the person you want me to be, Tess. I love Oliver and I want to be part of his life, but I can't be here with you, not in the way you want me to."
"I'm giving you a chance, Dante. I'm giving you an opportunity to make amends, before he gets too old and before you regret it."
Dante sighs. "And you and me?"
"We had something, we still can."
"We had a month together. Not even that. You said it yourself, we were never together properly."
"I still have feelings for you. We can make it work."
"I've moved on, Tess. I thought you knew that."
"From your boy? From your own flesh and blood?"
They pause while a waiter picks an inappropriate moment to clear the empty cups and saucers from the table, taking a ridiculously long time to do so. When he has finally finished, taking specific care to ask if they might care for anything else while they are here, listing today's specials as per the requirement of his job, Tess sits back in her seat, exhausted by the conversation.
When she looks over to the floor again, Oliver is no longer lying there. She panics, her heart leaping in her chest, as she twists in her seat to scan the cafe, desperate to find him. Unable to see him, she rises quickly and calls out.
"Oliver!"
"Tess."
"Oliver!"
Bemused dinners watch her with suspicious concern. She goes to the counter to look behind it. She drops to her knees to check under the tables. She rushes to the restrooms and pushes the cubicle doors and finally, when she still hasn't located him, she runs outside and stands in the middle of the pavement, looking hurriedly left and right.
When she gets back to her table, ready to phone the police, Oliver is there and in Dante's arms. She breathes a huge sigh of relief, and then can't help but break down into tears. She sweeps the boys hair from his eyes and kisses his forehead. Oliver has no idea what's just happened. In his hands, he plays with an expensive toy car, trying to open the doors and get inside it.
"Where was he?"
Tess sounds like she is accusing Dante of hiding him in the first place.
"Behind my chair apparently", Dante says calmly. "I guess he was playing a game."
Tess sits down with the boy and hugs him tightly. "Losing a child is not a game."
"Tess, calm down. He's here now. There's nothing to worry about."
"Never hide from Mommy", Tess says to the boy. "Do you understand? Mommy was worried, she didn't know where you were."
Oliver nods, the look on his face an indication he knows he's done something wrong.
Dante wants to say something but he thinks better of it. When Tess's pulse has slowed sufficiently, she regards Dante again.
"I'll fight you Dante, you know I will. You turn your back on him now, don't expect to be able to come back whenever you feel like it."
"You think that's necessary, Tess?"
"I'm not the one doing it, you are. I'm giving you a chance to be part of this boy's life. It's all or nothing."
"All or nothing?"
"He deserves better, and you don't deserve him at all."
"That's not for you to decide."
"No? I guess we'll see won't we, when someone else comes along and that person fits so perfectly into our lives that Oliver forgets about who his real father is. What are you going to do then, huh? Because there is no way I'm letting you sweep in like this and expect to see him at a moment's notice. Over my dead body."
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that."
"I should never have come."
"Why did you?"
"For Oliver, why do you think?"
"Yeah, right. This isn't a goodbye for you? Well maybe it is for me."
"You think that's what Oliver wants?"
"Don't emotionally blackmail me. I've had enough of it."
"The clothes, the presents, the house, the car, the insurance, the medical bills, the holidays."
Dante counts it out on his fingers.
"I never asked for any of that", Tess points out. "The only thing I ever did ask for, was something you've still failed to give me."
She's already gathering up her things. Dante sighs. There is nothing more he can do here. Tess is powerless to cut him out of Oliver's life and they both know it. If it went to the courts she'd lose, simply because she doesn't have enough money to win. This is just a desperate stance to make him feel guilty about something that happened as a reaction to Sash's inability to satisfy him sexually, all those years ago. He was just unlucky that it ended up like this. A two year old boy and a clingy, unsatisfied mother.
With Oliver in her arms, and the stroller unfolded and ready to go, Tess makes a last ditch attempt to win him over.
"You could be happy with us, Dante. We could make a family together. Isn't that what you've always wanted?"
"Tess."
The tone of his voice tells her everything she needs to know. Enough is enough. Even though Oliver explodes in a fit of ear-splitting wailing when he realizes that they are leaving his brand new toys behind, she has no intention of letting Dante get his way by taking them along with her. She also has no intention of letting Dante say goodbye to the boy she now considers solely her own.
"If you thought for once about someone else but yourself, none of us would be in this mess."
With that, and the attention of all the other diners, who first watch her leave and then look sympathetically over to the man she's left behind, sat there alone amongst a stack of bags and toys, she turns the stroller, holds her wailing boy to her chest and storms off with no intention of ever looking back.
Chapter 20
In a derelict warehouse in a forgotten part of the city, a young man sits on a chair, his legs and arms bound, and his head covered by a brown, hessian sack. He is watched by someone else, who regards him in the same way a fisherman might a recently landed catch, while it gasps at the air pointlessly, clinging desperately onto the final seconds of life.
From his jacket pocket the man takes out a cell phone, speed dials an already inputted number and waits for the call to connect.
Still in the cafe surrounded by bags of toys, sipping at a recently ordered latte, Dante takes the ringing phone out of his pocket.
"Dante Hix."
He smiles at a pretty young girl sat alone at a table near him, who catches his eye and then looks away quickly again as though she's been caught doing something she shouldn't. Dante watches crimson flush to her che
eks, a tingle of pleasure cascading through his body.
"We have him."
"Well that's only taken you a week, hasn't it? Are you sure it's him?"
"Jason Walker", the man says, reading his hostage's driving license. "It's him."
"Can I talk to him?"
In all this time, he hasn't taken his eyes off the girl in front of him. She knows he's looking too, it's the reason she's still flushed with embarrassment.
"Sure. Hold on a minute."
He puts the phone on his seat while he removes the sack from Jason's head. There is electrical tape sealing his mouth shut, which he removes with a skin tearing rip.
"What the fuck?", Jason complains, as soon as he's able to. "Who are you? What do you want?"
Dante waits patiently while his colleague holds the phone to Jason's ear.
"Jason Walker?"
"Hello? What's this about? Who are you?"
"Jason my name is Dante Hix, do you know who I am?"
"Dante who?"
"Dante Hix."
"No", Jason says, shaking his head for emphasis. "I have no idea who you are."
"Do you know who Sash Cooper is?"
"Sash who?"
Dante passes the phone from one ear to the other. He plays leisurely with Oliver's toy car and winks at the girl on the table in front of him when she looks up.
"Sash Cooper. About five three, a hundred and fifteen pounds, big, beautiful eyes. She has a scar about five centimeters long, just below her hip bone. She might have shown you that."
He words are slow and carefully measured, as though ordering necessary but uninteresting items.
"I've met a lot of girls. She doesn't ring a bell."
"Oh, you'd remember this one. Lived on Mapleforth Avenue. Drove an old sky blue Toyota Corolla. Loved to dance.
"What did you say her name was again?"
"Sash Cooper."
Just the words alone make his cock tingle.
"Sash the dancer?" Jason guesses. "Oh man, I remember her. I haven't seen her for like, I don't know, three years. We were in dance class together. We maybe hung out once or twice."
"Did you fuck her?"
The girl sat on the table in front of him desperately wants to look up, but knows he'll see her if she does. Instead she just lets her eyes go wide and continues to read.
"Look, who is this? What's this all about?"
"Just answer the question."
"Are you going to let me go if I do?"
Jason's voice is heavy with fear at what the response might be.
"If you answer the question, I will."
"Yes. I fucked her. Like a handful of times, nothing more. I dropped out of dance class and we fell out of touch."
Dante passes the phone back to the other ear. He sips his coffee, licking the latte foam off his lips when he's done.
"Was she a virgin?"
Now the girl from the other table does look up at him. Dante smiles at her and she quickly looks away. She doesn't know why but this man is turning her on. She can feel her pussy tingle just listening to the lilt of his voice. He's course and arrogant and full of himself, but she can't help but be drawn to him, as though he's got some kind of incredible, magnetic power.
"What?"
Jason is unsure if he's heard the question correctly.
"Was she a virgin? Answer the question."
"Yes. She was a virgin. We both were. Fuck man, what is this all about?"
"Thank you, Jason, you've been most helpful."
Dante's colleague takes the phone away again. He takes two paces into the shadows of the warehouse, far enough away to be out of earshot.
"Take care of it", Dante says and ends the call.
When the girl looks up again, unable to avoid it, Dante decides it's the perfect time to go over.
Chapter 21
As soon as she's half way into the room, Abbey drops her bag in shock, only to stare goggle-eyed and open mouthed while she tries to touch everything as quickly as possible.
"Get the fuck out of here! Dante is paying for this?"
Sash giggles as she watches from the sofa.
"He said he wanted to apologize for what happened last week."
"No shit he does."
She moves from room to room shocked at the sheer size and elegance of it. She goes to the terrace, kicks her feet in the warm swimming pool water and then leans over the balcony to scream at the city.
"I need a stepbrother like yours."
She comes back into the room again to join Sash on the sofa. "Does he not have the word subtle in his vocabulary?"
"I told you, didn't I?"
"Yeah but this is like-."
Abbey searches for the word, only to get distracted by some of Sash's shopping bags. "-Oh my fucking God, are those Manolo Blahnik shoes?"
Sash giggles at her enthusiasm. This was exactly what she was like a week and a half ago. It's amazing how quickly people adapt to new situations.
"I'll buy you a pair if you want."
"Shut up."
Abbey is already trying them on.
"I'm serious. Dante gave me some money to spend too."
"I can see."
Abbey rifles through the shopping bags. "How much have you spent already?"
"I don't know."
"Jesus, Sash, this is a Gucci dress."
Abbey lifts it out of the bag to press against herself while she looks in the mirror. "So what's the deal with you two anyway, I thought you didn't get along."
"We don't really."
Sash spins around on the couch so she's looking at the ceiling again, her hand underneath her T-shirt, on the soft patch of skin below her belly. To a casual observer it's a relaxing and natural pose, to an expectant mother it means something else entirely.
"Thousand dollars hotel rooms and as much money as you can spend aren't really signs of a bad relationship."
"He felt bad."
"If this is how he apologizes, what does he get you for your birthday?"
Abbey has a different dress pressed against herself now.
"He's a billionaire, Abbey, it's a completely different world. This is like you and I going to Starbucks and staying in a crummy motel."
"I still don't get why he's doing it. You don't hear from him for three years and suddenly, completely out of the blue he turns up in the middle of the night and wrestles you into his car. I mean, what the fuck is all that about anyway? And now all of this. I mean he was always a bit weird, but this is way off the radar, even for Dante."
"Beats me. I gave up asking questions a long time ago. If Dante's going to throw money at me for not being around when I needed him, I'm not going to turn around and say no. If he wants to buy me shoes and dresses and pay for me to live here, that's fine too."
"If he wants to buy dresses and shoes for your best friend, that's fine too. This one is absolutely beautiful."
Sash turns to look at her. "That was four thousand dollars that one. I think I bought shoes with it too. You can have it if you like."
"Get the fuck out of here!"
Abbey's eyes go wide in astonishment.
Sash giggles again. "I wanted to thank you for what you did for me last week, and also apologize for leaving you on your own in the middle of the night."
"This is too much", Abbey says, already looking for the shoes.
"Dante was a dick for doing that."
"If this is what happens afterwards, you can leave me in the middle of fucking nowhere as many times as you like. I love these shoes!"
"That's not all."
"What's not all?"
"You know we sent those pictures from my phone?"
"Cole and his rowing team?"
"It worked."
Sash can't get the smile off her face.
"Wait, you got back together with the douche?"
Sash nods.
"You slut!" Abbey jokes. "I knew there was something going on with you, you've got this kind of glow."
&nbs
p; "I have huh?"
"Uh-huh. All over you. You're glowing. From head to toe. I can almost feel the heat from here."
"He said he made a mistake."
"Go on."
"He said he wanted us to get back together."
"Go on."
"He said he wanted to be serious."
"Unbelievable."
Abbey shakes her head. "Isn't that what he said last time?"
"He means it this time. I can tell."
"So that's what you've been doing all week. Testing the facilities."
"I wish. He's away on a business trip."
"A business trip?"
Abbey comes over to the sofa now, the dress still in her hands. Sash sits up to give her space, and the two girls sit side by side.
"He's got a tech conference in California."
"For how long?"
Sash shrugs her shoulders. "I don't know. As long as it takes."
"I thought you said he was serious."
"He is."
Sash is quick to defend him.
"Come on, Sash, seriously. I know you like him, but he's playing you again. Don't let him do that."
"He's not playing me. He's working. And when he comes back, we'll be together."
Abbey is concerned for her friend. "How is this any different to what happened last time?"
"It's totally different. I know where he is for one."
Abbey isn't convinced. "Don't get hurt, Sash. I saw you last week. I saw what he did to you and I know what kind of a hold he seems to have on you."
"I can't help it Abbey, I'm in love."
"Yeah but that doesn't mean you can let him walk all over you."
"I'm not."
"And what happens if he's lying?"
"He's not."
"How do you know that?"
"Because I trust him. Because I saw it in his eyes when we made love."
"See. I knew you were a slut!"
"It was incredible, Abbey."
Sash melts away into the memory. "Even better than the first time."
Abbey regards her for a moment. Compared to last week, she's a completely different person. Even if she has her reservations, it's not fair for her to burst Sash's bubble.
"Just be careful."
"Don't worry. It's all under control."
"I'm so happy for you."
"I know right? I'm so excited. I don't think I've ever loved anyone like this before. I haven't even come anywhere close. He's just, you know, so incredible."
Heated: A Stepbrother Romance (Full Length Novel) Page 11
