Federico came across to where Ava was standing, and, taking her chin between his thumb and index finger, lifted her face to meet his gaze.
“So, at this time, there is no man in your life,” he mused. “What other lies have you told me, hmm?”
Ava felt her heart kicking erratically behind her chest wall. Her mouth dried up, her throat locked tight and her breathing came to a shuddering halt.
“Just that one…” she replied, mentally calculating how many lies she had told him within the space of less than twenty-four hours.
“I wonder what other little secrets you are keeping from me… from everybody,” Federico continued, still holding her gaze with the piercing scrutiny of his. “Like where you live, for instance.”
She swal
‘You arrogant prick!’ Ava thought and clenched her hands by her sides, her fingertips digging into her palms almost painfully.“You can do or say whatever you want, but I’m not going to be another name on your list of whores,” she hissed with a last stand of pride. “I’m not going to. Okay, you’re the future King… whatever… Take your best shot at me! Because I’d rather be locked up again for life than suffer this fate.” He had the gall to laugh.“Oh, you’re so feisty! And these harsh words… Ava Marie, do you have any idea how foolish you are being right now?”“It can’t be any more foolish than agreeing to lie on my back for you to paw me whenever you like,” she shot back.“Do you think I want it to be this way?” Federico asked as a flicker of anger lit his gaz
“Your Serene Highness, I have that information you requested,” Francesco said a couple of days later, as he brought in Federico’s coffee. Federico lowered the newspaper he had been reading and gave his aide his full attention.“Tell me everything.”‘Miss Antonini is living at a small flat in Marconi Lane with a former drug addict, a woman by the name of Teresa. Apparently, they met in prison but the other woman was released two years ago. She works at one of the local hotels as a housemaid.” His eyebrows came together.“Is there a man?” he asked.“There is no man. However, there is a small child, a boy around five years or so.” Federico straightened in his chair, a cold hand of unease disturbing the hairs on
“Chris? You mean the little boy who drew me the picture?” Ava blinked at him, her brain whirling and spinning out of control.“Um… He’s… Teresa’s little boy,” she finally managed to croak out. Federico gave her a quizzical look.“I thought the boy’s name was Nicola,” he said. “Or at least that’s what Francesco said it was, but then he could have got it wrong.”“N-no, that is right…” She hastily mortared another lie into her wall of deceit.“Teresa’s son is called Nicola but… but he prefers his second name…”“Like my sister prefers Tori instead of Victoria,” Federico added.&nbs
He was still frowning at her.“Whatever you were thinking about must have been extremely distressing for you,” Federico told her. “Was it something to do with your time in prison?” Ava sat back in her chair and crossed her legs. She was as close to crumbling as she had ever been, but some tiny rod of pride kept her spine upright.“You seem to be rather fascinated with my prison life,” she speculated. “Is that because you harbor some sort of fantasy about an ex-criminal? Sex with someone from the slammer… It has a sort of ring to it, don’t you think?” Federico felt his desire for her rise in his body with the force of an earthquake. It rumbled through him, it shook him, and above everything else… it challenged him. He would have her. It didn&rsquo
The moment she stepped into Federico’s private study, Ava felt extremely nervous and excited at the same time. Her senses were heightened by his light touch as he took his jacket from her shoulders and laid it over a chair. Federico came back to stand in front of her, his dark gaze meshing with hers as he took both of her hands in his.“Are you feeling better?” She shook her head, her tongue darting out to moisten her lips.“Yes… I’m a little bit better… thank you.” Federico settled his hands on her waist and brought Ava up against his body.“I think I should pour you a cup of coffee… or tea…” he said slowly, looking down at her mouth. Ava felt her li
Ava slipped inside the flat, closing the door behind her just as Teresa appeared in the narrow hallway.“Ter, is he alright?” she asked. Her friend nodded and touched her arm to reassure her.“It was hard to convince him, but the moment I sent you the text, Chris went back to sleep. I really hope I didn’t interrupt anything important…” She shifted her gaze from Teresa. Ava would tell Teresa everything at some point, but not now.“No, sweetie,” she replied heading towards Christian’s room. “Nothing important…” Ava added and entered her son’s room and stayed there, watching over her baby boy, trying to protect him from whatever the future was bringing. The
Damn her! For a second, Federico felt the urge to strangle her for what she did… for keeping secret the existence of a child… He had a son… There was no doubt the boy was his since the resemblance was uncanny. Five years had passed and he had been robbed of every minute of his son’s life. How many milestones had he missed? It tore him apart on the inside to even think about everything he didn’t witness about his child. When had Christian taken his first step? When had he said his first word? For God’s sake, he didn’t even know what day he had been born! Five birthdays had passed and he hadn’t been there to celebrate any of them.“S-sorry, M-mummy,” Christian said with a wobble in his voice as he looked between them with eyes wide w
Ava paced the floor of the study where Francesco had instructed her to wait for Federico. Christian was in bed, exhausted, barely putting up a struggle when the elderly but totally competent nanny Costanza had told him she would be babysitting him while his mother was downstairs. Her nerves felt as if they had been stretched beyond the limit. She was jumpy and agitated, feeling like she was some kind of a trial… all over again. But this time she was in part, guilty. “Keep breathing, Ava… Keep breathing,” she told herself slowly All of a sudden, the imposing walls of the luxury villa were closing in around her and she started feeling like she was in prison all over again. “Stay focused… This is about Christian…” Whatever happene