Page 18 of Driving the Billionaire Wild

‘That is not your place to question, Mother,’ Apollo’s deep tone answered.

Mother.Astrid stood from her seat, realising that the woman’s voice belonged to none other than famous film director Leona Hart. And they were discussingher.

‘I’m just saying, there is no way that yournonnowasn’t aware of what happened if she hired an investigator to find you,’ Leona said. ‘Every PI in Italy is on Accardi’s books.’

‘So you were too busy to come to breakfast this morning, but you had plenty of time to go digging into my son’s mother’s past? Astrid is not to blame for any of this.’

‘I’m not blaming her, Apollo. I’m pointing out the disparities in her story. All roads lead to Enzo Accardi.’

‘The man is dead.’

‘You think that would stop him?’

Apollo let out a harsh laugh. ‘Stay in here all you like. Meet your grandson or don’t. It was nice seeing you.’

Astrid didn’t have a second of warning before the double doors were fully pushed open and Apollo’s fuming face took in her guilty pose. One of his dark brows raised. ‘Eavesdropping?’

‘No,’ she said, her cheeks heating. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to, I was just sitting here.’

‘You have nothing to apologise for. Isn’t that right, Mother?’ he said sternly, moving aside as a beautiful woman appeared in the doorway. Leona Hart was a stunning black woman in her fifties, with the kind of statuesque presence that stopped people in their tracks.

‘My mother was just leaving; she has an event to attend.’

Apollo turned as his mother sighed and stepped aroundhim, extending her hand in greeting. ‘Lovely to meet you, Astrid. I’m sorry to make a poor first impression. I’m enormously protective of my son…’

‘I understand. I feel the same way about my own.’ Astrid managed a tight smile as Leona’s eyes lowered with understanding. Astrid found herself utterly starstruck by the older woman, having long admired her films. Her directorial debut, a poignant biopic set here on Grenada, had taken the world by storm and she’d won a handful of major awards since. They shared a brief moment of small talk about the various sights Astrid should see while visiting, before Apollo left to escort his mother to where her driver waited to take her to a gala in St George.

Once they’d gone, Astrid stared out at the darkening horizon and tried not to feel a sense of anger at what she’d overheard. She did understand, to a certain degree. Their story was more than a little dramatic and unbelievable. It was quite surreal that they’d both looked for one another, worked in the same industry and likely heard one another’s names countless times over the past few years without ever discovering the truth.

But it wasn’t her fault, nor was it her son’s, and she wouldn’t allow anyone to make her feel like some sort of criminal—family or not.

* * *

Apollo could see the tension in Astrid’s posture as he approached the veranda where she stood looking out at the ocean. It was clear that she adored his villa just as much as he’d hoped she would when he decided to bring her here. But the strength of the obsession he’d felt since she’d laid down her boundaries the night they’d arrived,coupled with the temptation of being near her for the last three days…that he had not foreseen.

Walking downstairs to the sight of Astrid and Luca at his usually empty breakfast table each morning had awakened some kind of primal need within him—a need to claim his son as his own in front of the whole world, and for his son to claim him back.

And as for Luca’s mother… His need for her had never been in question. But what she’d said had forced him to think more deeply about what he truly wanted when it came to the prim English beauty who had haunted him for the past year. She’d made it clear she didn’t see him as a viable candidate for anything serious. Contrary to her jibes about his love life, he hadn’t dated at all since he’d joined Falco Roux; he’d been far too busy focusing on winning and trying not to flirt with her.

She wanted them to put aside the undeniable chemistry between them so that they could…‘co-parent platonically’. It had to be the competitive Accardi streak in him that saw her confidence as a challenge.

He didn’t think he was capable of doing anything platonically with Astrid Lewis. But did that mean that he was ready for the consequences of pursuing a relationship with the mother of his child? He’d realised over the past few days that was exactly what he wanted. It was the most logical solution for them all. He could not go so far as to allow the fantasy of love to muddy the waters, but with Astrid he didn’t think that would be an issue. He would offer her a mutually beneficial arrangement, based on convenience and desire.

He’d seen the results of a fractured love match as a child; he’d been the collateral damage. Astrid herself hadsaid over and over that Luca needed consistency. What could be more consistent than having both of his parents calmly agreeing to live together under the same roof…and in the same bed…without any declarations of love to cloud the issue? She was a logical woman; she would surely see the benefits of becoming his wife? He’d make sure of it.

He made his footsteps a little heavier as he neared where she sat on the veranda, announcing his arrival. She turned towards him warily him and he exhaled a breath at her fresh-faced beauty. Astrid perfectly pinned up and polished had long been a feature of his fantasies, but this relaxed, windswept version was fast becoming a new favourite. She was barefoot and wore a loose pale-blue sundress, and hadn’t bothered to blow-dry her hair, letting it fall in loose waves around her face.

‘So…that was your mother.’ She attempted a light tone, but her eyes remained guarded.

‘I believe that her concern comes from the right place, but I have warned her that any…accusations are not to be repeated. That I trust you fully and we are in this together,’ he said.

‘I appreciate that.’

He wondered at the surprise in her tone, and the way her shoulders had relaxed slightly. Had she expected him to take his mother’s side? Had she expected the same level of suspicion from him as well? He felt shame wash over him.

‘Astrid, I’ve never shared my mother’s suspicions about you. I feel the need to make that abundantly clear.’

‘It wouldn’t be beyond reason if you did.’ She shook her head, turning back to look out at the rapidly darkening sky. ‘I knew I did my best to find Luca’s father. Butmaybe she’s right about there being a reason why I hit a roadblock in finding you. Maybe someone deliberately placed it there.’