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'I gathered that much from the Press, and I was happy for you, until you arrived here yesterday. You will grant I have a lot more experience in affairs of the heart than you, and when I see a beautiful woman who has given up modelling, no longer needs to stay slim, has a new career she loves and is supposedly in love for the first time, common sense tells me you should have put on weight, not lost it. You looked like a wraith coming across that airport yesterday.'
'I still watch my figure,' she defended.
'Katy, I have rung your apartment every night for the past two weeks; at first it was to check if you were coming over for the party, and then my curiosity was aroused: you were never there. I am not going to pry any further. If you have moved in with the man, that is your business. But, Katy, don't fool yourself. Your sort of woman needs marriage.'
She pulled her hand free, and drained her now cold coffee. 'I know what I'm doing, Claude. You don't need to worry.'
'If you say so, Katy.' Claude stood up, and with a hand at her elbow helped her to her feet. 'But remember, Katy, if you need a friend or a home you will always be welcome here.'
'Thank you, Claude,' she whispered, emotion choking her. He was such a caring man, a true friend..,
Katy fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow, and when two tiny fingers peeled back her eyelids, and she heard a voice shouting, 'Are you awake, Auntie Katy?' she groaned before leaping up and swinging Caterina over and into the bed.
She bid a tearful farewell to Claude, Alain and Caterina at the airport, and walked briskly to the waiting aircraft. She would be back in London in under an hour, and take a taxi to her father's in time for Sunday tea. There was no way Jake would ever know she had been abroad. In that she was wrong...
The cab drew to a halt outside her father's door. Katy opened her clutch-bag, found her purse, and with a muttered exclamation asked the taxi driver to wait. Stupidly she had not enough cash for the fare. She dashed up to the door and pressed the brass bell. 'Hurry up,' she murmured under her breath. The door swung open and quickly she stepped into the hall.
'Dad,' she shouted, 'I need some cab...' The words died in her throat as an all too familiar strong tanned hand gripped her arm and swung her around. She looked up into the furious face of Jake. What the hell was he doing here? She swallowed hard on the knot of fear clogging her throat and with an enormous effort of will she forced a smile to her lips. 'I need some cash for the taxi, Jake,' she demanded coolly.
His fingers bit into her arm and she winced in pain at the pressure. 'I will attend to the taxi, and then I will attend to you.' The threat was unmistakable. 'Say hello and goodbye to your father. We are leaving in a minute.'
She stood in the hall and watched his departing back, frozen in shock.
'Katy, dear. So you finally made it.' Her father's voice broke into her numb brain. 'Jake has been waiting ages for you, poor man.'
'Hello, Dad,' she mumbled, stunned at the collapse of her plan. Jake was supposed to be in Switzerland until Monday. 'I'm sorry-----'
'Katy is sorry we can't stop, David,' Jake's sardonic voice interrupted. 'But we have a pressing appointment. I'm sure you understand, old man.'
Before Katy could gather her scattered wits she was being ushered out of the house.
'Just a minute!' she remonstrated as Jake, with his arm firmly around her waist, almost carried her along the pavement to where a smart black top of the range BMW was parked.
'Shut up and get in.'
A hand at her back shoved her none too gently into the passenger-seat. Her weekend case sailed over her head to land with a dull thud on the back seat. 'My God, that nearly hit me!' she exclaimed.
Jake slid into the driving seat and turned one hand on the steering-wheel, his other arm along the back of the seat. 'When I'm finished with you being hit by a suitcase will seem paltry in comparison, I promise you.' The sibilant rustle of his voice, the lowness of the tone, sent arrows of fear darting down her spine.
Katy raised her eyes to his and shrank back in the seat at the force of his rage. His black eyes gleamed like living coals of fire set in the harsh contours of his face. The skin pulled taut across his high cheekbones, a nerve twitched spasmodically in his tightly clenched jaw. Fury, inimical anger—there was no word to describe the hostility she could feel crashing over her like waves in a storm-tossed sea. She had never seen him so enraged.
'Don't you think you're over-reacting somewhat?' she offered quietly and, to her surprise, quite steadily. The car was moving and she felt emboldened to add, 'After all, Jake, we women are notorious for changing our minds.' Frantically she was searching for an excuse— anything to placate his anger.
'Shut up.' And she did. The rest of the ride was completed in absolute silence.
'Get out.'
Katy took one look at Jake's face and complied. He grabbed her arm and half dragged her into the lift. She tried to shake off his hand but he simply tightened his grip. As the lift rose her stomach sank, and the blood ran cold in her veins. Whatever excuse she came up with she had the horrible conviction Jake was not going to believe her, but then, did it matter? she asked herself. Their relationship had to end some time. Why not now?
Jake pushed her into the apartment and carefully locked the door after them, pocketing the key.
'Really, Jake, there's no need to be so melodramatic' She tried to laugh. 'I stayed with some friends instead of Dad.' An instinct of self-preservation stopped her mentioning Paris.
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'You lying little bitch.' Jake caught her shoulders and spun her around to face him. 'Your friend lives in Paris,' he snarled, his face only inches from her own.
'How-----?'
