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‘Didn’t want to worry me. I know.’ She paused a beat. ‘So what’s wrong?’
‘I’m in love with him and I’m not sure he feels the same way.’
Her mother’s eyes narrowed. ‘And?’
The stern voice of the mother who’d taught her self-worth even before she’d learnt to walk straightened Suki’s spine. ‘And I owe it to myself to make sure I don’t settle for less than I’m worth?’
Moira smiled and rested her head on the pillow. ‘If nothing else goes right, at least I know I’ve done all right with you,’ she murmured, then closed her eyes.
They had snippets of conversation over the next three days as Moira battled her infection. By Thursday night, Suki was struggling not to show her anxiety.
Ramon had stuck to his guns and given her the breathing room she’d demanded. But it was time to take control of her future once more.
The moment her mother was given the all-clear on Friday morning, Suki kissed her goodbye and summoned a taxi. She toyed with the idea of heading to Ramon’s hotel before she discarded it. For one thing, she needed a shower and a few hours’ sleep before she could function properly. Turning up at Acosta Hotel London dishevelled and with bags under her eyes would probably get her thrown out before she walked through the revolving doors.
Suki didn’t know how sound the decision to go home was until she stopped at the corner shop to buy a pint of milk.
The sense of déjà vu that engulfed her felt like a tsunami sucking her under as she plucked the newspaper from the stand and stared at the front-page picture.
He was shirtless, the grimy towel he used when he sculpted hanging from the back pocket of his low-riding chinos. She was wearing the kind of long-sleeved male dress shirt that strongly hinted at nothing else underneath. Svetlana’s miles-long legs were wrapped tight around his waist, her white-blonde hair tumbled in sexy disarray down her back.
And worst of all, they were standing on the terrace of the villa Suki had had the audacity to hope would be her home one day.
The shopkeeper’s ever-increasing demand for payment snapped her out of her shock long enough to hand over the appropriate change before she was stumbling down the pavement and into her house.
Lurching into the kitchen, she discarded everything, raced upstairs, flung herself on the bed and pulled the covers over her head.
The thumping came not five minutes later. Or perhaps it was five hours. She didn’t know or care. Nor did she acknowledge it.
Next, her phone began to ring. She ignored that too.
Then the banging started again. ‘Open the door, Suki. I know you’re in there.’
‘Go away,’ she screamed.
He went away. Then somehow materialised at the bottom of her bed. ‘Get up, Suki. Now,’ he growled.
She lurched upright in bed. ‘Oh, my God! How did you get in here?’
‘I climbed in through the goddamn kitchen window! We’re going to have a serious talk about your security when we’re done talking about us,’ he snapped.
Her world lit on fire and turned to ash again in the blink of an eye. ‘There is no us, Ramon. I was delusional in thinking there was a possibility. Trust me, I’m fully awake now to the type of man you are.’
His face paled a little before his mouth thinned into a flat line. ‘Because you let that bitch feed you poison or because you’ve read the tabloids and tried and found me guilty? Yes, I found out she was in the suite. Why didn’t you tell me?’
Hot, angry tears prickled her eyes. Snapping back the duvet, she surged to her feet. ‘Because she was there on your behalf. And it wasn’t poison if it was true! And don’t forget your back-stairwell tryst as well! Did it give you a little thrill to grope her like that while she moaned in your ear? God, I love it when you’re so bossy. I’ve missed the way you say my name, Ramon. So much.’
His mouth actually dropped open in shock before he raked his fingers through his hair. ‘Santa Cielo, you heard that?’
She wrapped her hands around her arms. ‘I didn’t stay for the full performance, if that’s what you’re asking.’
‘Pity. If you’d stayed you would’ve got the whole picture, instead of the half-baked conclusions you’re letting hurt you now. And let’s get one thing clear: she wasn’t there on my behalf!’
‘Don’t you dare turn this back on me. You lied to me upstairs when you said you had business to take care of. You lied again when you came back into the gallery, looking as guilty as hell.’
‘She was business, because she turned up uninvited making a nuisance of herself. I didn’t want you stressed so I went down there to deal with her. Somehow she slipped past Security and made her way up to the suite. And I felt guilty afterward for neglecting you for so long.’
‘Wow, and you rail me about my security?’ she snapped.
