Her Shameful Secret. Susanna Carr

not willing to wait around and watch over you until your shift ends.”

      “Do you even know how to compromise?” she asked, tossing her hands up in frustration. Of course he didn’t. The world bowed down to him. Just as she had done, once upon a time.

      “This is what I know,” he said as he slipped on his sunglasses. “The will was read three days ago. The contents will soon become public.”

      Isabella frowned. “What are you talking about?”

      He opened the door and sat down in the driver’s seat. “It won’t take long before the paparazzi find you.”

      She jerked her head back in surprise. “Paparazzi? What would they want with me?”

      “You’re kidding, right? The woman who slept with the Rossi brothers has wound up with a fortune.”

      She stared at him with wide eyes. “There is no need to make it sound so salacious.”

      “I’m just telling it like it is,” he said impatiently. “Now, get in.”

      Isabella hesitated. Giovanni had left her a fortune? That couldn’t be right. Antonio must be exaggerating. If only she could accept the money. But even if she did it would take ages to go through the legal and financial systems and get the cash she so desperately needed.

      What would happen to her after she’d signed the documents? She had no home, no money and no protection. She had been working for months to raise the money to get back to California and she didn’t think she would make enough before the paparazzi found her. Could she ask Antonio for help?

      She bit her lip as she weighed the pros and cons. Could she ask him? Was she willing to stoop that low? Antonio could easily afford the price of a plane ticket, probably had the cash in his wallet, but it felt wrong.

      Antonio leaned back in his seat. “What do you want?”

      She took a deep breath. “I need a plane ticket to Los Angeles. For tonight.”

      He nodded sharply. “What else?”

      She was already regretting her request. She didn’t want anything from Antonio. His presence reminded her of the poor choices she made because she’d been in love. She had fought for him, for them, and he had discarded her without a second thought. As much as it pained her to think about it, her mother had been right. She hated it when that happened.

      “That’s it.”

      He tipped his sunglasses and studied her face. “I don’t believe you.”

      “That doesn’t surprise me,” she replied. “But I mean it. I don’t want anything else.”

      “That will change soon,” he said as he started the engine.

      “Maybe I didn’t make myself clear. I shall consider this a loan,” she said as the car purred to life. “I’ll pay you back once I get settled.”

      “It’s not necessary.”

      “It is,” she insisted. “It wouldn’t be right to take your money.”

      “I don’t care about the money.” Antonio said. “Get in the car.”

      Isabella hesitated. Was that wise? The man hated her. He thought she’d betrayed him. Then again, he probably wanted her out of Italy and out of his life as soon as possible. She had nothing to worry about.

      “Bella …” Antonio’s tone warned of his growing impatience.

      Isabella opened the door and sat down before she changed her mind. “Don’t expect me to stay long,” she said as she reached for the seatbelt. “I’ll sign the papers and then I’m gone.”

      And if she were lucky she would never see Antonio again.

      CHAPTER THREE

      “THIS is a law office?” Isabella asked as she studied the old building. “I haven’t seen one like this before.”

      Antonio glanced up and saw that the façade was pale, almost pink-gold. He noticed the faded mosaics next to the arched windows and pillars. It was strange that he’d never really looked at the building before.

      “Where did you think I would take you?”

      “You don’t want me to answer that,” she muttered.

      They entered the dark and musty building. It was unnaturally quiet and the only sound was their footsteps as they climbed the stairs. The silence Antonio shared with Isabella felt strange but he was grateful for it. He didn’t need to think about the easy conversations they’d once had that would last throughout the night. He didn’t want to remember how he’d used to call her up during the day just to hear her voice. He wanted the barrier of silence. Needed it.

      The receptionist took one look at Isabella and sniffed with disapproval. Antonio glared at the dour woman, letting her know that he wouldn’t tolerate that kind of behavior. The woman bent her head from the silent reprimand and icily escorted them to the conference room.

      When the door opened Antonio saw his mother, sitting regally next to the ornate rosewood table. Dressed severely in black, Maria Rossi was as elegant and private as always. She was trying to hide her distress, but he instantly saw it in her face.

      “Mother, why are you here?” Antonio asked. “Your presence isn’t required.”

      His mother’s expression darkened when she saw Isabella at her side. “Is this the woman?”

      “This is Isabella Williams,” Antonio said with a hint of warning.

      He reluctantly introduced Isabella to his mother. He had hoped to prevent these two women from meeting. With one wintry glance Maria made it clear what she thought of Isabella. She knew this blonde beauty was the reason her sons had been estranged.

      Antonio’s first instinct was to protect Isabella from the slight. But that didn’t make sense. She was in the wrong and should suffer the consequences. She had created a scandal when she’d started living with Giovanni. The paparazzi had gone into a feeding frenzy, and had Antonio borne the brunt of the gossip. But he still couldn’t stand by and watch Isabella receive this treatment.

      Most socialites he knew would have wilted under his mother’s apparent disgust. To his surprise, Isabella tilted her head proudly. She wasn’t going to back down or hang her head in shame. She stood before this doyenne of high society in her cheap clothes, with her tarnished name, and held her gaze unflinchingly.

      His mother was the first to break eye contact. She turned to him. “I can’t bear to be in the same room with her.”

      Isabella showed no expression as she watched Maria Rossi leave the room and closed the door with a flourish.

      “I apologize for my mother’s behavior,” Antonio said, fighting back anger. “I’ll see that it doesn’t happen again.”

      “No need,” Isabella crossed her arms and walked to the large window. “I know you feel the same way.”

      Antonio watched her as she stared at the view of the Pantheon. He suspected she wasn’t really looking at anything. It was as if she was in another time, another place, trapped in a memory.

      If only he could do the same. His mind was always racing, predicting problems and creating solutions. He required an outlet for his inexhaustible energy and found it in his work. The money and power that came along with it wasn’t important. Antonio needed the challenge, to push himself to the razor’s edge.

      There had been one time when he hadn’t felt that drive, and that had been when he was with Isabella. When they’d been together nothing else had existed. Isabella Williams had been his escape. And eventually his downfall.

      “What did you tell your mother about me?” Isabella grimaced as the question sprang from her lips. She hadn’t meant to ask, but it was obvious that her