He was his father all over again.
Casting aside her love. Telling her it was unwanted. And in trying to protect himself he’d damaged himself even more. By lashing out at the one person who could show him otherwise. Who could show him how to love.
Rafe looked from the boat, his eyes always on the slick black rock, searching out any detail, anything out of place. The plume of smoke was long gone, but if there had been smoke, then the helicopter must be there, somewhere. For now that was all he would focus on. And if the helicopter was there, then so too was Sienna.
He would find her. And then he would tell her what had been so glaringly obvious the moment he’d known she’d gone, that he wanted to change places with her and smash himself into the rock in her place.
He was such a fool.
The cruiser rounded the rock, the beams from its powerful lights doing the best job they could to cut through the rain and illuminate the shore, every eye on board not concentrating on keeping the boat from the rocks, but searching for any scrap of evidence of the helicopter’s position.
And then there was a glint of white where there should be none, and a cry went up to launch a dinghy. Rafe pushed his way to the front. ‘I’m going,’ he said.
Strange that she should feel cold. The thought came from nowhere, a kind of hazy realization that it was summer, that she shouldn’t feel cold. It was wrong.
Sienna tried to move, but something was pinning her in her seat, something that kept groaning and waking her up, when all she wanted to do was sleep. It groaned again, the sound vaguely human.
Randall.
He lay slumped against her, sharing the scent of his fresh kill, and she remembered where she was, a helicopter down on Iseo’s Pyramid, and laughter bubbled out of some untapped place.
She’d landed a helicopter on Iseo’s damned Pyramid with the ugliest landing in history. But they were alive! At least for now, until that damned Beast found them.
She reached a hand for the radio, but her wrist screamed out in pain and she pulled it back, sinking back once more into grateful oblivion.
Inch by inch, with one coastguard hanging over the edge to check for rocks that might slice the dinghy’s shell to shreds, the boat had made it to the tiny sandy beach. To Rafe it had been an eternity. An eternity of waiting. An eternity of wondering.
And now that they were finally here, was it already too late?
His feet were amongst the first to splash into the water’s edge, the waves still surging in, sucking at his calves with ferocity. But then he was running. Splashing through the shallows and running for the unnatural egg-shaped object, its blades angled askew, the lighting from torches showing how they’d decimated the shrubs and bushes as the chopper had come down.
He reached the passenger door a scant second before the man behind him. He pulled at the latch, heaved it with all his might when it wouldn’t come, and wrenched it open.
And there she sat. Sleeping.
Pray God, she was sleeping!
‘Sienna!’
Her eyelids flickered open with the play of torchlight on her face, and he breathed out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. She looked up at him, confused. ‘I knew the Beast would come,’ she mumbled, before slipping back into unconsciousness.
A doctor pushed his way in front of him, and he gave him room, while another worked on the pilot alongside. Rafe stood back then, the angry sea sucking around his ankles, the shadow of the rock looming high above.
Oh, yes, if there was a Beast of Iseo, he was worthy of the title.
It was unsafe for everyone to move them from the Rock in the night, but they’d established there were no spinal injuries and they’d splinted Sienna’s wrist, and now she lay on a stretcher in a tent, Rafe by her side, stroking her hair.
Deep in the night, the wind dropping as the storm dissipated, she woke up to the touch of him, and she stirred.
‘You’re here,’ she murmured.
‘Where else would I be?’
‘But those rocks … You’re crazy. You came through those rocks?’
‘I came to find you. Do you think rocks were going to stop me?’
‘I don’t know. But I never expected anyone to come so late on such a night. I guess I should thank you for that. I suppose you told them that the future heirs of Montvelatte were at stake.’
He lifted up her good hand and pressed his lips to it. ‘No. I told them that the jewel in Montvelatte’s crown was at stake, and if they didn’t find you, I would personally feed them to the Beast of Iseo, one by one.’
‘You told them that?’
‘My exact words.’
‘But why?’
‘Because I realized after you’d left that there are more important things than avoiding love. And then I heard you were missing, and that your helicopter had gone down, and I was afraid I’d never get the chance to tell you.’
‘Tell me what?’
‘That I love you, Sienna.’ He smiled down at her and felt his heart expand tenfold with the joy he saw reciprocated, even in a face shadowed in the low lamplight. ‘And I am sorry for all the pain I caused you, all the assumptions I made, all the decisions I made without even considering you.’
‘You’re sorry for all of them?’
‘I know,’ he admitted, ‘there were plenty of them. I’m sorry it took me so long to realize. Sorry I made you feel like you were trapped. Looking back, it should have been obvious to me. Even back after that one night in Paris, I was annoyed that events in Montvelatte had intervened, that I would not see you again.’
‘You were? I thought it was these babies of ours you were after—your potential heirs.’
He smiled and nodded. ‘They were an excuse, and a good one. But even back then I knew I wanted more of what you had to offer. I’m so sorry it’s taken me so long to wake up, so sorry you had to go through all this.’
‘It wasn’t so bad. I kind of enjoyed being behind the joystick again.’
‘I heard. The pilot said you’d saved his life. And I got to thinking, Montvelatte needs a helicopter pilot.’
‘You don’t even have a helicopter.’
‘No, but if my refinancing plan works, we could have. And I’ll need someone to fill the position. If you’re not too busy to fly me around, that is.’
She smiled. ‘I think I accept.’
‘That’s good. And I have one other favour, that I really have no right to ask.’
‘What is it?’
‘I’d like to celebrate my love for you by asking you to share my life for ever. Will you marry me, Sienna, and become my wife?’
She blinked up at him. ‘You’re actually asking me?’
‘I’m asking you. Pleading with you if it comes to that. And if you don’t want to get married, I’ll even settle for that, so long as you promise to live in sin with me forever.’
‘But then your children will be bastards, forever.’
‘I don’t care,’ he said. ‘It never did me any harm. So long as I can have you.’
And then he kissed her, and she knew forever would never be long enough.
EPILOGUE
SUNLIGHT poured through ancient stained glass windows, showering the congregation in puddles of fractured light. Organ music filled the cathedral, and the scent of fresh orange blossom filled the air as the tiny page boy and girl marched their slow march down the aisle.
Sienna waited at the head of the aisle, watching the procession, wondering how it would look if instead of waiting serenely until last, she skipped past her attendants and claimed her husband.
Not the way royals were supposed to behave in front of their own, but then she was only new at the job, and she still had a lot to learn.
Her soon to be sister-in-law, Marietta, gave her a final smile and squeeze of the hand, before she too set off down towards the altar. Where Prince Raphael of Montvelatte, her Rafe, stood waiting for her, tall, dark and utterly devastating.
She felt a flutter de
ep down inside her, touched one satin-gloved hand to her stomach, and knew with a woman’s instinct that it was more than mere butterflies. She smiled. The day could not become more wonderful.
Or so she thought. Until minutes later, when she joined Rafe at the altar and changed her mind. There, with the eyes of the world watching, together they exchanged their vows, and she could not believe that anything would ever come close to that feeling.
‘I love you,’ he murmured, as he drew her to him for the bridal kiss that would seal their agreement and their future together. And, as he drew her deeper into the kiss, to the delight of the entire congregation, she knew it to be true, and that the Beast of Iseo had finally been tamed.
VALENTE’S BABY
Maxine Sullivan
About the Author
MAXINE SULLIVAN
credits her mother for her lifelong love of romance novels, so it was a natural extension for Maxine to want to write her own romances. She thinks there’s nothing better than being a writer and is thrilled to be one of the few Australians to write for the Harlequin Desire line.
Maxine lives in Melbourne, Australia, but over the years has travelled to New Zealand, the UK and the U.S.A. In her own backyard, her husband’s job ensured they saw the diversity of the countryside, from the tropics to the outback, country towns to the cities. She is married to Geoff, who has proven his hero status many times over the years. They have two handsome sons and an assortment of much-loved, previously abandoned animals.
Maxine would love to hear from you and can be contacted through her Web site at www.maxinesullivan.com.
To the three men in my life—
my husband, Geoff, and sons, Anthony and Kevin.
You are my heart.
One
“You’re a father.”
Matt Valente broke into a grin as he sat down on the hotel bed. “I didn’t know I was pregnant.”
“Don’t be smart, Matthew,” Cesare Valente snapped down the telephone line. The founder of the House of Valente perfume dynasty was clearly not amused. “Remember Lana Jensen?”
The smile dropped from Matt’s lips. “She was my top accountant a while back, so yeah, I should remember her.” That perfect body … that beautiful face … those Nordic blue eyes hinting at a Scandinavian heritage that seemed as clear as crystal but were in fact deep and hiding lies.
“She had your baby.”
A baby?
No way.
The only thing she’d had was him.
They’d both been a little tipsy at the office Christmas party and she’d taken advantage of his inebriated state to seduce him. They’d made love on the sofa in his office.
Not that he’d been any less to blame for succumbing to her charms, despite her giving him the come-on for months, her blue gaze skittering away every so often, teasing him with a sensual game of cat and mouse.
Afterward he’d regretted not keeping to his golden rule of no personal involvement with office staff. As chief financial officer for the family business, he didn’t need any complications in the workplace.
“I don’t believe it. She’s lying.”
“I saw the child with my own eyes, Matt. I was in my Mercedes waiting for the light to change when Lana crossed in front of me pushing a small child in a stroller. I checked out the birth certificate. Your name’s on it.”
Matt’s hand tightened around the phone. “Dad, that’s a breach of privacy.”
His.
Hell, if his name was on that birth certificate he needed to sort it out.
“Matt, I did what needed to be done. And that included a background check on Lana.”
Matt’s lips twisted. “Why am I not surprised?”
“It was necessary. She’s the mother of my grandchild.”
“And she’d suitable?” he asked with a touch of sarcasm.
“As far as I’m concerned, yes. Her parents are dead, and she has an uncle who lives in France and is a respected businessman. Do you want to know more? There’s some other information on her family. I can send you the report.”
“No, thanks.” He knew all he needed to know about Lana Jensen. More than enough.
And he needed to make his father see sense.
“Dad, look, you can put any name on a birth certificate. I didn’t think you’d fall for that old trick.”
“She’s a Valente, figlio mio.” Son of mine. “She looked just like you. There’s no doubt in my mind.”
Something odd bounced around in Matt’s chest. “It’s a girl? Er … I mean, she’s a girl?”
“Yes. And I’m delighted. It’s about time we had another little girl in the family.”
Matt grimaced. Girl or boy, it didn’t matter to him. “Well, I’m not.”
“You will be once you see her.”
“Who said I was going to see her?”
“She’s my granddaughter, Matt. If you don’t go to her, then I’ll bring her to you.”
Matt’s jaw clenched. “This is to trick me into getting married, isn’t it? You may have forced Alex and Nick to marry, but I’m not falling for it, Dad.”
A year ago they’d been about to branch into the North American market with their top-selling perfume, Valente’s Woman, when Cesare had threatened to sell the business out from under Alex’s feet if he didn’t marry. Then a couple of months ago, Cesare had promised to give the Valente estate to anyone but his second son, Nick. Both his brothers had been given no choice but to do what their father wanted or lose what they loved most. As youngest son, Matt had decided there was nothing his father could do to him to make him marry.
“Matt, I admit I had no compunction in forcing your two brothers to marry, and I would have found a way to force you to marry, too. Only now I don’t have to, do I? You’ve brought a daughter into this world and you will give that daughter your name. She will be known as a true Valente.”
“Don’t dictate to me, Dad. If this child is mine, and I’m in no way convinced of it, then I’ll give her my name. You can count on it.”
“That’s all I wanted to know. The family jet is at Brisbane Airport waiting for you. Nick and Sasha are already there and will attend the conference dinner in your place.”
His father was like a damn bulldozer at times. Not even the heart attack had stopped his interfering in his sons’ lives.
“I’ve got a date for the dinner tonight.”
“You had a date. I suggest you break it and get back to Sydney tonight and go see the mother of your child as soon as possible. I like Lana and I’m sure she’ll be reasonable.”
At the mention of Lana, his gut clenched, but there was no way he wanted his father to know that. Cesare would somehow use that knowledge in future if he could. He could imagine the older man’s reaction if he ever told him Lana was a thief and that he’d covered up for her without telling anyone. And he couldn’t wholly blame his decision not to report their theft on Cesare’s heart attack at the time either.
“What woman is ever reasonable, Dad?” he mocked.
Cesare laughed and said goodbye, and Matt hung up the phone and went to stand at the window in his hotel suite. He looked out over the sweeping coastline of Queensland’s Gold Coast as the rolling surf of the Pacific Ocean tumbled onto the golden beaches of Australia’s tourist capital.
Tonight he’d planned a romantic dinner and a night of lovemaking with a lady friend of his.
Now he could only think of one woman.
Lana Jensen.
She’d been the only woman he’d made love to without a condom. He’d been so hot for her, and the alcohol he’d consumed had lowered his guard.
But if that child was his—if Lana had lied to him about being protected from a pregnancy—then she’d done more than stolen that fifty thousand dollars from the House of Valente.
She’d just stolen his freedom.
“Oh my God!” Lana gasped a split second after opening her apartment door and seeing the man on the other side. Panic raced through her at the
speed of light. It couldn’t be him. It just couldn’t be.
“Yes, you’d better start praying,” Matt Valente declared.
Recovering hastily, she played for time even as she edged the door shut a fraction. “Matt, what are you doing here?”
“You know the answer to that.”
“I do?”
“Invite me in, Lana.”
Not for all the tea in China.
“Sorry, no. I’m going out shortly.” She started shutting the door with more haste. “Perhaps if you have something to say you can telephone me tomorrow and—”
He pushed past her into the apartment, despite his haste, gently moving her out of the way. “I’ve got plenty to say and I intend on saying it now.”
She tried to hold back her agitation. “Look, you just can’t come in here and—”
“Where is she, Lana?”
Lana froze. “Where is who?”
“My daughter.”
Dear Lord, until that moment she’d been hoping this wasn’t what his visit was about.
“So you know?” she whispered.
“It’s true, then.”
She bit her lip. “No. I mean … er … sure, I had a baby but—”
“Give it up, Lana. She’s my daughter. My father saw you with her on the street and he checked out her birth certificate.”
She gaped at him. “But … but that’s an invasion of my privacy.”
“Do you think he cares?”
Just then a child’s babble issued from the living room and Matt shot her a dark look.
Lana stepped in front of him. “Matt, please. Just leave. Don’t do this.”
“No chance in hell,” he growled, and stepped around her, taking a few paces to the doorway. He went stone still as he saw the little toddler standing up against the playpen railings.
Lana tried not to think about how he must be feeling right now. She told herself not to feel sorry for him. Matt Valente was a playboy who wasn’t ready to settle down or have children. If he was here, it was only because his father had made him come.
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