Sicilian's Shock Proposal

by Carol Marinelli

  ‘They think he’s going to be there when the ruling is made,’ Luka said. ‘Hopefully he can slip out of the infirmary before the press work it out. Is there anything else that I need to know?’

  ‘I don’t think so. We can talk over dinner.’

  ‘I’ve changed my mind about dinner,’ he said.

  ‘Where are you going?’ Sophie asked, as he went to walk out.

  ‘What the hell does it have to with you?’ he asked.

  ‘If we’re supposed to be engaged...’

  ‘The games begin tomorrow, Sophie.’ He came right up to her face. ‘Tomorrow we lie in that bed, tomorrow we pretend that we care. I’ve just realised that tonight I don’t have to even pretend that I like you, so I won’t. I intend to enjoy my last night of freedom before my sentence begins.’

  He walked off and Sophie knew she should hold her tongue but it had never been her forte. ‘Oh, I’m sorry to have thrown such a spanner into your charmed life.’

  ‘Charmed?’ Luka turned. ‘Tell me, Sophie, what part of my life exactly is charmed? I’ve worked eighteen-hour days for this. You talk as if it has been handed to me on a plate.’

  ‘The share in a hotel from Daddy was a rather nice start.’

  ‘He had nothing to do with it. I worked for that myself,’ Luka said. ‘What I didn’t say in court was that I knew for years that my father was rotten to the core and that your father was his yes-man. So, tell me more about this charmed life, Sophie. When I came back to London I practically had to go on my knees to my partners at the hotel. Six months in prison takes some explaining. Do you really think my colleagues embraced me on my return? Do you not think that I had to prove over and over that I could be trusted?’

  She stood with pale lips as he told her how things had been for him.

  ‘Do you not think that when somebody looks me up and finds out that I was in prison, awaiting trial, for six months that it doesn’t slur my name? I took nothing from my father. I have done everything I can to make right what he did. I handed back everything that man gave me. The only thing I couldn’t return was the education. You can’t unlearn things unfortunately but God knows there are things I’ve tried to forget...’

  He was talking about them, Sophie knew it. He was back in his bed and taking her for the first time with his eyes. ‘I washed my hands of Bordo Del Cielo. I only came back that time to rid myself of you once and for all. I should never have opened that door to you!’ Even before she could move he grabbed her wrist. ‘Slap me again...’ Luka warned.

  ‘And you’ll slap me back?’ Sophie challenged, and she didn’t understand because he almost smiled.

  Yes, he almost smiled because on so many levels she matched him and in so many ways he adored her. How he would love to end this row in a different way, to kiss her right now into submission, yet he refused that pleasure for himself.

  ‘Slap me again,’ he amended, ‘and before the fingermarks have faded the engagement will be off and you can tell your father why if you must. I mean it, Sophie, and you should know that I don’t give second warnings.’

  She stood there and he had won but even as he passed the finish line he kept on sprinting.

  ‘I’m going out now and I’m going to be with a woman who does not question, a woman who is sweet and warm...’

  ‘Give Claudia my love,’ Sophie spat, and hoped that the fact she knew his lover’s name meant that she sailed past him on shock value alone, but Luka just grinned at the jealous snarl to her voice.

  ‘Claudia?’ Luka checked.

  ‘You were with her at Hotel Fiscella.’

  ‘Because Matteo and I are thinking of buying it,’ Luka said, and Sophie was grateful that she had handed in her notice as she realised how close she had come to having Luka as her boss. ‘Claudia is one of my lawyers.’

  ‘She was there for the purchase of the hotel?’

  ‘No,’ Luka said. ‘I hired her to get your father released.’

  She stood there frozen to the spot, hating how he was always one step ahead, how this man continued to sideswipe her.

  ‘Why?’ Sophie asked. ‘Why would you hire a lawyer to get my father out?’

  No, he didn’t tell her about the necklace burning a hole in his pocket and the hellish guilt that had made it his mission to see Paulo freed.

  ‘For this moment, Sophie.’ Luka lied. ‘So that you would come to my office and ask me to be with you. For the pleasure of lying in bed with you and doing nothing...’ Black was his smile.

  ‘Why do you hate me so much?’

  ‘You’ll work it out,’ Luka said. ‘I’m going out now. I’ll see you tomorrow when the real games begin.’

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  SHE DIDN’T WANT her father to be released.

  Sophie decided she must surely be the most terrible daughter in history because at midday, when still nothing had been said on the news, when still the judge had not ruled, she had this brief fantasy that his application would be denied and she could walk out of the apartment and away from Luka without a single word.

  Instead, late in the afternoon, she got a text.

  Your father has left the infirmary and will be with you shortly. The judge made his ruling in private for security reasons. It will shortly be announced.

  Aside from the hell of what lay ahead, Sophie still wondered what sort of a nightmare her father’s release might have been without the well-oiled machine of Luka’s life swinging into action.

  She saw on the news the crush of reporters both at the court and another group that was now outside the prison infirmary and she shuddered at the thought of her and Bella dealing with this.

  Even as the journalists jockeyed for position at the prison gates Paulo was sitting in Luka’s home.

  ‘I thought Luka would be here,’ Paulo said.

  ‘He was at court,’ Sophie said. ‘He has been keeping me up to date with all that is going on.’

  ‘It is a beautiful home,’ her father said, and then he looked at the view from a huge leather chair. ‘Is there a balcony? I would like to breathe fresh air...’

  ‘There’s a balcony in your room and there is also a rooftop garden,’ Sophie said.

  ‘I would never make the stairs.’

  ‘There’s an elevator.’ Luka deep voice caught her unawares and again, to the sound of him, she jumped, not that her father noticed.

  ‘Luka!’ She heard the sheer joy in her father’s voice as he pushed himself to stand and then she watched Luka’s eyes briefly shutter as he embraced the old man.

  ‘Thank you,’ Paulo said in a heartfelt voice as he took Luka into his arms. ‘Thank you for all you did. I know it was you who got me out...’

  ‘Nonsense.’ Luka’s voice was gruff. ‘The judge was right, there were many mistakes made at the trial. You deserve to have your freedom.’

  ‘You knew it was Luka who was behind this?’ Sophie checked.

  ‘Of course,’ Paulo said. ‘There are not many files that just happen to be picked up. I knew that it had to be you.’

  ‘Father?’ Sophie frowned because her father sounded far more together than he had in recent weeks. ‘Were you pretending to be confused?’

  ‘Sometimes.’ He smiled.

  ‘He’s not really sick,’ Luka said, and then he saw Sophie’s horrified expression at the thought that they might be stuck in this lie for ever so he relented. ‘That was a joke.’

  ‘Ha-ha,’ Sophie said, and then she looked at her father and she knew in her heart that he didn’t have long and yet somehow he was here and they were together.

  It was agony.

  For Paulo the best wine sat breathing up on the rooftop. Sophie had spent the long day waiting for news, cooking her father’s favourite pasta sauce, which he ate with relish.

 
‘It tastes of home,’ Paulo said. ‘Almost.’

  She glanced at Luka’s plate.

  It was untouched.

  She watched as Luka poured three glasses and her father reached for his.

  ‘Should you be drinking?’ Sophie checked. ‘You are on a lot of medication.’

  ‘You are your mother’s daughter.’ Paulo laughed. ‘I just got out of prison.’

  ‘Even so...’

  ‘You worry too much,’ Paulo chided.

  ‘Someone has to.’

  Luka glanced over at Sophie’s slightly bitter retort. She had dealt with so much, that Luka knew—moving so that she could be close to her father, giving up her dreams of working on the cruise liners.

  Letting go of them?

  Had that been what she had been doing on the beach that night? Luka briefly pondered.

  What did it matter now?

  The past was closed.

  They just had the present to get through and despite Paulo’s slight second wind from his release, Luka knew the charade would not play out for long.

  ‘So.’ Paulo looked over at Luka. ‘What are your plans for my daughter?’

  ‘I learnt a long time ago that it is foolish to make plans on Sophie’s behalf,’ Luka responded. ‘She is her own person.’

  He looked at Sophie’s tense expression. There was a curl of thought forming but he soon lost that thread because Paulo was making grand plans.

  ‘I’d like to have a party,’ Paulo said. ‘We never toasted your engagement.’

  ‘There’s no need for a party,’ Sophie said. ‘We don’t need a fuss to be made.’

  ‘I would like to celebrate.’ Paulo was insistent. ‘Just a small gathering.’

  He started to cough and Sophie took him inside, leaving Luka sitting out there.

  ‘Please, Sophie,’ her father said as she helped him to bed. ‘I want some photos for you to keep. I want a night we can all remember...’

  She didn’t need photos to remember this, Sophie thought as she came out of her father’s bedroom.

  ‘He’s asleep,’ she said.

  ‘Lucky him.’ Luka’s response was curt. ‘I might take one of the spare rooms—’ Luka started, but any hope of pulling that particular piece of wool over Paulo’s eyes faded as his bedroom door opened.

  ‘Could you bring me my wine from the table?’

  ‘Father!’

  ‘Stop fussing,’ Paulo said. ‘And can you show me how the radio works? I would like to fall to sleep to music.’

  As Sophie headed up to the rooftop garden he smiled at Luka. ‘Where do you two sleep?’ Paulo checked. ‘Just in case I need Sophie in the night. I won’t come in, of course. I’ll just knock.’

  ‘Sophie sleeps in that room,’ Luka attempted. ‘I have the main one.’

  ‘Please!’ Paulo was laughing as Sophie reappeared with his wine. ‘Your fiancé is trying to tell me you have separate rooms! I am not that old-fashioned that you have to pretend.’

  ‘Great!’ Luka hissed, as they finally closed the door to his room.

  ‘I told you that he’d never buy us sleeping apart.’

  ‘I just never envisaged the hell it would be.’

  Sophie went into the bathroom and undressed. She put on a small nightdress and took a few calming breaths before heading out.

  Luka wasn’t about to scuttle off to the bathroom to change and was still stripping off as she slipped into bed.

  ‘He wants this party.’

  ‘Then he can have one. I will call Matteo,’ Luka said. ‘I’ll ask him to fly in.’

  ‘He might let it slip that we haven’t been together very long.’

  ‘Why would he let it slip?’ Luka frowned. ‘Matteo knows what is going on, he’s a good friend. He knows that this is all just a ruse.’

  ‘You’ve told him?’

  ‘Why wouldn’t I tell him, Sophie? We work together, we are in business together, we grew up together. I don’t keep secrets from people who matter to me any more.’

  ‘I could ask Bella.’

  ‘Whatever you want. I’ll ring him now.’

  ‘But it’s nearly midnight.’

  ‘Yes,’ Luka snapped. ‘I’m early to bed tonight.’

  ‘Can you go one hour without reminding me about your active sex life?’

  ‘Why does it bother you so much, Sophie?’

  She didn’t answer.

  Luka laughed at her non-reaction and got into bed. He called Matteo and lay chatting to his friend. Yes, it was hell being engaged, he told him, and then he was serious.

  ‘We’re going to have a small party for Paulo,’ Luka said. ‘Will you be able to fly in? Sophie might ask Bella...’ There was a pause before Luka spoke again. ‘Of course it’s not a problem. Bring anyone you choose.’

  He hung up.

  ‘He can only make it tomorrow,’ Luka said.

  ‘Tomorrow?’

  ‘He has an important meeting to prepare for in Dubai. Is tomorrow a problem?’

  ‘Of course not.’

  ‘Oh, and he’s bringing his girlfriend.’

  Sophie decided against asking Bella. She knew how crushed she be to see Matteo with another woman.

  ‘I’ll keep it simple,’ Sophie said, thinking, as she always had to, about money. ‘I might just make his favourite meals...’

  ‘Get it catered,’ Luka said. ‘Today was an exception. I understand you wanted to give him a taste of home tonight but I’m telling you this much—if you were my fiancée you wouldn’t have spent the day slaving and making sauce when there are the best restaurants across the street. Get someone to come and dress the garden and organise the music...’ He stopped then. ‘Sorry, I forget that you’re an events organiser.’

  Sophie was sure he knew she’d been lying.

  ‘Is he driving you mad yet?’ Luka asked, and Sophie gave a reluctant smile, because her father was driving her a little crazy. ‘Are you starting to remember why you were only too willing to leave?’

  ‘A bit,’ Sophie admitted. ‘I am sick of him saying I am just like my mother.’

  ‘She had him under her thumb,’ Luka said.

  They lay in bed and it felt impossibly awkward, or at least it did for Sophie. Luka seemed completely fine with it. His hand was beneath the sheet and she blinked when she realised he was arranging himself in his underwear, then he saw her shocked look but merely shrugged.

  ‘I’ve got an erection. I’m just moving it.’ He grinned at her shocked expression. ‘Don’t worry, I’m not going to come near you.’

  ‘You’re in a very good mood.’

  ‘I know,’ Luka said. ‘I thought it would be hell but I’m really enjoying myself. I like seeing your father free and I love watching you edgy and able to do nothing about it.’

  Then he did the cruellest thing.

  He kissed her on the tip of her nose and two minutes later he was asleep.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  LUKA WOKE UP AND for the first morning in his life it was the right face on the pillow next to him.

  He examined her beautiful face and he looked at where one breast had fallen out of her nightdress. Their legs were loosely entwined, hers over one of his and beneath the other.

  She was loyal, she was fierce and she matched him.

  He knew their dance, even if it had only been a short one.

  He knew the steps, for their souls were familiar.

  And she would never forgive him for what his father had done.

  If she did, it wouldn’t be for long. In the heat of the moment his father’s sins would be raised and then hurled at him in her, oh, so Sicilian way.

  And he would not live like that.

  He wished
it were different.

  If he could change one thing about her, would he, though?

  It would be like trimming the corner off a work of art, or like removing one letter from the alphabet and watching one’s words fall apart.

  ‘Why are you staring at me?’ Sophie asked as her brown eyes opened to his.

  ‘Because you’re in my bed and there is not much else to look at.’ Then his eyes drifted down to her exposed breast and he gave a lazy smile as she tucked herself in.

  ‘See,’ Luka said, ‘it’s rude when I rearrange myself, but not when you do.’

  ‘Hard again, Luka?’ Sophie smiled.

  ‘That’s for me to know,’ Luka answered, and didn’t even roll over as she climbed out of bed and went to her wardrobe.

  She had no idea what to wear. Bella had made her plenty of stunning clothes but none were very practical for making coffee so instead she took out one of his shirts.

  ‘How’s the phobia?’ Luka asked. ‘Last time you put on one of my shirts there were ten policemen in the bedroom. You seem remarkably calm—no flashbacks?’

  She didn’t bother answering him. Instead, she went to make coffee and didn’t look up when Luka came through. He was wearing a suit and looked ready for the office.

  ‘I thought you’d take today off.’

  ‘No.’

  ‘I thought—’

  ‘I have an office here in Rome and I have a lot of work that needs to be done. Anyway, I thought it might be nice for you to have a day with your father, without being on edge with me here.’

  ‘I’m going to take him in some breakfast,’ Sophie said.

  ‘The doctor is coming at nine to check up on him,’ Luka said, and he put a credit card on the bench.

  ‘What’s this for?’

  ‘The caterers and things.’

  ‘I can cover that,’ Sophie lied. She really had been intending to spend the day cooking and doing what she could to prepare for tonight.

  ‘Please, don’t say you will get this. You asked me to go along with things as if we were together. Well, that is how it would be. Book the caterers, get the garden looking beautiful. I have never heard of your business so I don’t know how easy it will be for you to arrange things with no notice. Use my name, you won’t have a problem’