by Anna James
He pulled into the driveway a short time later, stopped the engine and turned to look at her. “Why did you do it, Sophia?”
She stared straight ahead. “Do what?”
He growled. “You’re playing games again.”
She dropped her head in her hands. “I’m not playing games. I don’t know what you’re talking about. What could I have done to piss you off since we stepped into the restaurant?”
He let out a harsh breath. This wasn’t about tonight. “Why did you lie to me six years ago?”
Her body tensed, her head jerked up and wide, emerald green eyes locked with his. “I didn’t lie to you.”
“Oh yes, you did. You made a fool out of me.”
“That was never my intent.”
The memory of her father showing up at his apartment slammed into his brain. “Why didn’t you tell me you were Gil Baker’s daughter?”
“You knew who I was from the moment we met.”
“Are you saying you never made the connection?”
She crossed her arms over her chest and glared over at him. “No.”
“How could you not?”
“You told me your boss was a presenter at the conference, Dante. My father was only one of the people who spoke that evening.”
“Fine, but what about my business meeting with him three weeks later? I told you my boss was in town from LA.”
“He never said what he was doing or who he was meeting with. Was I supposed to assume that of all the people in New York my father could possibly be doing business with that person was you?”
“Again, how could you not?”
“I was nineteen and in college, Dante. I really didn’t pay much attention to what my father was in town for.”
A hard knot formed in his stomach. Learning he’d become involved with his new boss’s daughter was bad enough. Realizing she was only nineteen had gutted him. “A twenty-eight-year-old man has no right getting involved with a nineteen-year-old chi—”
She jerked her head up and glared at him. “Don’t you dare call me a child. I was a legal adult.”
“I took your virginity.”
“Well, you certainly didn’t have a problem with it at the time.”
“You had to realize I assumed you were at least twenty-one. We went out to bars all the time. ”
Her lips tightened into a thin white line. “Would you have gone out with me if I’d told you?”
“You know damn well I wouldn’t have!”
“I wanted to be with you, Dante. It was as simple as that.”
Dante sneered. “So you kept quiet and manipulated me into doing something that goes against every moral principle I have?”
She shook her head vigorously. “It wasn’t like that. You wanted me as much as I wanted you. I didn’t see any harm… Damn it, Dante. I never meant to hurt you.”
He snorted. Yeah, like he believed that.
“I’m sorry. I really am.”
The groan she made just before the car door flung open sounded like a wounded animal, then she tumbled out and raced inside.
Chapter Nine
The loud rapping on her door at the Baker Investment offices late the following afternoon had Sophia jerking her head up quickly from the computer screen. Clair stood in the open doorway.
Her heart sank. She’d hoped Dante had finally come to see her. He’d been locked behind closed doors since arriving at the office this morning, avoiding her, she assumed.
He had a right to be angry with her for the way she’d behaved six years ago. Regardless of her intention, she had played games and manipulated him to get what she wanted without sparing one thought of what he might think if he knew the truth.
She hadn’t lied to him. He’d never asked her age, but she’d known from the things they’d talked about, and yes, the pubs and bars they went to, Dante assumed she was older. She’d made no attempt to correct him.
At nineteen, she hadn’t thought withholding such a minor detail would do any harm. Heck, she hadn’t thought about it at all, not really. They’d been happy together. Happier than she’d been in a long time. And she hadn’t wanted the happiness to end. Didn’t want to go back to the bleak existence she’d experienced after her mother’s death.
She’d wound up there anyway. No, losing Dante had been worse than the gloom she’d experienced after her mother died. Much worse.
Clair arched up a brow. “Don’t look so thrilled to see me.”
“Sorry. What’s up?”
“Do you want to grab dinner with me tonight? David’s meeting with clients and I hate eating alone.”
“When did you want to leave?”
“Now. It’s already after six and I’m hungry.”
Sophia shook her head. “I need to see Dante—”
“Dante went home this morning.”
Her eyes widened. He went home? “As in back to New York?”
Clair shrugged. “I assume so, but he didn’t actually say.”
The breath whooshed out of her. “Do you know why?”
“No, I don’t. I only spoke to him for a moment before he bolted out of here. He seemed upset, though. Didn’t he call you? He said he would on the way to the airport.”
Sophia grabbed her purse from the bottom desk drawer, reached inside and extracted her phone. Damn. “I must have forgotten to turn it on after leaving the police station this morning.”
“What were you doing at the police station?”
“The officer wanted to follow up with me on my car.”
“Right, did you hear from the repair shop as to when you’ll get it back?”
Sophia hit the “on” button. “Not yet.” The flashing red light in the corner of the Blackberry caught her eye. “But, there are two voice messages waiting to be heard. Hopefully one is about the car.”
“So do you want to do dinner?”
Sophia nodded. “Sure.”
“Great. I’ll grab my things and be back in a flash.”
After Clair disappeared, she keyed in the password on the phone and listened. The first message played. “Hello, Ms. Hamilton, this is Jeff Smith from East-West Auto Insurance. I’m calling about the claim you made against your policy.” He rattled off a reference number and then went on. “Unfortunately, I have some bad news. After speaking with our adjustor, we have decided to total your car.”
Sophia gasped.
“The repairs to fix your vehicle will cost more than the car is worth. You should receive a check from us, based on the Kelley Blue Book value, in approximately ten business days. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call.”
No, no, no. She didn’t want a new car. She wanted her old car back. It had been a gift from her father when she’d graduated with her Master’s degree. It couldn’t be replaced.
The second missive began. Dante’s hard, angry voice grated over the line. “Something came up. I’ll be gone for a while.” The line went dead.
Sophia shook her head. Talk about a cryptic message. “What came up?” she muttered aloud. “And how long is a while?”
“Sophia?”
She glanced up. “Yes?”
Clair frowned. “Who are you talking to?”
She laughed. “No one. Are you ready to go?”
“Yes.”
Sophia dropped the phone in her purse, grabbed her computer bag and they headed toward the door.
“Little David has a craving for salt tonight.”
“Okay, salt it is. How about Chinese?”
“No, he wants pizza again. Sausage with some pepperoni.”
Sophia’s brow arched. “Again? How many nights in a row has little David craved sausage and pepperoni pizza?”
“This is the fifth.”
“Good lord, no wonder your husband is di
ning with a client tonight.”
Clair grinned. “Can’t help it. It’s what LD wants. So, what do you say? Deep dish from the place around the corner?”
The pizza place around the corner. Where she and Dante had gone. Sophia stopped short. “No.”
Clair shrugged her shoulders. “Okay. I suppose we can go for Chinese.”
Dante’s bitter, accusing voice echoed in her head. You manipulated me into doing something that goes against every moral principle I have. She sucked in a ragged breath and blinked furiously. Dante left. Again.
“What’s wrong, Sophia?”
“I’ve ruined everything,” she whispered. Lord, what a fool she’d been.
“With Dante?” Clair asked.
Sophia nodded.
“Okay, change of plan. Forget Chinese and the pizza place around the corner. We’re going back to my place.”
“I really don’t want—”
Clair held up a hand to stop her protest. “I’ve got a tub of Haagen-Dazs in the freezer and two spoons, or a bottle of your favorite wine if you prefer. We’ll kick back on the sofa and watch a chick flick on-demand and you can finally tell me the truth about what happened all those years ago with you and Dante.”
Sophia jerked her head up and Clair laughed.
“You didn’t think I bought the story you told me when I overheard you and Trey talking about Dante at your father’s funeral—did you?”
Sophia nodded. “Well, um…”
“Come on, Soph, give me a little credit. My question is, do you still love him?”
Sophia shook her head vigorously. “Absolutely not.”
Chapter Ten
Sophia rose from the banquet table and shook Lucas Morgan’s hand. “Thank you again for agreeing to meet with me tomorrow and giving Baker Investments the opportunity to help plan your financial future.”
Lucas flashed a brilliant smile. “My pleasure.”
Heat shimmered in Lucas’s dark eyes as he lifted her hand and pressed a gentle kiss in her palm. A nervous laugh escaped from her parted lips.
“Until tomorrow.”
She extracted her hand from his grip. He winked at her and then wandered off.
She wanted to pump her fists in the air and shout out her excitement. She’d just landed a meeting with Lucas Morgan, owner of the new high end Acquati Hotels. The Morgan wealth was legendary, and managing Lucas’s finances would help put Baker Investments in the black and keep the company there for years to come.
And she’d gotten Lucas to meet with her.
Thank goodness she’d changed her mind and decided to come to this conference tonight. She hadn’t wanted to, and not just because it reminded her of the night when she and Dante first met. More, she’d dreaded giving what should have been her father’s presentation on investment strategies to this large group of investors, but it paid off.
Developing recommendations would be tricky since Lucas hadn’t provided the sum of money she’d have to work with. This was more of a let’s-see-if-you’ve-got-what-it-takes-to-advise-me kind of meeting and she needed to get started as soon as possible. It helped to know he was interested in acquiring hotels, in the right location, of course, here in LA, and in New York City.
A jolt in the back had her whirling around.
“Please excuse… Sophia.” James Kane smiled, grasped her hands in his and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “It’s good to see you again. Congratulations. You gave an excellent speech this evening.”
“Thank you.”
“With your expertise you’d make an excellent addition to the Myer and Kane team. My offer still stands. Any chance you’ll change your mind?”
She shook her head. “I appreciate your offer, but as I said before, I’ve taken over for my father at Baker.”
“Well, if things don’t work out…”
She eyed him curiously. Was he issuing a subtle threat? Had he sent Malcolm to stir up trouble and try to steal her clients? Regardless, she wouldn’t let him intimidate her. “I’m not worried. Baker Investments will be just fine, thank you.”
His eyes turned serious. “Be careful, Sophia. There were reasons why we let Dante go. Why your father chose to take him on is beyond me. He can’t be trusted as far as I’m concerned. It was your father’s good name and reputation that made Baker Investments the success it is today. Don’t let Dante do anything to destroy his legacy.”
She forced herself to remain calm and show no reaction, but had to swallow hard to clear the lump in her throat. Dante worked for Myer and Kane? He’d been fired? Had her father known before he came on board with the company?
“People like Dante don’t change. Remember that. Take care now,” he added and moved on.
Sophia stared after him for long moments, his words reverberating in her mind. Good lord, what had Dante done? Or was James Kane trying to scare her? She wouldn’t put it past him to try and drive her and Dante further apart.
Across the room, Dante stood talking with a small group of people. He glanced up as if realizing she was watching him. They didn’t need an outsider to drive them apart. Dante had done a good job of that on his own. A week away and not once did he contact her. Then, he showed up here.
She shook her head. One thing was certain. She wouldn’t let anyone, including Dante Leone, James Kane or Malcolm Foster, for that matter, ruin what her father had built. Saving her father’s business mattered most to her. Signing Lucas Morgan would help insure Baker’s future, but that wouldn’t happen if she hung around here lamenting over Dante. She needed to go home and prepare a proposal for Lucas—one that would guarantee his signing on as a Baker client. Grabbing her purse, she headed toward the exit.
“You’re leaving—already?”
Sophia stopped in mid-stride, turned and faced Dante. “I have work to do. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” Lord, the man infuriated her. Not one damned phone call the entire time he’d been away.
Dante shook his head. “Whatever it is you have to do can wait. This is a business meeting. We’re supposed to be networking, developing new clients, which I’ve been doing since I arrived. You, on the other hand, have been sitting with one person all evening. And now you’re leaving,” He glanced down at his watch, “Over an hour and a half early.”
How could he stand there and accuse her of avoiding her Baker responsibilities when he disappeared for a week without one word of when he’d return?
He crossed his hands over his chest. “Well?”
Sophia sucked in a deep breath and counted to ten. She would not let him lure her into a fight. “As it happens, I’ve been doing the same thing. Do you happen to know who I sat with tonight?”
“No.”
“Lucas Morgan.”
Dante’s jaw dropped open. Good, she thought, and resisted the urge to give him a smug smile. It wouldn’t do any good to make him angrier than he already was, although it would definitely make her feel better.
Color invaded his cheeks. “I didn’t recognize him.”
She hadn’t either. Not at first. The notorious playboy featured in the media had curly, shoulder-length hair with golden highlights, an easy smile, and a devil-may-care attitude. The man seated next to her tonight was the exact opposite. Absent were the blond streaks in his now cropped dark hair. A classic navy blue business suit replaced his trademark designer-sheik casual clothing. The easy smile remained, as did a hint of the cavalier demeanor, judging by the kiss he’d placed on her palm. “He cleans up nicely.”
Dante scowled. “Once a player, always a player, as far as I’m concerned. And judging by his behavior with you this evening I’d say you are his latest conquest.”
No, she is. Or maybe it was the other way around. The tall, voluptuous woman with long, dark hair stepped closer, put a hand on Lucas’s arm and smiled coyly. Lucas’s eyes darkened and… Holy crap! Not just any woman
. The same woman, the goddess, who had accompanied Dante to the nightclub in Hollywood a few weeks ago. What was her name?
“Sophia!”
She jerked her gaze back to him. “What?”
He turned to see what had gotten her attention. His hands clenched into fists and he swore under his breath.
“Wait here,” he commanded.
“No.” She didn’t have time to wait around while Dante chased Lucas away from his woman.
His eyes narrowed. “No?”
She straightened her shoulders and stared back at him. “You’ll make a fool of yourself if you go running in there and try to break them apart. Is that what you want?”
He glared at her. “Fine, then tell me why you’re leaving early.”
So this was how their partnership was going to work? He could go off and do whatever he pleased and didn’t have to account for his comings and goings, but she had to answer to him. Lord, she wanted to scream at the injustice, but lashing out wouldn’t serve any purpose. Focus on what matters—Baker Investments. “Lucas asked me to meet with him tomorrow morning to review his finances. He wanted my advice on investing in some property among other things. I was heading home to do some research.”
Why should she bother to explain when he wasn’t even paying attention? He couldn’t take his eyes off his goddess. “I can see you’re upset by…” The fact your girlfriend is putting major moves on a gorgeous, sexy guy—and Lucas was definitely that. She’d have to be blind not to notice. Not to mention charming—and right in front of your face. “By…the recent turn of events.”
He frowned. “Lucas Morgan asked you for financial advice?”
“Yes.”
His eyes widened.
“Don’t look so shocked.” His lack of trust in her—in her expertise, even after she’d won back the Brown account, gutted her. “Contrary to what you believe, I—”
“Oh, for God’s sake, Sophia, I wasn’t questioning your abilities as a financial advisor. I’m surprised he’d ask anyone here.”
“Well, he did.”
Dante’s head swiveled back to watch the other couple.
She sighed. “I can cancel if you’d rather I not.”