"I didn't get a chance to. Giorgio did."
"Giorgio? What has he got to do with any of this? I swear if that boy has caused trouble between you two, I will get myself on the first flight out to Italy and bring him back by the short and curlies to apologize!"
Elise had to smile at that mental image.
"I mean it, Elise. He's caused enough trouble in the past. What is it with him and Marco's wives?"
"This isn't Giorgio's fault, Stella. It's mine and mine alone. I should have told Marco the minute I took over, or at least before we got married. Now he doesn't believe a word I say to him. But he was so angry about what Jem had done; I had no choice but to protect her. Then, when we were married, I ... well, I thought, maybe we had a chance, and now… Damn this is all such a mess. He's going to file for divorce the minute he's got full custody of Mimi, and I dread to think what he'll do to Jemima."
"He's not going to divorce you Elise, over my dead body. One divorce is more than enough. Besides, after what I just told him about Mimi, he should be eating out of your hand in gratitude." Stella smiled at her."If it wasn't for all your hard work with those flashcards, I'm sure she would still be locked in her silent world. Now that you're home and can work with her yourself, she'll come on in leaps and bounds, I'm sure. He'll see sense. He loves that little girl to distraction after all."
Stella nodded and patted her arm.
"Mamma G, that is no basis for marriage.You know that, and besides, I can't stay married to man who is just with me out of gratitude. I just can't."
A cold shiver enveloped her at the mere thought of being locked in such a marriage. She wanted so much more than that. Hell, she deserved more than that! She should have told him earlier, but that did not give him the right to treat her like this. And Mamma G was living in fairy land if she thought she would put up with this. Stella's next words shook her out of her reverie.
"Well, well, well, you will have to fight for him then, won't you?"
"I'm sure I don't know what you mean."
Stella's amused smile made Elise's hackle's rise.
"What's so funny, Mamma G? I mean it, and I won't stand for it. Marco doesn't want me, so what's the point?"
"The point is, I had you pegged for someone who fights for those she loves. You've fought for your sister, and you still are, and by golly she doesn't deserve it! So, I reckon you'll get my nephew to see sense. Besides that boy needs you, even if he doesn't fully realize it yet, and Mimi certainly does."
"You're not being fair; you can't ask this of me."
Stella drew her in for an unexpected hug. "I know I can't, but can you honestly walk away from the two of them?"
Elise wanted to say yes, she really did, but instead she shook her head.
"That's my girl. You're a Giovanni now. You belong here; this is your home. Don't let circumstances drive you out of here. He'll come round, you'll see."
****
Marco paused on the doorstep to his study, willing his breathing to calm down. What he had just overheard made his blood boil. He would come round, would he? This time his aunt had gone too far. He was so over her match making interference. He'd wanted to strangle her when she so calmly informed him that she'd known Elise wasn't who he'd thought she was. Was he the only one in this god damn family who hadn't known? And how could he have been such a fool? It was obvious now, looking back on that day when he had first noticed Elise, really noticed her. He had known something was different about her, hadn't he?
His body reacted to her in a way it certainly had never done to her sister. If he hadn't been so occupied listening to his dick, he would have figured this all out earlier. Even now, listening to Elise's soft laugh as she entered the kitchen and talked to Mimi, memories stirred of their honeymoon, and his cock hardened against his will. He'd loved to make her laugh. He'd been a besotted, fucking fool when all the time she had been lying to him. Perhaps she'd only wanted to protect her sister, but she'd still lied to him in the process. What else had she lied about? He'd taken her innocence for granted, assuming her passionate responses to him were just that. What if they had all been part of some scheme to snare him?
And just when he thought he had it figured out there was the thing with Mimi. He'd had an eye opening conversation with Agnes in the kitchen, whilst Elise had her tete a tete with his aunt.
"Papa, sit. Lissss?"
He'd looked at Mimi, still not daring to believe that she was actually speaking, and Agnes had laughed.
"Elise will be here in a minute, won't she, Mr. Marco?"
He'd forced a nod, his heart thudding painfully in his too tight chest when Mimi's little face lit up at the mention of Elise's name.
"The wee one missed her, yae know. Elise was the first thing she said when she started tae talk. Fantastic idea they flashcards are. She made them hersel'. I was skeptical, thought she wis too young, but yer wife, ach… she put me straight. Their wee minds are like sponges, Agnes, she said. Yae see, she understands us; we just need tae encourage her. Swore us all to secrecy, she wanted it tae be a surprise for yae when Mimi talked. I suppose Mimi surprised her, too, in the end, eh?”
"How long, I mean how long had she been working with her, Agnes?"
Agnes screwed her eyes up in her concentration, wiping her hands on her massive apron. "Hmm let's see…Aye, I remember noo. She first mentioned it the day you had that argument wae ‘she who mustnae be named’. Next thing I ken the two of yae are engaged, and she really started working wae her. Every time yae werenae here and that was loads, of course. Hope yer no gonnae leave her on her own again, now yer hame."
"That's really none of your business, Agnes, now is it?"
"Aye, maybe not, but am just saying, newly married and aw that."
Mimi wanted his attention, saving him responding to his forthright housekeeper. Marco smiled grimly remembering that scene. How the fuck was he to deal with that? Women couldn't be trusted; he knew that. He'd learnt it the hard way. Yet that little bundle of curves with her open smile and deep brown eyes and goddamn devotion to his daughter had broken through every one of his defenses until he had been on the verge of – damn it all to hell and back. But she lied to him, and until he truly knew why, he couldn't, he just couldn't. Oh he was so fucked.
Marco poured himself a brandy and cursed as the liqueur spilled all over the paperwork on his desk. His hands shook like a leaf, the blood roared in his ears, as the god awful truth dawned on him. The glass broke in his hand, and the carafe flew against the heavy oak door. He swept the papers off his desk with a groan and slumped in his chair.
She could never know. If she did? Dannazioni, he would leave himself open to a world of hurt. This wasn't some goddamn romance novel after all. Happy ever afters, they didn't exist.
Don't they, Marco? What about Kitty and Alex? What about your parents? They were happy. You were happy with her; admit it. So what are you going to do about it? Are you a man or a mouse?
A soft knock on the door, followed by Elise's hesitant voice brought Marco out of his dark thoughts.
"Marco, are you okay in there? We heard a thud?"
Before he could respond Elise stepped through. She frowned at the mess on the floor. Her worried gaze swept over him. She gasped and all but ran toward him.
"Marco, you're bleeding. What on earth have you done?"
Before he could stop her, she grabbed his hand and used his shirt to wipe the blood off it.
"You've cut yourself. This will need cleaning. What on earth were you thinking? Are you hurt anywhere else? Marco, look at me, what the hell is wrong with you?"
"Nothing, woman, don't fuss. It was an accident. My hand slipped, that's all. Don't pretend to care."
Damn it, she was so believable looking at him as though she did care.
"This is not nothing, Marco, and whether you like it or not I will get this cleaned up for you. You'll scare Mimi otherwise. Stay there, and don't move. I'll be right back."
Her withdrawal hit Marco like a ph
ysical slap, and he was suddenly aware of the ache in his cut hand.
Elise's cheery voice carried through the open door. "It's okay. Daddy is fine. He just dropped something. No, sweetie, he's busy, how about we put some CBeebies on the telly for you? I'll be right there. I just need to get something for Daddy."
Marco shut his eyes and wished he could close his ears, too. Hearing her talking to Mimi like that twisted his guts in on themselves. What was he to believe? Had he not wished for this for longer than he dared to remember? A mother for his little girl, someone to bring out her laughter, and someone to care about him? If only this was real, if only he could trust her, but that could never be.
Elise reappeared just then. Her huge eyes locked with his, and his heart rate sped up at what he saw in their welcoming depths. She frowned and grabbed his hand none too gently.
"Ow, that hurts, woman!"
Elise took no notice, just dabbed a bit more furiously at his cut with the antiseptic and then put a plaster on it. Her hands shook, and he noticed her erratic breathing. Good, he wasn't the only one affected here, damn it.
"There, you'll live, and I suggest you clear this mess up. Hardly fair to have Agnes do it, just because you can't control your temper."
"You haven't seen my temper yet." He forced the words out through clenched teeth.
"And you haven't seen mine! Your daughter wants you, so get yourself cleared up and come and see her. Don't worry. I'll make myself scarce. I know when I'm not wanted."
In the blink of an eye she slammed the door shut behind her. Marco swore softly. His hand still tingled from where she held it, and he would have zip marks on his cock.
Dannazioni, he was so screwed.
Chapter Nineteen
Marco entered his house feeling as though the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. The muted sounds of Mimi's excited giggle, interspersed with Elise's soft voice and Agnes's amused Scottish drawl, did little to alleviate the ice cold hand of dread. It had descended upon his emotions ever since that phone call from his solicitor.
"There has been a development you need to be aware of. We have to really think about how we handle this."
Robert's voice had that grave and extremely irritatingly sympathetic tone to it that always set Marco's teeth on edge.
"Jennifer is on the war path, and her solicitors are sharks. I was afraid this was going to happen. She's never given you trouble before, but this thing with Elise. It seems Jennifer really objects to your marriage. Elise's past is not exactly helping."
"I'm well aware of my wife's past. She's not the one on trial here, so leave her out of this, and do your job, will you?"
"Marco, you're being unreasonable. If we just pull back a little, then, well this is volatile to say the least. The man is dead, and these people mean business."
"Do what I pay you for, Johnson. I will deal with the sister myself. You just need to concentrate on the court case, and get that bitch out of our lives for good."
"But, with all due respect, your wife will..."
"My wife is my responsibility, Johnson, and you damn well better remember that when you're referring to Elise. Make sure those you deal with remember that, too. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"
Marco ground his teeth in frustration. His hand still itched to punch something. The grueling session at the gym had done little to help him relax or get a grip on his emotions. What the fuck was he going to do?
Ever since that thick brown envelope had arrived two days ago he'd been on the verge of confronting Elise. Every time the rapport she had with Mimi had stopped him, so he'd simply glared at her. And Elise met him glare for glare. His little pasticcino was clearly pissed off with him. Her eyes spat fire at him every time he came too close. He could almost see the bricks going up one by one. The gulf between them widened with every passing day.
As though he was the one at fault here, damn it. He had every right to have her watched. And after what he learned today, he had a good mind to lock her and Mimi inside the house for their own protection.
He pulled the envelope with those damning pictures across the desk towards him. The resemblance was uncanny. He had been fucking fooled, hadn't he? And her sister was still using Elise's name. She hid out in her flat, putting them all in danger. He had to act, and he had to act soon.
His expression turned grim, recalling the heated conversation he had had with Elise only this morning.
She'd tip-toed out of Mimi's room and run straight into him.
"What are you doing?" she had whispered, putting some distance between them and folding her arms around herself.
"I could ask you the same thing, lady? Why are you prowling around the house at this hour?"
His voice was rougher than he'd intended it to be. His body still tingled with awareness where her soft curves had collided with him. He balled his hands into fists at his sides to stop him from reaching out and pulling her back into his frame. Her unique smell wrapped itself around his senses calling him home, and it had taken all of his will power to step away from her. He could beat this. He had to.
"I was checking on your daughter, and I couldn't sleep, not that it's any of your business, Marco. Step out of my way, so that I can go back to bed."
He'd stepped away slowly. Her next words hit him like an ice cold shower.
"Or am I not even allowed to roam freely in this house now? What the hell do you think I'm going to do, Marco Giovanni? Smuggle Jemima in through the back door?"
"That wouldn't be wise, wife."
"Oh don't worry. I don't want my sister anywhere near you."
She'd stalked off, the click of the lock on her door impossibly loud in the quiet house. He could have sworn he heard her cry behind that door. Damn it all, he had given up on sleep himself and had left the house for work impossibly early. When he returned just after lunch he was greeted with the delicious aroma of baking and Mimi's giggling.
Merda, he wasn't achieving anything staring at these pictures. He wasn't any closer to a solution that wouldn't drive the wedge between him and Elise even further in. The phone started ringing in the hall way, and he could hear Agnes answer it before calling Elise.
The catch in Elise's voice made him crack his door open wider and listen. He stepped out and smiled despite himself at the sight that greeted him.
Elise dressed in jeans shorts and a tank top, had a small towel tucked inside her waistband, presumably in an effort to protect her clothes. It clearly hadn't worked. She was covered in flour, hundreds and thousands, and bits of various colored icing sugar. Her hair had escaped its ponytail and when she turned around the streak of flour on her cheek made his grin widen.
"I've got to go. I'll see what I can do. I'm sorry, too." Elise replaced the receiver.
The worried expression in her big eyes when they locked with his,senta trickle of unease down his spine. A similarly covered Mimi burst into the hallway and broke the moment.
"Papa, uddle," She threw herself at him in a cloud of flour, sticky arms, and even sticker cuddles. His heart felt lighter immediately. It was so damn unbelievably good to see her happy and carefree.
"Hey, bambina piccola, what have you been doing? Falling into a flour bale?"
"Ah nincompoop!"
"Excuse me, Mimi?" Marco couldn't help but laugh. Nincompoop seemed to be Mimi's favorite word, and neither he nor Elise had the heart to tell her off for using it. The result of which was that she used it all the time.
"I believe what Mimi is trying to say is that you shouldn't be here, and what we did is a surprise," Elise chuckled. She stepped close enough for the hair on his neck to react to her presence.
"Here, let me take her. She's getting you all covered in muck. Your tailor will never forgive me. What are you doing home this early?"
"My tailor can go hang himself. I've got her, Elise. It’s okay. What surprise?"
"Urprise papa, lissss not tell!"
"You heard your daughter, Marco. It's a surprise, and I'm not to tel
l."
"Si, urprise, own, nes now!"
Marco made himself put her down, and Mimi skipped back towards the kitchen leaving a cloud of flour in her wake.
"I can't believe how much she is talking, now. Every day she seems to be learning a new word. Are you still working with her?"
Elise looked at him warily. She shook her head and tried to get past him, but he stepped in front of her and grasped her elbow.
"Please, Elise, I just want to talk. We can be civil to each other, can't we?"
Another wary look from her, and she dropped her eyes, and worried her bottom lip with her teeth.
"Believe it or not, I'm only trying to protect you, pasticcino."
Elise huffed and tried to shake his arm off, but he wouldn't let her. They were going to have that conversation, and she was not going to like what he had to say.
****
Elise couldn't breathe. He was too close, and he looked too damn sexy. He hadn't shaved that morning giving him that dangerous look. Mimi's cuddle had left him covered in splurges of flour that had her hands itching to brush them off him. He had unbuttoned the buttons on his shirt, his tie hung loose, the sleeves rolled back to reveal strong forearms, dusted with black hair, and every time he moved the hint of his scent wrapped itself round every one of her female senses.
And far worse than that, the stormy blue eyes searching her face held none of their usual frost, but looked at her with male appreciation and some other emotion that made her heart rate speed up. She took a step towards him before she realized what she was doing.
Oh great going, girl, why not wear a big neon sign, pronouncing I'm yours any time you look at me with kind eyes. Get. A.Grip.
His next words were the equivalent of a cold shower.
"Who was on the phone, Elise?"
She couldn't look at him when she mumbled,"No one important."
The grip on her arm tightened, and he swung her round into his study with a muffled curse.
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