him go away and leave her alone. ‘Because…Because…’ Invention failed her. Oh, God, what could she say? Her mind flailed around seeking inspiration and locked on to the first it could find. ‘I was th-thinking of, um…opening my own studio,’ she told him, her hands gesturing uneasily. ‘At one time,’ she added, hoping he would accept that, but the scoffing look he sent her spoke of her failure.
‘I might have believed it had your name been Smith or Brown, but my name sounds professional to me. So tell me, amore, why didn’t you call yourself Sofie Antonetti? You were entitled to, as my wife.’
‘Stop calling me that!’ she snapped, nerves so ragged she could scream.
Her response brought a sardonic curl to his lips. ‘Why? It’s who you are,’ he told her mockingly. ‘SofieAntonetti, my wife.’
Her lips parted on a faint gasp, whilst shock slammed her again. Surely he couldn’t mean…‘But…I told you not to try and find me, to forget me. I thought…’
Lucas tipped his head on one side. ‘That I would divorce you. Think again, Mrs Antonetti. There was no way on this earth that I was going to walk away from you without an explanation. So, that begs the question, why didn’t you divorce me? Now, what could be the reason for that? Ah, yes, because if you did I would find out where you were, and you didn’t want that, did you?’ he finished curtly.
Sofie swallowed hard. ‘I deserted you. Right was on your side,’ she pointed out huskily.
A dark look entered his eyes. ‘You’re darn right it was. You said you loved me. Couldn’t wait to marry me. Then, a few months after the wedding, you vanish into thin air. Did you honestly think I would put that all down to experience and forget you? Dream on, Sofie.’
She should have known that a man who felt as strongly as Lucas wouldn’t let anything go. He didn’t know she knew about his liaison. All he knew was that she had left him and she couldn’t put him right. Not now. Not ever. ‘I’m sorry. I made a mistake.’
His laugh was hollow. ‘You certainly did. Walking out on me was the wrong thing to do. You owe me, Sofie, and, now that I’ve found you, I fully intend to collect.’
Sofie stared at him, knowing that this was one of the reasons she had hidden herself away. She had always known he was a passionate man and that his anger would be just as tempestuous as the love he’d claimed to feel for her. Maybe he had loved her, but it hadn’t stopped him having an affair. Yet, however much he wanted answers, there were none she could give him, as she dared not let him guess her secret for fear of what he might do.
So she had to hold back her emotions and be as firm in her resolve as she had been when she’d left him. ‘There’s nothing to collect. If I hurt you, I’m sorry, but what I did was for the best. I’ll say it again. Forget you ever met me, Lucas. We were never meant to be together. Have your meeting and go home. Please.’
Lucas laughed at her. ‘Just because you were once able to get me to do anything you asked, don’t imagine you still can. I shall stay here until all my business is settled.’
It wasn’t what she wanted to hear and it set her nerves twitching again. ‘Fine. Stay, but don’t bother me. You’re not wanted, Lucas,’ she told him bluntly, thinking there was nothing else she could do.
Blue eyes narrowed on her. ‘Why? Because you’ve replaced me? Was that him, the man I saw you with? What did you do with him? Send him off on an errand and then abandon him?’
It was close enough to the truth to be uncomfortable, because she hadn’t given him a thought since coming out here. ‘David’s used to me. He won’t mind.’ At least she hoped he wouldn’t.
One eyebrow quirked. ‘Poor man, to be dismissed so casually. Perhaps I ought to tell him he’s dating a married woman.’
Not wanting him to speak to anyone about her, Sofie had to set the record straight. ‘You don’t have to worry about David, he’s my boss,’ she corrected hastily.
‘That had better be true, amore. I wouldn’t want you to end this first meeting on a lie,’ he advised her softly, staring down into her widened eyes.
‘First and last meeting,’ she corrected firmly, standing her ground, though her legs were beginning to wobble badly.
‘This isn’t over. You will be seeing me again. Now, much as I would prefer to stay and continue this fascinating conversation with you, I have a telephone conference to take,’ he informed her, stepping back as he did so.
Sofie straightened up, her heart suddenly racing again. ‘Please stay away from me, Lucas!’ she called after him as he moved off.
‘Can’t be done, I’m afraid. Not now I’ve finally found you again,’ he refused coldly, and was gone before she could utter another word.
The strength went out of her legs the instant he passed from view and Sofie sank back against the wall with a shaky sigh. This couldn’t be happening! After all she had been through, how could life turn on her this way? Because the fates had decided to give Lucas a throw of the dice. The scales had to be balanced. Only the fates didn’t know that there was more at stake than her having to explain her actions six years ago. Now she had even more to lose, and the possibility was absolutely terrifying.
‘You’re getting to be harder to keep track of than my three-year-old niece!’ David declared from directly in front of her, making her jump because she hadn’t noticed his approach.
Guilt washed over her for having abandoned him twice tonight, and she pulled herself together in a hurry. ‘I’m sorry, David. I popped outside for some air.’
‘So I saw,’ he said dryly, bringing faint colour to her cheeks. ‘That was the man in the suit I saw earlier. Who is he?’
Sofie knew that if she denied all knowledge she would only look foolish later if the lie was discovered, so she told the truth—so far as it went. ‘His name is Lucas Antonetti. He’s here on business,’ she revealed, knowing David could find that much out by asking at the desk.
He frowned. ‘Antonetti? Now, why does that name ring a bell, I wonder?’
Sofie’s stomach gave an unwelcome jolt, as she hadn’t considered David would have heard of Lucas. ‘Perhaps he’s been in the papers,’ she proffered, hoping to end further speculation.
‘Probably,’ David agreed easily. ‘Anyway, when are you going to see him again?’
She couldn’t help tensing at the simple question. ‘I’m not,’ she denied instantly, much to David’s surprise. ‘What made you ask such a silly question?’ she added, with a nervous laugh that fooled neither of them.
‘Because I saw him watching you whilst you were on the stage, and if ever a man was interested in a woman, he was.’
Sofie had to stifle the urge to laugh wildly. ‘You’re mistaken.’
Deaf to the less than subtle hint, David shook his head. ‘I think not. He couldn’t take his eyes off you!’
That was about as much as Sofie could take, and she straightened, glad to feel her legs were now supporting her. ‘We were simply talking. I have absolutely no intention of meeting him again!’ she insisted sharply and David blinked in surprise.
