see it. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about. Now, did you want me for something or is this simply a nuisance call?’
‘I want to see you.’
‘So make an appointment like everyone else does,’ she clipped back.
‘That is exactly what I am doing,’ he said. ‘I want to see you this evening at my house.’
Scarlett’s heart felt as if it had just slammed into a brick wall and bounced off again. ‘Your house? You’ve got a house?’
‘Most people do, do they not?’ he said, his tone sounding faintly mocking.
‘But…but I thought you’d be staying at a hotel, or a serviced apartment or something.’
‘I prefer to have my own space,’ he said. ‘I bought a house before I arrived.’
Scarlett had to peel her dry tongue off the roof of her mouth so she could moisten her lips. ‘So…so how long are you expecting to stay in Sydney?’ she asked.
‘As long as it takes to see to the business I have here.’
‘The Arlington Hotel, you mean?’
‘That and some other loose ends,’ he responded.
Jealousy rose like a bubbling, hot tide of lava inside her. ‘I suppose Velika Vanovic is one of those loose ends?’ she put in churlishly. ‘You’d better be careful, Alessandro, she’s been around the block a few times, or so I’ve heard.’
‘I like a woman who is up front about what she wants,’ he returned.
‘I hate to imply you have little else going for you, but women like Velika Vanovic are after one thing, and one thing only.’
‘Yes, I know,’ he said. ‘Sex, and plenty of it.’
Scarlett clenched her teeth. ‘I meant money.’
‘Velika is at least open about it, unlike you, who went about it by more devious means.’
She gritted her teeth. ‘I did no such thing.’
‘I will expect you here at eight p.m. We will have dinner together to discuss your ideas on the project so far,’ he said as if she hadn’t spoken.
‘I’m not having dinner with you,’ she said with stiff force. ‘I have another commitment.’
‘Cancel it.’
Three beats of silence passed.
‘I don’t usually see clients out of office hours,’ she put in guardedly.
‘I am sure you will not mind making an exception for me, since we are old acquaintances, hmm?’
‘So what we had together has been downgraded to mere acquaintances, has it?’ she asked with bitterness sharpening her tone.
‘Old friends, then.’
‘We were lovers, Alessandro Marciano, and as a result you are the father of my child,’ she said through tight lips. ‘Don’t you dare insult me by referring to me as a mere acquaintance.’
‘Are you suggesting you wish to be elevated to the role of my mistress?’ he asked.
‘Of course not!’ she spluttered in indignation.
‘It can easily be arranged,’ he put in smoothly. ‘In fact, I have been thinking about it since I ran into you last night with your boyfriend. He seems pleasant enough, but I bet he has not been able to make you writhe and scream the way I did.’
‘It’s none of your business what I do or who I do it with.’
‘And yet you responded to me so delightfully when I kissed you. I had only to touch you and you went up in flames.’
Scarlett knew she had no way to defend herself, but it didn’t stop her trying. ‘Lots of ex-lovers temporarily revisit the context of their past relationship. It doesn’t mean anything.’
‘It means you are still attracted to me, in spite of your involvement with another man,’ he said.
‘You’re a fine one to talk,’ she shot back. ‘If you’re so heavily involved with Velika Vanovic what business did you have kissing me?’
‘Ah, but that is what I wish to discuss with you this evening,’ he said. ‘I will send a car for you, so do not think of trying to wriggle your way out of it.’
‘Can I bring my son?’
The silence stretched and stretched, until Scarlett seriously wondered if he had hung up on her.
‘I do not think a small child should be up at that hour, do you?’ he asked. ‘If money is an issue I will pay for a babysitter.’
Scarlett let another little silence slip past.
‘Don’t send a car,’ she said, on a sigh of resignation. ‘I’ll make my own way there.’
‘I am sending you a car and I expect you to use it,’ he said in a tone that brooked no resistance.
She felt her top lip go up in a sneer. ‘Is this a late show of concern for my welfare on the streets alone at night?’
There was a tiny almost immeasurable pause.
‘Yes, it is, actually,’ he said gravely. ‘I deeply regret the way I treated you four years ago. It was ungallant and unfeeling of me.’
‘It was also totally unjustified.’
There was another small, tense silence before he broke it by saying, ‘I will see you this evening. Ciao.’
Scarlett let out her breath in a whoosh, and replaced the receiver on its cradle with a little clatter. ‘Ooh I hate that man!’ she growled.
‘Do you need me to babysit?’ Roxanne asked.
Scarlett folded her arms and began to pace the studio. ‘I’m not going. I swear to God, I’m not going.’
‘I’ll be there at seven-thirty,’ Roxanne said. ‘That’ll give me time to go to my Pilates class first.’
‘I can’t believe I signed that contract with that stupid clause in it.’ Scarlet was still pacing, her expression thunderous. ‘I should have known he would want to tighten the screws, so I had no choice but to get involved with him again.’
‘Whoa! Back up a bit,’ Roxanne said. ‘I think I missed something somewhere. What’s this about getting involved with him again? Do you mean involved as involved?’
Scarlett scowled. ‘He implied something along those lines, but I’m not going to stand for it.’
‘Are you sure you can resist him?’ Roxanne asked with a concerned look.
