Читать книгу Modern Romance July 2015 Books 5-8 - Andie Brock, Louise Fuller - Страница 21

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.