Billionaire's Pregnant Bride

Chapter 18

Surprisingly, Sergio had actually phoned her four times since he had left London. He had called her from Norway and talked with astonishing enthusiasm about white-outs and skiable peaks. Whether he was telling her about living rough in a wilderness of snow fields, frozen lakes and forest or revealing an abiding passion for what she had discovered was the world’s most expensive coffee, Sergio could be very entertaining.

Kathy had, however, satisfied her curiosity about him on the internet and had been both intrigued and troubled by what she learned. Born to an almost royal existence of extreme privilege in a vast Italian palazzo, Sergio had evidently led a charmed life until he became mysteriously estranged from his father while he was still at university. Although virtually disinherited in favour of his younger half-brother, Sergio had still contrived to make his first million by the age of twenty-two and he had hogged the fast lane of energetic high-powered achievement ever since. Super-rich and super-successful, he maintained the same hectic pace in his private life. He had a rather chilling reputation with women. When he wasn’t doing his utmost to kill himself in dangerous sporting activities, he was staving off boredom with a relentless parade of beautiful women, all of whom belonged to the celebrity and socialite sets.

As Kathy caught the bus home from work the following evening, she was striving not to dwell too much on those unpalatable truths because, by finding her employment, Sergio had single-handedly contrived to transform her life. Her new job was in a busy advertising agency, which buzzed with activity at all hours of the day and she absolutely loved it. A quick learner, she had already been complimented on her work. It was the opportunity she had so badly needed to prove her ability and gain experience. But without Sergio’s intervention she knew that she would not have been given that chance. That did not mean she planned to sleep with him when she saw him that night, but it did mean that she would probably continue to hold back and not beat him if they ever played chess again.

Amused by that idea, Kathy donned the citrus-yellow dress. A car collected her on the dot of eight and took her across the city to a very exclusive residential block. Shown into the lift by the driver, she was tense and uncomfortable. Where was she being taken? Not unnaturally she had assumed they were going out. Maybe he didn’t want to take her anywhere. Maybe he was afraid that her table manners or appearance would let him down.

Bright coppery head held high, Kathy walked across the marble hall and through the open door facing her into a stunning reception room so large that it seemed to stretch into infinity. Her heartbeat was moving up tempo, colour warming her cheeks.

‘Kathy…’ Sergio strolled forward to greet her.

And the definitive word to describe him, she thought dizzily, was gorgeous. His fashionable suit was the colour of dark chocolate and, worn with a fawn T-shirt, it struck a wonderfully classic and casual note. Just one glimpse of the hard, masculine planes of his lean bronzed face unleashed the butterflies in her stomach. It took tremendous self-control for her to rise above those promptings and say out loud what was on her mind.

‘Is this your apartment?’ Kathy asked stiffly.

Sergio ran veiled dark eyes as cold as ice over her and, even though he was disgusted by what he now knew about her character, he still could not deny her stunning physical appeal. The bright yellow dress set off her glorious hair and her green eyes shone like polished jade against her pale porcelain complexion. He knew at a glance that the outfit was designer faux-vintage and had no doubt at all in deciding where she had got the money to buy it: from the sale of his watch.

‘Yes. Why?’ he tossed back smooth as glass.

‘Are we going out?’ Kathy asked tautly.

Sergio gazed steadily back at her. ‘I thought we’d be more comfortable staying here.’

‘Either we go out somewhere, or I go home.’ Kathy tilted her chin and sent him a look of disdain, angry hurt and strong pride powering her. ‘I’m not an easy option you call up when you feel like s*x. If that’s all you’re interested in, I’m leaving. No offence intended.’

His dark scrutiny kindled to gold as though she had tossed a burning torch on a bale of hay and provoked a blaze. ‘You can’t leave until you’ve answered certain questions to my satisfaction.’

Kathy froze. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘Let’s keep it simple. You stole my watch. I want to know what you did with it.’