Betrayal (55 page)

'I shouldn't have asked him to let me out of the car.'

'We had arranged it many weeks before, without your knowledge. If you'd lost your courage he would have suggested the walk himself. No, if anyone is to blame it is I, not you.'

Sitting at his feet she rested her head on his knees. 'You're not just saying that to make me feel better?'

'No,' he lied. 'He wanted to come over to our side and this was his way of showing his loyalty.'

For a time they sat in silence until Renato slowly stood up and put a hand on Lisa's shoulder. 'Shall we go upstairs?'

She nodded, needing to be close to him tonight to blot out the memory of Mike and the fact that her freedom had cost him his life. They went straight past Lisa's room and along the corridor to Renato's. Once inside she hesitated for a moment , unsure of what to do or how to act, but then he was carefully undoing her zip and tenderly slipping the sleeves away from her arms, his fingers lingering over the scars on her forearms as he uttered a small exclamation of shock at the extent of her injuries.

When she was in her camisole and panties he quickly took off his own clothes and drew her on to his bed , again contenting himself with holding her closely, murmuring gently as he felt her beginning to tremble. She was startled by the power of him. He had the body of a sportsman with big shoulders and arm muscles, a narrow waist and legs that were solid without an ounce of spare flesh. There were even muscles running down his chest and she wondered when he found the time to keep so fit.

Lightly he traced a line down her neck and beneath the straps of the camisole top. When she seemed quite relaxed he carefully slipped both straps from her shoulders and eased it off over her head. Again he stopped, telling her of his love before he allowed his hands to touch her breasts, and even now, when all that he wanted to do was possess her, he was careful to keep his touch gentle.

He made love to her body with his fingers, his lips and his tongue until she was nearly crying with desire for him and once he was quite sure that she was as anxious as he was, he eased the satin pants down her legs, allowing his hands to roam lightly over the smooth skin of her inner thighs.

He was the first man to touch her so tenderly, to bring her whole body to life so that it tingled and quivered with the sensations, and he was the first man to bring her to a climax before he even entered her. When he was poised above her he sensed a brief moment of resistance and hesitated, so that she looked up and saw the question in his eyes. 'Yes,' she murmured. 'Please, don't stop now.' Then, finally, he allowed himself to become lost in his own pleasure rather than hers, but he was still careful not to frighten her with too much passion t his first time. It was obvious that once she was used to him, her passion would soon match his.

It was several minutes before he realised that she was crying against his shoulder, and he wiped the tears from her cheeks. 'What's the matter?' he whispered. 'Did I hurt you?'

'No, you were wonderful! It's just that… He was right , wasn't he? I'm not very good at this and I did so want it to be good for you.'

He frowned. 'What makes you think anything was wrong?' 'We weren't together.'

Renato couldn't help laughing, and his laugh was deep and infectious. 'We are not in the Olympic ice dancing! I can see that you are a puritan who feels guilty about pleasure. This I will certainly change!' She moved nearer to him, her arms resting against the dark hair that covered his chest and abdomen. 'I love you ,' she whispered.

'Even when you laugh at me, I love you!'

'I will never love anyone as I love you,' he promised. 'You are the only woman I have ever loved and there will never be anyone else.' He spoke the truth but wasn't sure that she believed him.

When Lisa finally fell asleep, he lay working out how he could get rid of her husband, leaving the way clear for them to become man and wife. After tonight the very thought of another man having the slightest claim to her was unbearable. Now that she had shown she returned his love, he was free to move against the Gueras organisation. This time he'd use all the power and contacts he could because it was vital to stamp them out in one attack. There must be nothing left behind from which the organisation could reform .

This meant that Bishop too must die. Remembering Lisa's arms, the thought gave Renato intense satisfaction.

Chapter Thirty-One

During the next few days, Lisa felt as though she was slowly coming alive again. Each night, under Renato's expert and loving tuition, her natural sexuality was released until it nearly matched his. During the days she found herself free of all the restraints marriage to Neal had cast over her right from the very beginning, long before it all went wrong. She'd been so anxious to do everything he considered right, to compensate for the fact that she didn't love him. Now there was no right or wrong way for anything. She could act instinctively, and with that freedom she also regained her sense of humour and love for life. Her days were mostly filled by Jessica. No longer confined to one small area, it was difficult for the child to understand her freedom but once she realised that most doors were open to her she began to explore, using her hands and mouth to touch and taste all the new things she found.

Again it was wonderful to find that neither Renato nor their hosts minded. They put away the more valuable pieces of porcelain, moved expensive clocks to higher shelves and then accepted any breakages as part of Jessica's rehabilitation. They were patient, calm and understanding about her autism and Lisa discovered that not all the progress she'd made over the past year had been destroyed. Jessica was cautiously returning to the point she'd reached before her mother was attacked. In Renato's presence she seemed more stable than ever before.

Such idyllic peace wasn't destined to last. On the Saturday after she'd moved into the Muti household, Lisa received a brown package through the post. Renato refused to allow her to open it before checking for wires, and insisted on being with her when she took off the inner wrapping. She recognised the distinctive green box at once and appreciated the irony of what Neal had sent her. A large, dark, cut-glass bottle of her favourite perfume, Poison.

'No message?' Renato asked.

'I think it's in the name!' Although she laughed she felt uneasy. 'What's in the carton?'

'Probably a gun so that I can shoot myself!' she quipped as she opened it, only to hurl it across the room with a scream before running for the door. Renato was about to follow her when he saw something crawling out of the carton. Something large, tan-coloured and furry. Taking off one of his leather shoes he threw it with great force and total accuracy, knocking the creature flat to the floor, but its legs still waved menacingly in the air and he had to force himself to crush it beneath his other shoe, hearing a soft squelching sound as its large body finally crumpled beneath the pressure.

Looking down at the spider he shivered. It could easily have bitten Lisa the moment it was released from its over-small prison. Quickly he wrapped its mangled remains in a large handkerchief before taking it to the nearest dustbin. Then he went looking for Lisa.

He found her in his room, which had become theirs over the past few nights. She was by the window with her arms wrapped round her chest and the terrible tension had returned to her body. 'It's dead,' he assured her.

'That's how he murdered Naomi,' she said quietly. 'No one mentioned any bite marks on her, darling.'

'I don't suppose she was bitten. Rebekah said her mother was terrified of money spiders, so just imagine how she'd have felt with a mass of those revolting things on her bed. Ugh!'

'You cannot be sure that… '

'Rebekah saw them! At first she thought it was a dream, then later she kept bringing the subject up again and again until Bishop got quite… Bishop! He must have done it while we were in Paris. Suppose he finds out that Rebekah knows?'

'She doesn't know. You said yourself she thinks it's a nightmare, and she isn't likely to let on if she realises the truth.'

'I suppose not.' Lisa's face crumpled. 'When's it going to end, Renato?'

'Very soon.' His voice was grim. 'After this I don't think we can delay any longer. I'd hoped to wait until you were stronger but he isn't giving us the luxury of time. This could easily be the start of a whole campaign of fear. We have to move first.'

'Why did you want to wait until I was stronger?'

He sat on the bed, pulling her on to his lap. 'Cara, you are part of the plan. I do not wish it to be so but there is no other way. You are going to have to see your husband one last time.'

He hated watching all the new-found confidence drain out of her but forced himself to go on. 'I will make an appointment with your husband. Once we are talking I shall tell him that you do not interest me any longer. He will believe this because he is ignorant of love. Then I shall offer to return you to him in exchange for something that he knows I badly want: my bank's gold.'

'You mean I'll actually have to go back?'

'In a way. That part I will explain later, once your husband has taken the bait.'

There was doubt in Lisa's eyes now and he took her face in both hands. 'Do you doubt me? Is it possible that you still have no trust in my love for you? You are the first woman I have ever told that I loved, and that is because you are the first. Once this is over I shall take you home to Italy and you will become strong again. We will never have to worry about your husband. We will grow old together and watch our grandchildren playing on the beach . It sounds idyllic, does it not?'

'I can't imagine you old!' she said with a shaky laugh.

'Perhaps neither of us will age. We will be like Dorian Grey and leave ageing portraits in the attic of our palazzo!'

'I do trust you,' she murmured, kissing him on the corner of the mouth. 'But I'm so afraid of Neal and Bishop.'

'If my plan works neither of them will worry us for much longer. Now, since you seem determined to keep kissing me, I shall have to let myself be seduced.'

'On a Saturday morning?'

'What time could be better!' He laughed and they fell back on the bed their bodies already moving perfectly together, and when it was over the memory of the morning's post was easier to bear. At least she had someone to keep guard over her, Lisa thought as she watched Renato pulling on a dark blue sweatshirt. Poor Naomi had been quite alone.

The three men met on Sunday night in the top floor of a small Italian restaurant where Bellini had made certain they wouldn't be disturbed. He ordered for them all and when the food arrived, dismissed the waiter. No one must be around while they talked.

'You've come alone,' said Neal, staring with disinterest at his risotto.

'Of course. This is a meeting strictly between we three.' 'You didn't feel the need for protection? '

The Italian's smile was threatening. 'I think not. Unlike you, I am young and fit enough to take care of myself .'

'And my wife!' snapped Neal, annoyed by the larger man's composure.

'Yes, your wife… ' Bellini let his voice tail off . 'I want her back,' said Neal quickly.

'That, I think, is probably best. She is not—how would you say?—quite to my taste.'

The older man laughed unpleasantly. 'I thought not! You Italians are used to hot-blooded women. Lisa's the typical English wife, cold and unwelcoming.'

'Yet you desire her back? '

'She's my wife, that's reason enough.'

'Of course, a matter of honour! This I can understand.'

Bishop moved restlessly in his chair. He wasn't interested in listening to them discuss Lisa; he wanted to hear what the Italian would demand in return for the woman. Renato turned to Bishop. His eyes were no longer soft but hard and dark , and his face was tighter than ever before. 'You are bored, Bishop? Why not play with your pet spiders while you wait?'

'What makes you think they belong to me?' 'Let us say that you suit each other.'

'In what way?'

'You are both poisonous insects that I wish to crush!' Now he was smiling again but even the normally imperturbable Bishop felt uneasy.

'I take it you want something in return?' said Neal, worried in case his son-in-law lost his temper and ruined the entire meeting.

'No one gets something for nothing in our line of work! I want our gold back.'

Neal and Bishop glanced at each other. 'All of it?' asked Neal. 'All of it.'

'That's three million pounds, taking both robberies into account.' 'It is four million,' said Renato flatly .

'Not according to your bank's accounts.'

'Come, my friend, surely you have heard of creative accounting? There was gold taken that was surplus to the stated amount and I want it back. It is not as though I am asking for much; only what is mine.'

Neal picked up his wine glass and stared into the clear liquid. 'You'll leave the country once this is cleared up?'

'Yes.'

'And you won't attempt to contact my wife again?'

'She no longer interests me,' Renato said indifferently.

'I suppose it 's too much to hope that you might keep her daughter as a token hostage or something until the transaction's complete?'

'If you speak of Jessica, her mother would not leave her.'

'A pity, but you're right.'

'Then we are agreed on the terms?'

Neal looked at Bishop who shook his head. He didn't believe a word the Italian had spoken. Although untouched by it himself , he knew very well the lengths to which people would go when they thought themselves in love, and he was certain that Bellini was still in love with Neal's wife. In which case he was undoubtedly going to pull some kind of double-cross on them, but at that moment Bishop couldn't think how.

'What's wrong?' demanded Neal.

'I'm not sure I believe Signor Bellini.'

Renato looked at him much as he'd looked at the spider. 'You now run the organisation?'

Neal flushed. 'No, the decision's mine and I agree to the terms. We ought to get down to details of how the swap will be carried out.'

Bishop saw the Italian's face lighten as he leant across the table and knew that he was right to distrust him. He'd let his father-in-law set everything up and then keep his eyes open. No one was going to make a fool of him, particularly not when Lisa Gueras was involved. He had no intention of becoming yet another victim of her inexplicable effect upon powerful men.

'How did it go?' asked Lisa, hurrying to greet Renato when he returned. He lifted her off the ground and kissed her forcefully, knowing full well that she wasn't going to like what he had to say and wishing there was some other way.

'It went well. We came to an agreement.' 'What was it?'

'That I get back all my bank's gold in exchange for returning you to your husband.'

'You're sending me back to him?' 'He thinks that I am.'

'What will really happen?'

Renato swallowed hard, put an arm round her waist and guided her into the deserted drawing-room. 'Tomorrow evening at six o'clock I will receive a telephone call from my Swiss banker, telling me that the money has been deposited in our company's account but that it will only be available for use the following morning after a telephone call from your husband.'

'The next morning he will come to this house and find you waiting with a suitcase, then he will telephone from here to release my money. After I have made a call to check this, he will leave with you.'

'What about the children? '

'I have decided that they must have the mumps. Most men are nervous of mumps and usually unsure whether or not they have had it! This will enable me to keep the children behind.'

'And what happens to me once we've left you?'

'On the journey home, at a time decided between us, you will say that you are feeling ill.'

'He isn't likely to believe that one, not after I used it to get away the first time.'

'This he will want to believe because you will say that you are nauseous due to carrying his child. Perhaps you should cry a little, saying that this is why I did not want to keep you. His vanity will make him believe.'

'Then what?'

'Then you make the driver pull over to the side of the road and stumble away to a field. We will already have picked a suitable spot. Make sure that you get as far from the car as you can because it will be set to explode.'

'What about the driver?'

'I hope the driver will be Bishop!'