Dirty Little Secrets (10 page)

Chapter Eighteen

“What are you looking at?” Ava snapped at the man in the lobby staring at her.

“I…I…”

Ava stomped through the lobby and out of the building. She’d decided to come to work, finally. She’d hoped to get some things done after hiding out in her house. It had been a mistake to come in. Just as it had been a mistake to take Maia to school. Parents had stared at her there. But she’d thought things would be different once she came to work. After all, she owned the company. But people were the same everywhere. Nosy. Judgmental. And rude.

To make matters worse, Melissa had contacted her early that morning and informed her they had a closed-door hearing with Judge Masters at one-thirty. She’d been a fool for believing Dominic. He didn’t want her. The bastard was still going ahead with the ridiculous lawsuit.
A part of her couldn’t believe it. There was all the things he’d said to her. The way he’d made her feel. The part of her that wanted to believe him. To give him a chance. But she was just being a fool. Dominic was a man. And past experience had proven that you couldn’t trust a man…at all.

Inside the garage, she walked to her car. Ever since it had been towed home, she’d felt funny about driving it. She didn’t know what had her so ill at ease about it. Mentally shaking away her worries, she unlocked her Benz and climbed inside. Locking the door, she put the key in the ignition and sped out of the garage. The city was busy, much busier than it should have been at this time of day on a Monday.

Ava cursed as traffic slowed to a crawl. It was a good thing the courthouse was only about fifteen minutes away. Otherwise she’d never make it on time and the last thing she needed was to be late to this hearing. Lateness could cost you in both life and business. She knew that firsthand.

“You were the hottest broad in there tonight. Did you see all the guys checking you out?”

Ava laughed. “You must’ve seen something I didn’t.”

Joseph kissed her forehead. “Of course I did. A man like me notices everything, but particularly when someone is looking at my woman. My hot and sexy woman.”

“I’m a mother now. Does that still qualify me as hot and sexy?”

“You’re damned right it does. If I wasn’t there when you had her, I wouldn’t have believed you had a baby.”

“You know exactly how to flatter my ego.”

“Why shouldn’t I? Having you on my arm does more than flatter my ego. It boosts my street cred.”

Ava could only smile at her husband’s logic. “I didn’t know how hot your wife was had anything to do with how you ran your business.”

“It doesn’t officially, but it does give you a little boost with the guys.”

“Well then I’m so glad I could be of help.”

They stepped into the elevator that would take them downstairs to the garage where their car was parked. Joseph’s arms closed around her. “You know I’ve been thinking?”

“About what?”

“About us having another baby.”

Ava raised a brow. “Another baby?”

“Why are you looking so surprised? Of course I want another baby. I need an heir.”

“You have an heir. Our daughter.”

“Don’t get snippy with me. You know what I mean. An heir to my business. When have you ever heard of a girl running the mob?”

“All the time when you guys end up in the penitentiary,” Ava snapped.

“A broad never runs the mob. She may be the face to throw off suspicion with the feds but she’s not running it. You can believe that.”

The elevator doors opened.

“Then maybe it’s time you changed things. After all Maia is your daughter and mine. There is no telling what she can do.”

“It’s not going to happen, Ava. I need a son. End of story.”

Ava exited the elevator at a brisk pace. Sometimes Joseph could be such an asshole. A son. A man determined the sex of a baby. Not a woman. He was talking to the wrong person. She wasn’t one to keep listening to a bunch of macho bull.

“Come on, Ava. Don’t be like that. You know I didn’t mean anything by it.”

She ignored her husband’s voice and stomped through the garage as much as her four-inch heels would allow. Their Rolls was coming into sight and then Ava heard a sound that she’d never heard up close. Gunshots.

“Ava, get down!”

She fell to the ground and covered her head. Her heart had never beat so fast. The shots came in rapid fire. Goosebumps broke out on her skin. Her teeth gnashed together.

“Please God. Don’t let me die. Don’t let me leave my baby.”

Casings fell all around her, but through some miracle she remained safe. Finally, the gunfire stopped. The sound of footsteps running away echoed in the garage.

“Joseph? Joseph?”

No answer. Ava slowly rose to her knees and looked to the left and the right of her. She didn’t see anyone. Taking a chance she stood up and turned around. She nearly bit her tongue in two.

“Joseph. Joseph.”

She ran across the garage to her husband. He lay on the concrete floor. Blood soaked his shirt. Blood was everywhere and Joseph was not moving. She fell down next to him and took his hand in hers. It was cold. His eyes were shut. Ava pressed a hand to his neck. A pulse was there, but only faintly. She shook him. “Joseph. Joseph. Damn it. Open your eyes and look at me.”

Her husband’s eyes fluttered open. “Ava,” he whispered.

“I’m right here. I’m right here. Let me get my phone from the car.”

“No. Stay with me. Please.”

“Joseph, I have to call an ambulance. I’m not going to watch you die.”

Slowly she eased his hand out of her grasp and reached inside his pants pocket for the car keys. As soon as her fingers closed over them, she was up and running towards the car. She unlocked the Rolls before she even reached it. When her hand closed over the handle, she opened the car and reached inside the center console. She found her husband’s phone and dialed 911.

“911. What’s your emergency?”

“I’m on the first floor of the parking garage in front of La Madrid. My husband has been shot. He’s bleeding. Please hurry.”

Ava disconnected the call and ran back to her husband’s side. Joseph’s eyes were closing.

“Don’t you dare close your eyes. You hear me, Joseph?”

“I’m tired, Ava. I’m so tired.”

She pressed her hands against his bloody chest in an effort to stop the bleeding. “I don’t care how tired you are. Maia and I need you. Stay with me.”

“I…love you.”

“I love you too. Now stay with me.”

Joseph tried to smile at her, but the smile quickly became a grimace. He started to cough. Pink spittle flew from his lips. His coughing became even more frequent. Even harder. And then it stopped. Joseph was still. She shook him.

“Joseph? Joseph?”

Her bloody hands touched his neck. No pulse. He was gone.

“No. No. No.”

Her lips trembled and she cried, holding her husband’s bloody body to her own. And that was how the paramedics found her fifteen minutes later.

Fifteen minutes too late. Her child had lost her father because the ambulance was late. Her world had been turned upside down because of being late. She wouldn’t let that happen again. As the flow of traffic started to increase, Ava increased her speed and weaved her way through the vehicles on the road. She couldn’t be late. Maia’s future was at stake and she wasn’t going to let her daughter lose it because she didn’t make it to the hearing on time. Lateness had cost her family enough already.

Chapter Nineteen

“Now no matter what he or his attorney says, show no emotion. Remain calm,” Melissa said.

Ava nodded, acknowledging her attorney’s words. They were sitting outside the judge’s chambers waiting for him to call them inside. Five minutes had elapsed and so far there was no sign of Dominic or his attorney.

“Perhaps we’ll get lucky and neither of them will show,” Ava said.

Melissa shook her head. “I doubt it. I heard Lombardi himself will be representing Dominic. Apparently this is high profile enough for one of the partners to actually do a little work.”

Ava gave Melissa a look.

“Don’t worry. He has no grounds for this suit and we’re going to prove that.”

Ava looked down at her watch. Five minutes until their hearing. The elevator next to them dinged and the door opened. A raven-haired man with a thick mustache clutched a briefcase and exited the elevator. Less than a foot behind him was Dominic. Ava’s stomach turned to knots and a bitter taste filled her mouth. The traitor had arrived.
Fresh anger rose up in her. Dominic was dressed in a black suit. A crisp white shirt accented his attire. He looked like the son of a mob boss and suddenly she hated him for it.

“Melissa, nice to see you.”

Ava’s attorney rose. “I can’t say the same about you, Mike.” She extended her hand.

“Pity to hear that. I was hoping we might have a drink afterwards.”

“Not in this life,” Melissa said, taking her hand back.

Dominic stood off to the side from his attorney, his gaze firmly locked on her. Ava tried to ignore it. Tried to pretend she didn’t feel the force of his gaze even without looking at him. She closed her eyes, but it didn’t help. Her mind flashed back to their lovemaking. To his mouth at her breast. To his head between her thighs.
Stop it, Ava.
Her eyes opened and her gaze came to rest on Dominic. She gave him a frosty glare. He made a move towards her and she shook her head in the negative warning him away.

The door opened in front of them and out stepped a petite brunette rocking a chic asymmetrical bob. “Are you the parties of Hill and Sambarino?”

“Yes we are,” Melissa and Mike said in unison.

“Judge Masters will see you all now,” the brunette said.

Lombardi made a sweeping motion with his hands. “After you ladies.”

Ava rose to her feet. The brunette opened the door to allow them inside. As Ava stepped forward, Dominic grabbed her hand. He looked at her, a pleading expression on his face. She jerked her hand away and marched inside. Down a small hallway, Ava followed. At the end was another door. The brunette opened it and stepped aside. A tall, grey haired man wearing a black robe stood looking out a window. When he heard their footsteps, he turned around. His frosty blue eyes were framed by bushy brows.

“Judge Masters, Melissa James. This is my client, Ms. Hill.”

“Please be seated, ladies.”

“Judge Masters, Michael Lombardi. I’ll be representing Dominic Sambarino Martelli.”

Ava gritted her teeth as Dominic and his attorney entered the judge’s chambers. She took a seat next to Melissa in one of the rounded leather chairs in front of the judge’s desk.

“Please be seated, gentlemen.”

The judge sat down behind his desk as Dominic and Lombardi sat in the chairs on the right of Melissa and Ava.

The judge cleared his throat. “I’ve read over both of your petitions. Ms. James, tell me why you feel Mr. Sambarino’s suit should be dismissed.”

“Lack of grounds. Lack of evidence to start with.”

“Go on,” Judge Masters said.

“Your Honor, there is no evidence to support Mr. Sambarino’s claim that he is indeed the deceased Joseph Martelli’s son. All we have is his word and in the court of law that means nothing. Without proof that he is a blood relative he has no standing to bring this suit and without standing it must be dropped.”

“Okay Counselor, I’ve heard your stance on the matter. Mr. Lombardi, what say you?” Judge Masters said.

“Your Honor, my client would not waste your or the court’s time by bringing a frivolous lawsuit unless he had something to go on. Mr. Sambarino was told by his mother that the deceased was his father and records show that the deceased Mr. Martelli has made financial contributions over the years, as well as spent significant amounts of time with my client.”

“Which means nothing,” Melissa cut in.

“Counselor,” the judge said, leveling her with a hard glare.

Melissa sat back in her seat. Ava could feel the tenseness radiating off Melissa. Her attorney sure didn’t seem to like Mike Lombardi. Ava wondered if the dislike was more than professional.

“Continue, Mr. Lombardi.”

“Thank you, Judge. As I was saying, as far as my client is concerned, Joseph Martelli was his father and he only seeks a portion of what is rightfully his. Because of the openness Mr. Martelli displayed with my client we believe Ms. Hill was well aware of their relationship and used undue influence to force her husband to leave my client out of his will.”

When Melissa opened her mouth to speak, Judge Masters held his hand up. “I’ve heard from both sides and here are my thoughts. There is no conclusive proof that Mr. Sambarino is or is not the deceased’s son. In addition, because the will was properly executed and filed with the courts, the burden to prove Ms. Hill exercised undue influence will be a hard burden of proof for Mr. Sambarino to present. Therefore, based on the circumstances the only way to proceed with this is to arrange for a DNA test.”

“Your Honor, Ms. Hill has an estranged brother-in-law who will be less than cooperative in establishing a familial link and a small daughter. Surely, we are not going to subject a child to these proceedings?” Melissa asked.

“I see nothing wrong with retrieving DNA from a child using the cotton swab method. After all as the child of the deceased Mr. Martelli, that would be the closest link to determining with a certainty if my client is the child’s half brother and other child of the deceased.”

“Your Honor,” Melissa pleaded.

“How old is your child, Ms. Hill?” Judge Masters asked.

“Five, Your Honor,” Ava said.

“While I agree that is a bit young to be dragged into these proceedings, unfortunately it must be done. At the date and time ordered by this court, Ms. Hill will bring her daughter for a DNA test.”

“But, your Honor—” Melissa protested.

“That is my final word. Ms. James, you and Mr. Lombardi and I will hash out the details regarding the test. Both of your clients are free to go.”

Ava didn’t need to be told twice. With as much dignity as she could muster, she quickly rose and exited the judge’s chambers. The last thing she’d wanted was for Maia to be pulled into any of this. What was she supposed to tell her daughter? Her body trembled with rage. She jabbed at the first-floor elevator button. He was going to pay for involving her daughter into his family drama.

Finally the elevator dinged and the door opened. Ava stepped inside and pressed the button to close the doors. She leaned back against the wall as the door closed. Just as they were almost shut, an arm stopped them. The doors opened and in stepped Dominic, his intense green-eyed glare firmly locked on her.