Page 9 of Italian Baby Shock

Are you surprised? You told her you were going to take her child from her.

Fine. Maybe he’d been hasty with that threat. Maybe he’d let his anger at the situation run away with him, which wasalwaysa mistake. The hot Donati temper was a flaw he had to keep in check, and he’d always prided himself on his control over his emotions. Clearly, though, in this instance, his control wasn’t as good as he’d thought. He didn’t give other people’s feelings much thought either, but he had to admit that the fury in Lark’s eyes got to him.

In fact, now that he thought about it, taking his daughter the way he’d threatened to wasn’t the change he’d been hoping to make. Giovanni had takenhimaway from Bianca, his mother, and he knew how that had ended. He couldn’t do the same thing, especially when he was hoping to start a new legacy.

Yes, he was a selfish man and he owned that. He was exactly as his parents had made him. But he didn’t want that for the next generation, which meant he needed to set a better example. Start as he meant to continue and all that.

Cesare was used to changing his mind quickly. Being adaptable was vital in business, because rigidity meant stagnation and that’s all the Donatis had been doing for centuries. Doing the same thing, going over the same ground. Wasting time killing the competition because that was ‘the Donati way’ instead of changing how they dealt with that competition.

He had to change now. Because while all the accusations Lark had thrown at him were correct, there was one that wasn’t. He might be selfish and horrible, but he wasn’t stupid.

Gritting his teeth, he put a leash on his temper and looked down at her, standing so small and indomitable in front of him. A wisp of golden hair had come out of her ponytail and lay across one pink cheekbone.

She was as lovely as he remembered, all soft and sweet and smelling of vanilla. He could still feel the brush of her mouth against his from that ill-advised kiss...

‘You’re entitled to your opinion of me, little bird.’ He injected as much cool into his tone as he could to drain the heat from the moment. ‘Some of it may even be correct. However, I’m nothing if not an excellent businessman and so I’ll offer you a deal. You allow me a paternity test and if your daughter isn’t mine, you’ll never hear from me again. And if she is, then we’ll sit down like civilised human beings and decide what to do from there.’

CHAPTER THREE

LARKWASPRACTICALLYvibrating with rage, even as a part of her was appalled at how completely she’d lost her head. Calling him a horrible, selfish man was way out of line, especially when he was not only a stranger to her, but also a potential and very important client for Ravenswood Antiques.

Except not only had he brought up what had been a terrifying time in her life, that she’d thought she’d put behind her, he’d also gone after the one thing she’d do anything to protect: Maya. He’d threatened to take her daughter and she wasn’t going to stand for it.

When her father had threatened to take Lark away from her mother, Grace Edwards’s answer had been to run, and that had been fair since her father had been powerful and had money, while her mother had nothing. She’d taken Lark out of France, where she’d been born, and escaped to Australia, Grace’s home country, where she’d managed to keep Lark hidden away for years.

Lark didn’t know anything about Cesare Donati himself, but his family’s history made it clear that they were ruthless and let nothing stand in their way when it came to getting what they wanted. He would come after her, she was sure of it, and then she’d be forced into the same situation as her mother had been. Grace had done what she could for Lark, but being on the run continually hadn’t made for a great childhood, and God knew, Lark didn’t want that for Maya.

Signor Donati had folded his arms across his broad chest and was looking down at her from his great height, his blue eyes now as cool as the ice in his voice. He was so much taller and morepowerful than she was, and not only physically. Yet he’d still let himself be backed halfway across the room by her. And yes, he’d definitelylether.

She didn’t know how to feel about that, whether to be pleased that she’d managed to unsettle him, or to be even more furious at being placated. But while she couldn’t deny that allowing herself to be angry with him had felt oddly freeing, she couldn’t permit herself any more. That reallywouldbe a mistake. She’d already called him a stupid, selfish, horrible man and that would disappoint Mr Ravenswood.

‘Well?’ Signor Donati demanded, impatience in his deep voice.

She tried to get a handle on her anger, forcing herself to put it aside and think objectively about the deal he’d offered.

He could be lying about being Maya’s father; that was the issue, though, why he’d lie about it she had no idea. Also, he wasn’t wrong. A paternity testwouldclear up that side of things. Certainly if Maya ended upnotbeing his then Lark wouldn’t have to deal with him again.

And if sheishis?

He’d promised they’d sit down like civilised adults and talk, so that was something. Still, she didn’t want to even think about that possibility yet, and she wasn’t going to allow any testing to happen until she had that promise in writing. She wouldn’t allow Mr Ravenswood to be penalised either.

‘Okay,’ she said. ‘But I want you to promise that you’ll also sell your antiques to Ravenswood. If you take your business elsewhere, Mr Ravenswood would be very disappointed, and this situation has nothing to do with him. It’s between us.’

His gaze narrowed to sharp splinters of blue and he was silent a long moment. Then he said, ‘I will not be apologising for that kiss.’

A sparking, prickling electricity shivered over her skin as the memory of his lips on hers stole through her, making her face feel hot yet again, and a thread of anger escaped. ‘Like hell you won’t,’ she said flatly. ‘You took it without asking and I’ll be having that apology, in addition to all those other promises, in writing.’

A muscle in his jaw ticked. ‘You don’t trust my word?’

‘No. I wouldn’t trust you as far as I could throw you.’

He tilted his head, heat flickering in his eyes again. ‘You did that night. You trusted me enough to come to my bed.’

The prickle of electricity over Lark’s skin became more intense, a throbbing ache she’d never felt before gripping her. ‘Do you have to mention that?’ she asked tightly.

His hard mouth curved. ‘It seems relevant to the situation at hand.’

Don’t you wish you could remember, though? What it must have been like to sleep withhim?

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