‘You were about to tell yet another lie and claim that Luca is Nicolo’s father.’
Freya’s mouth opened and closed on a soundless gasp.
‘It is what you spent five minutes struggling with outside my door,’ he added.
How could he have known she’d been fighting with that? ‘I w-wasn’t going to say that.’
‘Another lie.’ He looked at her grimly. ‘But, as I’ve told you once already today, I now know I am that boy’s father and your fate is sealed. Now, put on your shoes so we can leave.’
‘It takes more than a sperm head to make you a father,’ she sliced at him.
‘It also takes the opportunity to become one. You did not give me that.’
About to push her feet into her shoes, Freya lifted her head and stared at him. ‘Are you daring to say that it’s my fault you did not get the chance?’
‘You could have called me,’ he muttered. ‘Once he was born and you could see for yourself that I—’
‘You expected me to call you up and beg you to come and check Nicky out?’
‘It would have cost you nothing.’
Freya laughed—cost her nothing? ‘I might have been a naïve little fool when I met you, Enrico, but I’m a hell of a quick learner. What you taught me about humiliation is now seared forever into my brain! I hate you for teaching me to feel like that, do you know that?’ she flashed. ‘I hate you so much for it that even being in the same room as you makes me want to tear down the walls to get out!’
‘The door requires less energy,’ he said smoothly. ‘Put your shoes on and we will use it.’
‘When—’ she ignored that ‘—did you make any attempt to contact me? I still live in the same flat I leased before I met you; you know that I kept on paying the rent even though I moved in with you. It still has the same telephone number. I don’t recall finding you standing at my door enquiring after me or my child. I don’t remember any telephone messages enquiring if I was OK! I do recall pacing the delivery suite at the hospital,’ she continued furiously, ‘and, between contractions, spotting a nice, glossy magazine sitting on a table filled with pictures of you with your latest conquest attached to your hip!’
He frowned. ‘Was the pain very bad?’
‘Did the lush brunette come through with the goods?’
His frown deepened.
‘Does it please you to know that while I was giving birth to Nicky you were probably enjoying yourself with that woman?’
‘No,’ he said gruffly. ‘It does not please me.’
‘I think those very helpful glossies placed you with a sexy blonde, while I was placing the floor every night because Nicky was teething,’ she went on. ‘Maybe you think I should have interrupted you with a phone call then, to come and see if you fancied becoming a father to my son.’
‘Stop scoring points off me,’ he snapped out. ‘Do you think it has been easy for me to find out I have a two-year-old child?’
‘He’s not yours.’ She just could not stop herself from saying it.
Enrico let the air leave his lungs with an angry hiss and stepped up to her to take a grip on her shoulders. ‘He is mine, you vindictive witch,’ he sliced into her. ‘You know he is mine. I know he is mine!’
‘If he didn’t look so much like you, you wouldn’t even be thinking that!’
He dropped his hands from her, lean body twisting away because he knew she was only telling the truth. In the thrumming silence which followed, Freya fought the tears back while she stuffed her feet into her shoes.
‘Please leave us alone,’ she pushed huskily into the silence. ‘This marriage thing you’ve come up with is just a knee-jerk reaction. You know you don’t want me back in your life.’
He turned, lean face hard like granite again. ‘I want my son. You come with him. Marriage comes with the whole damn package.’
‘Nicky is…’
‘Mine,’ he stated. ‘You know it. I feel it. Nicolo feels it. We connected. I will not disconnect simply because you wish I would.’
‘And I won’t marry you.’