The Italian Billionaire's Secret Love-Child

‘Have you had any breakfast?’

‘How can I eat?’ She glared at him. ‘My stomach’s a mess.’

‘I’ll get them to bring you up something. Scrambled eggs on toast all right?’

It sounded yummy to Charlotte. ‘I’m not hungry. I’ve completely lost my appetite with all that’s been going on.’

‘Mmm. Yes. Believe me, I do understand.’ For a woman with no appetite and nerves that were shredded, she still managed to look damned sexy in that little pinstriped number. ‘I was a little taken aback when I first found my face in the Italian nationals for something trivial.’

‘I’m more than a little taken aback, Riccardo.’

‘I’d get them off your case if I could, but…’ He shrugged elegantly and rose to his feet to get them both a cup of coffee. His secretary had seen fit to brew some fresh when she’d known that he required use of the top floor. He was back within minutes, carrying two cups of steaming coffee and a plate of biscuits which Charlotte briefly considered ignoring, before giving in to hunger. The truth was she really hadn’t eaten any breakfast. The reporters by the gate had unnerved her, and besides Gina’s costume had been patched together virtually at the eleventh hour. She had still been sewing on buttons when Gina had sat down for her bowl of cereal.

‘But what? If you wanted to, you could…could tell them to back off.’

‘They’re having a field day at the moment with this,’ Riccardo drawled, stretching out his legs and sipping from the china cup which looked inappropriate in his big hands. ‘The world’s a grim place, and in a grim place there’s nothing like some juicy gossip to lighten the atmosphere.’

‘I don’t like the atmosphere being lightened at my expense.’

‘Nor do I.’ Riccardo watched her flustered face over the rim of his cup. Had she really thought that he would be able to turn off the media attention the way he could turn off a tap? He felt himself puff up like a horny teenager being given a sideways glance by the hot girl in the class. ‘Spare a thought for me,’ he continued, and was amused to see from her expression that the last thing she felt inclined to do was spare a thought for him. ‘My reputation has been put through the wringer.’

‘Riccardo, you didn’t have a reputation. Well, you did—a reputation for being successful in your field and going out with empty-headed blondes like the one I met.’

‘Now if you came here to insult me…’

‘I didn’t,’ Charlotte said hurriedly. She sighed. ‘Okay. You’re more used to this sort of thing. How long can I expect it to last? It’s wearing me down.’

This will be someone’s fish-and-chip wrapping by the end of the week, Riccardo thought. ‘Who can predict the appetite of gossip mongers? And who knows how far they’ll dig?’

‘How far they’ll dig?’ Charlotte said weakly.

‘Look…’ Riccardo leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and thoughtfully rubbing his thumbs together. ‘It’s always ugly when the press get hold of someone’s personal life. There’s a reason they’re called mud-rakers. Now, it really doesn’t affect me, but, yes, I am concerned for Gina. She’s distraught, as you have told me.’

Charlotte uneasily wondered whether that little exaggeration had been such a good idea. ‘Well…perhaps “distraught” is a bit overblown.’

‘Okay, then. Distressed.’

‘Yes, well…’