‘Damn it.’ He swore softly under his breath. ‘I have no intention of hashing over ancient history—’
‘It’s only been a few months, David,’ she snorted. ‘I would hardly call that ancient anything!’
Their conversation stopped briefly while the waitress put their drinks down on the table. Lia shook her head when the young girl asked if they were ready to eat yet. Lia very much doubted they would get as far as eating anything. Just the thought of food made her feel nauseous.
David leaned forward across the table once the two of them were alone again. ‘I don’t appreciate being spoken to by you in this insulting manner.’
Her eyes narrowed. ‘And I don’t appreciate learning that I was going to marry a dissolute gambler!’
David reared back, a look of total shock on his face. ‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’
But he did, Lia realised. The truth was there in his guarded expression and in the way his face had paled.
‘Let’s not play any more games, David,’ she scorned. ‘Your parents can’t possibly know about your gambling, or they would have done something to help you.’
She had always liked the couple she had believed would one day be her in-laws, and knew that Daphne and Alec Richardson would be devastated to learn the truth about their only child.
‘Are you threatening me?’
Lia felt a shiver down the length of her spine at the underlying malice in David’s tone. It reminded her of something her father had once told her: a cornered animal almost always attacked. The look of rage on David’s face said he was getting ready to do just that.
‘Not at all,’ she assured him smoothly. ‘I was merely thinking how disappointed they would be if they knew the sort of man you really are.’
‘Stay away from my parents!’ David grated.
‘I intend to. Oh, I almost forgot.’ Lia turned to search through her handbag. ‘You might want to give this to the next unsuspecting idiot.’ She placed a ring box down on the table in front of him. The engagement ring inside had belonged to his grandmother. ‘Or perhaps you could just sell it to pay off more of your gambling debts? But then, you don’t need to, do you?’ she continued in a hard voice. ‘Not when you have the money you stole from my father’s company stashed away in an offshore account.’
‘You don’t... I didn’t... You can’t possibly know...’ David’s face was now an ashen grey rather than just white.
‘I do know. And, yes, you did do exactly what I’ve just accused you of doing. I don’t have all the proof as yet, but I will. Believe me, I will,’ she assured him vehemently.
She would never wish to harm Daphne and Alec deliberately by revealing the truth about their son, but neither could she allow David to get away with having destroyed her father.
‘I don’t think so,’ David sneered as he recovered quickly. ‘You’re no longer the privileged daughter of the wealthy and powerful Jacob Fairbanks. Now you’re just Lia Fairbanks, who has to work for a living. You have all the power and influence of a toothless dog.’
‘You—’
‘Sorry I’m a little late, Lia.’
Lia had recognised Gregorio’s voice the instant he spoke, but that didn’t stop her from staring at him as he slid into the seat beside her. Or drawing in a shocked breath as he kissed her lightly on the lips before turning his narrowed gaze on the man seated on the opposite side of the table.
‘Richardson.’ He nodded tersely.
If Lia was surprised at Gregorio’s being there then David had obviously gone into complete shock. So much so he couldn’t even answer the other man.
Gregorio turned to Lia, one dark brow raised in innocent query. ‘Have you said something to upset your ex-fiancé? What’s this?’ He picked up the dark blue velvet ring box and flicked the lid open to reveal the two-carat solitaire diamond ring David had given her on their engagement. ‘No wonder you gave it back—it isn’t right for you at all.’ Gregorio snapped the lid closed and put the box back where he had found it. ‘I much prefer the natural yellow diamond ring I have picked for you.’
The ring Gregorio had picked for her?
A natural yellow diamond?
Lia had only read about natural yellow diamonds, and seen photographs of them. They were so unique, so rare, that most reputable jewellers claimed they never expected to see one in their lifetime, let alone have the privilege of selling one.
Gregorio reached over and linked his fingers with those of her left hand before lifting it up and kissing her ring finger. ‘It’s going to look perfect on you.’
‘What...? I... You... Are the two of you...?’ David at least made an attempt at speech, even if not very successfully.
Talking was still beyond Lia. It was surprise enough that Gregorio had come to the bistro at all, but that he should now be giving David the impression that the two of them were... That they were...