Bound By Her Ring (20 page)

“I’m finished for the day. If anyone desperately needs me they can contact me on my cell phone.”

She breezed out the door, and hummed to herself as she waited for the elevator. Jasmine smiled broadly at the doorman, feeling her life couldn’t get any better. She signalled for a cab, and luck was on her side, one all but screeched to a halt beside her. She gave the driver her new home address, loving the sound of the words on her lips.

Once on the way home, she rummaged through her handbag and found her notebook. Jasmine quickly scribbled the necessary ingredients needed to make Lukas’s favourite dish—gnocchi with a smoked salmon sauce. She recalled the last time she’d made it for him, just before they’d left on their secret trip away.

Welcoming the flashback, she let the memory wash over her. The way he had interrupted her as she’d made the dish, and how they ended up eating in bed late in the evening. It was lucky the dish hadn’t been ruined, but if it had been neither one of them would’ve minded.

Her hand reached into her bag to ring Lukas to let him know she’d had another flashback, but her hand stilled. He didn’t need to know every time. Seeing as she’d had this one without him told her it was only a matter of time before her memory fully returned.

And then what? What would that mean for their future? Would she finally understand why she’d chosen to forget their relationship?

Too many questions. She’d deal with the consequences of her memory returning when the time came.

“That’ll be fifteen fifty, love.”

The gravelly voice of the cab driver brought her back to her surroundings. Handing over the money and tip she exited the car and reached for her keys.

The shiny new copper key felt warm beneath her touch, as she slid it in and turned. Opening the door she savoured the sensation of finally coming home. The house felt so right to walk into, so natural. She’d never felt this sense of peace when walking into her own apartment.

Jasmine quickly made her way upstairs, changing out of her dress. She scanned the contents of the wardrobe and picked out some black Capri pants and a purple short sleeved blouse. She also worked out what she planned to wear tonight at dinner. This time she was going to seduce Lukas.

After running a brush through her hair, she made her way back downstairs, stopping briefly in the kitchen to check to see what ingredients they held and what other items they’d need.

With her list in hand she made her way to the garage and unlocked her car. After her accident it had taken her a few months before she’d felt confident enough to get behind the wheel again.

The drive to the supermarket was short and she picked up the items on her list. After she dropped them home she decided that a trip to the hairdresser was in order. Fortunately she was able to get an appointment with her usual hairdresser. It was as she was walking back to the car that she passed a baby shop. Jasmine stopped and gazed in the window. The teddy bears of pink and blue propped in the corner of the wooden cot called out to her. They looked so adorable and innocent. Her feet led her through the door.

She was drawn to the corner that held the cribs and cots. Jasmine trailed her fingers over one particular cot. It was white and had double doors that opened out making it easier to pick up a crying baby, she could picture it in the empty room she’d been in that morning.

Jasmine moved to where the change tables stood and hunted until she found the one that matched the cot.

“Can I help you at all?” Jasmine whirled at the sound of the salesperson.

“No I’m fine. I’m just looking, thanks.”

She flushed slightly as the girl looked at her flat stomach and smiled knowingly. “Ahh, first child and you’ve just found out.”

“Something like that,” she murmured as the thought of being pregnant with Lukas’s child took hold. Jasmine couldn’t think of anything she’d love more than to watch her body swell with his baby. She realised then it could be a possibility. She and Lukas hadn’t used any protection. The thought had never crossed her mind until that moment. She could be pregnant with their child right now. The thought didn’t scare her, it just filled her with joy.

The girl fiddled with the pillows in a cot as she spoke. “Well, I’ll leave you to wander about. If you need anything or have any questions please let me know.”

“Thank you.” Jasmine relaxed slightly as the sales assistant moved onto another customer.

She continued walking around looking at the linens and matching quilts sets. Finally she reached the clothes section; everything was just too gorgeous to pass by.

Jasmine spent the next few minutes picking up various outfits seeing clearly a black haired, blue eyed child in them. It didn’t matter if it was a boy or a girl, Jasmine could see it clearly as if the baby were lying in her arms.

On an impulse she didn’t understand Jasmine picked out a boy and girl outfit and went to pay for them.

She didn’t see the person taking a photo of her with her purchases. Full of joy and happiness, Jasmine had no idea that everything was about to crumple around her.

Luciano couldn’t describe the feeling of contentment he felt when he opened the garage door and still found Jasmine’s car in the garage.

When he’d heard she’d left the office early, his first instinct was to search for her. Fortunately for him or for her, he still wasn’t sure who, an urgent call had come through. He could’ve tried her cell but he had to let go of the distrust that threatened to consume him.

He didn’t want to believe he’d been taken for a fool a second time. He wanted to believe that this time it was right. He wanted to believe this time they had a future.

Luciano opened the door into the house and the aroma of garlic wafted towards him. His mouth started watering, Jasmine was cooking for him. He wondered if she remembered what his favourite meal was. Probably not, if she couldn’t remember their relationship, how could she possibly remember his favourite food.

As he walked into the kitchen he could see Jasmine was totally engrossed in whatever concoction she was making.

He walked softly up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist, catching her as she jumped.

She swivelled her head, eyes wide with at first fright and then delight. He had planned to say something, but found himself capturing her surprised lips with his. They were warm and opened up beneath him. He pulled her closer to deepen the kiss. Her perfume filled his senses and he wanted to carry her upstairs and ravish her again like he had last night. Luciano didn’t think he’d ever get enough of her. How he’d lasted without any contact
with her was beyond him. He only had to get within ten feet of Jasmine before he succumbed to her wiles.

“As much as I’d like to continue and take this further, I’m cooking here.”

“Can’t it keep?” he asked as he nibbled his way down the supple flesh of her neck.

She gave him a gentle shove. “No it can’t, now go have a shower.”

He caught up her lips one last time before he made to leave the kitchen.

“I’ll be ten minutes, and it will be a quick meal by the way.”

She laughed. “Is that a threat or a promise?”

He eyed her up and down. Jasmine was wearing another dress he’d chosen for her, only this time, not the pale blue of that morning’s dress, but the palest of lilac. The dress had a low neckline that hinted at the treasures which were hidden beneath.

“Oh it’s definitely a promise.” He had the pleasure of seeing a flush creep into her cheeks.

He whistled softly as he made his way upstairs. Once he reached the suite he paused briefly at the wedding photo. He’d told the decorator to leave the photo when she’d uncovered it. At the time he didn’t want any reminders of his ill-fated wedding. On the morning before they’d left for Broome, for some reason, he’d taken it out of the box and placed it on the wall. Now he was glad he had.

Luciano shrugged out of his jacket and went to hang it up. As he did his cell rang. He reached into his pocket prepared to let it go to message bank until he saw that Nick was calling him. They had closed a deal that afternoon and he hoped Nick wasn’t calling to tell him there was a problem.

“Hey Nick, what’s up?”

Silence sounded in his ear and Luciano wondered if the call had dropped out. “Nick? Are you there?”

“Ahh yeah, sorry. Umm…are you near your computer?”

There was something in Nick’s tone that had Luciano on red alert. “No, why?”

“I think you should check out the
‘Gossip About Town
’ website.”

“Why would I do that? You know I don’t believe anything those websites say.”

“I think you should look at it, Luc,” Nick said quietly.

“Fine. I’ll look on my laptop.”

“Call me if you need anything, Luc.” A heartbeat passed and Luciano waited for the
beep-beep
tone. “I mean it, call me. Bye.”

Luciano ended the call and headed to his study to boot up his computer. His mind was going over the scant conversation he’d just had with Nick. Nick’s whole demeanour was out of character for his business partner. With quick motions Luciano had the offending website up on his screen. It took all his willpower not to throw the laptop at the wall as he saw a picture of Jasmine holding baby clothes in her hands. The headline above it screamed out at him.

“Pink or Blue? And who is the baby’s father? Can she remember him?

Pain gripped his chest, as if his heart had just been ripped out and trampled on by a pair of stilettos. Blood roared through his ears, and Luciano was immediately transported back to that time in the hospital. When he’d rushed through the ICU doors, and had been confronted by Thomas. He’d demanded to see Jasmine but Thomas had told him not to bother. He then went on to tell Luciano about her amnesia and how little she valued their relationship.

“Here’s all you need to see to know what Jasmine thinks about your relationship. Marrying you was a mistake. She’s got amnesia and has forgotten all about you. That’s how much she loved you. You no longer exist for her.”

Thomas then handed him the piece of paper that changed his life forever. Two words shouted out to him from the letter.

“Foetus terminated.”

He’d dropped the medical report and walked out. Never looking back, but planning his revenge. A revenge he’d failed to follow through on because, once again, she’d entrapped him.

He should’ve known it was all an act. He glanced back at the picture, what was she playing at now? Did she think he’d fall for it a second time? Did she really think he was that stupid? Obviously she did, but she would soon find out that no one played him for a fool twice and got away with it.

“Why are you in the study and not in the shower yet?”

This time it was he who jumped at her presence. Anger filled his veins like hot lava about to spew out of a volcano.

He looked up and swivelled the computer screen around to face her. “Is this some kind of joke?”

As she walked towards the desk, satisfaction filled him when he saw the colour leech from her face.

“I umm I wanted, umm…”

“Spit it out Jasmine, you were what? Going to soften me up with wine and good food and then drop your bombshell?”

Luciano advanced towards her and when he reached her, gripped her around her upper arms, his fingers digging into her soft flesh. “You really can’t believe I’d be so stupid a second time around did you?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Lukas.” He tightened his hold as she tried to shake him off. “Please, Lukas let me go, you’re hurting me.”

Luciano let her go and started pacing around the room, thrusting his fingers through his hair. “Have you been gloating all this time, Jasmine? You know I believed you when you said you didn’t remember. I was starting to hope, regardless if your memories returned or not, that we may have a future again. But now, after this, never…ever will I trust a single word that comes out of your mouth.”

“But I don’t remember, why can’t you believe me?”

“Because of that,” he pointed to the computer screen. “What were you going to do this time? Terminate again and tell me you’d had a
convenient
miscarriage?”

His cynicism grew as he watched her wrap her hands around her stomach.

“Miscarriage? Terminate?” she whispered. “No, no, no, never. I could never do that. Why would you even think it?”

“Because I’ve seen the proof, your father couldn’t wait to hand over the medical report to me.”

“My father, when did he do that?”

“Does it matter? I saw the proof of how little having our child meant to you.”

“No, that’s not true. I want to have your child, Lukas.”

“You disgust me,” he spat at her. “Standing there looking so innocent and wounded when underneath you’re nothing but a conniving bitch. Why the hell did I think it possible you’d changed? You’ll never change and I’m better off forgetting you or we ever existed.”

He strode out the room and retraced his steps into the kitchen, picking up the keys he’d placed on the bench. Less than a half an hour had passed since he’d placed them there, but he felt like a lifetime had whizzed by.

“Don’t go, Lukas, please don’t go. We need to talk about this, get to the truth of it all.”

He stopped but didn’t turn to face her. “No, the time for talking is over. I want you gone by the time I return. If you’re not gone then I won’t be responsible for what I do or say next. I don’t ever want to see you again.”

The slamming of the door reverberated loudly through the house and her soul. Jasmines knees crumpled to the ground and the tears she’d been struggling to hold back poured down her cheeks.

How could he think that of her? Why would he think that of her?
She asked the questions over and over.

Pain smashed her brain and she gripped her head in an attempt to stop the throbbing and pounding and clamouring that was happening inside.

Visions filled her mind.

Lunches and dinners with Lukas. Their first kiss. Their first dance. Their wedding. Their final kiss goodbye at the airport before she boarded her plane.

Her accident and the aftermath.