Project Seduction (7 page)

"Carbon copy,” she announced in amazement.

"My mom was arrested for possession and I went down to the precinct with my aunt. Some of my dad's friends on the force saw me and spotted the likeness. They joked about it with my dad. He checked out my mom's name on the arrest report and it rang some bells. He paid for a test and bingo. I was his child."

"What happened then?” Georgina's voice fell to a whisper.

"He offered my mom some money if she would give him custody."

"He bought you from her!” Georgina cried out in horror.

Andy grinned with glee. “Yeah. Sort of. Is that cool or what? He said he'd get custody anyway through courts because my mom was so screwed up, and I was old enough to tell the judge that I'd rather be with him, but it would take a lot longer. He was just cutting some corners."

"You don't have his last name, though?"

"Not yet,” Andy said miserably. “He doesn't have full custody yet either. My mom keeps dodging the lawyers."

"Perhaps she wants you back."

"I don't think so,” Andy said, hanging her head. “Although I have creepy nightmares about it."

"Then why does she dodge the lawyers?"

"I think she's trying to get more money out of my dad.” Andy began to twist a corner of the pillow in her fingers. “And he's got no more. He's spent it all on the lawyers."

Georgina fought and lost a brief battle with the inner voice that told her not to interfere. “Do you know the name of the lawyer?"

"It's in a big building downtown San Diego. If you want, I can get the address for you. My dad has stacks of files full of letters from the lawyer. The address is always on top of the letters."

"I'd like to borrow one,” Georgina said. “But it might be a good idea not to tell your dad. Since I walloped him with my handbag, I don't think I'm exactly his favorite neighbor."

Andy nodded at her. “I'll get you one tomorrow."

"Good. And now it's sleepy time. Goodnight.” Georgina reached out to brush Andy's hair back from her face.

The child sprung up and threw her arms around Georgina. “Goodnight. Thanks for letting me stay."

"That's all right,” Georgina whispered, overwhelmed by the alien feelings that filled her heart.

At first, Georgina wasn't sure what had disturbed her sleep. She strained her eyes in the dark until she found the bedside clock. The red digits glowed 3.27. She stared at the display, while her brain slowly took in the sounds that had woken her.

The front door.

Who in God's name could be attacking her front door at half past three in the morning, making a racket like the world was coming to an end? Still more than half asleep, Georgina scrambled up and rushed out to the hall.

It had to be some kind of emergency. There could be a fire, or even an earthquake. They got those in California. And it had to be tonight of all nights, when she had the added responsibility for a child.

Drawing a deep breath to steady her pounding heart, Gerogina reached for the lock and yanked the front door open.

The menacing shape of Rick Matisse loomed over her. He was clad completely in black. His shoulders were hunched and his fists were clenched, and his unshaven face was darkened with stubble and fury.

"Where is she?” he growled.

Georgina took a step back. “What are you talking about?"

He followed her in. When he lifted one of his big hands, Georgina thought at first he was going to strike her. Then she saw a crumpled sheet of paper clutched between his fingers. The paper rustled as he tightened his fist.

"Where is she?” he demanded once more.

"She's sleeping. In the bedroom. Over there.” Georgina's hand shook as she pointed. She lowered her arm quickly and steadied it against her side.

Rick pushed past her. She stared at his broad back as he disappeared down the hall.

"What's going on?” She ran after him, calling out to him, but it was like talking to a mountain. It was there, but it paid her no attention.

She caught up with him in the bedroom. He crouched by the bed, a figure as solid as the rocks that bordered the ocean. One of his big hands rose to gently stroke the sleeping girl's forehead. “Wake up, baby,” he whispered. “I've come to take you home."

Georgina stood in the doorway. She watched the pair of them, biting her lip to fight the ache inside her. The fear that had made her unsteady ebbed. It was replaced by envy, and then the envy was replaced with shame, because the pain was old, from her childhood, and it should have been spent a long time ago.

Andy stirred under the covers and whimpered. Then her eyes fluttered open and a sleepy smile spread over her face. “Dad,” she muttered, managing to cram that single word full of love.

"Are you okay, baby?” He glanced over his shoulder at Georgina. The venom carried in that brief look was so staggering it felt like a physical blow.

"Of course I'm okay,” Andy said. “What's up? How come you're home so soon?"

Rick turned to smile down at his child. He kept stroking Andy's brow. “It's half past three in the morning. Why are you not at Mrs. Donati's?"

"I wanted to stay with Georgina instead.” Andy peered at her father through her lashes.

Rick turned to throw Georgina another look over his shoulder. His black eyes were hard as flint. Georgina shivered, despite the stifling heat in the room.

"Andy told me that something came up and Mrs. Donati couldn't make it,” Georgina said, easing forward. It was her home. Rick's behavior needed explaining, and she'd get an explanation out him, even if it was the last thing she did.

"Baby, are you sure you're all right?” Rick crooned at his daughter. Although the words were gentle, an edge of menace sharpened the tone.

"I'm cool, Dad. Honest."

"Let me see what you're wearing.” Rick pulled up the covers and peered underneath.

"It's your black T-shirt,” Andy confessed. “I washed it. You can have it back tomorrow."

"All right.” Rick tucked the covers down.

"Andy was supposed to leave you a note,” Georgina told him.

"I've got it right here.” Rick held up the crumpled sheet of paper.

Georgina watched his fist clench around the note. From the corner of her eye, she caught a movement as Andy rolled over to her stomach and buried her face in the pillow.

"Baby, can you wait here while I talk to Georgina?” Rick asked his daughter. “Then I'll come and get you, and we'll go home."

Andy didn't lift her face from the pillow. “Sure, Dad.” Her voice came out muffled, and her shoulders heaved.

Rick straightened in a motion that made Georgina think of an uncoiling predator. He said nothing to her, but pointed silently to the door. When Georgina didn't move, he walked up to her and grabbed her arm. Ignoring her resistance, he pulled her into the living room.

"I think you owe me an explanation,” Georgina said.

"No.” Rick's voice was harsh. “
You
owe
me
an explanation.” He pushed the crumpled note at her.

Georgina took it from his hand. The paper rustled as she smoothed it down with jittery fingers. She lifted the note and scanned it, and then she read the words again more slowly. A cry erupted out of her mouth. It began as a squeal of horror, but quickly gained volume and turned into a scream of fury.

Dad,

Gone to spend the night with Georgina. Back after breakfast.

Love,

Andy

PS. What's a lesbian?

Rick took a step closer. “If you've as much as laid a finger on her—"

"Don't be so bloody stupid,” Georgina yelled.

Rick glowered at her. “Simmer down. Angelina can hear you."

"This is my house and I shout if I want to."

He grabbed her by the upper arms and shook her. “Didn't you hear me? Keep your voice down."

"I heard you, but that doesn't mean I have to obey you.” Georgina yanked herself loose and began to pace up and down the room. She threw Rick a murderous look, but she lowered her voice. “I knew there are men who can only think with their dick, but this is the first time I've seen a real life specimen. Did you really believe I'm a lesbian out to take advantage of your daughter?"

Rick shrugged. He looked less fierce now, but the expression on his face remained uncompromising. “I didn't know what to believe."

"I guess that's because I've not thrown myself flat on my back and spread my legs every time I've seen you,” Georgina ranted on.

"You thought I was a pedophile."

"That was different. I saw you grabbing at her. My suspicion was based on evidence."

"Evidence that you had misinterpreted."

"But it was evidence that any responsible person should have felt compelled to act on."

Rick frowned. “And how is this different?"

"Because your precious daughter is pulling your strings, that's how. She did it on purpose."

"What do you mean?” A hint of uncertainty crept into his voice.

"Andy's a smart girl. Her vocabulary is probably bigger than yours. She would know the meaning of the word lesbian. But she would also know that you'd leap into all kinds of stupid conclusions and go berserk."

Rick lifted a hand and rubbed the flat of his palm over his hair. “I can't believe she'd do that."

"Of course she would,” Georgina told him. “Didn't you see how she was stuffing her face into the pillow to keep herself from laughing?"

"But why would she do it?” Rick said in confusion.

Georgina pursed her lips. Men were such tedious creatures, the way you had to explain everything to them. “Because she thinks she's one smart cookie, and she thinks she has us pigeonholed. I'm the prim spinster, and you are the tough macho man. She likes to toss us in the ring and see who comes out on top."

When Georgina heard what she'd said, the literal image of the last few words flashed through her mind. Blood surge to her face. “That's what I believe, anyway,” she finished lamely. Then she turned away to hide her embarrassment.

"I can't believe she'd do something like that,” Rick said, totally bewildered.

"Trust me. She would. Don't you see how smart she is? She hasn't even done anything you can punish her for. She didn't lie. She just dropped a vague hint. You picked it up and ran with in, just as she intended. You charged into my apartment, ready to throttle me."

"Son of a bitch,” Rick said, and shook his head in reluctant admiration.

"Not a son. Daughter. You've spawned a mischievous little devil who is far too smart for her own good. I wish you luck for the rest of your life, and believe me, you'll need it. Now go scoop up your precious offspring and get the hell out of my house.” The last few words came out on a distraught cry.

"Hey, easy now,” Rick said softly. He stepped closer and ran his hand along her arm in a soothing gesture.

Georgina let out an angry huff and slapped his fingers away. “Could you leave now, please?"

"Dad, is Georgina upset? I didn't mean to hurt her.” Andy stood at the entrance to the living room, looking contrite. “It was just a joke."

"I think you went too far this time, honey.” Rick's voice was tired. “We'd better go home.” He turned to Georgina and examined her face. “Will you be okay?"

Georgina gathered every shred of pride and met his scrutiny. “I'll be fine. As soon as you get out of my sight."

Rick stared at her for a few more seconds. Then he gave a brief nod. Without another word, he stalked out of the apartment. Andy scampered after him, casting an anxious glance over her shoulder.

After they were gone, Georgina sank on the living room sofa. She sat there for a long time, completely still. Then she covered her face with her hands and burst into desperate sobs.

Funny
, she thought as her body heaved and her throat burned.
I don't even know what I'm crying for.

Andy gazed up at her father. She tried to hide her fear, but everything inside her was shaking. She desperately wanted to pee.

"What are you up to?” Rick demanded.

Andy said nothing. She clamped her lips together, so that they wouldn't quiver and betray her feelings.

Rick yanked a chair from the kitchen table, turning it around and shoving her into it. Then he hunkered down in front of her, his hands clasping the arms of the chair, caging her in. It felt to Andy as though his eyes were burning a hole right through her.

On the table behind them, a glass he'd knocked over when moving the chair rolled along the top. The spilled orange juice began to trickle down. Andy could hear the dripping sound. She squeezed her eyes shut and imagined a sticky yellow puddle forming on the floor behind her.

She really had to get to the bathroom, or she'd pee in her pants.

"I asked you a question,” her dad thundered.

Andy's eyes flew open. She swallowed a couple of times. It was a surprise to her that she could speak at all, let alone in a bored tone that sounded as though she didn't care at all. “It's no big deal, Dad. It was just a joke."

"And what exactly was funny about it?"

Andy lowered her gaze and kicked at the chair legs with her bare feet, trying to think of something to say. How could she have miscalculated so badly? All she had wanted was to make Georgina and Dad talk to each other again. Instead, they had ended up trying to tear out each other's throats, like a pair of rabid dogs.

"I thought you were angry at Georgina because she called you a pervert,” Andy said finally, letting her eyes venture upward along his chest.

"So you decided you'd get me to call her a lesbian?"

She peered at him through her lashes. “I didn't tell you to call her anything."

"Don't pull that shit on me. You knew what would happen."

An inspiration hit her, and she latched on to it, without stopping to evaluate its merits. “I thought that if you called her a lesbian, after she called you a pervert, you would be, like, even. Then you could shake hands and be friends again."

"Shake hands, huh?"

"Yes.” She beamed at him, pulling her lips into a crescent that made dimples in her cheeks. “I want Georgina to be my friend, and she can't be my friend if you are fighting with her."