The Fall Of Jacob Del Garda (16 page)

"You shouldn’t discuss them with every Tom, Dick or Harry," Gabriella said.

Affronted, Sophie straightened. "Did not. There wasn’t one penis in the store."

Heads whipped round to stare at them.

Gabriella gasped and started to laugh.

God, she missed this, Sophie realised. It had been too long since they’d had time together.

Once they started laughing, they couldn’t stop.

And Sophie decided it would be her mission in life to pack as much fun as she could into the next few days and weeks.

She signalled for more wine and ordered a grinning waiter to,

"Get this party started."

"If this carries on, I’ll be permanently tipsy," Gabriella told her.

Sophie merely shrugged.

"Look at what good all that healthy living did you? I mean, how fair is that? You’ve never smoked. You eat too healthily, and drink in moderation, if at all. Always had safe sex. Never touched drugs. I mean, what’s the point?"

"That’s a ridiculously stupid thing to say. My lifestyle’s had nothing to do with it. On Wednesday I’m receiving the gene test results, too. Come with me?"

"Of course I’m coming with you."

To be honest, Sophie hadn’t wanted to think about the ramifications and impact a positive result would have on her own life. Her priority, she’d decided right from the beginning of this nightmare, was to be there for her sister. She knew enough about the BRCA1/2 hereditary gene to know that it wasn’t guaranteed she’d be a carrier. But if she was, she’d have a fifty per cent chance of passing it on to a child.

Something of her thoughts must have shown on her face because Gabriella’s cutlery clattered onto her plate.

She gripped Sophie’s hand and glared at her.

"Knowledge is power. If I’m positive, you
will
be tested, because I couldn’t bear you to go through this if it can be prevented."

Sophie squeezed her hand.

"I’d already decided to have the test, should the need arise. So don’t worry, mom."

Gabriella took a deep breath. "You love yanking my chain. To have a healthy lifestyle is simple common sense."

Sophie shrugged. "I’ve always lived a reasonably healthy lifestyle, and frankly I’m sick of it. If I want to have wine, chocolate and hundreds of lovers, I will. I wouldn’t want to miss out on any erotic experience."

Gabriella gave an unladylike snort of derision.

"Oh yeah? How many lovers have you had, you slut?"

Studying her sister’s laughing eyes, Sophie pursed her lips, and caved.

"Okay. Less than five and more than two."

Gabriella pointed at her with her fork, and smirked.

"Exactly. Hardly the behaviour of a promiscuous woman."

"Yeah, but there’s nothing to stop me going for it, so to speak."

She waved her hand at the passing eye candy.

"Just look at them? I’ve never seen so many buffed and polished guys in one place."

Gabriella cast a professional eye over a couple of hot looking guys sitting at corner table, who looked as if they’d stepped out of a Ralph Lauren billboard. They were tall, tanned and built and toned. She ran her tongue over her top teeth, and Sophie laughed out loud. Jacob did exactly the same manoeuvre when he looked at her sister.

"They’re very pretty," Gabriella admitted.

"Pretty? What do you mean?" In Sophie’s opinion the guys looked fabulous.

"I like a man to look like a man," Gabriella said, and cocked her head as she studied the unsuspecting men. "They look as if they use more face and hair products than I do"

At Sophie’s blank expression, she explained, "Their skin has been cleansed, toned and moisturised. The hair's not natural. It doesn’t even move in the breeze. And I bet their bodies are waxed, too. If I’m not mistaken the blonde is botoxed to death. He has no facial mobility. They’re called metrosexuals."

Sophie stared so hard at the guys, Gabriella kicked her under the table.

"Ow. What did you do that for?"

"Stop it! They’ll think we’re hitting on them."

Testing, Sophie smiled at the blonde guy.

At his rictus grin in response, she crowed with laughter.

"Botox. You’re right. Who’d have thought it?"

The girls were blissfully unaware of two very put out males observing them from a quiet corner of the restaurant.

"Well, at least Gabriella looks as if she’s having a good time."

Tobin dipped a piece of crusty bread into a bowl of hummus and popped it into this mouth. And grinned as the girls howled with laughter.

"Did you see that?" Jacob leaned forward, his voice went high as disbelief coursed through his system. "They are checking out those guys. What do they think they are doing?"

The Gabriella he knew and loved
never
behaved like that.

Then he sat up straight and alert as a tall, extremely handsome man in dark Armani and Wayfarers stopped at the girl’s table. He looked like a smooth Latin. Too damned smooth, Jacob thought. And he obviously knew Gabriella since he kissed her hand, and then bowed to Sophie.

Tobin put his hand on Jacob’s arm to keep him in his seat when the guy pulled out a chair, joined the girls and kept hold of Gabriella’s hand. Again, he brought it to his lips in an intimate gesture.

"We can leave now, if you like," Tobin said as Jacob sucked air into his lungs.

"Not on your life," he spoke through gritted teeth. "I do not want to miss this touching little scene."

Had he ever really known Gabriella?

He couldn’t take his eyes from her, and she looked so changed.

Last night she’d appeared vulnerable, devastated.

Well, she looked perfectly fine to him now. Look at her flirting and laughing, while he’d been suffering through a sleepless night, his mind filled with doubts and anxiety.

He knew he was being unreasonable. But for the first time in his life, Jacob Del Garda felt, jealous.

Gabriella’s eyes filled as she looked at the guy with blatant adoration.

"Christ, who the hell is he?" Tobin wondered.

"Let us get out of here. I need fresh air."

Jacob rose and left the restaurant.

He didn’t look back.

After thrusting cash into the waiter’s hand, Tobin caught up with him.

"What are you going to do?" he asked. And almost bumped into his friend when he came to a sudden stop.

Jacob whipped off his sunglasses and dark eyes bored into his.

"Do you think I am going to walk away from what we had without a fight?"

Tobin grinned and slapped Jacob energetically on the back.

"Good for you, pal. That’s the spirit."

His friend had found his mojo, and Tobin wouldn’t miss the coming battle for anything.

"He’s so lovely, Gabriella."

Sophie waved goodbye to her sister's doctor.

Then she sniffed appreciatively at the huge plate of mix grilled seafood.

Gabriella nodded and tucked into her lunch.

"He’s been wonderful. One of the top breast reconstructive and plastic surgeons in Europe. His clinic is one of the ..."

The way her voice tailed off brought Sophie's head up.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Gabriella had turned so pale, Sophie thought she was going to pass out.

She topped up their water glasses.

And turned to see who, or what, her sister was staring at.

Gabriella blinked and shook her head.

"For a moment, I thought I saw Jacob."

"Nope. He’s busy at Ludlow Hall. It’s your over-active imagination. Come on, eat up. You should see what we’re having for dessert."

Four hours later, back at the cabin, Tobin watched as the girls piled out of the car laden with carrier bags.

They looked incredibly pleased with their haul.

He sauntered down the steps to help as the driver popped the trunk. Tobin's eyes went wide, and he wondered when they were going to wear all the stuff they’d purchased. He unloaded too many bags and boxes of shoes to count. What was it with women and shoes?

He caught Gabriella to him in a big hug and nuzzled her neck.

"How’s my girl?"

The hug wasn't returned.

She stood too stiff in his arms, and simply stared at him until he stepped back.

Shit.

Tobin knew that look and tried to ignore the horrible lurch in his belly.

Scratching his neck, his eyes held hers. "What’s up?" he asked.

Her pointy finger poked him in the chest with each word.

"You. Me. Talk. Now."

Gabriella spun on her heel and stalked around the side of the cabin in the general direction of the swimming pool.

Then he turned to find Sophie beaming at him with big hazel eyes filled to the brim with spite and revenge. It was not a good look on her.

He growled.

"How much did you tell her?"

"Everything. Including the spectacular blow job."

Furious, he narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to tell her exactly what he thought of her.

Gabriella’s yell of, "TOBIN!" to his eternal embarrassment, made him jump.

Sophie laughed out loud.

Heat of mortification scorched his cheeks and his temper.

"
You
," he said with feeling. "Are a peculiarly poisonous, back-stabbing little worm."

"Yeah? Well you can't polish a turd to a shine, but you can roll one in glitter."

He received the message that she was calling him a piece of shit loud and clear.

"Just remember," he snarled. "Payback’s a bitch."

"Not from where I’m standing, pal," she called after him.

Still laughing, Sophie gathered up as many bags as she could carry, danced up the stairs and did a little bum boogie through the entrance door.

He was not, Tobin decided, going to let a couple of skinny blondes reduce him to a quivering fucking wreck.

Maybe he shouldn't have told Jacob certain things about Gabriella. But hell, he’d done it with the best of intentions and for her own good.

Gabriella was a reasonable woman.

Most of the time.

As far as what Sophie had told her? Well, once he'd told her the truth of what had happened with Gina, she'd understand. Gabriella was a fair person, she'd support him. In his heart, he knew it.

There was absolutely no reason why his palms were sweating or his mouth felt dry.

No reason at all.

With long strides he rounded the corner and skidded to a stop.

Gabriella stood under a huge cream sunshade with her back to him. Her arms were folded and her chin held high. And one small foot tap, tap, tapped against the deck.

He cleared his throat, and she spun round to face him.

And the look on her face had his balls shrivel between his legs.

Shit.

"I speak. You listen." Her voice was too soft and her tone too nice.

He sank into a chair and leaned his elbows on his knees.

His hands clasped between his legs, and he studied the deck.

"Just who the
fuck
do you think you are?"

His eyes leapt to hers.

For a second, he was certain he hadn’t heard her correctly.

Gabriella Dolman never cursed.

Never.

He opened his mouth and she held up her hand.

"It was a rhetorical question. You had no right whatsoever to bring Jacob here or to tell him I’m sick. You’ve broken the number one rule between a client and her agent, which is my trust in you."

And right there, Tobin decided he wasn’t going to take this sitting down.

He stood.

"I know what it’s like to have someone you love disappear and you have no idea why. It’s hell, Ella. And Jacob was in pain. And you need him."

The way Gabriella simply stared at him, Tobin realised for the first time that he might not be able to talk himself out of this one.

"And who are you? Jerry Springer? Who made you the knower of all things? You don’t think you might have a bit of a God complex. Or have control issues?"

He stepped towards her.

"Look ..."

She stepped forward and poked him in the chest.

He winced. Ouch, that fingernail was sharp.

He rubbed the spot.

"No," she said. "You look. I trusted you to look out for me. To be there for me during the most difficult time in my life and you betrayed me."

"Ella, for God’s sake."

"Do not,
Ella
, me. I’m seriously considering terminating our contract."

With mounting dismay, Tobin realised she was serious.

Panic gripped his belly.

He sank into the chair, and scrubbed his face with his hands.

For the life of him, he couldn’t come up with the right words.

So much for being a public relations guru.

"I’m sorry. I’ve let you down and you have every right to feel angry with me. But, Christ, we’re family."

"Are we?" Voice cold now, she stared at him through narrowed eyes that forcibly reminded him of Sophie. "Are we really? From what I’ve seen and heard, you don’t treat family with respect, do you Tobin?"

He looked her dead in the eye.

"Ella, I did nothing wrong."

Her brows shot straight into her hairline.

"So, you’re telling me my sister lied and did not see you in bed with Gina Gregory?"

"No. I’m not saying that at all. What I am saying is that it is not what you and Sophie think it is." A deadly brew of shame, embarrassment, and a helpless fury whipped through his system. "Who’s the one playing God now? You’ve both found me guilty, convicted me, without hearing the facts."

She flopped into a chair, crossed endless legs, but her eyes we still like ice.

"I’m all ears," she drawled.

Tobin had heard of swallowing pride, but it was the first time he actively understood what it meant.

So he told her.

Everything.

The look of cold fury on her face made him feel marginally better, but not much.

"She should be prosecuted. What she did was date rape."

"Ella honey, I can’t remember a thing."

She shook her head.

"I’ve a friend, a model, it happened to her. And she’s had flashbacks for years. She still finds it difficult to trust."

He nodded, and his eyes clung to hers.

"The first few months were the worst."

Talking about it helped he realised.

Part of the burden of shame, of being a victim, lifted from his heart.

"If I could just get my hands on her." Gabriella swore long and loud, using words that made Tobin bite down hard on his bottom lip. Her eyes met his. "You weren’t the only one who got badly hurt by her, Tobin."

"I know. I realised that last night. It explains a lot." He kept his eyes on hers. "There’s nothing worse than being kept in the dark, Ella. I had no idea what I’d done to Sophie or why she hated me."

His mind rewound the hateful things he and Sophie had said to each other, and he groaned as he rammed his fingers through his hair.

Gabriella rose, stood behind him and wrapped her slim arms around his shoulders as he heaved a deep sigh.

"She’s going to need to you," she said in a gentle but determined tone that had fear trickle down his spine.

He grabbed her, pulled her onto his knee.

His eyes, fierce now, stared into hers.

"Ella, nothing is going to happen to you."

"Promise me you’ll be there for her when things get bad."

"What are your chances?’

His lungs seized as he saw the truth in her face.

He held his breath.

"Not good, but we might get lucky."

He gave in to the need for a hug and rested his head on her shoulder.

"Jesus, Ella, why you?"

"Why not me? I’m not going to panic until I have to. After I see my specialist on Wednesday and receive the test results, we'll have a clearer picture of what to do next."

He nuzzled his nose into her neck.

"Am I forgiven?"

She tugged on his hair, hard.

"I’ll think about it." Then she gave him a too sweet smile, which narrowed his eyes. "And while I’m thinking about it,
you
are going to take us all out to dinner tonight. At The Blue Lagoon club. And foot the bill."

He grinned. "Yes, ma’am."

"We have new dresses to wear plus fabulous shoes."

With a frown, he remembered Jacob might not be in the mood for a night on the town.

He knew he shouldn't interfere again between Gabriella and Jacob. But his pal deserved a head's up.