Twist of Fate (22 page)

Kate tossed the pad onto the table. Fury filled every nerve ending in her body. Didn’t he see what she was trying to do, all she was giving up to make this viable? Why wouldn’t he meet her halfway? She hated how he’d become this scheming monster. She hated herself for being afraid when he got like this, and she couldn’t stand to be controlled any longer. Boldly, she marched over to stand in front of him.

“You can’t tell me what to do anymore.”

He took hold of her arms and stared into her eyes. “Yes, I can. After all I’ve done for you, you owe this to me.”

She chewed her lower lip, realizing he was partly right. He had given her child a name, saved her from telling the truth to her father, and had even given her anything she’d desired. There was a time when she had been happy with him, but that was before he’d been corrupted by the family. Now she wanted nothing to do with him, or them. And until she figured out a solid solution, she needed to bide her time. Kate sighed in surrender. “You’re right.”

“I’m glad you see it my way.” He kissed her cheek as if the discussion had never happened. “I have to go.”

“Where?” she asked, puzzled Dante would actually leave after everything which had taken place. While she felt emotionally drained, she wanted to talk more and ensure they’d come up with a satisfactory resolution. The scary part was, she almost had herself convinced she could lead this life and make it work for the sake of her daughter.

“I have a job to do for Carlo.”

The thought of Carlo and the family filled her with more fear. She hated all of the secrecy. Watching Dante put on his overcoat reminded her of the many nights while they’d been happily married when he’d done this very thing. No explanation, he’d just leave.

He stopped at the door but didn’t look at her. “Go to bed.”

She’d go to bed but with no intention of sleeping. Kate had a list of questions for Francesca and more designs to create. In the morning she would go to the warehouse and immerse herself in work. She’d play the game no matter how long it took, until she found a way to take her daughter and run.

Chapter Thirteen

True to her word, Katrina used Paulie to drop Hope at school and then proceed to the Warehouse. Everything was still a blur, and she counted on the warehouse to help put things in perspective at least so she could function. Over coffee, Dante had informed her the dinner with Carlo and Dina had been moved up to tomorrow as Dina would be leaving for a charity function in
Los Angeles
on Saturday.

Nothing like being tossed to the wolves before I’m ready, Kate thought as she smoothed the front of her tulip skirt and opened the huge steel door to the warehouse. It seemed as though all activity stopped, and everyone stared.

“K, K, K, Kaaaate!” Jonathan, her assistant designer, dashed across the floor. His ebony skin was highlighted by his bleached blonde hair tipped in red across the edges of his flat-top haircut and the pale blue contact lenses he wore. Jonathan hugged her tight then kissed both cheeks before stepping back as if making sure it was really her. “Oh, I have missed you, girlfriend!”

“I missed you, too, Jonathan.” Kate hugged him back, feeling the muscles across his tight spandex t-shirt. Jonathan was the only guy she knew with muscle who could still look good in skinny jeans. He liked to thank his personal trainer and partner, Evan, but Kate considered him a product of an exceptional gene pool.

“When I saw your picture in the paper, I cried. I really did. Your legacy will live on, baby, we couldn’t let it go.” Jonathan rubbed his eye and looked away.

“Thank you.” She touched his arm. “I’m thrilled to be back.”

“Chessie is great, don’t get me wrong, but she’s no you.” Jonathan draped an arm across her shoulder and steered her toward the metal stairs which led to the offices. Kate hadn’t let Francesca know she was coming, she figured Dante had made the call. Then again, her sister-in-law hadn’t come down to greet her.

“I hear we have tons of business,” Kate spoke over her shoulder as they climbed the stairs.

“Yes, it’s been crazy lately. Some of us have been working overtime, you know.”

“I appreciate it, Jonathan, I really do. And don’t worry, I will make sure you are all handsomely rewarded for your efforts.” When they reached the landing, Jonathan clapped.

“Shall I give you some time with Chessie, or do you want to hold a meeting? I know it’s your first day back, so if you just want some chill time, I understand. You’ve been through so much. I’m here for you girl, you know that.”

“Actually, I have a very important job for you.” Kate laughed when Jonathan’s eyes lit up. “Until I can get a handle on new designs, I’m going to need you to open up our old files. Take a look at our top sellers and see what you can do to liven them up for today’s market.”

“You, you’re going to let me mess with perfection?”

“You’ve been my right hand for years. You’re the only one I trust to do them justice.”

“I won’t let you down!” Jonathan’s big, white teeth gleamed as he wrapped her in another hug before high-stepping into his office. She heard his chair roll across the floor and slam into a file cabinet. “Hold all my calls,
Sandy
, I am on a mission!”

Kate shook her head and chuckled as she made her way to her office at the end of the hall. Already, she felt energized by being back to work. Yes, there were many late nights ahead, but she hadn’t gotten this far by being idle. She wanted to work, needed to work, and needed the distraction.

“Chessie?” Kate stepped into her office, startling the voluptuous redhead at her desk. In a flash of memory, she realized it had been Francesca with Dante at the restaurant that night. Her sister-in-law stood and pulled her into a hug full of tears.

“Thank God,” she sobbed. “I’m so glad you are all right. I’m so glad you’re back.”

“Me, too, Chessie.” Kate walked around her office, touching the familiar objects and pictures. This was real, this was her life, not the cabin with Sam and all of his lies.

“When did you get back, darling?” Francesca dabbed at her eyes and leaned against the desk.

“Yesterday.” Although it seemed like forever, so much had happened in a twenty-four hour
time span
.

“Everything is good? With my brother?”

“Yes.” Kate didn’t know how much information to give. She didn’t know how much Chessie might already know. Dante’s face appeared in her mind, so she forced a smile to pad the lie. “We’ve talked, and we’re staying together. We are fine.”

“Katrina, I am your best friend. Don’t lie to me.” Francesca rose and casually closed the office door. “Sit down and talk to me.” She motioned to the leather chair behind the desk, and took another chair on the opposite side.

“I really don’t know what to say.” Kate sat, feeling the leather wrap around her body as she leaned back. She closed her eyes for a moment then sat up straight. “I’m doing what I have to do.”

“You know my brother has always loved you.”

“I know,” Kate said with a hint of sadness.

“I have no doubt he would give up his life for you and Hope. He’s just…not in a good place right now.”

“And you know it’s a place I want no part of. He won’t let me go, and I don’t want to stay. Yet he’s forcing me to pretend.” Kate’s vision blurred as Francesca uncrossed and crossed her legs, revealing trendy snake-skin stilettos.

“Is that so bad? Do you think you could ever love him again?”

“I, I don’t know.” What Kate said was the truth. She honestly didn’t know. “Chessie, I want to believe that maybe there is a chance, but not here, not now, not while he’s still under Carlo Santini’s control.”

“A chance is better than a never.” Chessie’s voice held that sound of hope Kate had felt last night before Dante enforced more rules.

“I’ve decided to let this play out. Damn him, and damn his rules. I will do what he wants for the sake of my daughter. I don’t have a choice.”

“Then that is all he can ask for. If you two are meant to be, you will weather the storm and triumph in the end. I believe you are both strong.”

“Thanks, Chessie, that means a lot.”

“Now come, let’s check on the sewing department. We still have many orders to fill. We can walk over to the fabric and cutting section as well. It’s time their leader returned to the helm.”

They linked arms and left the office. Once again, Kate’s surroundings were a blur. What if Chessie were right? But instead of Dante, what if the storm was with Sam? She couldn’t deny Sam had always had her heart, he always would. She moved with Chessie across the warehouse floor, the woman’s voice was muted nonsense as Sam’s words came back to haunt her.

What if doing the right thing meant taking a chance? Could they be strong enough to weather this storm? Would their love triumph in the end? Kate’s head pounded from the stress. After finding out she’d kept Hope from him, Sam would never forgive her, and she couldn’t blame him. No, she had to believe their time was over before it ever started.

Her life was here, in
Philadelphia
. The storm had to be with Dante and like Chessie believed, they would work through it and be fine. Dante was the safe bet; at least he had been before Carlo Santini. That was it. The storm was actually Carlo Santini. Until he no longer played a role in their lives, they would be in constant turmoil. Remove the storm, and they would triumph.

“Katrina, you have a visitor,” Chessie said, breaking Kate’s spell. Kate focused across the room at the tall, Argentine gentlemen in a steel grey suit.

“Rico,” she replied, taking a few step toward him. “It’s been forever.” She stretched her arms in front of her, and he grabbed both of her hands with a smile adorning his suntanned face.

“A pleasure as always.” His kissed the back of each hand before letting them go. “I am so glad I prolonged my stay here in
America
. Dante did not tell me you were back.”

“Nor did he tell me you were here,” Kate replied. She hadn’t seen Rico Ramirez in well over a year. For many years he made the trip every six months, and she’d always enjoyed his visits. Rico had a smoothness about him which put anyone at ease. Even now, with the hints of silver in his full head of jet black hair, he was as handsome as ever. Kate wondered if there were problems with his orders going to
Buenos Aires
. “Is everything all right?”

“Oh yes, no worries my dear. Your clever husband and I have been working on a joint venture, and I needed to make myself accessible to finalize the details.” Rico extended an elbow, and Kate linked her arm through as they walked.

“A joint venture? Doing what?” Kate stopped walking and shielded her eyes against the afternoon sun when Rico opened the warehouse doors.

“If he hasn’t told you yet, I don’t want to spoil the surprise. But I will tell you this; I had a falling out with Carlo Santini. Dante knows how important my business is, and he is smart enough not to lose it. Thanks to your husband, I am able to convert many of my clients, and we will be dealing only with Dante and of course your company.”

“So that’s where the additional sales have come from.”

“Precisely. Together we will all become filthy rich, and Dante will be known for being more than just an international attorney.” Rico smiled and kissed her cheek.

“Thank you, Rico, I’m so glad you stopped by, and I’m so glad we talked.”

“It is I who should be thanking you and your husband. I shall fly you all out to my country very soon, and we will celebrate together.”

Optimism once again returned to Kate’s heart. Dante had made a move behind Carlo’s back because of what Carlo had done to Rico. He was using his business sense as a means to an end. Maybe her words had gotten through to her husband. Maybe when she walked out and took Hope, he had taken stock of his life and realized they were more important than the power.

Dante was trying to find a way out.

Kate turned to find Francesca and tell her the news. Of course, they would have to act surprised when Dante told them, but it would be worth it. All Kate needed now was faith in her life and time to forget about Sam Hackett. Her mind returned to the fateful night at Jed’s when she’d first run into Sam. Before the accident, she’d vowed to forget. She’d done it before, and she could do it again. There was too much riding on a never when her world was here.

An employee scooted past her, pushing a rack of dresses heading to the packing area. Kate noticed a line of dust trailing behind the rack. She jogged to catch up to the young Asian girl who seemed to be in a hurry.

“Excuse me!” Kate grabbed the girls shoulder, halting her progress.

“I’m sorry, this is late for the dock. I have to get it there, or I will lose my job.” The girl was almost in tears causing Kate to wonder what exactly was going on.

“I need to take a look at these. Where are you coming from?”

“Sewing room. Please, I have to go now.” The girl tried to pull away, but Kate grabbed the bar of the rack.

“Do you know who I am?”

The girl shook her head.

“I am Katrina Pizzaro. These are my dresses. You will not be fired if I have anything to say about it. Now step back.”

The girl did as she was told, still visibly upset. Kate couldn’t figure out where the powder was coming from. She sandwiched the dresses together and wiggled them until a steady stream of white powder fell from one of the dresses. The girl behind her gasped and started to cry.

Kate moved the dress to the outside of the rack, inspecting every seam. At the bottom hemline she felt something firm. As she felt her way around, she found a spot which appeared to be hand sewn instead of completed by machine. She stuck her finger into the hole and found a small flexible tube. When she began to pull the tube out, she saw it was filled with white powder.

“What is going on?”

Kate poured some into her hand and sniffed. There was no odor. Her chest tightened as she looked from the girl back to the substance in her hand. She had a sinking suspicion she knew what this was, but she didn’t want to believe it. Cautiously she licked her finger and stuck it into the powder, then touched her finger to the tip of her tongue. It tasted bitter, and she immediately spit onto the concrete floor.

“Where is this going?” Kate yelled to the girl who stood there in shock. “Answer me!”

“
Panama
,” the girl responded.

“Not anymore.” Kate snatched the dress from the hanger and returned to her office. Who would use her clothes to smuggle drugs? Her first instinct was to call the authorities, but she wanted to find out herself who was involved before many innocent people were implicated into something they knew nothing of, herself included.

If Dante were really moving away from Carlo, then she would let him know of this. Maybe the Santini family was setting him up because they got wind of what he was doing? No wonder Dante had said they were all in danger. Maybe he knew and was keeping it a secret to protect her. There was one way to know for sure and that was to speak to him about it.

**
*

With long hours of designing ahead, Kate knew they needed Mrs. Jones back. Kate reached out to the older woman with an apology for her abrupt decision, and the woman had cried her acceptance into the phone. As agreed, Abbey Jones had arrived early to cook Hope’s dinner, delighted to be back in their employ.