Read Online The Mediterranean Billionaire's Blackmail Bargain by Abby Green - Free Book Online Page A

‘Look, Dante, there’s a photo of you kissing a strange woman on the steps of your villa, very passionately I might add. The merger conference is days away. The Americans have made a big deal about no unnecessary publicity. You know Buchanen has always disapproved of your playboy status…and with his strategic importance—’
    â€˜I am aware of that Alex.’ Dante bit out. ‘And I’m two steps ahead of you. The woman is called Alicia Parker and she will be accompanying me to the conference as my…’ he searched for the right word…‘hostess.’
    â€˜Oh…’ His assistant was momentarily lost for words. He wasn’t even going to bother attempting to ask where she’d emerged from, knowing he’d be stonewalled. ‘Is she aware of this?’
    â€˜Not yet. But it won’t be a problem.’ Dante terminated the call and smiled but it was a shark’s smile. This photographer, who’d had his camera confiscated but who had somehow managed to take a snap anyway, had played beautifully into his hands. He made a phone call.
    â€˜Paolo? Come and see me at the hotel please.’
    Â 
    Alicia woke and felt strange. Curiously rested. For a second she was totally disorientated. And then she realized that she was in her old room. In the apartment she’d shared with Melanie before going to Africa. Realising where she was sent sudden panic rushing through her. Melanie! And then she sagged back against the mattress. All the events came rushing back. And with them, Dante D’Aquanni. He had brought her here yesterday and left her at the door. They’d said a stilted goodbye. Well, she thought slightly defensively to herself, what could she say to a man whose life she’d single-handedly upended? To a man who still believed himself and his brother to be victims of a huge scam, orchestrated by her and her sister. Alicia could have laughed if it wasn’t so ridiculous. Melanie was so scatty she barely had the wherewithal to make it to work in the morning, never mind dream up such an elaborate scheme…
    The fact was, Dante was not the father of Melanie’s baby. His brother was. And if their greeting had been anything to go by, quite apart from his own assertion to her, he most certainly wouldn’t be bankrolling his brother’s love affair, baby or no.
    Dante D’Aquanni was not going to play the part of benevolent uncle.
    So she was back to square one. Feeling a little resurgence of her old energy as she got up, Alicia was thankful. She was going to need it. Even if they could at least count on Paolo’s promise, his wages, she would have to work hard now too, to try and finance moving them to London and guaranteeing Dr Hardy’s care for Melanie. She couldn’t even contemplate not getting her that care. Melanie was everything to her. Her whole world. Ever since they’d been dropped at the steps of the orphanage by their sick, harried and stressed mother. Alicia had been four, Melanie two and half. Alicia had held tight on to Melanie’s hand as she’d wailed uncontrollably. She could still remember the stoic calm she’d felt watching her mother’s thin back as she walked away. She hadn’t looked back once. And Alicia hadn’t seen her since.
    She blanked those thoughts. She didn’t have time for sad memories. She made a quick call to the hospital. Melanie was getting better and better and sounded strong. And distracted—Paolo was still with her. Alicia put down the phone with a frown. She wasn’t sure how she felt about Paolo, if they could trust him, although he seemed to be genuine and certainly didn’t seem to share his brother’s dark, suspicious nature. She shouldn’t have stayed away for so long; she would have met him before now if she’d been at home.
    But she hadn’t been able to leave, she’d been sucked into the relentless grind of trying to