The Italian Billionaire's Betrayal: What if you fell in love with the one person you couldn't have? A story of forbidden love and overpowering need. Read online

  THE ITALIAN BILLIONAIRE’S BETRAYAL

  Clare Connelly

  All the characters in this book are fictitious and have no existence outside the author’s imagination. They have no relation to anyone bearing the same or names and are pure invention.

  All rights reserved. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reprinted by any means without permission of the Author.

  First published 2014

  (c) Clare Connelly

  She shook her head. “It’s not what you think. Please, let me explain.”

  “Let you explain? Do you really think I’d be so damned foolish as to believe you twice?” He railed, pushing away from the wall so that he could pace the room. “I can’t believe I even thought about trusting you. You! Of all people!” He shouted. “The day I met you, you were cheating on him, lying to me. And you continued to lie to us both the whole time, didn’t you?”

  CHAPTER ONE

  She’d never had a one night stand in her whole life. Heck, she’d only ever had a couple of boyfriends before. So lying in this man’s bed, her body satisfied after the most thoroughly hot sex she’d ever experienced, Meghan stretched like a cat. She was so content she almost purred.

  A low, rumbling laugh, the sexiest sound, brought a smile to her lips. Teo. How could someone you’ve just met make your body sing so exquisitely?

  “You are perfect,” he said, low and rich, and Meghan peeked across at him from under her long lashes.

  “You’re not so bad yourself,” she responded honestly, letting her eyes travel the length of his near-naked form in a relaxed appraisal. He laughed again, and closed the distance between them, sitting down on the bed beside her so that it dipped a little. She squealed as her body flipped towards him involuntarily.

  He laced his long, tanned fingers through hers, enjoying the contrast of their skin. His dark, olive, tanned and rich, hers pale and delicate, like the English rose she so obviously was. “Can you stay the night?”

  Reality blurred the edges of this hotter-than-flame fantasy and brought a momentary frown to her face. Pete wasn’t arriving until the next day. He wouldn’t mind that she’d had a bit of fun of her own while waiting for him. In fact, her friend had been urging her to live a little more spontaneously for the two years she’d known him. He’d probably be thrilled that she’d finally given her libido a bit of a run. She could hardly use Pete as an excuse for running off on this veritable living-God. Her pretend relationship with Pete shouldn’t weigh into her decision making process at all.

  She stared up at Teo, someone she’d met only hours earlier when they’d been forced by a particularly heaving lunch time crowd to share a table together at a popular Roman trattoria.

  She didn’t really believe in fate, or destiny. But she believed in gratitude and she was thanking her lucky stars now for bringing them together. Even if it could only be for one night.

  This whole week had been a walk on the wild side for the usually very predictable Meghan Walker. The devastating loss of a patient who she had come to care for more deeply than she should have, had left her with a huge hold gaping in her heart. The paediatric floor manager had insisted she take some personal time to come to grips with the little girl’s passing. Pete, never one to let an opportunity pass him by, quickly suggested Meghan accompany him on the dreaded, inescapable trip back to Italy to see his family.

  Pete was forever describing his judgemental family, making them sound like they disapproved of everything he ever did. He had begged her to return with him, telling her the idea of showing up solo for three nights at his brother’s villa was too much to stomach. He couldn’t get out of the weekend; it was his grandfather’s eightieth and even the irreverent Pete saw it was a compulsory event. But if he could only bring Meghan with him as his lover. Well, that would be an entirely different kettle of fish. Meghan was just the kind of woman his family would adore, and if she loved him, then that would go a long way to keeping them off his back.

  At first, she’d balked at the idea of pretending to be his girlfriend. Lying wasn’t something she really believed in, especially not to your own flesh and blood. But he’d been desperate, and it had pulled at her heart strings to see her usually ebullient friend so, frankly, terrified.

  If her little patient’s passing had shown her anything, it was that life is precious, and desperately short. It was time Meghan started making the most of it, instead of burying herself in her studies and work. She’d come to Italy on that basis, and she’d loved exploring this ancient city. But this was the highlight. This man made her feel more alive than she knew possible.

  “I can stay.” She said with a nod, sealing their fate. For the next twelve hours at least.

  Relief flooded through him and he hadn’t realised until then that he’d been holding his breath. “I’m so pleased.”

  They made love again, this time, more slowly, and Meghan sighed afterwards, feeling a kick in her stomach as she realised that this was a man she could have, in other circumstances, come to truly care for. He made her laugh, and he fascinated her.

  By silent, mutual consent, they didn’t discuss much of their private lives, and yet they never ran out of things to talk about.

  It was the most magical, beautiful snatch of time in Meghan’s life.

  CHAPTER TWO

  After midnight, when Teo had fallen asleep, his arms wrapped possessively around her, reality began to intrude. Meghan turned her head and stared at him, Teo, who had, with very little effort, convinced her to share his bed. She squeezed her eyes shut as she remembered the strength of connection they’d shared during their lovemaking.

  Meghan had always believed that sex was better with someone you loved rather than with a complete stranger, and yet she’d never experienced anything like the sensation Teo had aroused in her last night. Neither of her boyfriends, though lovely men whom she had felt very strongly about, had given her that kind of satisfaction.

  She groaned softly in acute embarrassment. Whilst this was undoubtedly the norm for Teo, and men like him, she was in thoroughly unchartered territory. She was a paediatrician, for goodness sake, and her social life was more staid and uninteresting than a middle aged tax accountant’s. The closest thing she came to the nightlife was courtesy of Pete’s colourful tales. Meghan’s own idea of a perfect evening involved delicious food, a great jazz soundtrack, and a black and white movie, preferably subtitled.

  She watched his chest lift up and down, mesmerised by the way his muscles seemed to ripple beneath his skin, even in sleep. If she didn’t leave now, she might never be able to.

  Slowly, she slid her leg out of the bed until her toes touched the thickly carpeted floor. Careful not to disturb the sleeping Adonis beside her, she eased the rest of her body out of bed. He mumbled something in his sleep and threw his arms over his head and she froze, watching him carefully. He wore a relaxed expression on his sleeping face. Her heart felt like it was about to leap right out of her chest as she stared at him in his magnificent, naked state. It wasn’t fair for one person to be so extravagantly bestowed with charm and beauty, she thought, a wry smile on her lips.

  Not daring to risk dressing in the bedroom for fear of waking him, she collected her clothes off the floor and tiptoed down the hallway until she found a bathroom.

  She was a mess. Her hair was a riotous mass of curls, her green eyes were smudged with
eye makeup and her skin looked pale after barely any sleep. She splashed water on her face and ran her fingers through her hair, taming it into a semblance of order.

  For a brief second, she thought of leaving her phone number, but it was too complicated. Besides, her life was full enough. She’d worked so hard to become a paediatrician and was already years ahead of where she should have been, thanks to her one-eyed focus and lack of a social life. A man like Teo was just exactly the type of distraction that would derail all that hard work. Not to mention what a man like Teo would be able to do to her. She could just see how quickly she’d fall completely in love with him, and how easily he’d bore and move on from someone like her.

  What happened to living life to the fullest? A voice inside her head challenged but Meghan smiled grimly at her own reflection. She supposed you couldn’t really fight your true nature, no matter how much you wished you were different. And she was sensible. Focussed. Smart. Not the kind of woman to go in for magical nights of passion.

  No. She had to go. It was the right decision. The only decision. So why did the thought of never seeing him again make her feel physically ill?

  The house was surprisingly well fortified. Perhaps that wasn’t surprising given the size of the building and the sheer lavishness of the decor. She hadn’t paid much attention on their way in, but then, she’d been walking in between passionate kisses from Teo and her focus had been all on him. Now, as she tiptoed back down towards the front door, she paid closer attention.

  This was the home of a very wealthy individual, obviously. She wondered what her mystery lover did for a career. Whatever it was, he was obviously very successful. She pulled at the door and stifled a curse when it wouldn’t budge. Footsteps behind her made her spin guiltily on her heel. The only thing worse than sneaking out after a one night stand was being caught in the act. A middle aged woman wearing a pale blue dress and apron approached Meghan, her face unreadable. With a flood of rapid Italian, she leaned around Meghan and inserted a large bronze key into the door, turning it swiftly so that it pushed open with a groan.

  “Grazie,” Meghan breathed, and ludicrously, she bowed, her face glowing crimson as she virtually fled from the palatial building.

  She pulled up the satellite maps on her phone and checked her location. She wasn’t far from the hotel, as it turned out, and she decided to walk, thinking it would clear her head. She was in central Rome, cars were zipping past everywhere. She felt safe on the well-lit streets.

  Safe from muggers, perhaps, but not from herself. With every step she took, her brain exploded with memories of that night. His lips on her neck, his hands on her back, her breasts, the weight of his body on hers. Remembering the way his tongue had felt, kissing her more intimately than she’d ever been kissed before, made her arms goosebump with remembered sensation.

  By the time Meghan reached the hotel, she was perspiring from the intensity of her recollections and she was in need of a long, cold shower. She inserted the key card into the elevator and cruised to the penthouse suite.

  Once in the privacy of the large shower, she scrubbed her skin roughly, as if the evidence of her torrid day and night’s lovemaking was imprinted there. As her hand brushed against her breast, she felt a shock of electricity, as if Teo had permanently switched on some sensitivity receptors there. She leaned against the cold white tiles and closed her eyes, remembering his warm lips intimately tasting her body, the way his hands had pleasured her, and then him, enormous, hard, him. Her eyes flew open and she shut off the water. She had to conquer this. He was just a man and it had just been sex. Surely it was just the feeling of being on vacation that added extra weight to her desire?

  She slept fitfully and woke exhausted. It was still early, and she took her time getting ready, preparing to meet Pete at the airport, and then his family. She needed to erase all trace of the wild woman who stared back at her from the full length mirror. She looked just like she’d spent the night living out an erotic fantasy. While that was true, she didn’t like how obviously it was written across her. She had to make a good impression with Pete’s family, for his sake, which meant looking less the sexually satisfied vixen and more the smart, confident doctor.

  She had selected a white linen pantsuit for the occasion; the pants flared at the ankles but were fitted at the hips and rear, and she teamed them with a pale lilac silk singlet top. Pearl necklace and diamond earrings, and hair tamed into a sophisticated top knot, and she had done it. She barely held any resemblance to the wild temptress who’d slunk out of a stranger’s bed only hours before. Thank goodness.

  Seeing Pete relaxed her. They’d been flat mates for a couple of years and she’d never been so comfortable with someone. They spent weekends loafing about in their pyjamas, and she’d fallen asleep on his shoulder watching telly more times than she cared to count.

  It made sense for him to drive to the villa, given that he knew the roads marginally better than she did. And while he navigated the sports car a little faster than Meghan liked, the drive to the Villa still managed to restore a degree of calm to Meghan.

  With every mile they sped away from Rome, she felt herself unwinding. She never had to see Teo again. He was in Rome, and she was now approaching Villa Maratelli, where she would be for the next three nights. Everyone was entitled to the odd mad decision, and yesterday had been hers. It was in the past now. She felt her stomach roll at the certainty that Teo was someone she would never lay eyes on again. That emptiness in her gut simply did not matter. It was not important. It would fade with time. All that mattered was convincing Pete’s family that she adored and cherished her wonderful friend. Well, both were true, just not in the romantic sense.

  Meghan determinedly had very little to do with her own parents, and she was an only child. Her friends were her family, and Pete was one of her dearest friends. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for him. Having promised to help him get his family see him in a new light, she was resolved to do the very best job she could. They were going to be a super-couple. No one would believe they weren’t perfectly in synch with one another. She had the inside track on all of Pete’s best attributes, having lived with him for two years, and she’d be sure to make darned certain his family understood what a great guy he was.

  As the car pulled through large security gates, Pete’s hand sought hers.

  He turned his eyes from the road for a moment so he could look directly at her. “Thank you for doing this for me, Megs. I am really grateful to you.”

  She smiled over at him. “I’m going to be the best fake girlfriend you’ve ever had. Prepare to be dazzled by the depths of my affection and amorous nature.”

  “I can hardly wait.” He squeezed her knee and looked back through the front windscreen. Meghan did likewise, focussing her clear green gaze ahead, and as the enormous Villa loomed, she felt her skin prickle with astonishment. Villa Maratelli was seriously grand. It looked like a royal palace, only much bigger and better.

  “Nice digs,” she joked as he brought the car to a halt in front of the mansion.

  His lips compressed as he too stared tentatively at the elegant sandstone building. It seemed to sprawl for miles. “Not that I’ve spent much time here. I was always at boarding school, then university. This is my brother’s house. He bought it from grandfather ten years ago, as part of his acquisition of the company. Grandfather still lives here though. Just another thing my brother The Saint has going for him.”

  She threw her friend a sympathetic glance. “Don’t worry about them, Pete. If they don’t appreciate you then they’re all nuts.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence.” He leant over and placed a friendly kiss on her cheek. “Show time!” He said with exaggerated enthusiasm. Audrey knew how torn up he was about this trip. She desperately wanted to help him make a great impression on his judgemental sounding family.

  Tamping down on the nervous butterflies in her stomach, she climbed out of the passenger side of the car, pulling her Jack
ie O style sunglasses down to cover her eyes. In fact, they covered most of her face, leaving only her full and shapely red lips visible.

  He put an arm around her shoulders and together they walked up to the front doors. They had to be at least two metres high, made of highly sheened wood. Before Pete could grab hold of the handle and push it inwards, the door was wrenched open from within, and a tall, slender man stood staring out at them from beneath bushy grey brows. There was something vaguely familiar about his black rimmed eyes, though they were nothing like Pete’s. More like George Clooney’s, she thought appreciatively. The man before her would have been quite handsome a few decades ago. Still was, really.

  “Oh, Pietro,” the older man said breathily. His eyes encompassed Meghan and perhaps judging by her colouring that she could not possibly be Italian, he switched to perfect English. “I thought you’d be your brother. He’s running late. Not like him.”

  “Hello, grandfather,” Pete responded. He threw Meghan a fulminating glance that spoke volumes. See? I wasn’t exaggerating.

  She gave him a sympathetic smile then turned back to the old man. “Hello, sir. I’m Meghan Walker.” She held out a hand but the grandfather brushed it aside.

  “Please, call me Tony, and here, we kiss in greeting, not this silly hand grabbing you English fancy.” He placed a kiss on either cheek and gave his grandson an approving glance. “You’re dating Pietro?”

  Here goes, she thought. “Yes. We’re a couple.” The words felt funny in her mouth, thick on her tongue, but she ignored the strange sensation of being dishonest to an elderly man. It was, after all, for a good cause.

  “I’m glad to see you’re finally making sensible decisions, Pietro. Not a moment too soon.”

  Tony put a frail arm through Meghan’s and led her into the wide, black and white tiled hallway. It stretched forever, and they walked slowly, in deference to his age. Eventually he stopped and turned them away from the hallway, leading her through some French doors into a beautiful terraced courtyard. In the centre was a large tree, perhaps fig, she thought, looking at the leaves, and the ground was laid with terracotta pavers. Against the back wall, there was a fountain that trickled water gently, creating a soothing atmosphere.