One Passionate Night's Miracle: One-Night Baby / The Surgeon's Miracle Baby / Outback Baby Miracle

Fair … The word thundered in Kate’s head, taunting her with what might have been, reminding her that now it all came down to a balancing act between them as they ensured Francesca’s time was divided between them. ‘Yes,’ she said uncertainly, wishing now that she had stayed longer in the house to study the documents. The urge to be with Francesca had overwhelmed her and made her careless, and now she realised that it might have cost her dear. ‘They seemed fair.’

‘That’s good. We need to get everything organised as quickly as possible to lessen the impact on Francesca.’

Lessen the impact on Francesca? Kate couldn’t find any words in answer to that. Was Santino serious? How would a speedy decision lessen the impact on Francesca? Had he thought how this new regime would impact on her? How could it affect Francesca other than negatively when it took away from her everything she knew, everything she was comfortable with, everything in her innocence she believed would go on for ever? Santino might have convinced himself that a straightforward transaction could take place between them, but all the riches in the world couldn’t reassure a child who had been uprooted from her home.

She almost felt sad for him as she looked at him. There was such confidence in his gaze, he was so sure he was right, whereas she felt as if a deep, dark pit had opened up and was waiting to claim her. She had held herself aloof for so many years only to fall in love with a man who didn’t want her, a man whose arrant certainty threatened Francesca’s happiness and who appeared at this moment to despise Kate to the point where he wouldn’t be satisfied until he had destroyed her.

‘Do you think yourself a fit mother, Kate?’

‘Of course I do.’ What did he mean? What sort of confession was he waiting for her to make?

‘Really?’

Santino’s voice surprised her. It had turned soft and seductive, and took her off her guard. When he came across the room she wasn’t quick enough to evade him, or perhaps she didn’t want to. The yearning inside her was certainly too great to resist him and when he took hold of her arms she was pliant in his grasp.

The clock ticked as her head rolled back allowing him to drop a kiss on the exposed tender flesh on her neck. She wanted so much to believe that everything would be all right, and that he had taken pity on her. The touch of his lips quickly enflamed her senses, raising her nipples, and causing something heavy to twist deep inside her.

‘More?’ he murmured softly.

She could only sigh and then that sigh became a moan.

Taking his cue, Santino rasped the rough stubble on his cheeks against Kate’s tender neck.

‘Kiss me, Santino …’ The words came out on a breath and her eyes were barely focused. If only he would kiss her and hold her she knew that she had hope. She could see that his eyes were half shut and his lips were tugging up at one corner in a sexy, sardonic smile. The softening in his jaw was irresistible and he was gazing down at her in that sleepy, confident way he had …’Please …’ Her hands crept up the sleeves of his lightweight jacket, and, growing in confidence, she sought the hard, tanned flesh beneath the open buttons on his shirt. ‘Kiss me, Santino.’ Her voice had grown stronger and more confident, and her hands were more demanding as they moved behind his neck so she could lace her fingers through his hair.

He made a pass with his lips that left her weak, and then his arms swept round her, bearing her weight. It was everything she had hoped for, more. On a sensory level she was floating, and on every other level Kate knew she was drawing closer to her goal to touch Santino’s heart …

He let her drop and stood back.

‘It’s that easy, isn’t it?’ he said. ‘You’re that easy. If you think for one moment I would allow you to have custody of my daughter, you’re mad. Do you really think that I would allow Francesca’s innocence to be polluted by a mother like you?’

With a sound of disgust he left the room.

Kate remained where she was for quite some time … listening to the clock ticking on the wall, studying the tiny fibres in the carpet beneath her motionless limbs. She couldn’t think; she didn’t dare to. But eventually, like some animal returning from a deep sleep, she uncurled herself and rallied. Because she had to, because she couldn’t give up. However hopeless, however weary, this was one fight she could never turn her back on. She had to seek Santino out now and leave him in no doubt that, whatever had happened between them, she would contest any unreasonable suggestion he might make regarding Francesca’s future. She would not be defeated, not where her child was concerned.

She found him in the sitting room, relaxing, reading the paper as if nothing untoward had happened. His brow creased as she walked into the room and then he studied her face for a moment over the top of the newspaper. Finding her recovered, he continued on with his reading as if she weren’t there. But Kate noticed a tension had crept into his jaw. He had not expected her to recover so quickly, or perhaps at all.

In spite of his rudeness her heart raced as it always did at the sight of him. It was insane, it made no sense, but still she loved him, nothing would ever change where that was concerned. And at least Francesca had the father she had always longed for, Kate reminded herself, standing her ground. ‘I just wanted to confirm that I will be consulting a solicitor as soon as we return to England …’ Her throat felt tight, but somehow she managed to sound businesslike.

Santino took an inordinate amount of time lowering his paper. As he put it to one side Kate felt dread creeping over her. ‘You wouldn’t stop us leaving Rome?’ she said, voicing her deepest fear.

‘You? No.’

‘What do you mean?’ She felt the blood drain from her face.

‘I would have thought that was obvious.’

Santino stood up. All the better to intimidate her, Kate thought as he towered over her.

‘Francesca will be staying here in Rome with me.’

‘No. I won’t leave her.’ Kate found some steel for her voice. Santino was merciless, she couldn’t afford to appear weak.

He made an impatient gesture with his hand. ‘This show of emotion helps no one, least of all Francesca. It’s clear you haven’t read the documents through, or you would know the dates I have proposed for my daughter’s visits to Rome. They are clearly laid out. As Francesca is here in Rome it makes perfect sense for her to remain—’

‘Perfect sense?’ Kate interrupted him. ‘To whom?’

Santino ignored her. ‘For Francesca to remain here and grow accustomed to her new life.’

He said the words clearly and deliberately as if Kate had remained silent the whole time. ‘Francesca already has a life with me.’

‘And now that life will change to accommodate me.’

Swallowing back her fear, Kate struggled to remain calm. ’So you have made all the decisions regarding Francesca’s future without consulting me?’

‘You have just had a meeting with my lawyer. How much more considerate do you expect me to be?’

Yes, she could see that meeting would look good for him in a court of law.

‘You had all the time in the world to ask him questions,’ Santino pointed out.

‘And I did ask him questions, about many things, but I was upset, and confused—’

‘Excuses now?’

Kate shook her head at Santino’s accusation, but it was true she had been distraught and not thinking straight. Kate Mulhoon, the one person everyone else relied on for clear direction, had gone to pieces in the only meeting of her life that really mattered.

‘I’ve no time for this. If you had read the document through you would know the dates—’

‘If I’d read the document?’ Kate exclaimed. ‘We’re talking about our daughter, Santino, not a piece of paper. Do you really think Francesca’s life can be divided into segments like an orange?’

‘A court of law will make the final decision.’

‘And you’re happy to allow a judge who doesn’t know Francesca to rule on what will or will not make her happy?’

‘I’m not happy leaving that decision in the hands of Francesca’s mother.’

‘Then I’ll see you in court, Santino.’ But as Kate turned for the door he stood in her way.

‘If you try to fight me you will regret it; I promise you that.’

‘Are you threatening me?’ Kate stared up into eyes that held no warmth for her and flinched when they sparked with amusement.

‘I suggest you get a grip, Kate, or a court of law might consider you unstable, and judge you to be an unfit mother.’

‘And I suggest you find someone else to bully, Santino, because where Francesca is concerned I will not allow you to intimidate me. Now please move away from the door.’

‘With pleasure,’ he said, opening it wide for her.