Falling For Her Italian Billionaire. Annie Claydon
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of test, and she was pretty sure that if she left anything out now, she was going to fail it.
‘Yesterday evening you went to Dr and Mrs Goodman’s house for dinner. You collapsed shortly after you arrived. Dr Goodman recognised your symptoms as being drug related and took the appropriate action.’
‘And what prompted your involvement?’
‘Mrs Goodman knows your father, I believe.’
Gabriel rolled his eyes. ‘Yes, they’ve stayed with us in Italy. Sara called him, didn’t she?’
‘Yes, she did, and that turned out to have been a very wise move. It appears there have been other incidents involving your family...’
His brow darkened suddenly. ‘Other incidents? Is my mother all right?’
‘Your mother’s fine, nothing’s been directed at her. Although she’s naturally concerned about you, and we’ve been in constant contact with your parents to put their minds at rest.’
‘Thank you.’ His gaze was searching her face. ‘You should know that my older brother died in an accident when he was seventeen. My mother wouldn’t be human if she didn’t worry a little too much about me sometimes.’
‘Mr Sullivan told me. I was chosen for this assignment because I can be tactful and discreet. And I know how to reassure the people I work with.’
‘In that case, I’d be grateful if you could employ your ability to reassure to its fullest extent when you deal with my parents.’
‘But not with you?’
‘No. Not with me.’ Lines of worry and exhaustion etched themselves on his face, and for a moment all Clara wanted to do was soothe them away. ‘Why would anyone want to do this? I can’t imagine you don’t have a theory.’
‘You must know about the new drug your father’s company has developed.’ Maybe he didn’t. Maybe he just took the money and didn’t take much interest in the way it was made.
‘Yes, of course I do. It’s one of the new generation of HIV drugs and because of the low cost of manufacture it has huge potential in developing countries.’ Gabriel frowned. ‘I know that there have been some questions in the press about our manufacturing capabilities and distribution policies. When a new drug is developed, everyone else wants to get their hands on it and it’s not unusual to find a bit of pressure being applied to the company that holds the rights.’
‘Well, it may be that someone’s taken that application of pressure a step further. There have been moves to put your father under investigation for financial irregularities...’
‘What?’ Gabriel gave a harsh laugh. ‘I hadn’t heard about that, but whoever suggested it doesn’t know him very well. My father’s an absolute stickler for things being done properly as far as money’s concerned.’
‘So I gather. But you must know that getting the relevant distribution licences for a drug with this much potential is a demanding process. Any hint of scandal has to be avoided, and since it’s common knowledge that you’ll be having a greater involvement with the company when your father retires, that extends to you.’
Gabriel thought for a moment. ‘Okay... I get the financial allegations, they’re a direct attack on the company’s suitability to develop an important drug properly. The PR department will deal with that. But I don’t see the connection between that and what’s happened to me.’
‘Timing...’ Clara counted out her points on her fingers. ‘Ingestion of a form of flunitrazepam that isn’t available on the open market... Mrs Goodman’s emphatic assertion that you’re not a drug user...correct me if she’s wrong about that.’
‘Sara’s right. I don’t touch drugs.’
He was quiet for a moment, his face grave. Clara could almost see his life crumbling around him, and the thought that she’d been the one to tell him all of this made her feel sick.
‘I’m sorry, Gabriel. This can’t be easy to hear.’
‘That’s all right. I appreciate your honesty.’ He looked up at her, and suddenly she was on unsteady ground, falling into the warmth of his dark eyes. ‘Look, I really need to sleep for a few hours. Can I give you a call this afternoon, and we’ll talk a bit more?’
The after-effects of the drug were hitting him hard. Gabriel had kept it together for longer than most would have done, but now he could hardly keep his eyes open.
‘I’ll stay here, with my team.’
He looked around, as if he’d forgotten that they weren’t alone in the house. That was exactly what Clara wanted. Her team did their jobs quietly and inconspicuously and a client didn’t need to know the nuts and bolts of it. All Gabriel needed to know was that they were there and he was safe.
‘Uh... Okay. Help yourself to...’ He gestured towards the fridge and then seemed to think better of it and shrugged.
This was how it started. Gabriel was the kind of man who was sure of his place in the world, but gradually he was beginning to question the safety of everything around him. Clara had seen it happen before, and knew that it would be a difficult challenge for him to face.
‘Take some water with you.’ She got to her feet, pulling a bottle of water from the supermarket bag and giving it to him. ‘I have to call your father to give him an update. Or would you prefer to do that?’
Gabriel shook his head, wincing in sudden pain. ‘No. This is a company matter, he’ll want a report from you, not me. Tell him I said hello if you like, and that I’ll call him later.’
He turned, walking slowly out of the room. Clara saw his hand shake as he reached for the door handle and wondered if he’d make it up the stairs on his own. But instinct told her that crowding him would be the wrong thing to do at the moment, so she listened for his unsteady footsteps, relaxing only when she heard the sound of a door closing upstairs.
She’d watched over Gabriel’s handsome, sleeping face since the early hours of this morning. Stared at it, unable to believe that anyone could look quite so perfect...
But now wasn’t the time to think about his perfections. It was the vulnerabilities that she had to deal with, the worries and the flaws that came out when a person was in a difficult situation and under pressure. And although Gabriel wasn’t ready to admit it yet, he was in a very difficult situation.
ALONE IN HIS bedroom Gabriel tore off his clothes, leaving them in an untidy pile on the floor, and threw himself down on the bed. The room was bathed in sunlight and it was hurting his eyes so he reluctantly got up again and drew the curtains. That was better.
He was so tired. Asleep almost before he lay back down...
* * *
Eleven years old and alone in the darkness. His leg hurt. Gabriel had dragged himself over to the heap of rocks that had fallen near the mouth of the cave and tried desperately to move them, but they were too big. He’d called his brother’s name, knowing that he wouldn’t answer but hoping somehow for a miracle. Pietro had been buried, along with his friends, and only Gabriel was left.
Time was measured only by fitful sleep and growing hunger pains.
He heard the sound of water, and crawled to find it, pain shooting through his injured leg. The water tasted clean and cool, marred only by the metallic taste of his own blood, where he’d torn his fingers trying to dig.
He lay down on the floor of the cave. It would be better if he stayed here. Pietro was here, and his ghost seemed to beckon Gabriel into his arms...
* * *
Gabriel