Alejandro's Revenge (18 page)

‘Is something wrong, Abigail?'

The dark, disturbing tones were unmistakable. Managing to wrench her arm free of Ross's grasp, she turned and saw the Cuban standing negligently beside his car. His elegant suit and the shadow of stubble on his jawline were in stark contrast to Ross's sports coat and bearded countenance. Yet, despite the hollows beneath his eyes, Alejandro had never looked better or more familiar.

‘Who the hell is this?' demanded Ross, unwilling to lose the initiative, and Alejandro inclined his head towards the other man.

‘I am the cousin of the—er—Spik who married Abigail's brother,' he replied, and Abby's heart sank at the knowledge that he had heard Ross's coarse indictment. ‘And you must be—'

‘Abby's fiancé,' Ross put in aggressively, the colour in his cheeks the only indication he felt any shame.

‘Her ex-fiancé,' she corrected him tersely. Then, managing to recover her composure, she turned to Alejandro, ‘I must apologise for Ross's rudeness. He's not usually so crass. I'm afraid he's had a trying day.'

Alejandro's eyes were disturbingly intent as they appraised her. ‘And you,
cara
,' he said softly. ‘Have you had a trying day, too?'

‘A long one,' she said. Then, nervously, ‘What are you doing here, Alejandro? Did Eddie ask you to come and see me?' She paled a little at this thought. ‘Nothing's wrong, is there?'

‘With your brother, no,' Alejandro assured her smoothly. ‘He is able to walk again and he is hoping to return to work in a few weeks.' He glanced thoughtfully at Ross before adding, ‘I went to your flat, but it was unoccupied. Your neighbour directed me here.'

‘You went to her flat?' echoed Ross, his face darkening ominously. ‘I don't know who you are, friend, but you've got no right to turn up uninvited at Abby's door.'

‘First, I am no friend of yours,' said Alejandro, his mouth twisting distastefully. ‘And, as Ms Leighton was trying to get away from you when I arrived, perhaps you are no friend of hers either. In any event, if I understand her correctly, you are no longer her fiancé. I suggest you do as she says and go home.'

Ross snorted, stiffening his spine and squaring up to the other man. ‘And if I don't?' he said challengingly, evidently spoiling for a fight. ‘What are you going to do about it?'

Abby stifled a groan. ‘Please, Ross,' she said desperately. ‘Do as he says. I'll—I'll speak to you tomorrow. Alejandro's an old friend. I'll be perfectly all right with him.'

Ross's brows drew together. ‘How old a friend?' he asked suspiciously. ‘How long have you known him? Why haven't I heard about him before? Did you meet him when you went to Edward's wedding? Is that what he means when he says he's related to Edward's wife?'

Abby sighed. ‘Well—yes. If you must know.' She cast a glance towards Alejandro, hoping he wasn't listening to this. She lowered her voice. ‘Ross, please, this is not your business.' She took a breath. ‘Just go home.'

But Ross seemed indifferent to her pleading. ‘How well do you know him?' he demanded. ‘Am I allowed to ask that?'

‘I think you have asked enough,' broke in Alejandro, and Abby knew he'd been listening all along. ‘How well Abigail and I know one another is our business. As she says, it is no concern of yours.'

‘It is if you know the bastard who got her pregnant and abandoned her,' retorted Ross outrageously, his words chilling
Abby to the bone. ‘I guess you didn't know about that,' he added, as Alejandro rocked back on his heels as if someone had struck him. ‘Yeah, Abby thinks people here don't know what happened, but she's wrong. She'd just come back from her brother's wedding, and you don't spend over a week in the gynaecological ward of the hospital without people talking. I guess she lost the kid, but I'm not supposed to know. All she told me was that she couldn't have children, and that suited me. I get enough of them at school every day. I never wanted any of my own.'

A
BBY
didn't wait to hear any more. She wanted to die, she thought sickly. She could think of nothing she wanted more than for the earth to open up and swallow her. She didn't want to live. She'd didn't want to see the shock and horror on Alejandro's face. Nor did she want to have to defend herself to him. He hadn't known, he wasn't meant to know, and that was how she'd wanted it to stay.

Turning on her heel, she almost ran across the road, uncaring of the traffic, which fortunately was light. She could hear Ross calling her name, but she didn't answer. Right now she couldn't bear to look at him. How could she have ever contemplated spending her life with him?

She reached the park unharmed and set off swiftly along the path. She expected one or both of them would follow her, but if she could get into her flat she needn't open the door to anyone. All right, Ross had a key, but there were bolts at the top and bottom of the door. Surely one of them would respect her privacy. What had happened was her loss, no one else's.

As for Alejandro, she couldn't imagine what he must be thinking. He would probably consider the fact that she had been expecting his child without telling him a betrayal of the highest order. Yes, he'd been married, but Edward's story now was that he and his wife had been virtually separated. Would she have told him in those circumstances if she hadn't lost the child?

The answer was probably no, she conceded. After all, as far as she'd been concerned Alejandro hadn't wanted to see her again. They had had a one-night-stand, the kind of thing she would never have dreamed she was capable of. And, because
of that, she'd spent the last two years trying to come to terms with it.

She'd thought she'd succeeded. She'd really thought that her relationship with Ross was all she wanted out of life. Or perhaps all that she deserved, she concluded sadly. She'd thought she was depriving him of the chance to become a father, before realizing it suited him far better than her.

But what had he hoped to gain, blurting it out like that? Did he suspect Alejandro was the man involved? And was it true that everyone at the school knew she'd had a miscarriage? My God, had Ross discussed her with the other teachers? Had they all speculated about who might be to blame?

Abby was feeling more and more desperate. It was a nightmare, she thought. How could she ever face her colleagues again? And Alejandro… Well, she couldn't even bear to think about how Alejandro might be feeling. Was he angry? Did he hate her? Or was he just full of contempt for the way she'd behaved?

To her surprise—and to her relief—she reached her flat without incident. There was no sign of Ross's car in the square; no sleek black Mercedes like the one Alejandro had apparently hired. Perhaps they'd both decided she wasn't worth bothering about, she thought painfully. It wouldn't be the first time she'd been on her own.

She was making herself a cup of tea with shaking hands when she heard a key rattling in the lock. But she'd bolted the door behind her, and now she was glad she had.

‘Abby!' shouted Ross, evidently putting his mouth close to the letterbox. ‘Open the door, Abby. I want you to see what that bastard has done to me.'

Abby groaned. What now? she wondered wearily. Didn't Ross realise he'd said enough? Besides, as far as Alejandro resorting to physical violence was concerned, she didn't believe it. He was far too laid-back to get into a fight over a woman he hardly knew.

‘Go away, Ross,' she called, going out into the hall so he
could hear her. ‘I don't want to speak to you now. In fact, I don't know if I'll ever want to speak to you again.'

‘Oh, come on, Abby.' Ross was harsh. ‘We both know you need me. Just because Varga's given me a black eye doesn't mean he's going to be hanging about.'

Abby's fingers trembled as she tore back the bolts and wrenched open the door. But when Ross would have stepped inside, she blocked him, her eyes turning incredulously to his face.

He was right. He did have the makings of a black eye. The skin around his eye looked puffed and sore, his eyelid swelling ominously over the pupil.

Her lips parted. ‘Alejandro did this?' she breathed incredulously, and Ross took a belligerent stance.

‘You needn't look so pleased about it,' he snapped. ‘Now, are you going to let me in? I think you owe me an explanation. Who is this man Varga, for God's sake? Don't tell me he was the father of your child?'

Abby's mouth closed. ‘I'm not going to tell you anything, Ross,' she said quietly. ‘And as far as owing you an explanation is concerned, you can't be serious. You shamed me. You embarrassed me and humiliated me. And don't pretend you were doing it for my own good. I've never felt so awful in my life.'

Ross's jaw jutted. ‘Well, you had to know sooner or later. People aren't fools, Abby. Women particularly gossip about stuff like that. I mean, they know something happened to prevent you from having children. What other explanation could there be?'

Abby stiffened. ‘How do they know I can't have children?' she demanded.

Ross sighed. ‘Well—I may have said something,' he muttered unwillingly, and Abby sagged against the door.

Then, straightening, she said, ‘I meant what I said before. Go away, Ross. Go away, and don't ever come near me again.'

She slammed the door then, leaning back against it as hot tears flooded her eyes. My God, and she'd thought she could
trust him. He was just like Edward. He said whatever was necessary to get his own way.

She had papers to mark, but she dumped them all on the table in the living room, too distressed to attempt any kind of work. Instead, she rescued her tea and curled up on the couch, trying not to think about the future. Her whole world seemed to be tumbling about her and she didn't know what she was going to do.

She supposed she ought to feel something about Alejandro's treatment of her ex-fiancé. Some gratitude, perhaps, that he had felt compelled to act in her defence. But she couldn't help wondering if he hadn't acted as he had because he'd been so furious about what Ross had told him. Alejandro was a proud man, and he probably thought she'd made him look like a fool.

Whatever, she thought wearily, there was nothing she could do about it now. The only thing she could hope for was that rumours didn't start flying about the school. If anyone had seen the fracas—and there had still been students about, she remembered—it would soon reach the ears of the head teacher.

She must have been sitting there for over an hour when someone knocked at her door. Ross, she thought tiredly. When was he going to realise their relationship was over? But then she remembered she hadn't bolted the door again after he'd left earlier. Surely if it had been Ross he'd have used his key first and argued later.

Getting to her feet, she went to the hall door and called, ‘Who is it?' It was almost dark, the bright day giving way to an overcast sky. She seldom opened the door at this time of the evening without identifying her caller. It wasn't wise to take any chances, however unlikely danger might be.

‘Abigail?'

Alejandro's voice was low and unmistakably weary. As soon as she heard it she knew she'd been half hoping that he might come. But why? she asked herself. Whatever had brought him to London, Ross's words had destroyed any empathy between them. And besides, after the way he'd behaved
on his boat, she was foolish if she thought he was here because of her.

But she couldn't ignore him. Not when he had taken the trouble to come to the flat. So, abandoning any hope of disguising the tears she'd shed earlier, she rubbed brisk hands over her cheeks and opened the door.

She didn't know what she'd anticipated. Maybe some evidence of the fight he'd had with Ross. Perhaps she'd half expected him to be sporting a black eye, too. But apart from his drawn expression, which had not been there earlier, he looked much the same as he'd looked before.

Alejandro had been propped against the wall beside the door, but now he straightened. ‘Do you want me to come in?' he asked, and she realised he wasn't angry with her.

‘I—of course,' she said, stepping back so that he could move past her. She closed the door and followed him into the living room. ‘So—this is a surprise.'

Alejandro turned in the middle of the living room floor, his size immediately dwarfing the apartment. ‘But not a pleasant one,' he said, and she knew he'd noticed her swollen eyes. ‘Is Kenyon here? I would like to apologise to him.'

Abby gasped. She couldn't help it. ‘No, Ross isn't here,' she said, her heart sinking at the realisation that she'd been completely wrong about his visit. She swallowed. ‘What made you think he was?'

‘I saw him come here,' said Alejandro simply, his dark eyes shadowed. ‘I waited for him to come out again, but his car is still downstairs.'

‘His car is still downstairs?' Abby blinked. ‘I didn't know that.' She licked her lips. ‘He left here over an hour ago. Perhaps the car wouldn't start. That happens sometimes.'

‘Ah.' Alejandro sounded thoughtful, but she could tell from his expression he wasn't convinced. ‘Or perhaps he thought I would not come here if I thought he was still with you,' he remarked consideringly. ‘Your fiancé is a determined man,
cara
. He does not give up.'

‘He's not my fiancé,' insisted Abby tersely. But she sus
pected that was exactly what Ross might have done. He would never expect Alejandro might feel the need to apologise to him. Nevertheless, leaving his car outside was such a childish thing to do.

Alejandro shrugged, his shoulders moving freely beneath the fine wool of his jacket, and Abby couldn't help remembering that evening on his yacht. When he'd held her in his arms. When he'd danced with her and pretended he was going to seduce her. She wished he had. But, like Ross with his car, he'd only been playing a game.

‘He's not here,' she repeated, when it seemed obvious something more was expected of her. She hesitated. ‘I'm sorry if what he said upset you. You weren't ever supposed to find out.' She wrapped her arms about her midriff, unknowingly protective. ‘I know I should have told you when it happened, but—well, I thought you were a happily married man.'

‘And this would be because Edward told you?' suggested Alejandro harshly, his expression hardening as he spoke of her brother's involvement in the affair. He swore softly. ‘I hope you know now that he was lying to you, Abigail. As he lied to me when I told him I wanted to see you again.'

Abby looked dazed. ‘You wanted to see me again?'

‘What else?' But Alejandro did not sound as if the knowledge pleased him. ‘And I am not talking about today, this week, this month, even this year.
Por l'amor de Dios
, Abigail, I would have come to you after our first meeting. Edward knew that. I told him. I said I wanted to see you again, and he—' His lips twisted. ‘He laughed in my face.'

Abby stared at him. ‘He laughed?' She couldn't believe it.

‘As good as,' said Alejandro dismissively. ‘He told me you would not want to see me again. That you already had a fiancé. That you were planning to get married. That you would not welcome me turning up to complicate your life.'

Abby was aghast. ‘I didn't know you wanted to see me again,' she got out at last, unable to cope with the implications of Edward's treachery right now. ‘Besides, you were married,'
she said again. She hesitated a moment, and then added, ‘Eddie didn't lie about that.'

‘What is that expression? He was economical with the truth.' Alejandro made an impatient gesture. ‘I gather he did not tell you that I had already filed for divorce? Maria and I—that was my wife's name—we had separated some weeks before your brother's wedding. Lauren and her parents knew this. I find it hard to believe that Edward did not know this, too.'

‘Perhaps he did.' Abby put an unsteady hand to her head. ‘I had no idea that he had even spoken to you. When I asked him about you, all he said was that you already had a wife.'

Alejandro swore. ‘I believe you,' he said harshly, and Abby noticed how pale he'd suddenly become. ‘So—when I was imagining that your behaviour had been unforgivable, you were obviously thinking the same of me?'

‘Something like that,' murmured Abby, hardly able to take it all in. Then, noticing that he was swaying on his feet, she indicated the sofa behind him. ‘Won't you sit down?'

‘Gracias.'
Alejandro needed no second bidding. With a gesture of apology he sank down onto the sofa and expelled a long sigh. ‘Forgive me,' he said. ‘It was a long flight and I am tired. I fear the consequences of not sleeping for more than twenty-four hours are catching up with me.'

Abby glanced towards the kitchen. ‘Are you thirsty?' she asked anxiously. ‘Can I get you something to drink?'

‘Sitting down will do it,' Alejandro assured her, loosening the buttons of his jacket. He looked up at her with a brave attempt at a smile. ‘
Sî
, I am feeling much better already.'

Abby doubted he was. Now that he was below her eye level she could see the shadows of weariness in his face. Dear God, what had Edward said? she wondered. How had he dismissed her behaviour at the wedding? Had Alejandro really thought that she had just been playing a game?

‘Are you not going to join me?' he asked now, shifting along so that she could sit beside him. But Abby didn't trust herself to be so near to him when her emotions were in such
a chaotic state. Despite what he'd implied, she wasn't sure what he expected of her now.

Instead, she perched on the arm of the chair opposite as she tried to make sense of all he'd said. It seemed apparent that he had come all this way just to see her, but was it to clear the air between them or because he wanted something more?