Capri Nights (2 page)

In less than a week, he’d know his fate. Prison or freedom? No matter what the authorities decided, Alex’s life had changed forever. He’d done the right thing. He had to clear his father’s good name. His father was no longer here to defend himself. It was up to Alex to restore his family’s reputation and the reputation of their company. It was what his sainted mother would have wanted. If only his extended family believed in him.

CHAPTER TWO

Wearing the pale green sundress that hugged her body, and the sky-high gold sandals that made her legs look longer, Cat felt like a fairy-tale princess for the first time in her life. She twirled in front of the mirror in her bedroom at the villa her father and stepmother had rented.

During their shopping excursion earlier today, Angelina had laughingly called herself Cat’s fairy godmother. Thanks to Angelina’s help as they shopped in the upscale boutiques of Capri, the old Cat, the young woman who hid behind unflattering clothes and hair, had disappeared. Believing the only way she could gain her father’s attention and love was to be a serious person who studied hard and got good grades, Cat had deliberately eschewed fashion and focused on her studies. Unwilling to compete with her sophisticated, socialite stepsisters, Cat became the opposite of them.

She’d done well in college, then attended law school at her father’s insistence, and started working at the family firm, but all her hard work hadn’t earned his love or acceptance. Cat wondered if she reminded her father too much of her mother, the woman whose heart he’d broken by his infidelity.

When she’d confessed to Ethan, her ex-fiancé, that she’d rather attend culinary school than practice law, he insisted she go along with her father’s plans for her. Ethan said with her law degree and his medical degree, they’d be able to afford the lifestyle they wanted. Or rather, he wanted. Then he found someone else and dumped her.

Cat narrowed her eyes at her reflection.
Sheesh
. She was almost thirty and she’d had it with doing what others wanted. Leaving law for culinary school was her first step to independence. This island with its sunshine, flowers, and hot men, plus her new wardrobe, further peeled away her layers to expose the real Cat, the woman she’d always wanted to be.

With a small laugh, she smoothed her hand over her newly cut and styled hair. Her waist-length hair had been trimmed to just below her shoulders. Very straight with light feathering framing her face, the shorter cut made her eyes seem bigger and bluer. The red highlights the stylist put in enhanced her hair’s natural color.

Alex had complimented her on her hair. Warmth flowed through her as she remembered his sexy smile and that deep voice. She had a vision of running off with him for adventure. Sure beat having to make nice at the party tonight with her stepmother’s snooty friends.

Wanting a few more minutes of calm before heading into the den of vipers that was her stepfamily, Cat stepped outside to the tiny patio off her room. She leaned on the ornate white iron railing and inhaled the tart scent of lemons from the trees in the gardens below.

Just as the unflattering clothes and hair had been her disguise, her new clothes and hair style were now her armor against the barbs from her stepfamily.

She should have given Alex her number, but maybe it was best she hadn’t. His overt sensuality and her reaction to it scared the crap out of her. Damn it, she’d never be the new Cat if she didn’t overcome her fears.

With a heavy sigh, she headed downstairs to where the family had gathered prior to the party.

Nolan Connors, her stepmother, lived a lavish lifestyle that most people knew only from reality shows. Appearance and social standing meant everything to Nolan. By putting on this elaborate and very expensive wedding for the older of her two daughters, she’d insured she and her daughters would get photo spreads in
Vogue,
W,
and
People.

Cat couldn’t care less about money or getting her name in the gossip columns. She wanted to build her career and eventually open her own restaurant. And maybe someday get married, but marriage was on the back burner for now.

As Cat strolled through the living and dining rooms to the lattice-covered patio, the cloying scent of roses assailed her. Nolan, always over-the-top, had had roses cut from the bushes in the extensive gardens and set into vases throughout the first floor. Sneezing, Cat stepped outside.

Beyond the mosaic-floored patio, the water of the Olympic-size pool sparkled gold in the setting sun. Statues of Ancient Roman gods and goddesses were set around the pool, arrogant figures from a bygone era looking down on the modern men and women and finding them wanting. Servants bustled around the tables that rimmed the pool. Cat knew the guest list tonight was small and that some of the guests were European royalty.

“Cat, darling, what have you done with your hair?”

Her stepmother, fifty-something leader of San Francisco society, her long blonde hair curling softly around her expertly made-up face, glided toward Cat clutching a crystal martini glass. Nolan’s slim white silk gown with a thigh-high slit exposed one of her shapely legs. A tall woman, the white stiletto sandals she wore made her height over six feet. Large sapphire chandelier earrings dangled from her ears. Cat figured one of those earrings would pay the rent at her small San Francisco apartment for six months. At least the apartment was all hers. She’d pay her own way now with no help from her father. Not that he’d been much help when she was growing up. Money had been tight at times for Cat and her mother.

Nolan gave Cat air kisses, then retreated back to the glass-block bar in the corner.

“Nice dress, Cat,” Tinsley, Nolan’s daughter, and the bride-to-be, said with a smirk. A princess surveying her domain, Tinsley, her streaked blonde hair pulled into a high pony tail, and wearing a red dress that barely covered her assets, lounged on one of the chintz-covered chaises. “Where’d you get the clothes? Did Angelina lend them to you?”

Cat lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “They’re my clothes.” She took a glass of champagne from the tray held by Paolo, the butler.

Bailey, Nolan’s other daughter, joined them and accepted a flute of champagne from Paolo. With a haughty toss of her head, she strolled to Cat. “Decent clothes for a change. At least you’ll be presentable tonight with all the important people coming.”

Cat rolled her eyes. “Seriously, Bailey? You’re going to go there? Let’s call a truce for one night.”

“Whatever. I can’t wait to meet the prince Mother invited for me.”

Cat almost choked on the champagne she’d sipped. “Prince? For you?”

“
Prince
Sandro Viteli. From the Italian royal family.”

“Italy no longer has a royal family,” Cat said.

“If they still had one, Prince Sandro would be part of it.”

“I hear he’s smokin’ too,” Tinsley said, walking up to them.

Cat swallowed the rest of her drink and took another glass from Paolo. She needed all the liquid fortifications she could get to deal with this crowd. A prince, for God’s sake. There’d be no stopping Nolan if one of her daughters snagged a royal.

Bailey settled onto one of the stools at the bar. “When do you start your new job as cook, Cat?”

With a sigh, Cat said, “You know I’m a sous chef at Vault, one of San Francisco’s finest restaurants.”

Nolan gave a dismissive wave of her hand. “I’ve gotten bored with Vault. It’s so last year.”

Fighting for patience, Cat drew a careful breath. “The new head chef there is Bobbie St. James.” She named one of the world’s most famous chefs. “I had to compete against a lot of talented people for my job. I guarantee you won’t be bored again at Vault.”

“Maybe your father and I will have dinner there sometime after we get back home.”

As if on cue, Cat’s father, along with Tinsley’s fiancé, Huntley Mortimer,
the fifth
, walked onto the patio. They each held a large glass of what looked like whiskey. Cat could see her father was already drunk. From Huntley’s glassy eyes and the way he rubbed his nose, she figured he’d been snorting his drug of choice, cocaine.

The smarmy expression on Huntley’s face as he studied Cat made her want to take a shower. He’d been coming onto her for the past year, since he and Tinsley had gotten engaged. “Looking sexy tonight, Cat,” he said. “What happened to the schoolmarm braid?”

“It’s cut. Okay?” Anxious to escape the barracudas surrounding her, Cat walked down to the pool. The statues reflected in the calm water, silent sentinels.
You only have to get through these next few days, then you can go home and be done with these people,
they seemed to say
.

An hour later, the party was in full swing. Cat tried to be as gracious to the guests as her mother had taught her. Molly Connors, an artist in Sausalito, California, entertained often. Dealing with this self-absorbed crowd, Cat missed her mother. Molly had a ready smile for everyone and didn’t take herself too seriously. Cat, sitting at a small table, shifted in her seat to get a better view of her dad. He stood unsteadily talking to two men whose names she couldn’t remember. She wondered for the hundredth time what sort of man her father would be if his infidelity hadn’t destroyed their little family.

Movement by the doorway caught her attention. Cat dropped the small crab cake she’d been about to put into her mouth. The flush of adrenaline that flowed through her propelled her from her chair. Alex, dressed in beautifully tailored tan pants and wearing a black shirt opened at the neck, stood in the doorway. Nolan clutched his arm and grinned like a wolf who’d just scored a meal. Bailey, on his other side, shook her head to let her platinum blonde hair fall seductively around her face, a movement she’d perfected.

“Everyone!” Nolan said. When the guests quieted, Nolan pulled Alex forward. “
Prince
Alessandro Viteli, our honored guest, is here.”

Honored guest?
Prince
Alessandro Viteli. The
Prince
Sandro
Nolan had invited for Bailey? Alex sure wasn’t the gigolo Cat had feared.

Alex nodded to the group, every bit the royal. “Please call me Alex,” he said to Nolan. With a flourish, he presented her with a bottle of wine.

“Gotham Project Gazerra,” Nolan breathed. She grabbed the bottle and held it at arm’s length, staring at it as if it were a gold bar crusted with diamonds. Cat waited for her to swoon.

With Bailey clinging to his arm, Alex spotted Cat. He said something to Nolan and Bailey and extricated himself. Bailey’s enhanced lips formed a pout and she stamped her foot.

“Cat!” Alex said when he reached her. “I have found you again.” He took her hand and raised it to his lips for a soft kiss.

Cat thought
she
might swoon. “I’m glad to see you again. Bailey said
Sandro
Viteli was coming. I didn’t know that was you.”

Alex grabbed a glass of champagne from a passing waiter and cupped Cat’s elbow, drawing her to the side. Cat slid a glance toward Nolan and Bailey. If looks could kill, she’d be at the bottom of the pool now.

“My family and my Italian friends call me Sandro, but no one calls me prince,” he said. “My royal blood has no meaning now. I care nothing about that.”

“I’m very surprised to see you here,” she said. “How do you know my father and stepmother?”

“Davison Connors is your father?”

When she nodded, he said, “I’ve done business with your father’s firm in the past. When he and his wife invited me to this party, I accepted, in the interest of maintaining a good working relationship.” Alex’s eyes sparked green-gold fire as he scanned Cat. “But you and I will not talk business. You are
bella
. Beautiful.” He touched her hair, letting strands of it slip through his fingers. “You cut your hair.”

“You don’t like it?”

“I like it. I like everything about you. You are
molto bella
no matter your clothes or hair.” He tapped his chest. “Your beauty comes from inside.”

Her face heated. “Thank you.” She really needed to learn to accept compliments.

“It is I who should thank you.”

“Me? Why?”

“For being a friendly face in this sea of sharks.
Mi
scusi
, Cat. I do not mean your family. I know most of the guests, and they are the sharks.”

Cat laughed. “Don’t be too sure about my family.”

“Nolan Connors is your stepmother?”

“Yes. Bailey and her other daughter Tinsley are my stepsisters. Tinsley is the one getting married.”

Alex touched her arm. “Excuse me while I say hello to your father and a few of the others. When I’m done, let’s leave here. I want to show you the
real
Capri.”

His hazel eyes gleamed with awareness in the soft light from the lanterns strung in the trees. An answering awareness gripped Cat. Leave this crowd and go off with Alex? “Okay.”

A half hour later, Alex had made the rounds talking to the other guests, Bailey stuck to his side like peanut butter on bread. Cat wasn’t worried. Alex had asked her and not Bailey to go with him. Cat noticed that while some of the guests seemed cordial to Alex, others ignored him.

Finally, free of Bailey, he strolled over to Cat where she stood trying to make small talk with an Italian journalist and his wife. When the couple saw Alex heading toward them, they stiffened and walked away.