“I drank too much and we hooked up. It wasn’t a long-term affair and you knew that going into it. That’s why you took advantage.”
She tilted her chin and then put her elbow on the table and her chin into the heel of her palm so she could smirk at him. “How so?”
“I didn’t like the publicity you got out of it.”
Her eyes widened and one hand went defensively to her throat. “Did you think I arranged for those photographers to be at my gate at that hour? They’re always there.”
He rolled his eyes. “You aren’t playing with someone who’s wet behind the ears, Meredith. I was born in the game. It wasn’t that hard to bribe one of them to tell me how they all came to be there. You had them called. It was a great shot, the two of us kissing, you in a short robe, nothing else and me still buttoning my shirt.”
“Compromising,” she said.
She almost purred the word, and just the way she said it bothered him. He knew she was someone who knew the score. She went through men the way others went through candy, of course she was always the one caught cheating, not her partner. He didn’t think she felt very much in the way of emotions. In fact, he didn’t think Meredith was capable of true feeling.
No one had ever thrown her over. She had tried calling him dozens of times. She’d issued even more invitations. He’d stuck to the ways of his family, seeing a woman just once. That way there could be no emotional ties. Her ego hadn’t allowed her to drop it.
“I had no idea they were going to be there or I’d have been more discreet,” he said.
“Dance with me and make up for it. I’m sure your little waitress won’t mind.”
“Don’t call her that.” He sounded harsher than he intended and glanced toward Sasha. She was back at the bar talking to Alan the bartender and not looking his way. He would have felt better if he could have caught her eye, maybe introduced Meredith to her. “Her name is Sasha.”
“I’m sorry, Giovanni. I don’t want us to be awkward when we meet. I value your friendship, and I’m trying to do damage control, but I seem to be failing miserably. Is she the jealous type? Should I just go? Aren’t you allowed women friends?”
Dio, he detested this bullshit. He glanced up at Vittorio. So far, his brother had been silent. Vittorio had never cared for Meredith. Vittorio shrugged. He didn’t know what to do, either.
Giovanni rose, trying not to feel the way his stomach lurched. His calf hurt like a son of a bitch in spite of the whiskey, but he could take it for one lousy dance. A part of him was certain Meredith was playing him again. She couldn’t possibly have been hurt that he hadn’t called her, but there was that tiny little bit of doubt. “Of course, I’ll dance with you, Meredith.” He held out his hand. “Sasha definitely isn’t the jealous type.” He hoped Vittorio got the message and would apprise Sasha of what was happening.
Meredith beamed at him. She took his hand and, as they moved around the tables to the top of the stairs, she slid right under his shoulder, her arm curving around his waist. She was tall with long legs that went on forever—she looked good and knew it. She leaned into him, pressing her lips against his ear so she could be heard above the loud music. He inclined his head just enough to let her so he could catch what she was saying.
“I’d really like to meet her. Your Sasha must be very special.”
He smiled, because hell yes, Sasha was special. He had to turn his head to press his lips against her ear so she could hear as they continued down the stairs. “I’d like for you to meet her. She’ll be on a break in a few minutes. You’ll have to come back to the table with me and meet her.” He didn’t want to give up one minute of his time alone with Sasha, especially now, when he knew she was upset over her brother, but keeping Meredith from trying to sink her teeth into his woman was wise. Giving up a few more minutes wouldn’t kill him.
The music was slow, so he swung her into his arms. Every Ferraro knew how to dance. That was one of the thousands of requirements put on them from the time they were very young. He was good at it, although Vittorio was the best. Still, Giovanni could make his partner float across the floor in perfect sync with him.
He realized, as he pulled her in close, that he didn’t like her body sliding over his. That was for Sasha. Only his woman. He kept his frame perfect, but Meredith’s body melded to his and she kept looking up at him, smiling into his face with a look of near adoration. That made him uncomfortable.
“I’m very much in love with Sasha,” he felt compelled to say.
“What?” She went up on tiptoe, in spite of her height and heels. Her arms slid around his neck and she leaned her body right into his. “I couldn’t hear you.” Her lips were against his neck, close to his ear.
He turned his head toward hers. “I’m very much in love with Sasha.” He proclaimed it a second time, wanting her to understand.
His mouth was a breath away from hers and she pressed her red lips to his, holding his neck like a boa constrictor, giving the performance of her life as she kissed him. Flashes went off from every direction. He caught both arms and dragged her away from him as he jerked his head back, his heart sinking. He’d underestimated Meredith once again.
She smirked at him. “Now, we’re even. You’re going to be all over the tabloids as a two-timing asshole, Giovanni, and you deserve it.”
Everything in him stilled. “Did you once think how Sasha might feel?”
“Who gives a damn? She’s going to have to get used to seeing you in the tabloids accused of screwing everything in skirts that comes near you. Fuck her. You didn’t think how I might feel when the tabloids speculated that you dumped me.”
He regarded her for a long time, and something in his expression wiped the smirk from her face. “The problem you have right now, Meredith, is that I won’t forgive a hurt to my woman. Me? Yeah. That’s part of the game, but you knew before you did this that you were going to hurt her and you didn’t give a damn. Money talks. It always has. It doesn’t matter how big a star you are, your career can be ended in a heartbeat.” He snapped his fingers. “Consider that the heartbeat.”
He turned to walk away, wiping his lips with the back of his hand, despising her. Despising all the women like her. They were ruthless and greedy and willing to hurt innocents to get what they wanted. Sasha had enough to contend with without having to deal with what was going to be in the papers the next morning. There was no way to stop it. Even Meredith couldn’t stop it now. She’d set the paparazzi on him and even made certain to bring in Reynolds and Larsen. Both would be more than happy to take on the Ferraros.
Cursing, he took the stairs two at a time, ignoring Meredith’s frantic call after him. Already, he had his phone out and was texting their Hollywood contacts. All of them. Every producer the family knew and all those they didn’t have relationships with. Money talked. He had tons of it, and Meredith was going to be hit where it hurt. No producer was going to get behind her films. He would make certain if she was being considered for a part, he would take it away from her. Had she kept her revenge to him, he wouldn’t have done a thing, but she knew better than to fuck with his woman. The Ferraros had a certain reputation. She thought herself out of reach.
Sasha stood at the top of the stairs, waiting. She’d seen the kiss. The flashes. Meredith’s arms entwined around his neck. He could tell by the look on her face. Flashes continued to go off. Several photographers tried to follow him. He didn’t know why since they all had zoom lenses, and they had to know security was going to stop them. He ignored that little byplay, too, his eyes on Sasha’s, willing her to keep looking at him and nowhere else.