Betrayed(20)

Now he understood a little about her, it made him protective, and that was scarce. For years, he’d been a shit to women. He wasn’t proud of it.

Something about her life unsettled him. Her outburst made him realise there was more than she’d first let on. Whether or not she agreed, he was going to use whatever resources he could. He was going to track down her mother and learn what had gone on.

Kat stepped out of the car and stretched.

She didn’t realise, but the contract would go through on her ability alone. They desperately needed her skills. The cutting edge, which once kept them at the front, was no longer quite so cutting. They were one step behind the competitors and didn’t know why. Maybe Papá had lost his touch. For the business to maintain its position, they needed special input.

Kat’s genius might just provide that input. Had things been different, she might have headed her own empire. Rafael arched his fingers. He doubted if she understood her potential. This needed a Machiavellian strategy to make it work.

Way below them, a stretch of narrow valley sandwiched a dry riverbed, which in the distance, widened to meet the sea. Close by, safe above the flood-plain, a cluster of old villas stood bone-white in the sun. On the flat roof of one, a line of washing flapped, laconic.

Rafael tested the air currents with a wet finger and nodded. “It’ll make a good day,” he said. “We don’t want too much breeze.”

Kat leaned on the roof of the Lamborghini without enthusiasm. She said, “I’d prefer there to be none.”

It took another twenty minutes to reach the tiny harbour. A handful of fishing smacks and rowing boats waltzed to the idle movements of the estuary. The yacht dwarfed everything, gleaming in the sun. His would be the twin. Under construction in the yards, it had the most thrilling line he’d ever seen in a yacht. He’d called in several times, but still it gave him a buzz to see this one in the finished state. He’d been obsessed with boats for as long as he could remember, since he’d been for a spin on his uncle’s yacht, as a boy.

“It’s bigger than I imagined,” Kat said.

He shrugged. “They often are; especially when you see what’s below deck.”

The yacht was white with a blue flash, loads of chrome, high mast, and a sleek glass enclosure surrounding the wheelhouse. The lines were beautiful, a rich man’s toy, but Papá was a rich man, and indulged him.

He waved to a group of men who lounged nearby. “Let’s get this thing going.” He turned to Kat. “They’ll take us out. When I know the ropes they’ll turn us free.”

“By ourselves?” Kat turned to him and frowned. “We’re going to be alone in that thing? Suppose we get stuck, what then?”

“It has all the latest gizmos; radio with backup; distress beacon; satellite navigation system. Why should we be stuck? This is a sophisticated piece of technology. I’ve been handling yachts forever, and this is the best yet.”

“However much does a thing like this cost?”

Rafael laughed. “That’s hardly the thing you ask a gentleman. And does it matter anyway?”

“Well it looks like a street full of houses to me.”

“And what would I do with a street full of houses? I can’t sail a house.”

“And you can’t raise a family on a yacht.”

A teenager brought a speedboat to the jetty in a flurry of spray and bravado. Rafael said, “Come on. This will take us to the yacht. Your coach awaits milady.”

It swayed as they got in, and Kat clutched for support. Rafael realised she really did not like it. When they were under way, she looked around as if searching for an escape. The boat chopped crazily when the teenager gunned the engine. He was quite mad with it. Rafael frowned heavily in his direction but failed to get his attention. He decided against making an issue in case she became upset, so he just held her hand for comfort. Luckily they fast closed on the yacht. It looked even more striking up close.

He helped Kat and she grabbed the short ladder on the yacht, hanging on the rungs as if for dear life. Rafael helped her until she was over. The problem was with everything in motion; he didn’t know what to do to help her. She looked as if she hated every minute, and he began to realise it had been a mistake on his part.

While the men showed Rafael around, Kat leaned against the rail. He kept a wary eye on her. It seemed to take an age, but finally the crew left, and Rafael went to her. He leaned with his elbows on the edge of the rail by her side and tried to jolly her along. “Well me-hearty,” he growled. “It be over to us now. Be you up for it?”

Kat glanced at the swell heaving the yacht. Rafael suspected it was the last thing she wanted, but she thrust out her chin with determination. “I see no reason to delay.”

Rafael was pleased with her response. “Good! We be weighing anchor soon. If there be hankie-pankie, I shall rig out the plank, and you shall walk it.”

“Rafael,” she hesitated. “About the file this morning, I’m sorry… I meant no harm. I couldn’t help but be inquisitive.”

“Forget it.”

“Listen, I’ve been thinking. I’m in the way of your everyday business. I’m taking up an awful lot of your time, and things are probably screwed back home. Perhaps I should return, to help them out. I’ve finished the draft designs. Your team will be able to take over quite easily.”

That was the last thing he wanted. “I hardly think so,” he said, searching for reasons for her to stay. “I looked them over. You’ll want to see the job through, surely.”

“I’ve finished what you asked.”

“I think we should go ahead with detailed designs. I’d rather you did them… in case of mistakes. We should get the team behind you, to speed things up. They can follow your instructions.”

“Why have I the impression I’m being manipulated?”

“We could even create a separate label,” he said impulsively. “Have it registered; perhaps call it Katrina Bligh at Saval. How does that sound? Italian Concept could be marketed under the label.”

“My name on a label?” Kat felt a surge of excitement. “And why would you do that?”

“Listen, your name associated with ours will give the industry a shot in the arm.” He took a fancy to the idea as he spoke. “Just imagine the speculation, and the free publicity it will bring when they hit the catwalks.”

“You think so?”

“Kat, ambitions are damn precious and mustn’t be lost.”

“And your Papá? What will he think?”

He waved his hand indifferently. “For once he’s given me a fairly free rein. I think he’s grooming me to take over. He’s probably feeling his age, although he’d never admit it… Look,” he said, warming to the idea now. “I know I was a blockhead trying to seduce you. Don’t let my selfish conduct stand in your way. I shouldn’t have allowed my emotions to run out of control. I behaved unprofessionally.”

“Maybe it wasn’t selfish.” She touched his hand. “Maybe it’s me. I don’t seem to know what I want.” Her voice softened with affection. “Things between us can’t ever be the way you want it though. You do understand don’t you?”

“I think so.” He looked at her levelly. “I suppose I had this crazy notion of taking up where we left off. I let my emotions run away, and I’m sorry.”

“I’m the one who’s sorry.”

“Don’t let it prevent what you’re doing, Kat. You have something special going for you. Who knows where it could end if these lines take off. The world could be your oyster.”

Kat laughed. “This sounds dangerously like teenage dreams to me.”

“And why not?”

“Why not, indeed.”

He looked over the rails. Around Kat, his chemistry went into tangles. What kind of person was he to allow himself to be caught up like this? He couldn’t help it though; anyway, it sounded a damned good idea, and sounded better by the minute. He said carefully, “Look Kat, I’m not going to make you do anything that you don’t want. That’s not my scene.”

“You mean things like sailing in this thing?”

“Hardly.” Rafael smiled at her humour. “I realise there’s too much to lose by pushing you, so all that’s done with. I’ve pushed my last bit.”

He leaned with his back against the supports, watching her, waiting for a reaction; head high with dignity, wondering what was going through her mind.

She didn’t say anything more though, and eventually he clambered over the deck and disappeared into the wheelhouse. A deep-throated roar came from the engine, settled then growled. He put the drive into forward, opened the gas, and the screw bit into water. The boat surged under his feet, the bow lifted, and they were rushing out into the open sea.