Dark Demands 03: Totally His by Nell Henderson Read Free Book Online

“Come and meet Katarina, she’s so exited.  It’s a long time since Matthew brought anyone home to meet us.”
    She took Gina’s hand and led her inside.  The house was beautiful, the sitting room had huge patio doors leading out into a flower filled back garden heady with the scents of blooms and herbs.
    “I thought we would eat out here,” she said pointing to a large wo oden table laden with fruits and many different bread s and set for four.
    “Pour Gina some wine, Matthew,” she insisted and ushered them towards the chairs.  “I’ll see to the meal and find Katarina and send her out.”
    Gina sat down and sipped the red wine Matthew poured for her.  The late afternoon sunshine was still bright and kissed the skin of her shoulders and back with its warmth.  This place was lovely, this garden, Portofino , Italy and of course being her e with Matthew made it all just perfect.
    Katarina was a go od deal younger than Gina had imagi ned.  She was only about eighteen or so .  She greeted Matthew lovingly throwing her arms around his neck and kissing his face.  It was obvious that he came from a very close and loving family and this was very much at odds with the Matthew she’d come to know. 
    She looked at Gina with intense curiosity on her young face and then after an uncomfortable gap of several seconds, she smiled.
    “Pleased to meet you Signorina,” she said offering her hand .   “I have been a little nervous about meeting you all day,” she explained.  “The last woman Matthew brought home with him was very scary and I didn’t like her much at all,” she admitted. 
    “That woman was my wife, Katarina and as you well know, she divorced me,” he said running his hand through the curtain of black hair flowing down her back.  “ But in her defence Lisa did like you and don’t forget all those shopping trips you shared and the stuff she bought you .”
    Katarina shrugged and rolled her big, black eyes.   “ That was just to get me on her side.  And anyway it was your money she spent. She was not really a very generous person,” she turned to Gina.  “ She was – how do you say in English?”   S he paused - thinking for a moment for the right word s .  “A bitch – that is what she was, wasn’t she, Matthew,” she said innocently turning to her brother for confirmation .
    Matthew laughed and tapped her backside lightly.
    “Don’t use language like that in front of our guest,” he admonished lightly.  “Lisa had her drawbacks, Gina, and, I’m afraid neither Katarina nor Luisa liked her very much.”
    Gina could only wonder why.  She was Italian like them and a member of the wealthy Carlotti family and obviously she’d tried hard to curry favour with them.   So what had gone wrong?  Or perhaps they were just heavily influenced by Matthew’s version of events.
    The two women were good company and regaled Gina with tales of Matthew’s youth – his antics and of how proud they were of him.  Katarina promised to go site seeing around the area with Gina and also told her she’d show her the castle in Portofino – the one on the hill that Gina had been so fascinated by.
    As the evening drew to an end Luisa produced a huge cake – a belated birthday cake for Katarina who had celebrated her eighteenth birthday just a few weeks ago. 
    “Matthew couldn’t make it home,” she explained.  “So I’ve had no choice but to bake another cake and do candles and everything.”
    They sang and clapped and finally Matthew produced the dark blue velvet b ox – the one Gina had seen in his penthouse that night – the one containing the beautiful ruby necklace and earrings.  He presented them to his sister and wide eyed with surprise and gratitude she disappeared to try them on.
    He was obviously very generous.  Gina had seen them and knew they must have cost a fortune.   However she was relieved that the gift hadn’t been for anyone else.  At the time she’d found them