The Costarella Conquest Read Free

eyes…all made him a very popular pin-up, especially on his flash motorbike. He was wearing black leathers today, though he was now carrying his jacket, discarded because of the heat of the morning. His white T-shirt was emblazoned with a Harley-Davidson. He played a bikie and he looked like one, much to her father’s disgust.
    The three of them started strolling back towards the patio, son and daughter flanking their mother, determined to keep a happy ball rolling for her. Why she stayed with their father was beyond their comprehension. There was no joy in the marriage. Having a very dominant husband who controlled everything seemed to have sapped her of any will for an independent life.
    Laura always thought of her mother as a lady,never anything but beautifully dressed and groomed, imbued with gracious manners, doing everything correctly and tastefully, making a special ritual of keeping fresh floral arrangements in the house, which she did herself. Even her name, Alicia, was somehow very ladylike.
    She looked particularly lovely today, her newly dyed blond hair cut into a short, fluffy style, a blue silk tunic giving her eyes more colour. They had seemed so dull and washed out lately, Laura had worried there might be a health problem her mother was not admitting to. She was getting too thin, as well, a fact hidden by the loosely fitting long-sleeved tunic. The white slacks were also loose, affecting a casually elegant look. Certainly no one would notice anything amiss with her, not on the surface. Jake Freedman would probably pigeonhole her as the typical rich man’s wife.
    â€˜What’s he like?’ her mother asked.
    â€˜James Bond,’ popped straight out of Laura’s mouth.
    â€˜What? Loaded and dangerous?’ Eddie queried.
    She grinned at him. ‘Plus gorgeous and sexy.’
    He rolled his eyes. ‘Don’t you go falling for him, Laura. That’s bad territory.’
    â€˜Yes, be careful,’ her mother quickly warned, her eyes anxious again. ‘Your father might want you to like this man. There has to be some motive behind inviting him here today.’
    â€˜Could be that marrying the boss’s daughter ison Jake Freedman’s agenda,’ Eddie put in, grinning wolfishly, then snapping his teeth to make the point.
    Marriage?
    Never!
    She’d walked out of every relationship she’d had once the guy started making demands on her, which always happened sooner or later. From what she’d witnessed at home, marriage was an endless string of demands, plus abuse thrown in if the demands weren’t met. No man was ever going to own her as his wife.
    She rolled her eyes back at Eddie. ‘I’m not so easy to gobble up. I’ll be feeding him lunch. He can whistle for anything more from me.’
    â€˜Humphrey Bogart,’ her mother murmured.
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜Humphrey Bogart. He whistled for Lauren Bacall. It was in an old movie.’
    â€˜Well, I haven’t seen it.’
    â€˜Did he get her in the end?’ Eddie asked.
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜No doubt she wanted to be got,’ Laura said, giving her brother a quelling look. ‘Different story.’
    â€˜I’ll be watching the mouth of Dad’s man of the moment,’ he tossed back at her, wicked teasing in his eyes. ‘If he starts whistling…’
    â€˜It’s more likely the man of the moment is about to be used to show you up as a footloose lightweight, Eddie, so watch your own mouth.’
    â€˜I don’t know…I don’t know…’ their mother fretted.
    â€˜It’s okay, Mum,’ Eddie quickly soothed. ‘Laura and I have put our walls up and nothing is going to crack them today. Just you relax now. We’re both on guard.’
    It was a relief to hear Eddie so sure that his protective armour was in place. Laura wished she could say the same for herself. Despite what her mind dictated, as soon as they came into view