to you.”
“How can you say that?” She was outraged. “From the day we met, when you told me your name—”
“I didn’t tell you my full name. But that was only because I liked talking to you and didn’t want it to end.” His deep voice was quiet. “I never lied. I never tried to sell a forgery. I am not the criminal.”
She caught her breath, and for a moment she felt dizzy, wondering if he could be telling the truth. Could her father have been guilty? Had he known the Picasso was a forgery when he’d tried to sell it?
I didn’t do it, baby. I swear it on my life. On my love for you.
Daisy remembered the tremble in her father’s voice, the emotion gleaming in his eyes the night of his arrest. All throughout his trial and subsequent imprisonment, he’d maintained his innocence, saying he’d been duped just like his wealthy customers. But he’d refused to say who had duped him.
Who was she going to believe—the perfect father who’d raised her and loved her, caring for her as a single parent after her mother died, or the selfish billionaire who’d had him dragged into court, who’d taken Daisy’s virginity and left her pregnant and alone?
“Don’t you dare call my father a criminal!”
“He was convicted. He went to prison.”
“Where he died—thanks to you!” Her voice was a rasp. “You ruined his life out of spite, over a painting that meant nothing—”
“That painting means more than—”
“You ruined my life on a selfish whim.” Daisy’s voice rose. “Why would I want you near my baby, so you could wreck her life as well? Just go away, and leave us alone!”
Leonidas stared at her in shock. He’d never imagined that he’d become a father. And he’d never imagined that his baby’s mother could hate him so much.
The soft drizzle had turned to sleet, falling from the darkening sky. Nearby, he could almost hear the rush of the East River, the muffled roar of traffic from the looming bridge.
Just go away, and leave us alone.
He heard the echo of his mother’s voice when he was five years old.
Stop bothering me. I’m sick of your whimpering. Leave me alone.
Since their breakup last October, through a gray fall and grayer winter, Leonidas had tried to keep thoughts of Daisy at bay. Yes, she was beautiful. But so what? The world was full of beautiful women. Yes, she was clever. Diabolically so, since she’d lured him so easily into wanting her, into believing she was different from the rest. Into believing her love could somehow save his soul and make him a better man.
Ridiculous. It humiliated him to remember. He’d acted like a fool, believing their connection had been based on anything more than sexual desire.
He couldn’t let down his guard. He couldn’t let himself depend on anyone’s love.
Daisy Cassidy had been the most exhilarating lover he’d ever had, but she was also the most dangerous. He’d needed to get her out of his life. Out from beneath his skin.
So the day after their argument, he’d left New York, vowing to forget her. And he had.
By day.
But night was a different matter. His body could not forget. Against his will, all these months later, he still dreamed of her, erotic dreams of a sensual virgin, luring him inexorably to his destruction. In the dream, he gave her everything—not just his body, not just his fortune, he gave her his heart. Then she always took it in her grasp and crushed it to dripping blood and burned ash.
Two days before, he’d woken after one particularly agonizing dream at his luxury apartment on the Boulevard Saint-Germain in Paris, gasping and filled with despair.
Ever since their affair had ended, his days had been gray. He barely cared about the billion-dollar conglomerate which had once been his passion. Even his formerly docile board was starting to whisper that perhaps he should step down as CEO.
Leonidas could hardly blame them. He’d lost his appetite for business. He’d lost his edge. The truth was, he just didn’t give a damn anymore. How long would he be tormented by these dreams of her—dreams that could never again be real?
Then he’d suddenly gotten angry.
He realized he hadn’t visited his company’s headquarters back in New York once since that disastrous cocktail party. Daisy had driven him out of the city. He’d left his ex-girlfriend in victorious possession of the entire continent. But even on the other side of the world, she destroyed his peace.
No longer.
Grimly, he’d