CHAPTER 1

         Gabriel De León had heard a lot of lies in his life, particularly in relation to his beautiful, ruthless ex-mistress. But this one topped them all.

“No, it can’t be true,” he said in shock, staring at the doctor. “She’s lying.”

“I can assure you, it’s absolutely true,” Dr. Levi replied gravely. “She really has no memory. Not of you, not of me, not even of her accident yesterday. And yet there’s no physical injury.”

“Well… That’s because she’s lying, doctor!”

“She was wearing the seatbelt when her head hit the airbag,” Dr. Levi continued. “There was no concussion.”

          Gabriel stared at the doctor with a scowl. He had a reputation as a doctor of great skill and integrity. He was rich from a lifetime of serving wealthy, aristocratic patients, so he couldn’t be bought.

          He was known as a family man, still completely in love with his wife of fifty years, an adored father of three and grandfather of eight, so, he couldn’t be seduced. This must be true then… The doctor honestly must believe Calleigh Swanson had amnesia.

          Amnesia… This was absurd… Gabriel’s lip curled. After all of her devilish cleverness, he would’ve expected more of her. Eleven weeks ago, after stabbing him in the back, Calleigh had vanished from Marbella like a ghost.

          His men had searched for her all over the world without success until two days ago when she’d suddenly resurfaced in London for her stepfather’s funeral. Gabriel had dropped a billion-dollar deal in New York, ordering his men to trail her until he could reach London on his private jet.

          Miguel and Rafael had been right behind Calleigh yesterday afternoon when she’d left the private clinic in Harley Street. They’d watched her tuck her long, glossy dark hair beneath a silk scarf, put on big black sunglasses and white driving gloves, and drive away in her silver Aston Martin convertible. Right into a red postbox on the sidewalk.

“It was so strange, patrón, (Spanish for ‘boss’)” Miguel had told him that morning when he’d arrived from New York. “She seemed fine at the funeral. But leaving the doctor’s office she drove like she was drunk or something. She didn’t even recognize Rafa and me when we helped her back into the hospital after the accident.”

          Now, Dr. Levi looked equally stunned as he scratched the back of his wispy white head.

“I held her overnight for observation, but can’t find anything physically wrong with Calleigh.”

          Gabriel ground his teeth.

“Because she doesn’t have amnesia. She’s playing you for a fool! This is all just an act.”

          The elderly doctor stiffened.

“Mr. De León, I don’t believe Calleigh is lying. I've known her since she was fourteen when she first came here with her mother from the States.”

          He shook his head as he mused.

“All the tests came back negative. The only symptom seems to be amnesia. Leading me to wonder… Maybe the accident was merely the catalyst… The trauma was an emotional one.”

“You mean she brought it on herself?”

“I wouldn’t say it in these exact words. But this is outside my area of expertise. This is why I’ve recommended a colleague, Dr. Green.”

“A psychiatrist...”

“Yes, and a very good one.”

          Gabriel latched on to the one valuable bit of information.

“So, if there’s nothing physically wrong with her, Calleigh can leave the hospital this very day.”

          The doctor hesitated.

“She’s certainly strong enough. But as she has no memory, perhaps it would be better if a member of her family…”

“She has no family, doctor,” Gabriel interrupted him. “Her stepfather was her only living relative, and he died three days ago.”

“I did hear about Mr. Swanson, and I was very sorry. But I hoped perhaps Calleigh might have an aunt or uncle, or even a cousin in Seattle…”

“She does not,” Gabriel said evenly, although he had no idea.

          He only knew nothing was going to keep him from taking Calleigh away with him today.

“I’m her…”

          What was he? Ex-lover bent on revenge?

“Boyfriend,” he finished smoothly. “I'll take care of her.”

“This is what your men told me yesterday when they said you were on your way.”

          Dr. Levi eyed him as if he didn’t quite like what he saw.

“But it doesn’t sound as if you even believe she needs special care.”

“Doctor, if you say she has amnesia, I have no choice but to trust your professional word.”

“But you called her a liar…”

          Gabriel gave a crooked grin.

“Her imagination is the source of her… creative fabrications. They are part of Calleigh’s charm.”

“So, you two are close?” the doctor asked, looking up at him with narrowed eyes. “Do you intend to marry her?”

          Hearing his last question, Gabriel knew the answer the man wanted… the only answer that would release Calleigh into his power. And so, he told the truth to the doctor.

“She is everything to me, doctor. My absolute everything.”

          Scrutinizing Gabriel’s expression, the doctor stroked his beard with something like satisfaction, then nodded in a sudden brisk decision.

“Very well. I’ll release her into your care, Mr. De León. Take good care of her. And please, take her home.”

          Take her to Illa de Tagomago (A/N ‘Illa’ means ‘Island’ in Spanish)? Gabriel would die before he would pollute his home that way. But Marbella… yes. He’d lock her up in one of his twelve rooms and make her thoroughly regret betraying him.

“You will release her to me today?”

          The doctor nodded.

“Yes. Make her feel loved,” he warned. “Make her feel wanted and secure.”

“Loved and secure,” Gabriel repeated, barely able to keep the sneer from his face.

          Dr. Levi frowned.

“Surely, Mr. De León, you can appreciate what these last twenty-four hours have meant to Calleigh. Now, she has nothing to cling to. No memory of family or friends to sustain her. No sense of home or memory of belonging to a place. She didn’t even know her name until I told her.”

“Don’t worry,” Gabriel said grimly. “I’ll take good care of her.”

          But as he started to turn away, the doctor stopped him.

“There is something else you should know.”

“What is it?”

“Normally I would never disclose this information. But in this unique case, I feel it’s important for you to know…”

          With a muttered curse in Spanish, Gabriel tapped his foot impatiently.

“What is it, doctor?”

“Calleigh is pregnant.”

          At that word, Gabriel’s head shot up. His heart literally stopped in his chest.

“Excuse me?” he choked. “She’s… what?”

“Pregnant?” the doctor replied.

“How… far gone is the… pregnancy?” Gabriel asked.

“When I did the ultrasound yesterday, I estimated conception in mid-June.”

          June… For nearly all of that month, Gabriel had barely left Calleigh’s side. He’d kept tabs on his business almost unwillingly, resenting every moment of his life that wasn’t spent in bed with her.

          Their affair had burned him through, blood and bone. Like a complete fool, he’d thought that he could trust her. Because lust had seized his mind and will. In those days, he was thinking with some other part of his body that wasn’t his brain.

“If I’d had any idea how upset she was at the news of her pregnancy, I would never have let her drive away from the hospital. But don’t worry,” he added hastily, “your baby is fine.”

          His… baby. Gabriel stared at him, hardly able to breathe. The doctor suddenly gave a hearty, cheerful laugh, patting him on the back.

“Congratulations, Mr. De León. You’re going to be a father.”

                                                    ********

          Around her, Calleigh was dimly aware of a whisper of voices and the distant hum of a heater. She felt someone sweep a cool cloth against her forehead. Maybe it was a nurse.

          The soft sheets against her skin felt heavy. She stubbornly kept her eyes closed. She didn’t want to wake up. She didn’t want to leave the dark peacefulness of sleep, the warmth of barely remembered dreams that still cradled her like an embrace.

          Calleigh didn’t want to return to the nothingness of existence, where she had no memories. No identity. Nothing to cling to. Just emptiness that was far worse than any pain.

          And, since this wasn’t enough, the doctor had told her three hours ago, that she was pregnant. She couldn’t remember conceiving the child. Couldn’t even remember the face of her baby’s father. At least one problem less since she would meet him today. He would be here any minute.

          Covering her head with her pillow, Calleigh squeezed her eyes shut. She was racked with anxiety and fear at the thought of meeting him for the first time… Meeting the father of her unborn baby! What kind of man would he be?

          She heard the door open and close and held her breath. Then someone sat heavily next to her, causing her body to lean toward him on the mattress. Strong arms suddenly were around her. She felt the warmth of a man’s body, breathed in the woodsy musk of his cologne.

“Calleigh, I’m here.”

          The man’s voice was deep and low, with an exotic accent she couldn’t place.

“I’ve come for you.”

          A thrill rushed through her. With an intake of breath, she pushed aside the pillow. He was so close to her. She saw the sharpness of his cheekbones first. The dark scruff on his hard jaw. The tawny color of his olive skin.

          Then, as he drew back, Calleigh saw his whole face. He was... breathtaking. How was it possible for a man to be at once so masculine, and so beautiful?

          His black hair brushed the top of his ears. He had the face of an angel. Of a warrior. His Roman nose had been broken at least once, from the tiny imperfection of the angle. He had a full, sensual mouth, with a twist of his lips that revealed arrogance and something more… Cruelty, perhaps?

          His eyes gleamed down at her, dark as night. And beneath their black depths, for a moment, she saw a devastating fire of hatred, as if he wished she were dead, as if she were a ghost, he’d long ago sent to hell.

          Then Calleigh blinked, and he was smiling down at her with tender concern. ‘I must’ve imagined that fiery hatred,’ she thought in confusion. Not surprising considering how screwy her head had been since the accident… an accident she couldn’t even remember!

“Calleigh,” he whispered as he caressed her cheek. “I thought I’d never find you. That I’ve lost you forever.”

          The touch of his rough fingers against her skin burned her. She felt a sizzle down her neck to her breasts, making her nipples taut and her belly spiral in a strange tightness.

          With an intake of breath, Calleigh searched his face, hardly able to believe the evidence of her own eyes. This… this gorgeous man was her lover? He looked nothing like she’d expected.

          When Dr. Levi had told her that her boyfriend was on his way from New York, she’d imagined a kind-looking man with a loving heart, a sense of humor. A gentle man who would share his troubles while they washed dishes together at the end of the day.

          She’d dreamed of a loving partner. An equal. Never in her wildest dreams had she ever imagined a dark god like this, cruelly beautiful, masculine and so powerful that he could no doubt slice her heart in two with a look.

“Aren’t you glad to see me?” he said in a low, unsettling voice.