Dominic stood off to the side from his attorney, his gaze firmly locked on her. Ava tried to ignore it. Tried to pretend she didn’t feel the force of his gaze even without looking at him. She closed her eyes, but it didn’t help. Her mind flashed back to their lovemaking. To his mouth at her breast. To his head between her thighs. Stop it, Ava. Her eyes opened and her gaze came to rest on Dominic. She gave him a frosty glare. He made a move towards her and she shook her head in the negative warning him away.
The door opened in front of them and out stepped a petite brunette rocking a chic asymmetrical bob. “Are you the parties of Hill and Sambarino?”
“Yes we are,” Melissa and Mike said in unison.
“Judge Masters will see you all now,” the brunette said.
Lombardi made a sweeping motion with his hands. “After you ladies.”
Ava rose to her feet. The brunette opened the door to allow them inside. As Ava stepped forward, Dominic grabbed her hand. He looked at her, a pleading expression on his face. She jerked her hand away and marched inside. Down a small hallway, Ava followed. At the end was another door. The brunette opened it and stepped aside. A tall, grey haired man wearing a black robe stood looking out a window. When he heard their footsteps, he turned around. His frosty blue eyes were framed by bushy brows.
“Judge Masters, Melissa James. This is my client, Ms. Hill.”
“Please be seated, ladies.”
“Judge Masters, Michael Lombardi. I’ll be representing Dominic Sambarino Martelli.”
Ava gritted her teeth as Dominic and his attorney entered the judge’s chambers. She took a seat next to Melissa in one of the rounded leather chairs in front of the judge’s desk.
“Please be seated, gentlemen.”
The judge sat down behind his desk as Dominic and Lombardi sat in the chairs on the right of Melissa and Ava.
The judge cleared his throat. “I’ve read over both of your petitions. Ms. James, tell me why you feel Mr. Sambarino’s suit should be dismissed.”
“Lack of grounds. Lack of evidence to start with.”
“Go on,” Judge Masters said.
“Your Honor, there is no evidence to support Mr. Sambarino’s claim that he is indeed the deceased Joseph Martelli’s son. All we have is his word and in the court of law that means nothing. Without proof that he is a blood relative he has no standing to bring this suit and without standing it must be dropped.”
“Okay Counselor, I’ve heard your stance on the matter. Mr. Lombardi, what say you?” Judge Masters said.
“Your Honor, my client would not waste your or the court’s time by bringing a frivolous lawsuit unless he had something to go on. Mr. Sambarino was told by his mother that the deceased was his father and records show that the deceased Mr. Martelli has made financial contributions over the years, as well as spent significant amounts of time with my client.”
“Which means nothing,” Melissa cut in.
“Counselor,” the judge said, leveling her with a hard glare.
Melissa sat back in her seat. Ava could feel the tenseness radiating off Melissa. Her attorney sure didn’t seem to like Mike Lombardi. Ava wondered if the dislike was more than professional.
“Continue, Mr. Lombardi.”
“Thank you, Judge. As I was saying, as far as my client is concerned, Joseph Martelli was his father and he only seeks a portion of what is rightfully his. Because of the openness Mr. Martelli displayed with my client we believe Ms. Hill was well aware of their relationship and used undue influence to force her husband to leave my client out of his will.”
When Melissa opened her mouth to speak, Judge Masters held his hand up. “I’ve heard from both sides and here are my thoughts. There is no conclusive proof that Mr. Sambarino is or is not the deceased’s son. In addition, because the will was properly executed and filed with the courts, the burden to prove Ms. Hill exercised undue influence will be a hard burden of proof for Mr. Sambarino to present. Therefore, based on the circumstances the only way to proceed with this is to arrange for a DNA test.”
“Your Honor, Ms. Hill has an estranged brother-in-law who will be less than cooperative in establishing a familial link and a small daughter. Surely, we are not going to subject a child to these proceedings?” Melissa asked.
“I see nothing wrong with retrieving DNA from a child using the cotton swab method. After all as the child of the deceased Mr. Martelli, that would be the closest link to determining with a certainty if my client is the child’s half brother and other child of the deceased.”
“Your Honor,” Melissa pleaded.
“How old is your child, Ms. Hill?” Judge Masters asked.
“Five, Your Honor,” Ava said.
“While I agree that is a bit young to be dragged into these proceedings, unfortunately it must be done. At the date and time ordered by this court, Ms. Hill will bring her daughter for a DNA test.”
“But, your Honor—” Melissa protested.
“That is my final word. Ms. James, you and Mr. Lombardi and I will hash out the details regarding the test. Both of your clients are free to go.”
Ava didn’t need to be told twice. With as much dignity as she could muster, she quickly rose and exited the judge’s chambers. The last thing she’d wanted was for Maia to be pulled into any of this. What was she supposed to tell her daughter? Her body trembled with rage. She jabbed at the first-floor elevator button. He was going to pay for involving her daughter into his family drama.
Finally the elevator dinged and the door opened. Ava stepped inside and pressed the button to close the doors. She leaned back against the wall as the door closed. Just as they were almost shut, an arm stopped them. The doors opened and in stepped Dominic, his intense green-eyed glare firmly locked on her.
Chapter Twenty
The doors closed behind Dominic and Ava’s anger boiled over. “You bastard.”
“Ava, it’s not what you think.” Dominic turned and pressed the emergency button, bringing the elevator to a halt.
“What are you doing?”
“Whatever I need to, to get you to listen to me.”
“I’m never listening to another lying word that comes out of your mouth.”
A smile touched the corners of his mouth. With an unhurried pace he advanced towards her.
“You better stay where you are and get this elevator started again.”
“I’m not going to do that, Ava. Not until you hear me out.” Dominic stood in front of her.
She brought her knee up and tried to strike him in the crotch. He easily sidestepped her attempt. Dominic grabbed her arms and slammed her against the wall of the elevator, pressing his body into hers.
“Let me go,” she ordered.
“No. Ava, I didn’t do this to hurt you.”
“This is about his money. You’re no different from anybody else.”
“You’re wrong. I am different. The only reason I kept going with this suit is because you keep shutting me out.”
Ava’s eyes stretched. “Shutting you out? We had sex and now you’re pursuing me like we had some grand love affair. Leave me alone.”
“I can’t do that. Besides you don’t really want me to.”
“I mean it, Dominic. You’ve involved my daughter. You’ve gone too far.”
“No, Ava. I haven’t gone far enough.”
His lips crashed down on hers. She tried to turn her head but Dominic wasn’t having it. She couldn’t escape his kiss. His lips were hungry. No, Ava. No. You have to fight it. Her conscience was right but she couldn’t listen to it. Not now. Not when he was kissing her so passionately. Not when his body was pressed against hers, the evidence of his rampant arousal undeniable.
“I hate you,” she whispered against his lips.
Dominic chuckled. He shifted so that both of her hands were captured in one of his against the elevator wall. As she kissed him back, his free hand cupped her breast through the silkiness of her dress. Ava moaned against his mouth as he toyed with her nipple, pinching it. A fire was raging in her belly. It was a fire that could only be put out one way and she hated herself for it. She wrenched her lips away from his.