Rome for Always (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Collection) (10 page)

It was either accept her offer or come across as rude. So,
as much as he wasn't feeling it, he reached out to take the glass from her
hand.  And, as he should have known she would, she made sure that as he took
the glass their fingers touched.

Daniela smiled then raised her glass to her crimson lips.
As she sipped her eyes never left his face. When she lowered her glass her
smile widened. “Remind you of old times?” she asked, her voice soft and silky. “We
have so many memories in this house.”

What the hell? Was Daniela crazy enough to think he
would go down that road with her? What they had was in the past and he was more
than happy to leave it there.  And before she made one more move he’d better
get the hell out of there.

“Go get my mother,” he said, his voice cool as steel. “I’m
leaving.” 

***

Taken aback by Vittorio’s aggressive tone, Arie could
only stare in disbelief. The man wasn’t even pretending to be nice. Just the
opposite. If the fire in his eyes was anything to go by he was barely an inch
away from despising her.

Which was so unfair. The man didn’t even know her.

“Aren’t you going to answer me?” he demanded as he
glared over at her. “How did you meet my son? How did you trick him into a
marriage proposal?”

Like a slap across her face the words made Arie suck in
her breath and her mouth fell open. In a flash she caught herself and snapped
her jaws shut then she fixed him with a glare of her own. “I did no such thing.
How dare you?” She clenched her fists, fighting to keep her anger under control.
She hadn’t come all the way to Italy to be attacked. “You don’t even know me. How
dare you cast aspersions on my character?” She was breathing hard, the anger
bubbling up inside. There was a whole lot more she wanted to say to this man
but she would not go there. For Rome’s sake she would keep a lid on it.

“Oh, I know all about you, Miss Arie Angelis. You’re
trying to become a part of the Milano family. Don’t you think I would have you
checked out?” Vittorio cocked an eyebrow and gave her a mocking smile. “I know
you have no family, no history, nothing. I don’t know how you met my son but
what I do know is that there was no way he could have fallen in love with you
in the short time that he knew you. You must have done something to him.”

“I didn’t do anything to your son. He’s a grown man. He’s
got a mind of his own.” Arie folded her arms across her chest. It was either
that or give in to the urge to slap the man upside his head. “And anyway, you
already said you don’t know how we met. How do you know we haven’t been
involved for ages?”

“I know you could not have been involved ‘for ages’ as
you so elegantly put it,” Vittorio snarled. “How could that be, when it's just
been over a year since he and Daniela broke up?”

“Dan…who?”

Vittorio gave a triumphant laugh. “I thought so. You
didn’t know about Daniela, did you? You thought you could convince me that you
and Rome have been together for a long time but it can’t have been more than a
few months. It wasn’t so long ago that he and Daniela were an item.”

Arie was floored. How could this be? In all the
conversations she’d had with Rome never once had he mentioned a Daniela. And
now to find out that he and this woman had ended their relationship just a year
earlier?

Her heart was pounding in her chest and she had to
clench her fists again but this time it was to keep her fingers from trembling.
Through it all she kept her face blank, fighting hard to keep her emotions
inside. There was no way she was going to give Vittorio Milano the pleasure of
seeing how much his words had affected her. “I don’t believe you,” she said
through gritted teeth. “You’re just trying to interfere.”

That made Vittorio lift his eyebrows. “You don’t believe
me?” Then he shrugged. “Why don’t you ask Rome all about it?”

Arie was just getting ready to give him a sharp response
when there was a rap at the door. They both swung around just in time to see
the door open and a man who looked too much like Rome to be a stranger entered
the room. “Sorry I just got here,” he said. “I had some things to tie up at the
office.”

He walked in, headed straight for Arie and put out his
hand. “Pleased to finally meet you, Arie,” he said with a welcoming smile. “Rome’s
been boasting about you so much I was beginning to wonder if he’d made you up. Glad
to see you’re real.”

For the second time that afternoon Arie was made
speechless by the welcome she was receiving but this time it was because it
seemed too good to be true. After the cool reception from Rome’s mother and the
vehemence of his father she’d expected more of the same but this newcomer
seemed so genuine. She didn’t know what to say.

“I’m real, thank you.” She nodded as she took his hand.

“Where are my manners?” he said with a shake of his head.
“I’m Lorenzo, Rome’s brother."

“Hello Lorenzo,” she said. “I’m pleased to meet you,
too.” If only the rest of the family could be like this one. Arie almost gave
an audible sigh.

“Marco’s on his way in. He’s just parking the car.” Lorenzo
released her then slid his hands into his pockets as he looked down at her. “He’s
the runt of the family and he works for me.”

“With you. Get your story straight, Lorenzo. I work
with
you.”

Arie almost had to step back as the other brother
bounded into the room, almost knocking Lorenzo out of the way. “Good to meet
you, Arie. We left work just for you.”

Arie lifted her eyebrows. “I appreciate that,” she said.

But Marco’s attention was now on his father. “Papa, how
come you have Arie locked away in your office? Trying to keep her all to
yourself?” He laughed. “It’s not going to work.”

Then his quick and ready smile was replaced with a frown.
“But guess what? On the way here Mama called and we had to stop and collect a
whole lot of plants for her. They couldn’t fit in her car so we loaded them
into the back of the truck. She was at Daniela’s house and Rome-”

“Marco, I don’t think Arie wants to know about Ma and
her boring plants.” Lorenzo broke in, effectively silencing his brother. The
fierce look he gave his younger sibling could not be mistaken. It clearly
meant, shut the hell up.

But Marco had just dropped a burning coal in Arie’s
already turbulent mind and there was no way she would let it go until she’d gotten
some answers. “What was that about Rome?” she asked, taking a step closer so she
was looking directly at Marco. “What were you going to say?”

“Uh, nothing. It wasn’t anything important.” He turned
as if intent on beating a hasty retreat.

But Arie was having none of that. She put a hand on his
arm, stopping him before he could get away. “Marco, please. Just tell me. I can
handle it.”

Looking like he had no greater wish than to disappear, Marco
looked across at his brother but all he got in return was a scowl. Seeing that
he’d gone too far to turn back, he sighed. “Rome was there,” he said in
surrender. “He was at Daniela’s house.”

Arie looked at Marco and then at Lorenzo and the older
brother was regarding her through narrowed eyes. “You know who Daniela is?” he
asked.

Arie stared at him for a moment longer and then, slowly,
she nodded. “I know who she is.” Her voice was quiet, resigned, but it was not
emotional. Whatever all of this meant, she would deal with it. And she would
not get emotional, not in front of the family.

But she almost lost it when she glanced over at Vittorio.
In his eyes was a wickedly happy gleam that he made no attempt to hide. This
Daniela person was the one he wanted for his son. That much was clear.

But it was Rome’s choice, wasn’t it? So the question was,
now that he was back in Italy among friends and family, would he choose Daniela
over her?

When Rome got back he was going to have a lot of
explaining to do.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Rome was grumbling to himself as he drove swiftly along
the autostrada toward his family home. He could not believe what his mother had
done to him. First, she’d tricked him into taking her to Daniela’s house, then
she’d run off with the housekeeper, leaving him in Daniela’s company for nearly
an hour, and now this.

He glanced in the rearview mirror at the two women
chattering away in the back seat. With his mother, looking as comfortable and
carefree as ever, was Daniela. She was on her way to the house with them and it
didn’t seem to bother her one bit.

But it was bothering the heck out of him. Why his mother
had insisted that Daniela accompany them back home, he could not fathom. It
wasn’t like he and the woman were involved anymore. Were Daniela and his mother
this chummy all the time? He just couldn’t figure it out.

And what the heck was he going to say to Arie when he
showed up with his ex?

At the thought his solitary grumbling started again but,
as they’d done throughout the whole journey, the two women just ignored him.

When they got to the house Rome went around to the
passenger door to help his mother out. That taken care of, he leaned down to
give Daniela his hand. She took it but then she refused to let go. As she rose
from the car she stumbled against him then clung to his arm as she steadied
herself.

“Are you all right?” he asked, making sure she was
standing on her own before he began prying her fingers loose.

“I’m all right now,” she breathed, leaning against him
then sliding her hand down his arm before moving away. The way she was
behaving, anyone looking on would think they were still involved. What kind of
game was this woman playing?

He turned away from her, intent on getting as far out of
her reach as possible, but it was too late. He glanced up just in time to see
Arie at the front door. On her face was a look that told him she’d seen
everything.

Realizing he had to do damage control Rome strode toward
the house but Arie didn’t wait for him to get to her. Looking stricken, she
turned swiftly and disappeared into the house before he could get close.

“Rome, aren’t you going to wait for us?” Daniela called
out.

Then she gave a mocking laugh that made Rome’s fists
clench. He wanted to turn around and tell her exactly what he thought of her
but now was not the time. He had to get to Arie so she would understand. Nothing
was more important than Arie.

“Arie,” he yelled and then he was bounding up the steps,
across the landing and through the open door. “Arie.” She was nowhere in sight.
“Arie, where are you?” He knew she wasn’t familiar with the house. As far as he
knew, since arriving she’d only seen the entry hall, the green room and the
library. She would definitely not seek refuge in his father’s study. It had to
be the green room.

When he got there he found her huddled in the corner of
the sofa, her face in her hands. He hurried over to sit beside her then put his
arms around her shoulders.

“Leave me alone,” she growled, her words muffled by her
hands as she jerked her shoulders, trying to shrug him off.

But he wouldn’t let go. “Arie, it’s not what you think. I
can explain.” It probably sounded lame but he didn’t know what else to say. All
he could tell her was the truth. Hopefully, that would be enough.

“I love you, Arie. Only you. Please don’t ever doubt-”

“That’s Daniela, isn’t it?” Arie lifted her face and
glared at him, her eyes glistening with tears. “Daniela, your ex-girlfriend. The
one your family loves.”

“Where’d you get that from?”

“Oh, your father told me all about the beloved Daniela,
the one who should be the one in your life right now.” Her frown deepened. “And
he told me that you broke up with her only a year ago. Why didn’t you ever tell
me that?” She drew in a trembling breath. “That was just months before we met,
Rome. Months.”

“Which means absolutely nothing, as far as our
relationship is concerned.” He reached for her hand, wanting to reassure her,
but she snatched it away. Determined to make her understand, he pressed on. “When
I met you my relationship with Daniela was already over. Dead and done. There
was no-one in my life when I fell in love with you.”

She gave him a look of disbelief. “Are you sure it was
love? Or did you just fall for me on the rebound? Under other circumstances,
you probably wouldn’t even have given me the time of day.”

“Arie, listen to me.” He reached for her hand again and
this time no matter how hard she pulled he wouldn’t let go. “I love you and
there’s nothing in the world that can make me stop. When I fell in love with
you it was real. When I asked you to marry me, I meant it. I want nothing more
than to make you my wife.”

She bit her lip and kept her head down, refusing to look
at him. Then she shook her head and when she spoke her voice was tinged with
hurt. “And what about Daniela? Why didn’t you ever tell me about her?”

Rome drew in his breath then he shook his head. This was
the part he’d been avoiding all this time. It was an embarrassment but he had
run away from it long enough. It was time to get it out in the open. It was
only fair.