The Exiled Jeweler: a contemporary romance novel (The Rosa Legacy Book 2) (8 page)

“I hear congratulations are in order.” His eyes lingered on the design of her dress.

“I beg your pardon?”

He handed her the roses. “Your commission for the British princess was selected for the coveted Emerging Artists award.”

“Thank you, Alex.” She had been notified that morning, but with all of the problems throughout the day, she had put the award out of her mind.

She glanced at the roses and offered him a smile.

“Have you been able to find another solution to Berceto’s problems?”

“I’m working on it.” She adjusted her bag on her shoulder.

“I hear your uncle has jumped ship and your father is happy to let you run the show.”

Her stomach muscles clenched. She was being drawn into a very uneven fight. Her uncle knew they were teetering on bankruptcy and wanted no part of the company’s demise. He would tell everyone it was her fault if it didn’t turnaround.

“It’s complicated, but at least I have less resistance to my ideas.”

Balancing on her high heels, she held the flowers as she searched in her bag for her identification. Looking at the flawless roses, she acknowledged that they were perfect, but she didn’t want to soften her rules about this man. He taught her a painful lesson about privacy and the media. Even if he wasn’t aware of the security person taking the nude photographs of her, he created the situation by undressing her in the garden.

“I need to go.” She walked toward the exit and swiped her card.

Alex followed her out to the parking lot.

“You should be out celebrating tonight. It would bring recognition to Berceto.” He was looking at her as if he wanted to ravage her here in the parking lot. She couldn’t think of a place with more security or cameras than Berceto’s production shop. Her body tensed as she stepped further away from him.

Emilia tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. “Unfortunately, it won’t help with the short-term issues facing the company.”

His eyes pierced hers. “Luckily you have a solution on offer.”

“I’m late for dinner with a colleague.”

“Liv Brown. Your trusty assistant and confidant.” His words irritated her. How did he know so much about her?

“Goodnight, Alex.”

“The sooner you accept my offer to invest in the company, the sooner you can begin to stage a restructuring.”

“Fifty percent is too steep.”

”You need to tell your family the truth about the photographs.”

She intended to tell them this week but had no intention of revealing that to him yet.

Her tension increased tenfold. She didn’t trust herself around him. The attraction between them was as sharp and intense as ever. She wanted to throw herself at him but held herself in check.

Shrugging her shoulders, Emilia said, “The incident needs to be relegated to ancient history.”

He moved closer and a slow heat spread throughout her body. “The truth will come out. You can choose the time and place or I will.”

She allowed herself to react to him. “Why is this so important to you?”

He crossed his arms. “The secret has been held long enough.”

“If I tell them, don’t expect them to embrace you with open arms. They would like the past buried and forgotten as much as I do.”

“I’ve done nothing wrong,
cara
. You chose to hide the truth from them.”

Emilia held her head high and pretended she didn’t care what he thought of her actions. “Nothing will be gained from sharing the details of that night.”

Opening the door, she placed the roses in the back seat of the SUV before climbing in herself. The entire time she was conscious of his presence but steadily ignored him as she buckled in and started the car.

He held the door so she couldn’t close it. “Telling the truth will allow us to move forward.”

Meeting his gaze, she softened her attitude. He was a man of integrity and she was wildly attracted to him, but she couldn’t allow herself to let her guard down. It had taken a long time to purge him from her dreams and she needed to concentrate on the business. Inviting him in would end in disaster. The family business was in her blood and she was just figuring out what to do.

“Goodnight, Alex.”

“
Ciao, cara
.” He closed her car door.

Driving away, she didn’t allow herself to look in the rear view mirror. Why was he so maddening? He acted as if she was in the wrong. He caused the incident and she had to live with the consequences. If that wasn’t enough, he was insisting that she tell her family the entire story.

Liv was seated at a table in the restaurant at the Hyatt Regency, sipping a glass of ice water and tapping away at her tablet.

Apologizing, Emilia slipped into the seat opposite her friend.

“Did you have a last minute problem?”

“Alexander Armati was waiting for me with roses.”

“Wow, that’s nice. He’s considered quite a catch.”

“Liv, I have no interest in him.” Emilia tried to keep a neutral tone to escape any speculation from her good friend.

“I don’t often see you rattled. He has gotten to you.”

Looking at Liv, she made a decision to confide in her. Liv had been fiercely loyal throughout her banishment, always protecting her and encouraging her. “He is blackmailing me.”

“What?” Liv choked on her water.

A hovering waiter came to their table and offered a cloth napkin. As Liv politely contained her coughing, Emilia ordered two glasses of chardonnay to give the waiter something to do.

“He was the man in the photographs.”

“You were having an affair with Alexander Armati?”

“No. I had just met him that night. I had seen him a few times but hadn’t actually spoken with him.” Her skin warmed as she admitted the truth. It was true, people would judge her if they knew she had barely met him before falling into his arms.

“The photographs made it seem that you were an item.”

Emilia shook her head. How could she explain that somehow one drink had brought down her inhibitions enough to allow him to practically make love to her in a secluded part of the garden?

The waiter brought them both a glass of chilled wine and recited an exhaustive list of specials. They both ended up choosing the tilapia, and the waiter hurried away.

“I don’t know what got into me that night. He is remarkably charming and approachable. We ended up talking a great deal and then one thing led to the next. The party had begun to wind down, but the music continued and he took me into his arms. There is definitely this chemistry between us.”

“Why didn’t he come forward when the tabloids printed the damaging photographs?”

“He went to New York the next day, and by the time he returned, I was already in Florida.”

“But he had a responsibility to make things right.”

“My parents at the time were devastated by the publicity that painted their only daughter as an out-of-control party girl. I didn’t want to further complicate the issue by telling them that it was Alex Armati. It would have only complicated things.”

“He is famous and sought after. How could the tabloids have not realized it was his house or in fact him?”

“I didn’t know this at the time, but his security guy had edited the photographs so I was the only recognizable person, made up a fabricated party, and then sold them for a ton of money.”

“So a sleazy security guy got away with doing that?”

“Not completely. The other night Alex told me that he pressed civil charges and the man used up the money he gained in legal fees.”

“Why does he want you to reveal the secret after all of this time that has gone by? Won’t it just re-energize the story?”

“He wants me to tell my family, not the media. My family would never discuss the specifics.” She thought to herself that they would do anything to keep the secret.

The waiter delivered their food, then quietly retreated.

“Maybe it should be revealed.”

She looked at Liv in surprise. “It’s mortifying. The photographs were so revealing. I have no interest in stirring that up.”

“The incident only has power to hurt you if you allow it to. Let’s face it, you have an absolutely gorgeous body and you know it’s true. Could this help Berceto’s image? Sometimes negative publicity is more powerful than positive publicity.”

Shock flowed throughout her body as she struggled to take a breath in. “I would never attempt to use this.”

Liv took a small bite of roasted carrot. “If you were able to, it would turn something bad into something positive. Especially if you were able to name Alex Armati and he is practically giving you permission to.”

Emilia tasted the tilapia and then said, “He is expecting me to tell my family, not the world.”

“That should be easy. You are a grown woman and he is quite a catch. I don’t think your parents would be upset.”

She imagined her parents learning that it was Alex in the photographs. They wouldn’t be horrified but would probably be upset with her for keeping it a secret.

“You don’t know them. They were mortified.”

“Maybe that is why Berceto has fallen off the radar. I looked back at old campaigns when your grandfather was in charge and they were glamorous and often featured movie stars.”

Emilia scanned through the photographs that Liv had assembled on her tablet. The conversation moved to the various campaigns, and it was true—over the last twenty years, only the jewelry was showcased, not the people who wore it.

After an hour of conversation about the new launch, Emilia hugged Liv and said goodnight.

Driving the short distance to her grandfather’s house. Emilia thought about Alex. She slipped in through the separate entrance and pulled open her laptop.

Glancing around the familiar surroundings, she attempted to clear her mind. Somehow the survival of Berceto infiltrated every thought she had. She smiled to herself when she acknowledged that Alex also occupied much of her reflections, but she was able to keep thoughts of him on the sidelines. He would be her downfall if she allowed it. He would take over Berceto in a heartbeat and change everything she had worked toward.

As she got ready for bed, she steeled herself to see him again. Berceto needed cash for the new launch and she would need to auction some of their heirloom pieces to make that happen. Some of the pieces had been in the family for more than fifty years. She knew if she sent anyone else, Alex would deny the request. Why did he feel the need to push her buttons? Did he think that she would give up?

Chapter 5

Emilia barely slept, obsessing most of the night about Alex Armati. Maybe she should allow herself to let her guard down and get to know him.

Watching the sun rise, she climbed out of bed frustrated, put on her running clothes and went for a five-mile run. She pushed her body at a punishing pace as she tried to dispel the worry that clung to her.

After a shower and dressing in a grey straight skirt and pink sleeveless blouse, she checked her email while she waited for her grandfather to wake up.

When she saw movement on the patio, she gathered her workbag, slipped on heels and went to speak with him.

Approaching the terraced area by the slate pool, Emilia said, “You are looking well,
Nonno
.”

“It’s because you have come home.” His kind eyes caught hers and he smiled broadly. Her grandfather was a vibrant, good-looking man with a sharp mind.

Taking a sip of the strong espresso Cecilia placed in front of her, she said, “It may also be the rest and the good food.”

After a few moments of silence, her grandfather asked, “You’ve uncovered the issues?”

She nodded. “Why didn’t you explain it to me?”

She saw the heaviness of defeat settle around his shoulders. “Emilia, the business issues are complex and there are many ways to approach a solution. The problem I created with my two sons is that I was always telling them what to do and how to handle problems. I should have let them fail occasionally.”

She thought about her parents and how hard they worked, even thoughtthough the fear of failure was lingering at all times in the background. They couldn’t bear to make a mistake

“But you stepped back five years ago and they have had free reign to make changes.”

Her grandfather dismissively waved his hands. “It was too late. They were already fearful of making mistakes or taking risks.”

There were many factors against Berceto, but other businesses survived poor management decisions or a bad economy.

She caught her grandfather’s steady gaze. “Uncle James threw up his hands and walked away two days ago.”

He nodded. “He called me. In truth, it will be easier for you to change the direction of the company without his active resistance.”

Emilia finished her espresso and placed the white porcelain cup down on the table.

“I need to sell some of the heirloom pieces to raise cash to move forward. The new launch is critical to turning everything around.”

Her grandfather had crossed his legs and was steadily moving his foot up and down, deep in thought. After several minutes, he said, “You don’t need my blessing, child. Go and do what you think is right for the business. But it may be easier if you invite in a partner. Alex Armati would not be the worst choice.”

Emilia stood up and bent down to kiss her grandfather’s cheek. “He is impossible to deal with and would want to control every aspect of the business.”

“I trust you will do the right thing.”

She smiled and walked around the terrace and out to her car.

Alex glanced at his schedule and realized his assistant had put Emilia Berceto in for one o’clock. It surprised him. He assumed he would have to seek her out. Berceto needed cash badly, but Emilia was proving to be resourceful and stubborn. Even though he had laid all of the groundwork for a large investment, she managed to evade his efforts so far.

He reminded himself that he shouldn’t allow her beauty or regal demeanor to sway him. He wanted her and a controlling interest in Berceto. He needed to solve an old family mystery. His grandfather had an alliance with Leo Berceto, but nearly twenty years ago the relationship was severed. The Armati Auction House had almost folded because of it, but his father was never able to explain the parting of ways. He had found an obscure note about his grandfather borrowing money from the Berceto family. His mother had told him that Leo Berceto had insisted on repayment with interest and the bad blood had caused his grandfather’s decline.