Her Ruthless Italian Boss

‘Don’t worry about me. I have all this now.’

His hand had landed on the cover of the latest Time magazine, and she wondered if he was grinding in a further insult. A haunting photograph of Luca’s face gazed up at her, above the headline EUROPE’S RICHEST MAN. Now he had money, and she had none. There’s irony for you, Beth thought bitterly.

‘I can only hope you have better luck than I’ve had, Luca.’

‘Luck has nothing to do with it.’ His eyes burned into her like glowing coals. ‘Nobody has ever been lower than I was when they brought me back here, five years ago. From a position of authority, travelling the world, and fending for myself, I was reduced to nothing more than a poor relation. Worse than that, I was trapped indoors for twenty-four hours a day.’ Despite his story, there was no self-pity in him. His low laugh was a dry, humourless sound. ‘That didn’t last long, believe me. I whipped myself, and Francesco Fine Arts, into shape at the same time. Nothing stops me, Elizabeth. Not even life. And certainly not you,’ he finished meaningfully.

She looked away from him and the intensity of his words, focusing instead on the delicate pastry in front of her. Principles were slippery things when it came to luxury, and she had not tasted cake like this for a very long time. At last she came to the crumbs, then put down her spoon and fork. There was nothing for it now but to try and make a dignified exit from Luca’s watchful presence.

‘Well, delightful though this has been, Signor Francesco, I’ve delivered Ben’s notes so I really must be getting back to my work,’ she said in a cool, detached voice. ‘Is there anything else you would like to discuss with me?’

‘No.’

‘I mean with regard to Ben’s conference notes.’

‘So do I.’ He checked his Rolex. It was identical in design to the one she had presented to him, all those years ago.

Given the look in his eyes, it was probably not exactly the same watch.

His glance flicked across the table. He was clearly waiting for her to add something. But Beth’s heart was hammering so hard in her chest that speech was impossible. For an instant she wondered if he could hear it, too. As she looked into those deep, dark, irresistible eyes it brought back the delicious thrill of his hand moving over hers a few moments before. All of a sudden, nothing mattered to her any more except winning his forgiveness, so she could have that sensation again. Then reality hit home. Luca was the boss in more ways than one now. She was nothing more than the hired hand. She would have to stifle her own feelings—all of them.

‘I’d better get back to work, Signor Francesco. I always match my hours to Ben.’ She met his stare calmly. ‘He won’t take a midday break today because he’s had to go out for an optician’s appointment, so I won’t, either.’

Luca did not look impressed. ‘You must eat, Beth. I shall tell the staff to expect you here at one o’clock. That is the time you eat at Rose Cottage, yes?’

His expression was severe, but then she remembered how she had always managed to get around him in the past. And his mention of Rose Cottage seemed like a reminder of their time together. As she handed him the copy of Ben’s notes she risked everything.

‘That almost sounded like an invitation to lunch, Luca.’

‘No.’ He shook his head and turned away from her. ‘Not today, Beth. Perhaps some other time, eh? Ciao, bella!’

Hope flickered again, until Beth realised his last remark was not directed at her. He was raising a hand in salute to the waitress who had served them. Beth watched him go, but he didn’t once look back at her. Luca was abandoning her in the same brisk way he left the room. He could not wait to get back to a world in which she had no place at all. It was the ultimate dismissal.

CHAPTER TWO

BETH continued to stare after Luca until the door of the executive lounge eased itself closed. That broke her trance, but she gave him a few minutes to get back to his eyrie before leaving the room herself. To meet him a second time so soon after that brush-off would be awful. She needed time to steady her nerves before she saw him again. Burying herself in the reassurance of work would help. As she walked back to her desk she wondered how long it would be before she could face Luca with courage. A long time, a small, sad voice replied.

From that moment on, Beth could not concentrate properly. She had always wondered if Luca still hated her. Now she knew. He had made it clear exactly how deep his feelings ran. He had every right to feel that way. Painful though it was, she would have to isolate herself from him as much as possible. She did not want to increase his bitterness. The only way to cope was to forget they had ever meant anything to each other. She would have to stifle all her emotions, and treat him with nothing but cold formality.

But something was busily working away at the back of her mind. It would not leave her alone, and fizzled through her body like a slow charge. The sensation grew as the day wore on until her limbs were as heavy as her head. An uncomfortable truth was beginning to seep along her veins. It mingled with the hot, urgent feeling that had leapt into life the moment she recognised him. The combination was sensual, yet terrifying. She had never stopped loving Luca, so it was no wonder her body melted now at the thought of him. What shocked Beth to the core of her being was the discovery that, no matter how much he hated her, no matter how much his attitude towards her had altered, or the weight of her own guilt—nothing changed the way she reacted to him. She still wanted him as much as ever.

Instead of going up to the executive lounge at lunchtime, Beth slipped out of the building. The thought of bumping into Luca and being trapped by his turbulent gaze again made her feel sick. It was partly embarrassment, but mostly shame. She was angry her body was not strong enough to resist him. Five years ago he had refused to make any commitment to her. Now he was blaming her, because she had stood up for her principles, and given him an ultimatum. And the worst part of it was, Beth knew those principles would crumble into dust now, the instant he laid another finger on her…

In the end she had to give herself a mental pep talk. I’m worth more than this, she thought, grinding her teeth so hard her head began to throb. Mooning after a man who hates me is a fast track to heartache.

She threw all her energy into her work, but it was no use. No matter how many jobs she found to do around the office that afternoon, the memory of Luca haunted her for the rest of the day. Each time there was a knock at the door her head jerked up in alarm. Every ringing telephone set her nerves jangling. She was so glad to see Ben pull his jacket off the back of his chair and try out his ‘Ciao!’ at the end of the day she almost pushed him out of the door.

Beth had been so desperate to plunge into the ordeal of her first day at work she had travelled straight from the airport to the office. There had been no time to find her new home. Once she had cleared her desk and pulled the cover over her computer monitor, it was time for her second shift to begin. This time, Beth’s job title was ‘Apartment Hunter’.

Trying to track down the flat Ben had rented for her was a nightmare. By the time she had puzzled out his hopeless directions, it was raining and she was soaked. The ‘apartment’ turned out to be little more than twenty square metres of furnished hell, on the sad side of town. The agency employed by Ben had thrown Beth’s few pieces of luggage into the middle of the dirty carpet. The whole room had a dank, unfriendly feel, and smelled of mushrooms. It looked as cheerful as Beth felt.

At least I won’t have time to feel sorry for myself, she thought, dropping her handbag and going over to the single small window. It was sticky with disuse and she had to force it open. No refreshing breeze burst in from outside: only the relentless rattle of raindrops on rusting ironwork. She gazed down onto a cobbled courtyard, wondering how long it would be before all the puddles joined up to make a lake. A single pigeon hunched on next-door’s window ledge, fluffed up against the deluge. It looked sick. Desperate for company, Beth wondered if she ought to try and coax it closer. Before she could try, a knock at her door sent the bird rocketing off into the rain.

The thought of having a conversation with a real person made Beth throw common sense after the bird. Crossing her room in a couple of strides, she opened the door and instantly the smile froze on her face.

It was Luca.

The impulse to throw her arms around his neck and beg to be rescued died as she saw the look in his eyes. It nailed her to the spot. He looked as though he would respond only too quickly, but not in the way she needed. Beth wanted to keep him there, not send him away. She stared at him for what felt like hours. He had changed out of his business suit, but Luca in casual clothes looked equally stunning. Dressed in beautifully cut jeans and a blue open necked shirt, he was glittering with raindrops. They sparkled in his jet-black hair and darkened his trousers to navy, but could not dilute his disapproval. There was a bottle of Bardolino in his left hand and a pizza box in his right, but he lowered them as Beth’s hand went to her hair. Subconsciously, her fingers searched for the honey-blonde strands she always twiddled when she was nervous.

‘H-how in the world did you know where to find me?’ She gasped.

‘Employee records.’ Concern creased his brow. ‘Don’t you know how dangerous it is to open your door without finding out who is calling first, Beth? I might have been anybody.’

For a second Beth allowed herself to think that his concern might mean he still cared, but quickly realised that he was just protecting his investment—doing his job.

‘I heard you skipped lunch. It’s a bad habit, Beth. Accept this as a peace-offering. We shouldn’t have parted on such bad terms this morning, after so long apart.’ His words were meant kindly enough, but his expression didn’t soften.

Beth nodded, and backed into her room. This was the ultimate reversal of fortune, and it hurt.

‘I—I’m sorry about the state of this place, Luca…’

‘Don’t be. I’ve seen worse.’

Both of them silently added the words ‘in Balacha’, but that was not something to be spoken out loud.

‘Ben insisted on booking my accommodation himself, and the agency made some sort of mix-up. Apparently,’ she said, staring at her sandals.

‘They found him a cosy canal-side hotel room, I notice.’

Beth made a nervous, fluttering gesture with her hands. ‘It doesn’t matter. Sit down, Luca.’

The choice was between her apartment’s squashy old armchair, and the edge of her bed. Beth pointed to the chair. Luca remained standing.

‘Your reactions puzzle me, Beth.’ He hesitated over her name, still finding it unusual. ‘It’s almost as though you really have changed since we were together.’

‘I told you so.’

He raised a dark brow. ‘So you are throwing my own taunt back at me, eh?’

She took the pizza from him and set it down on the apartment’s single table. Opening the cutlery drawer, she tried to take out a knife, but recoiled in horror. Without comment, Luca moved in to do it for her. A previous tenant had left everything in the drawer horribly sticky. Luca went over to the small, scratched sink but could find no washing-up liquid. Cleaning the knife as best he could, he rinsed it well under a noisy, intermittent stream of tepid water. Returning it to Beth, he watched her divide up the pizza with the care she always used when she knew he was watching.

He accepted a single slice and as he watched her nibble nervously on her piece commented, ‘Perhaps I shouldn’t have bothered bringing a full-sized one. Knowing you, Beth, you’ll throw the rest away as soon as I’ve disappeared.’

‘I would never do a thing like that now.’ She blushed, remembering all the times she had been flippant about money, dining out and always after something new.

‘Really?’ He raised his eyebrows in a knowing gesture.

‘Really,’ she repeated with feeling.

‘I hope this “new” Beth is still as keen on parties as she always used to be,’ he said. ‘I’ve decided to throw one to introduce Ben to all the people who matter. As his assistant, you’re invited as well, of course. It will be a chance for you to do some socialising, fine dining, and dancing— all the things that mean so much to you.’

So that’s the only reason he’s come to see me, Beth thought, absolutely deflated. When she had first opened the door to find Luca standing there, it had taken all her strength not to weep with relief. Thank goodness she hadn’t. She made the necessary effort and forced herself to smile.

‘So…when is it, exactly?’

‘I haven’t decided yet. I came to consult you first. How much notice does it take to get Ben to the right place at the right time?’

She looked at him scornfully, but he was quick to cut short any smart remark she might have made.

‘It had better be on Friday night, or Saturday. That’s for the benefit of the guests coming from abroad.’

‘How much notice will they need?’

He gazed at her, quizzically. ‘What do you mean?’

‘People will need to check their diaries, and make arrangements.’

He raised his eyebrows, shaking his head in mystification. ‘It’s never bothered them before. Andria rings around. If they’re free, they come. If they’re not, they don’t. Though I can’t remember ever having a refusal.’

No, thought Beth. I’m sure you can’t.

‘As you obviously don’t have any strong objections, I’ll go ahead. This weekend is good for me. I’ll ring Andria now, and she’ll get things going.’

‘You’re off duty, but your assistant is still at work?’ Beth gasped.

Luca was offended. ‘Of course not—what do you think I am?’

I know exactly what you are—whatever you’re doing, you’re bound to be a workaholic, Beth thought. She watched him extract a phone from the pocket of his jeans. They were cut to perfection. Memories of his beautiful body had been haunting her since their first meeting in the executive lounge. Now they struck her low down, with a vengeance. Her temperature began to rise as she saw the fabric stretched tight around the tempting curve of his flank. Luckily, Luca was too busy with his call to notice the effect it was having on her.

He looked over in Beth’s direction and smiled, but she had more sense than to think it was directed at her. It must have been the stream of words chattering from his handset that sparked his amusement. Beth could imagine what poor Andria felt like, being telephoned at home on office business.

She turned away to make sure their call was private but, in a room as small as hers, it was impossible.

‘Ah, yes, you know me too well,’ she heard Luca say. ‘That’s why you’re my assistant, Andria.’ As he spoke he cast his eyes around Beth’s new flat. ‘Andria, I don’t see any signs that the firm has sent Beth a welcome basket—you know the sort of thing—flowers, a few basics like coffee and washing-up liquid, fruit, a guide to local attractions…’

Luca finished his call. Beth turned to watch him put his phone back into his pocket again, although she was careful to keep her expression bland.

‘Andria is the best assistant I have ever had. That girl is a mind-reader.’ His satisfaction was obvious.

‘That isn’t quite as tricky as you might think, Luca. All it would take is for her to sacrifice everything for the sake of your career.’

His smile evaporated. ‘Ah, so you still think you made the right decision in leaving me? Then you haven’t seen everything my hard work has brought me. Come on—I’ll show you now.’ Dragging out his phone again, he called up his pilot and arranged to be picked up. ‘He’ll be docking my launch in ten minutes,’ he informed Beth. ‘If you want to grab that bottle and the pizza, we can eat later.’

Beth had to hurry to keep up with Luca as they left her apartment. His long strides led her beneath festoons of washing threaded over the back lanes. It had all been abandoned to the rain. That had stopped, but the laundry still dripped reminders of the deluge onto their heads. These alleys were hidden away, where the tourists did not visit. It was the dim, claustrophobic Venice only local people saw. Beth was glad when they reached the canal. She was even happier to recognise the smart new craft Luca had been driving earlier that day. He helped her in, his grasp firm and warm as his hand closed over hers. Beth tensed at his touch, but he let her go the moment she was safely on board. As their pilot steered them away from the mooring an argument broke out between a tenant of one of the waterside apartments and a boatman below. It resulted in a bucket of water being thrown out of an upstairs window, complete with vegetable peelings.

Beth was not impressed, and wrinkled her nose. ‘I thought Venice was supposed to be more sophisticated than this.’

‘Winter is coming. Tempers get shorter as the nights get longer. But it is not always like this. You will soon grow to love the place, all year round.’

‘My contract with Francesco Fine Arts comes up for renewal in six months’ time.’

He made no further comment and, hurt, Beth stayed silent until their launch swung around a gentle bend. Then she gasped, and Luca’s smile showed his satisfaction.

‘So you like my new house?’

‘That’s yours?’ Beth could hardly speak. Ahead of them, a beautiful creamy-pink palace rose out of the water. Despite the cloudy sky, its four storeys were still a shimmering reflection of grace and ageless beauty.

‘Oh, Luca…it’s wonderful…’ she breathed.

His smile had an ironic twist. ‘She’s falling to bits. And sinking. It would be cheaper to have the whole place transported over to the mainland, stone by stone. There, we could at least use modern luxuries like solid foundations.’ He clicked his tongue. ‘I don’t know. This place eats money. I have to spend my working days stuck inside an office—the things I do to keep my family name alive.’

Beth thought back to the one and only time Luca had taken her backpacking. He was born to be wild. It took imagination to see him enjoying life in a perfectly proportioned, stone and shuttered place like this, lovely though it was.

‘You kept very quiet about this grand family of yours when I knew you first, Luca.’

‘My background wasn’t important to me then. At that point there was no more than this old wreck to inherit. Besides, you were quite happy playing the part of a grand lady consorting with her “bit of rough”, back then.’

The pilot tied up their launch. As Luca stepped off the boat he extended his hand to help Beth ashore. She hesitated, nervous of the effect of his touch, but she had no choice. As she suspected, when her fingers met his her body betrayed her and wanted more of what she couldn’t have.

When they were both safely on the broad paved way in front of the palazzo, Luca dismissed his pilot with a smile. Now they were alone together. Beth could not stand the silence.

‘I really am sorry for what happened between us in Balacha, Luca,’ she said quietly.

‘I don’t doubt it.’

He was studying the façade of his house in minute detail.

‘Can’t you look at me, Luca?’

Dropping his gaze to her face, he looked at her with all the emotion of a professional poker player. ‘How’s that?’

‘I did a stupid thing back then. It was in the heat of the moment, because I was angry. Tristram was always there. You weren’t. Then one day it all got too much for me.’

Eyes burning, she looked to him for sympathy, or at least understanding. She saw neither. Luca was listening to her, but his expression showed he simply no longer cared. My God, she thought, his hidden, gentle heart has turned to stone. I might as well be explaining the running order at an English gymkhana.

‘So…the way I treated you hasn’t affected you at all, Luca?’

‘It was a long time ago, Beth. I am over it now.’

‘Is that all you can say?’

He heaved an exasperated sigh. ‘Opposites attract, Beth. You moved on when you discovered we did not differ quite as much as you thought. We both like to get our own way. It’s called inflexibility, and that is not a good ingredient in relationships. Or so I am told.’

‘And you honestly believe that?’

‘Yes,’ he said slowly, ‘I believe that.’

She stared at him, staggered by his uncaring attitude. She did what she always did, and fell back on good manners.

‘I think—I think that as you have been kind enough to bring me here, Luca, I would like to see inside your home.’

CHAPTER THREE

LUCA led her towards his house without a word. This was another change in him. In the past, he used to laugh at her interest in bricks and mortar. Beth expected him to make some remark about her obsession with places and things, but he said nothing. As he wasn’t in the army any more, she supposed he could not argue about settling in one place. But this giant step into prestige property ownership must have stretched even Luca’s powers. Beth marvelled to see the great doors of the palazzo sweep apart before them, as though he had said ‘open sesame’. Efficient staff met them on the threshold. Two of them took charge of the pizza and wine Beth and Luca had brought back, while another whisked Beth’s jacket away. The palazzo was far too grand to have anything as simple as a coat-stand. Instead, her jacket was slipped onto a padded hanger and placed carefully inside an enormous mahogany closet.

Whatever Beth felt about Luca’s silence faded the moment she stepped inside his house. Her first sight of his home knocked all the breath from her body. It really was a palace. Large winged lions topped each lintel, looking down on everyone with aristocratic scorn. Any surface that was not polished to a glass-like finish glittered with gold leaf. The entrance hall was high and wide, but Beth could hardly take it all in. She was too busy admiring the floor. It was a cold sea of marble, which gave the whole space an echoing, church-like feel. The grey-veined ground was inlaid with coloured geometric shapes of sienna and cypress, all worked into a beautiful repeating design.

‘The stone was brought here from many different quarries,’ Luca said, noticing her interest as he guided her past statues of his ancestors. ‘When I was at school in England, the boys would bring back souvenirs from their exotic foreign vacations. I was not lucky enough to have that sort of family. My guardians arranged for me to stay in the boarding house, even during holidays. To go anywhere more romantic than Windsor was unthinkable for me then. But now…’

Hesitation was not usually part of his nature. Beth glanced at him. She had never seen wonder in his face before, but his expression came close to it now as he looked around his great vaulted hall, lavish with the art of Renaissance masters. Then he realised she was looking at him. In a flash he was back to his normal, decisive self.

‘This must be the ancient version of holiday keepsakes. A reminder of all the trading missions my ancestors made to far-flung places like Asia, Egypt and Greece. I am lucky to have the job of protecting it all for future generations.’

‘It sounds as though you really love this palazzo.’ Beth smiled at the pride in his voice. Luca shrugged his shoulders, but the action seemed more like someone who was adjusting to a heavy burden.

‘I am growing to like it. This building and all the people who have lived here in the past must not be forgotten. Tradition is important. To me it is vital, as I grew up without any sense of close family. This place is a treasure, so, even if I would rather spend my time out in the fresh air, I owe it to my ancestors to put the needs of their palazzo first.’

‘And the generations that will follow you?’ Beth suggested, but he did not seem to hear. Instead he sauntered on, through to an inner courtyard. Here, herringbone brickwork and cool colonnades surrounded a high stone font, richly carved with shields and heraldic lions. Everywhere showed the chips and scratches of centuries, giving it the beauty of experience.