Rome for Always (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Collection) Read online

  “Oh?” Rome cocked an eyebrow but then he gave his father a knowing smile. “You like her already, don’t you? I told you she was irresistible.”

  “Yes, yes,” Vittorio said, sounding almost impatient. “Now leave us alone for a while. I want Miss Angelis all to myself.”

  Rome shook his head. “Oh, no, you don’t. You’re not getting a chance to fill her in on all my dirty little habits.”

  “No such thing, my boy, no such thing. I just want to get a chance to know her, that’s all.” As he spoke he was turning Rome toward the door then he gave him a little shove. “Now go spend some time with your mother so Aristotle and I can talk.”

  And, as easy as that, the wily man got rid of Rome, closing the door firmly behind him. Then he turned back to face Arie and that was when she knew she was in deep doo.

  “Now, little lady,” Vittorio said as he folded his arms across his chest, “what are you up to? What are you doing with my son?”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  “What’s Pa up to?” Rome made to get up but again his mother put a hand on his shoulder.

  “Have another biscotti. You look so thin.”

  “Ma, stop clucking over me. I look fine and you know it.” He glanced down the hallway. “They’ve been talking for over ten minutes.”

  “Which is such a short time for your father to get to know your fiancée. I’m sure they have a lot to talk about. In fact,” she got up and produced her handbag from God knew where, “let’s give them some space. Can you run me out on the road for a little while? You and I have some catching up to do, too.”

  “What? Now?" Rome had to fight to keep the annoyance out of his voice. “Can’t we do that some other time?”

  “No, now Rome. Can’t you tear yourself away from your fiancée for a little while? Not even to spend some time with your mother?” She gave him a look filled with hurt but he could tell it was exaggerated. “Is this how it’s going to be from now on?”

  Rome gave her a grimace but he got to his feet. “All right, let’s go,” he said grudgingly. “But I don’t want to stay long. I don’t want Pa grilling Arie too long. Fifteen minutes, that’s all I can give you.”

  But it turned out that Rome was gone a lot longer than that. He’d thought his mother wanted to pick something up at a nearby store but instead she directed him onto the autostrada, telling him there was a friend she absolutely had to see today. It would be a quick visit, she promised. She would just run in and run out but it was an old friend of the family who she knew would love to see him.

  When Rome pulled up in front of the sprawling home he turned off the engine, folded his arms across his chest and sat back in his seat. Then he fixed his mother with a scowl that would leave her in no doubt about how he felt about the trick she’d played on him.

  “Really, Ma?” he asked when she looked away, a sly smile curling her lips. “You had to go there?”

  Lily Milano had the grace to look embarrassed. “I’m sorry, Rome, but I knew you wouldn’t have come if I’d told you where I was going.”

  “You’re right about that one,” he said. “So did you really have something to do here or was that a trick, too?”

  “No, there’s something I have to pick up. Honestly.” She pulled her purse onto her lap. “But you’ll need to come in, too. I told Daniela you’d be dropping by.”

  “What the devil?” Rome could not believe his mother. “Why would you do something like that?”

  “Please, Rome, let’s not fight over this. You’re already here so you may as well come in with me.” She opened the door and, not waiting for him to help, she got out and began to walk toward the house. “And please don’t lag behind.”

  For several seconds Rome could only sit there, shaking his head. That was his mother, an expert in getting what she wanted when she wanted. She’d pulled such tricks on his father a couple of times. He just hadn’t expected her to pull that sort of thing on him.

  Despite the fact that he’d flown his fiancée all the way from the United States to meet his family his mother had gone and tricked him into dropping by the house of his ex. Trust Lily Milano to pull a crazy stunt like that. What did she think? That seeing Daniela would make him change his mind?

  But, as she’d said, he was already here so there was nothing to be done but go inside and act civil. He couldn’t very well sit there like he was hiding out in the car.

  With a sigh of annoyance Rome got out of the car and slammed the door shut then he followed his mother into the home of Daniela Scalise, the woman he’d broken up with just over a year earlier. Before he’d even rung the bell the door opened and there, looking as stunningly beautiful as ever, stood Daniela.

  “Rome. Long time no see. Come in.” Before he could object she’d flung the door wide and was waving him in like she was used to seeing him on her doorstep. She was acting like it wasn’t the first time they’d crossed paths since they’d parted ways so many months earlier.

  Slowly, cautiously, he made his way into the room. The only reason he was even entering was that his mother had gone in before him. At least he had a chaperone.

  That was what he thought but when he went inside Lily Milano was nowhere to be seen. He looked around the spacious entryway then peered into the living room. Both empty. “Where’s my mother?” he asked, not bothering to hide his frown.

  “Oh, she went out back with Luisa,” Daniela said with a shrug. “Some new roses came in from the greenhouse. You know how crazy your mother is about flowers.”

  “Oh.” Rome didn’t have much more to say after that. Right then what he wanted to do most of all was hop into his car and head back home so he could curl up on a sofa with Arie on his lap. He almost sighed, knowing that wasn’t going to happen any time soon. When his mother got into one of her raves over a brand new plant it would take a while to pry her loose. In the meanwhile that left him in the embarrassing position of trying to make conversation with Daniela.

  As if reading his thought she let out a tinkly laugh. “Don’t be a stranger. Go on into the salon. Make yourself comfortable.” When he hesitated she laid a gentle hand on his arm. “I’ll bring you something to drink. Just relax.”

  That did it for him. Not wanting to prolong contact he drew his arm away and walked off to the salon where she’d received him so many times before…until that fateful day when she’d told him she’d fallen in love with another man.

  Rome went off to wait for his mother but he did not relax as Daniela had instructed. The woman was up to something. He didn’t know what but he wouldn’t rest easy until he’d figured it all out. And he would start by drilling his mother. She’d been the one to lure him here so on their way back she would have a lot of explaining to do.

  Within minutes Daniela was back with two glasses of white wine. She gave him a smug smile and tossed her head, letting her long, black hair fall in a soft cloud around her face.

  “You look good, Rome.” Her voice was low, almost seductive. “But you look tense. You should relax more. You’ve always had a problem with that.” As she spoke she came closer then held out the glass of sparkling wine to him.

  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 aggressiv
e 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 g
ot 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.