by Joy, Melita
Leilani was a stunning woman. He now wondered how he didn’t see that initially. It couldn’t have been too hard to see beyond the poor styling and hair. For such an astute man, he’d allowed himself to be duped. “You are probably going to laugh at this,” he put on his most humbled performance.
Leilani tried to digest what Renato had just told her. Her pathetic heart skipped lightly, “So let me get this straight. You were jealous. You thought I was sneaking around having an affair, so you set your security team into action to follow me and catch me in the act,” she wanted to believe it.
“I promise that this is what I thought was going on. In fact, my latest update was that not only were you seeing Anselmo but you had taken him back to my apartment,” Leilani wasn’t convinced, so he grabbed her arm. “Come with me,” and he walked her out of Vittorio’s apartment and into his own.
In the kitchen, they found the cleaner. “Ah, Signore. You have found Miss Leilani,” she beamed in obvious relief.
“Yes, thank you and I’m sorry I spoke to you the way I did,” he repented.
She waved a hand at him and spoke to him in rapid Italian and laughed continuing with her chores.
“What did she say?” Leilani asked.
“She said when people are in love they don’t always act in their usual way.”
“You are hardly in love though,” Leilani refuted.
“The cleaner has no reason to believe otherwise as we are engaged. So do you believe me now? I came home, barked at the cleaner, looking for you, convinced I’d find you in your lover’s arms. Only when I got in here you were nowhere to be found,” he looked straight into her eyes with sincerity and before she could answer he whipped out his phone and started dialling Savino. He put his head of security on speaker phone. “Savino, I have Leilani here with me so please only talk in English. It appears that the situation wasn’t what we expected. She was here to meet Vittorio. Now I’ve told her the truth of what I thought was happening and she has her doubts that I’m telling the truth. So please explain what I asked you to do and what we thought was going on.”
“Oh, it’s alright,” she interrupted.
“I’ll have no seed of doubt in our marriage. Savino,” he prompted.
Savino gave the same recount of events as Renato had leaving Leilani no choice but to believe him. “Thank you, Savino, for clarifying.”
“You are welcome,” and he disconnected the call.
Renato took a hold of both of her shoulders and faced her towards him. “I know that the start of our marriage is not romantic, it’s not what you may have dreamt of as a young girl.”
“It’s nothing like anyone’s marriage that I know of,” she agreed. “It’s more like a business arrangement.”
He gently squeezed her shoulders. “Well in that case we are definitely in luck,” he stated.
“How do you work that out?” she asked sceptically.
“I’m a brilliant businessman,” he smiled. A real smile filled with his perfect teeth and his eyes shining at her.
Leilani’s breath hitched. He was incredibly attractive, and when he laid the charm, on he was impossible. “So are you saying that you are not good at romance?” she teased.
Taking up her challenge he held her gaze, and her peripheral view blurred as he leaned in to kiss her. Nearly losing her balance she gripped his shoulder and waist, and he reciprocated pulling her into his body. His lips warm and firm softened against her own as his tongue trailed along the inner edge of her lip inviting her to deepen their intimacy. She cushioned her head on his shoulder, as he angled his face further towards her, possessing her mouth with his. Leilani felt alive, safe and desired. Never had a man held her like this, like a long-ago romance hero dipping his woman in final victory.
Her mind cleared of everything, but this moment. He gently steadied her upright and slowly loosened his grip. As she looked into his face, she could see that he’d been affected by the kiss. A fleeting look before he quickly gained his usual control, but the moment had lasted long enough for her to notice and with that knowledge she knew her decision. As he had said, marriages had started on a lot less.
“How much time will you need to think this situation through?” he asked carefully. “Vittorio is not a patient man he will want an answer relatively quickly.”
“Yes, I gathered that. I just don’t want people to think that I’m marrying you for the money. It makes me feel uncomfortable.”
“People will think what they think. None of us can control that.”
“I guess so, unless,” Leilani thought out aloud, “Vittorio publicly announces me.”
“Well, I wouldn’t bank on that happening. He is a private man and very conscious of his reputation,” Renato side stepped.
“And what of my reputation, surely that counts for something. Would he want me humiliated?” her voice escalated, and Renato took a hold of her hand.
“I know Vittorio well,” he paused realising that it wasn’t by her choice that she didn’t know the man. Facts were still facts, and she would be better off if he started clarifying now what her life would be like. She grew up in Sydney’s inner west with little to no family politics of that he was sure. “In the eyes of Vittorio you will be well compensated for your troubles,” before she could interject he cut her off. “I know it’s not what you wanted to hear, but Vittorio is from a different generation; he’s Italian, and he is an alpha male.”
“Meaning?” Leilani didn’t want to give up on this yet.
“Meaning, that it will be his way or the highway. If you are hoping for a public acknowledgement, then don't let it be your idea. You’ll have a better chance of it if he thinks of it for himself.”
“From what you’ve said I have none in Buckley’s of that happening,” she pouted.
“Leave it to me. I may be able to sway him to that train of thought,” he kissed her forehead, and she relented on the topic. “So when will you decide?” he pushed again.
It felt good that he was asking as though she had a choice. However, she wasn’t silly she knew that if she declined the proposal he wouldn’t hesitate to force her hand. It was important to believe there was an option. She needed to feel as though she had a window in the small confines of the room he’d created for her. “I guess I’ve already made my mind up. I’ll go ahead with the marriage. I know I don’t owe the man anything but he is my father, and he’s dying. I don’t think the enormity of that has even sunk in,” her eyes rounded. “I just feel so strange about it all. I mean if any other family were to tell me that they were dying I’d feel something. I don’t know him though, and all I feel is a rather selfish regret that I mightn’t get the chance to know him” she admitted. .
“He’s a fighter; I’m sure there’ll be enough time for the two of you to get to know one another better. Come on let’s not get too down about this. You’ve just found him so you should be rejoicing,” he smiled to distract her.
“Yes you are right,” his thumb was stroking her hand.
“Do you need to let your family know back home?”
Leilani paused, “Not just yet,” she hedged.
Renato was quick in assessing the situation, “I take it that they don’t know you are here?”
“They know that I’m with you and I’ve briefly mentioned our pending marriage,” she evaded.
“That’s not what I meant and you know what I’m asking you. You say you don’t want to live a lie anymore yet here you are doing just that,” his remark was pointed, and the colour grew on her cheeks. It wasn’t fun being called on your actions and for some reason what he thought mattered.
She just wasn’t ready to share her feeling with him and unless their relationship deepened she doubted she would be able to confide in Renato. “I need some time. A lot has happened suddenly, and I simply need space to adjust to what is going on. I’ll call and talk to my parents about Vittorio when I’m ready,” she pulled her hand from his grip.
Not deterred he put his arm
around her shoulder drawing her closer to him, “you are right. It’s been a big day for all of us. Why don’t we invite Vittorio for dinner and let him hear the news he’s waiting on and in the meantime you might want to relax in the garden or by the pool. A little quiet time and a glass or two of wine will do you good.”
Leilani had to agree and took him up on his offer. A bit of space from Renato would also do her good; the man was playing with her electrical wiring in the most disconcerting way. She had so much to ponder, and her parents didn’t even know that she was looking for Vittorio. Then there was the wedding. Her mother would want more of an explanation on her pending nuptials. Rosa had made that abundantly clear in their last conversation, and she had been side-stepping a continuation of that discussion ever since.
Renato headed for his office and placed a call straight through to Vittorio. “What game are you now playing? I just fired one of Savino’s security team based on your bribes,” Renato fumed.
“I wanted time on my own with my daughter that is all,” Vittorio’s projected innocence was not remotely believable.
“Then why not just call me and say so and how did you find out about the surveillance in the first place?”
“Just because I’m old doesn’t mean that I’m blunt. I’m still as sharp as a tack and somewhat bored these days. You are not the only one who can employ a security team, and I would suggest that you remember who taught you most of the skills that you currently have. You and I are the same.”
“So what was the point of taking the investigator off my books and onto yours? Was that solely for your amusement?” he seethed. He knew the old man liked to play games with his opponents but in this instance he had thought of him more as a begrudged ally. Vittorio was forcing the issue of marriage so what was the point of all of this.
“You were looking for a way out of this marriage when all Leilani was doing was looking for me. I realised this before you and took pleasure in disengaging your pawn from the playing field. Now enough of this conversation I’m getting bored. Has my daughter made up her mind yet and if not what are you doing to make it up for her?” He was his usual cold self, the Vittorio that Renato knew all too well. “I’ll also want a paternity test done,” he gave Renato the details of a well-known laboratory.
CHAPTER TEN
Leilani slept like a log and woke up feeling more refreshed than she had in a long while. Dinner the previous night with Vittorio and Renato went better than expected with both men proving they could be lively conversationalists when they chose. She had detected a slight chill between the men when they greeted, but it was either her imagination or short lived as they appeared quite harmonious for the remainder of the meal.
Still she felt emotionally confused, on one hand she was about to have more family than she expected upon leaving Australia, yet on the other she wasn’t sure how to connect on a more meaningful level. She would obviously need to give both relationships more time. First things first she was due to meet up with Camilla again who would apparently be organising a showing of wedding dresses at the apartment. Leilani couldn’t stand the woman who had distinct designs on her fiancé. She barely knew her intended and had little confidence in his ability to remain monogamous. Neither did she have enough to confront him with her doubts. It would only increase his perception that she was insecure, and she was desperate to shake that image.
Self-reflecting she knew that from the moment Renato met her he’d not seen her at her best. They’d met not long after she’d learnt of her parents’ deception, and even now felt misplaced. To know that she was barely tolerated by the man who raised her was now conceivable with the knowledge of her true parentage. However, to know that Vittorio had been happy to leave her as an infant that hurt. Discarded by those that should have cared for and loved her dented her self-esteem and confidence in a way that was unimaginable.
She couldn’t think about this right now, she was still too raw and indulging in self-pity would get her nowhere. It simply was what it was, and she would just have to deal with it and get on with her life. The last thing she needed was to be feeling vulnerable with Camilla about to arrive at any moment. She could easily imagine what conclusions the woman would come to if she saw Leilani in a weak moment.
Grabbing a hold of her makeup case she pulled out what was necessary and started applying the technique advised by the makeup artist. She took five deep breaths, decided it was time to face the day and headed down to breakfast where she could relish the next half hour or so of peace.
Renato was firing off instructions to Camilla that she busily entered into her tablet, so she didn’t realise when Leilani walked in. However, he missed nothing. He noticed the sway of her blonde hair and lithe body and her mouth with those lips that knew his, how he’d love to savour them again. It was her eyes though that truly drew his attention. She looked relaxed until she spotted Camilla and him; Renato spotted the immediate change in her demeanour. Wariness crept in as she took them both in and then the subtle straightening of her shoulders and squaring her jaw preparing for whatever imaginative battle she was concocting.
Camilla realised that he’d stopped dictating and glanced up to see what was distracting him. Noticing Leilani, she ignored his intended and continued with their task effectively snubbing her. Renato rose to his feet, and he opted for a show of unity and greeted her more enthusiastically than he’d intended. “Buongiorno tesorino,” he greeted her with the loving endearment and leant in for a kiss. Touching his lips to hers he momentarily forgot that they were not alone. Firmly he took a hold of his woman and branded her with a kiss that would remind her of him all day long.
It was Leilani that wiggled out of the embrace first, becoming conscious of their onlooker. A sexy blush stained her cheeks; she mumbled her barely comprehendible greeting and took her seat at the table. Camilla uttered a greeting that was no doubt compelled to not appear rude. He would have to keep an eye on her, she was a brilliant assistant, but he knew how a woman could be, and any unwanted interference in his personal life would not be tolerated.
Throwing back the contents of his espresso he opened the conversation up at the table, “so what are the plans for today?” though he knew perfectly well having overseen the itinerary personally.
“Leilani has several designer houses arriving today to show off their exclusive wedding dresses. The wedding planner is coming this afternoon to go over final touches to the wedding. Everything is on schedule, and you should be happy with the outcome on the day,” so efficient, he knew that she would have it all executed with precision. It was Leilani he wanted to hear from and throughout the conversation she quietly ate her food and only offered monosyllabic yes and no answers.
If she had no interest in her wedding day, then that would be her problem. He’d done everything he could for her to put together the day in a way that suited her, the best planner, designers, you name it she had it at her fingertips. Warranted he had forced the wedding onto her but she was aware that he meant this to be a lifelong commitment so he would have thought that she’d start showing a bit more interest. There was no doubt that the chemistry spark existed, he felt the desire growing for her with each kiss and touch. There was no reason they couldn’t have a relatively amicable marriage with all the perks.
The doorbell rang indicating the arrival of the first wedding dresses. His queue to leave as sighting the bride in her wedding dress before the event was one tradition he didn’t want to break. They would have enough of a challenge without tempting fate further. He stole another chaste kiss on the lips before departing for The Favalli offices.
Leilani couldn’t get the taste of his lips from her mind. They had turned a point, and the light touches and kisses were driving her crazy. She couldn’t believe how quickly she could forget her surroundings, forget everything including how domineering Renato could be and just lose herself in his touch and taste. She was afraid to admit that she wanted more. She just wished that their relationship had a loving foundati
on. As it stood, she was so unsure of everything. Maybe she could spend some time with Vittorio over the next few days. If he divulged a bit more of Renato’s character to her, she might gain a better understanding and possibly grow closer to both men in the process.
“Are you coming into the living room or are you going to sit there mooning over Renato all morning?” The catty comment lifted Leilani out of her reverie and propelled her into the other room. She spent the next few hours viewing models showcasing wedding gowns while coping with the stream of subtle snide comments from Camilla. By lunchtime, she was quite over the entire experience and quickly shortlisted four dresses to try on.
Parading each gown in front of the designers and Camilla was painstaking, and the first three choices were terrible. “I think you should let one of us make the choice. You obviously need assistance working out what suits your body shape,” Camilla lapped up the opportunity to make another cutting remark.
“I’d prefer to be the decision maker on this occasion,” she gritted back while the design house representatives murmured agreement. She noticed their furtive looks between Camilla and her, as they tried to figure out who called the shots. As a Favalli, they would see her as empowered yet regardless of station Camilla had the distinct ability to intimidate.
Leilani picked up her final choice and with the help of two fitters stepped into the dress. The heavy satin was cool against her skin, and she took a slight breath in as the attendants laced her up tightly. The champagne material was liberally adorned at the breast with pearls and beads. They feathered down her left side, skimmed her waist and curved to cover her lower abdomen before trailing to the top of her right thigh. The skirt of the gown was simple with only a couple of tucks on the left and one on the right. They created elegant drapes and wide soft pleats before trailing off into a modest train.
