“Fleeing from a problem doesn’t solve it.” He wanted to say more on the subject but instead said, “Dinner is served on the lower terrace.”
Emilia fidgeted with her cloth napkin as she sat at the elaborately set round table on the terrace. The daylight was slowly fading and the candles and illuminated lanterns cast shadows over the area. Looking out into the gardens, Emilia was impressed by the intricate shapes and designs throughout the planted areas.
“You must enjoy your outdoor space and gardens.”
“The house came with a well-designed garden space, but I have had a team of landscape architects and gardeners expand it over time.”
The housekeeper, Mara, served a plate of prawns with a chutney salsa. As soon as she retreated, Alex poured them each a glass of chilled chardonnay. She remembered leaving her barely touched glass of wine on the other terrace.
“Do you entertain here often?”
“I haven’t held a large event here in four years.”
Emilia met his dark gaze. “The gala was the last party?” Her mind tried to make sense of his revelation. Why would he have stopped entertaining?
Alex took a bite of his appetizer, then said, “Si, I was not happy with the outcome. It was an invasion of privacy and I haven’t been inclined to repeat the incident.”
“It would be better for both of us if we pretended it never happened and moved on.” Emilia tasted the delicate prawn with the spicy chutney and savored the combination of flavors.
“You need to know that I don’t hide from the truth. Ever. Either you will tell your family the truth about the photographs or I will.”
She set her fork down. He seemed relaxed and in control and his expression revealed nothing of his thoughts. If he was angry with her, he didn’t let it show.
“I won’t tell them.” Emilia looked out at the garden as she contemplated her family’s reaction.
“As your father and uncle have sought out my investment into Berceto Designs, anything less than full disclosure would be dishonest.”
“Don’t invest.” The words escaped before she could slow them down. She knew she was being unreasonable.
“Cara, before this is all over you’ll offer Berceto Designs to me on a silver platter.”
Mara appeared with the next course. She quietly removed the appetizer and replaced it with a plate of artfully arranged curried chicken over steamed rice.
When the housekeeper was out of earshot, Emilia said, “You will not succeed in acquiring Berceto. It is a family-owned business and I intend to take over the leadership.”
“From your hideaway in St. Petersburg?” His sharp words pierced her pride. She had been hiding, waiting for the media to forget about her humiliation. And in doing so, the company had been sliding into a deep hole.
“I’ve come back to California to help re-invent the company.”
She watched as Alex continued to savor his food.
She picked up her fork and managed to take several bites of the delicious dish.
“This impasse will need to be solved. Either you will tell them or I will.”
“I don’t see any reason to dredge up the past. That time in particular was enormously painful for my parents and grandfather. I don’t want to cause them more heartache,” Emilia said, hoping to appeal to his empathy for the older generation.
His gaze flickered over her in frustration and he said, “Your parents made a poor decision. They should have sued the tabloid press.”
Emilia pushed the hurt away. “It was difficult for them; they were disappointed.”
“So they banished you? Who were they disappointed with? You or the unscrupulous media?”
Emilia let a silence fall between them as she contemplated her parents’ reaction. She knew they did the best that they knew how to do. It was true, they were afraid of negative press and tarnishing Berceto’s reputation. But if she had been stronger and stood up to them, would they have supported her?
“I don’t know.”
“Are you willing to step into the public eye and shed your image as a recluse to save Berceto?”
“A recluse?” Emilia met his intense gaze.
“From all accounts, you walled yourself off and threw away the key.” He continued to eat his food.
Emilia cautioned herself not to feel defensive. “I’ve led a quiet life since the incident. I’m not ashamed of that and I have achieved enormous success in the design realm.”
He met her gaze as he took a sip of wine. “There is more to living than producing masterpieces. What about your connection to others?”
She shrugged. “I have close friends. Family. I don’t know what you are implying.”
She couldn’t wait to leave. He was arrogant. But she wouldn’t allow herself to let him see that he was getting to her.
“You are acting like a victim in a Greek tragedy. Let it go. It was a regrettable mistake. You need to let yourself live. And frankly, to save your precious legacy, you’ll need to step out of the shadows.”
Emilia took a sip of water to sooth her dry throat. “I understand that changes are needed. I have a cousin who has agreed to help me with some of the public relations challenges and another who has agreed to create a film for the launch.”
Mara quietly cleared their plates and offered to serve coffee on the terrace.
Alex guided her back to another part of the garden. Moving further from the house, she took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves. “Berceto has serious cash flow issues. You’ll need to step forward and be the face of the company if you expect to breathe new life into it.”
Her mind contemplated stepping into the media spotlight. “My family has always been uncomfortable with the glitter and vanity that surround the industry.”
She noticed his eyes traveled down her body. “My guess is that deep down you are not adverse to the spotlight.”
She shook her head. “I don’t like the attention.”
He handed her a new glass of wine. “Why did you dye your hair an unnatural red?”
Emilia lived in obscurity. Why did it matter that she dyed her hair?
“If you were striving to be invisible, you would have kept your natural hair color. My guess is that your sexy dress is hiding a provocative tattoo.”
Her spine stiffened, causing her to stand straighter. “Maybe I’m not as transparent as you seem to think.”
“Maybe.”
He let a moment of silence pass between them before saying, “I’ve something to show you, but it may shock you. For that I apologize.”
Emilia guardedly met his gaze. What could he possibly want to show her? Could he have already acquired Berceto and her family left it to him to tell her? She looked away from him; her parents wouldn’t do that to her. Would they?
Leading her to the back of the mansion, he opened an ornate wooden door to his private office. He turned on the lights and she glanced around the well-appointed room. It had a masculine feel with dark wood bookshelves lining one wall, dark green leather armchairs and a massive, cherry desk in the center of the room.
He stepped forward, placing his hands gently on her shoulders and turned her toward the far wall.
Her mind went blank and her heart began to race. There was a series of framed black-and-white photographs taken of them the night of the gala. In the first photograph, they were dancing and she was laughing at something he told her. In the next one, they were sitting close together on a bench in the garden sipping champagne. In the third photograph, Alex was kissing her and one hand held the back of her neck and the other was unzipping her dress.
Her thoughts raced forward and she began to wonder if he intended to blackmail her. She asked, “What do you want from me?”
His voice was low and soothing. “This is what the media should have seen. A man bewitched by an exquisitely beautiful woman.”
Emilia realized having Alex in the frame, the photographs seemed less damning. Instead of seeing a sex-crazed, superficial party
girl, she saw the desire between a man and woman. In the photographs, Alex looked like a man enchanted with a woman who clearly desired him.
“So why was I singled out and made to look like an out-of-control porn star?”
Alex released her and stepped back. “My security manager edited out the background of the photograph and presumably thought he wouldn’t be discovered. He sold the photographs for six figures but lost every cent of it defending himself against my wrath in civil court.”
Emilia turned and looked at Alex. He wasn’t the antihero she made him out to be. He had been taken advantage of as well. But it didn’t change the fact that he intended to acquire Berceto Designs. Why did he have such a need to conquer and win?
“I’d like to go home now.”
Alex reached for her and drew her close, his lean hands linking with hers and then releasing them to glide with smooth expertise up to her slim shoulders. “Before you leave, we have some unfinished business between us.”
She stilled, remaining rigid from head to toe, putting out defense signals a blind man could have sensed.
He touched the round marble orb on her long necklace and pulled her gently forward.
“You don’t need to be nervous,” Alex soothed in his dark sensual tone that set off a reaction throughout her body.
Her gaze collided with a smoldering blue look that made her head spin and heart skip a beat. She wanted to step back out of reach, but her body was glued to the spot. She wanted to feel his hard, male body against her and the rigorous control that had always been her savior was nowhere to be found.
“Alex…” Her own voice sounded strange to her, almost pleading.
He lowered his head and lightly trailed kisses over the curve of her cheek and pulled her body closer as he ran his tongue over the sensitive spot by her ear. As she drew in a breath, he moved his hand behind her neck and captured her lips.
She let out a gasp and her mouth opened beneath his insistent sensual onslaught. Her hands flew to his chest and traced his hard muscles through his shirt. He groaned and changed the angle of his mouth to gain deeper access. His tongue explored her mouth and it made her body tighten in response. Following his rhythm, she explored his mouth and lost all sense of time and place. They deepened their intimate connection; each time they took in a ragged breath, they returned to the intimacy of their kisses.
She tugged at his shirt, wanting to feel his heat and hard muscles. Emilia succeeded in pulling his dress shirt from his pants and running her hands up the warm, contoured muscles of his chest. The deep groan that he let out pleased her and she wanted to go further, but reality began to infiltrate her thoughts.
Emilia stepped back. “We shouldn’t.”
She tried to bring her breathing back to normal. He had barely touched her and yet she had exploded with a deep longing.
He stood still, not even bothering to button his shirt.
Emilia fixed her dress. “I should go.”
“Running solves nothing, cara.”
“Allowing ourselves to have a physical relationship will solve nothing. I intend to win. You’ll not get Berceto Designs.”
“Be careful, Emilia. Too much pride could cause you to have to eat those words.”
Emilia fled from him as fast as she could. She couldn’t trust her response around him and the last thing she needed was a scandalous relationship. Alexander Armati was known as a conqueror who was only interested in the chase. She needed to find a way to save Berceto Designs and honor her family’s legacy.
Chapter 4
Arriving back at her grandfather’s house at nearly eleven, Emilia decided to look for a condo. Her grandfather’s housekeeper was waiting up for her and offered her a late snack. Politely declining, Emilia said goodnight and headed to the guest house. Her mind was reeling from her encounter with Alex. She could feel his hands on her body and he reaction to him. Stripping off her clothing, she took a hot shower.
Why did he want her to tell her family that he was the man in the photographs? Why not just keep it secret? What good would come of telling everyone? She thought about his desire to expose the truth. He was right but it didn’t make telling her family any easier.
Why had he framed the three photographs of them together at the party? What could he possibly gain from showing her the images? Had he hoped to seduce her? She was exhausted from considering all of the possible reasons.
She reminded herself to stay focus on saving Berceto. Over the next several days, Emilia went to the company each day and tried to figure out how to undo the damage. Part of the difficulty was nothing was familiar about the company that she grew up visiting and spending time in. She knew her parents had changed the physical location of the company, but the more questions she asked, the more she realized that the essential business model had been abandoned as well. The sales staff had their territories cut in half and some of the more experienced employees had found other, more lucrative employment.
Emilia had been having breakfast with her grandfather each day, but instead of giving her advice, he had been asking her questions and listening to her concerns. He expected her to figure out a path forward on her own.
Five days after her dinner with Alex, Emilia was still trying to figure out why he had framed the photographs of them. Was it possible that he has attracted to her? She told herself that it must have something to do with acquiring Berceto.
Getting dressed for the day, she sent a brief text to Liv letting her know that she would pick her up at her hotel by nine o’clock. Emilia had begged Liv to come to California and help with the upcoming trade show. The annual show was a critical piece in helping the company right itself.
Walking out onto the terrace, she spotted her grandfather having coffee. The California sun warmed the air and created a golden haze over the day.
She kissed her grandfather goodbye and wished him a good day, he said, “You look beautiful, Emilia.”
She stood before him in a new wrap-around silk dress that made her look polished and fashionable. She had gone shopping the night before and purchased a few work dresses that hopefully would elevate her standing within the company. She knew the shorts and T-shirts she preferred to wear in Florida wouldn’t portray the right image to the large staff at Berceto. And as her father and uncle dressed in suits and ties each day, she wanted to match their professional attire.
Walking out the door, she realized that her grandfather was secretly praying that she would be successful in her bid to run the company.
Making her way through L.A. traffic, she pulled up to the four-star hotel where Liv was waiting for her. Her friend climbed into the silver Mercedes, saying, “This is a completely different life for you. How are you holding up?”
Emilia maneuvered the vehicle back into traffic on the busy side street. “I’m not sure. Everything is moving at such a hectic pace. I’ve been working on a launch concept, but Berceto has changed so much since I left, it is barely recognizable.”
Liv had traveled a couple times a year to help with the annual trade shows and exhibits, but Emilia had remained in the studio instead of accompanying her. Her parents had insisted that it was more important for her to produce the high-end designs than get involved with the day-to-day running of the business.
Liv smiled at her. “Things have a way of working out.”
“I’ve reviewed the balance sheets. The company is in dire straits and my father and uncle want to sell fifty percent of the shares to Alexander Armati.”
Her assistant drew in a surprised breath. “How do you feel about that?”
“I’m not going to let it happen.”
“From everything you have told me about Alex Armati, he is hugely successful in anything he sets his sights on. Maybe he could help Berceto?” Liv said as she rummaged in her bag for sunglasses.
Emilia resisted telling Liv about her dinner with Alex. It was too raw and upsetting. Apparently she had learned very little from the past, she had been more than willing t
o kiss him.
She kept her eyes on the road. “I need your help to turn things around. There are very few people that I can count on.”
Thinking about the problems facing the company sparked energy into her. She was not going to let the company fail.
“Are you sure that this is what you want? You were very happy when you were designing and if you start managing Berceto then you will not have the freedom to create new pieces.”
She heard the concern in her friend’s voice. Liv had a point. She would have to pull back from designing. And she may not have the experience or knowledge to know how to move the company away from bankruptcy.
“If I don’t do something, Berceto will be sold and I’ll be working for Alexander Armati.”
“Wouldn’t your family own a large percentage? Maybe it would be more of a partnership.”
She had no illusions that it would be a partnership. Alex would take over.
“The alternative is to launch my own design business, but that would mean giving up the Berceto legacy. I’m sure Alex Armati will make me sign a non-compete for a period of time. Maybe five years. If I don’t agree to his terms my parents and uncle will lose everything.”
Her only option was to find a way out of the cash issues that Berceto had and try and save the company.
“You are enormously talented. I’m sure Alexander Armati will want to keep you motivated and happy.”
He wanted something from her, but it didn’t have anything to do with happiness. He wanted to win and she wasn’t going to let him. He had already unwittingly orchestrated her exile, but she was stronger and wiser now. This time she would prevail. She would make any sacrifice necessary to see Berceto remain a family jewelry business for future generations.
“Liv, I have no intention of working for Alex Armati.”
The remaining time in the car was spent going over the plans for the new launch. Emilia and Liv went through the security checkpoints in the parking lot and then again in the main foyer of Berceto.
The Exiled Jeweler: a contemporary romance novel (The Rosa Legacy Book 2) Page 5
