Captivated by Her Italian Boss

by Rosanna Battigelli

  “I can’t argue that,” Davide replied coolly. “And we can’t change the past. Or your feelings that I should remember my place. What’s done is done.” He leaned forward. “But things are different now. Neve is an adult and it would be nice if you treated her like one and stopped trying to control her life. She doesn’t need your approval or your interference. And neither do I.”

  Lois opened her mouth as if to protest, then promptly shut it. She stared at Davide for a few moments. “Well, I’ve been told.”

  Davide looked hard at the woman who had manipulated Neve’s life since she was a child—and still seemed reluctant to relinquish total control. Eight years ago he might have had a difficult time confronting someone like her, but now he had no qualms about expressing his feelings, and no fears that he had to remember his place. “I think if you really gave it some thought you’d see that you deserved it, Signora Wilder. You were the one who was out of line.”

  Davide’s piercing gaze didn’t falter. He watched the play of emotions on her face: the furrowing of eyebrows, the arrogant tilt of her head at his effrontery and the wide-eyed blinking, probably from the shock of being brought down a few pegs.

  Davide stood up. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go and see if Neve is ready to come back down.” He nodded and began to walk away. When he got to the door, he turned around. “Oh, by the way, Signora Wilder, your daughter is old enough to make adult decisions about her reputation. You would do well to let go of those apron strings...”

  He met Neve as she was coming down the stairs. “I have some work to do,” he said. “I’ll listen for Bianca.” He shook his head and gave an exaggerated sigh, aware that she was wondering how things had gone between him and her mother. “I think you and your mother might need some time alone...”

  Davide took the remaining stairs two at a time, and after peeking into Bianca’s room and seeing that she was napping soundly, he went to his study. He would give Neve and her mother ten minutes or so, and then go back down. After checking his email and replying to some of the messages regarding his planned renovations on another section of the castle, Davide checked his phone.

  He’d give them a few more minutes...

  Realizing it was rather dim in the room, he strode over to open the heavy shutters. The voices of Neve and her mother were suddenly audible, and although it hadn’t even occurred to him that they’d be within hearing distance, and he had no intention of eavesdropping, the words Neve was saying immobilized him.

  He had caught the last part of her sentence, the words “peasant” and “unrefined” in a tone that clearly reflected her disgust. “Did you actually think I would give up my virginity to him? I had no intentions of sinking that low...”

  Davide felt his heart crack as if someone had taken a hammer to the stone that it had instantly become. He missed Lois’s reply. Neve went on, “He’s not the same man he was back then, Mother. He’s not in the same place. He’s got money—lots of money—and more status than you could dream of—” Her voice sounded triumphant, as if she had just landed the biggest prize in the lottery.

  Davide closed the shutters with a bang, not caring that they would hear him. He paced the room, disillusionment taking root in his gut and spreading tentacles of anger throughout him, constricting his heart to the point where he felt like collapsing.

  Neve was a great actress, he thought bitterly, his hand gripping the back of his chair. And now he knew her true feelings. She may not have been the one who wrote that note, but clearly she was just like her mother, phony and obsessed about money and status. And just as deceitful as the three nannies he had fired.

  Davide wanted to smash the chair against the wall. Neve wasn’t interested in him as a person; no, she was obviously thrilled that she had hooked a guy who had an income and status even higher than hers. Which is why she had allowed him to take her to his bed... She had obviously thought it was a good trade...

  He clenched his jaw so hard that the pain shot through to his temples. If Neve’s note had devastated him eight years ago, her words moments ago had shattered every last ounce of trust and hope that had regenerated in his soul since she had arrived in Valdoro...

  And now he’d have to go and face them both; mother and daughter, cut from the same rich cloth. His mouth twisted. He would keep his composure while Neve’s mother was at the castle. Put on the best act of his life. And he would save his moment of reckoning with Neve till later...

  He heard Bianca call out. His heart twisted, not only for himself, but for the way Bianca would feel when he eventually told her that Neve would no longer be staying as her nanny...

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  NEVE FELT A tightening in her jaw as she walked into the courtyard. What exactly had her mother bargained for, coming to the castle? And how was she supposed to do her job with her mother around? As her mother gazed at her expectantly, Neve felt her stomach twist with anxiety.

  What she really wanted was to confront her mother about her manipulative and controlling actions to prevent her from meeting with Davide. Her need to manage Neve’s life a decade ago, and even now. Would Lois ever change?

  Well, it was time she did. Perhaps she had subconsciously allowed her mother to keep controlling her life. Perhaps she hadn’t been ready to let go of the apron strings.

  Not anymore.

  There was no time for small talk. Lois had arrived against her wishes, made plans to come to the castle, had expected Davide to drop everything to accommodate her and pick her up, and had even had the effrontery to insinuate that he was making Neve do housekeeping along with her nanny duties.

  It was time for her to stand up to her mother.

  “I’m surprised you were civil to my boss, Mom,” she said curtly. “But then again, he’s not a peasant and unrefined as you thought him a decade ago. Did you actually think I would give up my virginity to him? I had no intentions of sinking that low...”

  Her mother opened her mouth to reply, but Neve wasn’t ready to let her have her say. “I wouldn’t be sinking so low as to sleep with anyone unless I was in love with him. I can’t believe you wrote that note, Mom. Really? What were you afraid was going to happen? That he would whisk me up into the hills and have his way with me? Come on, I hardly had the personality to allow that to happen!” She shook her head angrily. “It’s so sad that you couldn’t even trust me.”

  “It wasn’t you I didn’t trust, darling. It was him. I imagined it was the young fellow who had been making eyes with you. I saw what was in them.”

  “Good God,” Neve sputtered. “Admit it, Mom. You thought he was below me. Us. You didn’t want me associating with a farmer.” Her cheeks burned. “You would do well to remember your place,” she mimicked.

  “A mother has to look out for her daughter’s best interests,” her mother said, dabbing her forehead with her napkin.

  “No, you have always looked out for your best interests,” Neve shot back. “He’s not the same man he was back then, Mother. He’s not in the same place. He’s got money—lots of money—and more status than you could dream of. And when you found out about my boss, you had to come here to see how Davide’s position and status could benefit you in some way.”

  “I came here because I care about you, Neve. It’s hard to relinquish motherhood. You’ll find that out for yourself one day.”

  Her mother sounded hurt, but Neve wasn’t finished. “You don’t have to relinquish motherhood. You just have to relinquish control.” She took a deep breath. “And you don’t care about me as much as you care about you and how you appear to your high society circles,” Neve retorted. “I’m done with all of it.” She glared at her mother. “If you really care about me, you’ll leave and let me do my job here.”

  “Well... I’ve been told. Again,” Lois huffed. “I can’t undo what I did eight years ago, Neve. And I’m sorry you feel the way you do about me.” Sh
e turned to grab her handbag. “I hope you will eventually find it in your heart to forgive me. And don’t worry. I won’t bother you anymore while I’m in Valdoro.”

  She started to walk toward the entrance to the kitchen, then stopped to pull a smaller bag out of her handbag. “This is a little something for Bianca. I’ll leave it on the kitchen counter.”

  Neve stared at the retreating figure of her mother. Deflated, she took the box of pastries and followed her inside. Davide and Bianca were approaching. Bianca let go of Davide’s hand and ran up to Neve. Davide introduced Bianca to Lois.

  “Are you coming to live with us, too?” Bianca asked.

  Lois gave an embarrassed laugh. “No, dear. I was just here for a visit.”

  “I’ll drive your mother back to the Villa Morgana,” Davide said coolly. “Bianca can stay and have a treat. I won’t be long.”

  After they left, Lois walking stiffly past her, Neve tried to ignore the churning in her stomach. She gave Bianca a snack of almond cookies and milk, and after putting the pastry box in the fridge, Neve took the bag that was on the counter. “Come and open your gift, Bianca,” she said brightly, not wanting to show Bianca how shaken the confrontation with her mother had left her.

  Bianca ran over and pulled the tissue from the bag, letting it fall to the floor in her excitement. Neve picked it up and when her gaze shifted to the gift in Bianca’s hand, she gulped.

  It was a photo frame with a three-dimensional angel on one side. The top of the frame showed a sky with glittering stars, and the angel’s arms were uplifted to hold one of them. The text at the bottom of the frame read: Love never dies; it’s true. Like the stars in the heavens, our love shines for you.

  And she had included a card.

  To Bianca,

  For you to keep a special photo of your mommy and daddy.

  God bless you.

  Lois Wilder.

  Neve didn’t know how she had kept it together after seeing her mother’s gift and note. She had set the picture frame on the counter, holding her tears back, and had ushered Bianca upstairs to get her overnight bag ready. Signora Lucia would be arriving to pick up Bianca later in the afternoon, Davide had said, which could be anytime now.

  She arrived before Davide got back. Neve answered the door to greet her and Rosalia, and after Bianca had rushed to give them both a hug, Neve chatted with Lucia briefly and wished them all a good time. Neve almost lost her balance when Bianca unexpectedly turned around and hugged her around the waist. “Arrivederci, Bianca Neve,” she giggled, before following Lucia out to her car.

  Neve closed the door and promptly burst into tears.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  NEVE WAS STILL standing there moments later, staring out toward the dark strip of the Ionian Sea, when Davide returned. She felt the corners of her eyes prickling, and as he walked toward her, her tears prevented her from seeing him clearly. She wiped them hastily with her hands, and when her vision cleared, Davide was next to her, but instead of the look of concern that she was expecting, his face was expressionless, except for the hard line of his mouth.

  She frowned. “What’s the matter, Davide? Did my mother say something to upset you?”

  He gave a harsh laugh. “No, it’s not what your mother said that upset me.” His eyes glinted. “It’s what I heard you say...” He gestured toward the door. “Let’s take this inside. I need a drink.”

  Neve followed him numbly. What had she said to have caused Davide to speak to her so icily? When they were in the kitchen, he poured himself a shot of brandy. She waited by the island, her stomach twisting apprehensively.

  After he had downed it, he poured himself another one. Neve’s heart thudded in her chest. Why was he acting this way?

  “Davide, what is going on? Why—”

  “Why do I want to drink myself into oblivion tonight?” he rasped. “I’ll tell you why, Signorina Neve.” He spat out her name as if it was poison. “Because I hate myself for having trusted you. For believing that you...that you had feelings for me.” His eyes narrowed. “What a fool I was, to think that you were any better than your mother.” He swallowed his second drink. “You and your mother are a great team,” he sneered. “You were both disgusted eight years ago when I was a peasant and unrefined, but how quickly you both changed your tune when you found out I had plenty of money and status...” He reached again for the bottle.

  “No! Davide, don’t! Please!” Neve grabbed his arm. “I don’t know where you got these ideas...”

  Davide’s gaze swiveled to her hand and frowning, he pried her fingers off him. “You can cut the act now, Neve. I got those ideas from you, from what you said to your mother in the courtyard.” He raked his hand through his hair. “Here, let me refresh your memory: Did you actually think I would give up my virginity to him? I had no intentions of sinking that low... But you had no problem sinking into my bed when you discovered I had more money and status than you could ever imagine. You and your mother can shake hands,” he said icily. “And you can start packing. I’ll have Lucia book the first possible flight back to Vancouver.”

  * * *

  Neve froze as Davide brushed past her to stalk out of the room and into the courtyard.

  “Oh. My. God.”

  She felt her eyes welling up. The glare he had fixed her with had pierced her to the core. Such disgust in the depths of his eyes... Neve blinked, but she could not stem the flow of tears. How could Davide believe she had been so conniving? With a sob, she ran up to her room and collapsed on the bed, letting herself cry until she was depleted.

  When she got up and went to splash cold water on her face, she looked at the bathroom mirror and cringed at her red-rimmed eyes and mottled cheeks. With a heavy heart, she took her suitcase and started packing her clothes into it. Halfway through, she stopped.

  What was she doing? She was not going to abandon Bianca, and she certainly wasn’t going to accept Davide’s damning judgment of her.

  She had to find him and convince him that he had been wrong...

  * * *

  Davide’s garden had always been a place of relaxation for him, but this time, his nerves were too jangled to allow him any hope of destressing. He had strode past the spot where he had kissed Neve and the pain that was already throbbing in his chest had intensified. He had to get out of there and away from the castle. Drive anywhere to distance himself from Neve.

  He had just entered the kitchen when Neve appeared and planted herself in front of him, her eyes puffy and red.

  “You said you were a fool, Davide. And you were, to believe those words you obviously heard without listening to the whole conversation. And I’m not leaving this castle, let alone this country, dammit, until I make you understand.” Her eyes bored into his. “I’m not losing you again.”

  Davide’s jaw tensed and he gripped the edge of the island chair. But as Neve kept talking, the muscles in his face and hand began to relax.

  “I love you, not your money, Davide, and I would be happy living in a cave with you.” Neve’s eyes glittered. “And I’ve loved you from the day you stared at me across the road with your beautiful black eyes...”

  When she was done, Davide groaned as he pulled her to him tightly. “I’m so sorry, tesoro. When I heard you say those words to your mother, my heart crumbled...” He brushed soft kisses on her cheeks. “Don’t cry, amore mio.”

  As he reached for the box of tissues on the counter, his gaze fell on the photo frame. He picked it up and raised an eyebrow at Neve.

  “My mother brought that for Bianca,” Neve said, choking on her words.

  Davide read the text on the frame. He set the frame down and closed his eyes. It felt like someone was squeezing his heart. Hard. He opened his eyes when he felt Neve wrap her arms around him. He swallowed.

  “I miss her,” he said, his voice cracking. “Why did this hav
e to happen? To them, to Bianca... She didn’t deserve this.”

  “No child does.”

  Neve’s soft voice and the compassion in her eyes pierced Davide’s heart. He felt the pain and grief that he had been holding back for Bianca’s sake begin to seep out. Letting out a moan, he broke away from Neve and went to sit down on the leather couch in the living room. He covered his face in his hands and tried to control the dam that was about to break within him. But when Neve came over to sit next to him and put her arm around him, the dam collapsed. He let the grief for the loss of his sister and brother-in-law burst out of him in deep sobs.

  The feel of Neve’s fingertips caressing his temples and face was calming. He inhaled and exhaled deeply. And then he turned to face her, looking deep into her eyes. He brought her fingers to his lips and brushed them with soft kisses. “Let’s get out of here, tesoro,” he murmured. “I want to take you somewhere special tonight.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  NEVE FELT RENEWED after her shower. She quickly dried off and chose a midnight-blue halter dress that fell just above her knees and a shimmering rose shawl. In case Davide was planning a walk along the coast, Neve decided on a pair of dressy navy sandals with laces that tied up at her calves. The anticipation of the evening and night ahead with Davide all to herself had her pulse spiking. Trying to keep her hand steady, she applied some dark brown eyeliner and a gentle brush of blue eyeshadow. And a rose lipstick to match her shawl.

  She left her hair down but used her curling iron to give it extra body, and satisfied with the way she looked, she grabbed a navy clutch and made her way downstairs.

  Davide was waiting in the foyer. He stood up when he saw her at the top of the stairs and strode over to the end of the stairway to wait for her. As she approached the final curve of the stairway, Neve could see the approving spark in his eyes as his gaze swept over her.