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“They were too busy hating on Alessandro, and were more worried about getting one over him than protecting me,” I explain to her.
“They will be hearing from me, I assure you.” She nods, and I can see underneath her calm exterior she is seething. My brothers’ ears are going to be bleeding when she’s done with them. “I’m surprised that it was he who stood up for you,” she says, refusing to use Alessandro’s name.
“Look, I get it, he’s a Conti and I’m surprised that there is another side to him, a good side that I didn’t know was there,” I tell her. She eyes me suspiciously. “What?” I ask her, feeling her eyes boring into me.
“He’s treating you well over there? We haven’t heard from you other than a couple of messages here and there,” she asks. There’s the guilt about not calling her enough, I knew it would happen sooner or later, it always does.
“He is.” But I don’t elaborate more, she doesn’t really care. She doesn’t need to know that every night we sleep in the same bed and end it with him nestled between my thighs or that he now wakes up with me and we both do yoga by the pool and then have breakfast together before he goes to work. I even pack him his lunches. Then he is home for dinner, where we sit and eat in front of the TV, arguing about what we should watch.
“I’m guessing with this change of tune you haven’t stumbled upon anything in the house that might be useful for your father?” she asks.
I shake my head. “I haven’t looked,” I tell her.
She gives me a side eye at that comment. “He’s a smart man. I bet he’s moved everything into his office,” she mumbles.
“I’m not going there,” I tell her.
“No, that would be too obvious. What you did last night was a good plan. Distracting him enough that he gave up on his meeting with Elek and your brothers were able to sway him toward selling to us. Your plan is working.”
I frown at her. “Did you not hear me when I said Elek Papp was an asshole?”
“Language, Natalia. I heard, but rich men can be assholes and sometimes you have to grin and bear it to win.”
“To win? I have to watch a man that is old enough to be the waitress’s father or even grandfather paw at her all night so that we can make more money?” I argue.
“That’s not what I said. What has gotten into you?” she questions me.
“Nothing. What has gotten into you, that you and my brothers would want to do business with that man?” I question her.
“I don’t get involved in that side of the business, but if you feel that strongly about it then why don’t you speak to your father at Sunday lunch and raise your concerns with him?” she snips at me.
“Maybe I should.”
“Why don’t you bring Alessandro, too,” she says.
“You want me to bring a Conti to a Fiorenzo family lunch?” I question her.
“He’s family now, maybe we need to start treating him like it,” she says, staring out of the car window.
My mouth has fallen open, aghast at her. “You’re not serious, are you?” I ask her.
She turns and looks at me. “Why not? You are living with this man. There is a ring on your finger. The public thinks the two of you are in love.”
“I don’t know if that’s going to be a good idea. What about Gio and Luca?” I ask her.
“I can control my boys,” she states firmly. “And if I can’t, Lilly and Paige most certainly will.”
“I don’t know if he will say yes.”
“Then that’s fine, too. The invitation is there,” she says as the car stops at our destination. We step out and right into the paparazzi, pulling my attention away from the bombshell my mother just dropped on me.
31
ALESSANDRO
Ican’t believe I’m going to the Fiorenzos’ for Sunday lunch. I’ve lost my damn mind or falling for Natalia Fiorenzo has made me lose my mind. That night, when she found me in my office after hearing the vile things my father said about her, she comforted me, telling me she wanted more than this stupid fake marriage, that she didn’t care about what our families think, and that she only wanted me. And I only want her. She’s got me hook, line, and sinker. I’m hers.
“It’s sweet you bought my mother flowers and my father his favorite wine,” Natalia says, walking down the stairs from our room. She’s dressed in a gorgeous blue and white floral dress that cups her breasts perfectly as it molds to her curves. She looks like a sexy milkmaid, and I’m here for it. Her glossy chocolate hair cascades around her bronzed shoulders. Her makeup is natural and she’s wearing flats for the first time.
